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Sourdough Waffles topped with Molasses, Pomegranate and Orange Slices

January 12, 2013by RebeccaLeave a Comment

It’s been months. My quest for the “just right” gluten-free sourdough waffle recipe is over. I’ve attempted getting this right so many times I’ve lost track. Now, not far from where it began, I’ll share.

For whatever reason, I can’t make gluten-free waffles with eggs turn out. Weird, I think, because that is what makes normal waffles so good. Neither are there milk products or substitutes of any kind. They didn’t work to my satisfaction either. The best part about this recipe is that if you’re not eating gluten-free, you can still make this without a great deal of modification. So here we have it- super simple if you’re inclined to utilize your sourdough culture.

I find the absolutely best topping right now is a thin smear of apricot jam, a light twirl of molasses and a heaping of satsuma or mandarin oranges and pomegranate seeds. Weekend perfect. Enjoy.

Simple Sourdough Waffles, adapted from Alaska Sourdough

1 cup sourdough starter

1 Tbs. sugar

2 Tbs. canola oil

1 Tbs. ground flax seed

2 Tbs. warm water

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

In a small dish, mix warm water and flax seed. Stir to mix and allow to sit for a few minutes to thicken up.
In a larger mixing bowl, spoon sourdough starter, sugar, oil, salt, and flax mixture.
In another small dish, mix baking soda a enough warm water to dilute. Gently stir soda mixture and dump into the rest. Stir slowly until all mixed up and use immediately on a hot waffle iron.

Autumn

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

December 9, 2012December 18, 2022by Rebecca3 Comments

“Good habits are as addictive as bad habits but, you know, much more rewarding.” That simple thought may be my lifeline right now, as I consider the extreme parallel- interests my thoughts have taken lately.

School – Running – Cooking.

Teaching – Running – A Quick and Healthy Meal.

Learning New Curriculum – Running hours before sunrise – Breakfast with pumpkins.

Got to get to that stack of grading – Workout tomorrow – Remember to check the lights on the hydroponics at school – Roast up those pumpkins for cookies.

Welcome to my world. The only thing that has kept my new work life “balanced” is equally obsessing over my other two loves, running and spending quality time in the kitchen.

Weeks ago now, I know, but as I was leaving my parent’s house the week before Thanksgiving, I was encouraged to take two perfect little pie pumpkins. I intended to use them for a pumpkin pie. That week got busy, however, and I pulled out a can instead. Now, a couple weeks later and already full force into the Christmas season, I am busy pumpkin-ing up meals on a regular basis. Pumpkin pie, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin oatmeal, rosemary roasted pumpkin seeds, pumpkin risotto, the list goes on. What I’d really been meaning to re-vamp for months now are amazing pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. They are gluten and dairy-free and even better than the original recipe (less cakey, more cookie-y). Perfect to share for holiday festivities. Or just to warm and comfort on a cold December day!

Going back to that, ahem, good habits and balance thing, I know my diet may be a wee bit heavy on the orange veg lately, but I keep saying to myself, “You are balanced. You have three lovely things to not stop thinking about”. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies, adapted from Culinate

110 gr / 1/2 cup coconut oil

1 egg or 3 Tbs. aquafava

320 gr / 1 1/2 cup pumpkin puree

200 gr / 1 cup cane sugar

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

330 gr / 2 3/4 cups gluten-free flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

3/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. salt

120 gr / about 3/4 cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
In a mixer, beat the coconut oil and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the egg, pumpkin, and vanilla extract.
In a medium bowl, weigh out the flour and combine with the baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt.
Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture. Fold in about half a cup of chocolate chips.
Pack a cookie scoop level with dough and drop the dough onto a cookie sheet. Add a couple chocolate chip pieces to each cookie.
Bake cookies for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer cookies to wire rack to cool.

Autumn

Candied-Orange Spice Prune Loaf

November 11, 2012January 3, 2015by Rebecca4 Comments

Neah and Papa brought prunes. Every time they come to visit, my grandparents bring food. When we were younger, it was always a box of doughnuts, and then whatever they had in excess that needed to be shared- a box of apples, walnuts, raisins, some frozen fruit, and, oh yes, prunes. The prunes were so overly dried that we couldn’t sink are teeth into them; being inventive as I am, I sure tried. My mother would throw the prunes into the big chest freezer and there they’d stay. When I started leaving for college, I’d raid the freezer. I would inevitably take a bag of raisins and walnuts, but always left the prunes. Sadly, just no easy way to eat them.

On a whim, I finally decided to grab a bag of those prunes on my last trip home. Surely, they could be used for something. Then one day in early September, an epiphany. I kept finding the lovely Italian prune plums at the markets. I wanted to use them in a loaf of some sort but inevitably kept eating them fresh before I ever got around to baking. And then, with the last bite of the fresh plums in my hand, I pulled out an old recipe I’d been meaning to adapt and there it was. The answer. All these years, I’d been avoiding my grandparents prunes and all they needed was a bit of re-hydration!

Now that I’ve tested this recipe so many times I had to go purchase the not-so-overly dried prunes at our nearby farmstand, I really must say it is my new autumn favorite. Molasses, prunes, spices, and candied-orange peel. Not sickly sweet, nor overly-indulging–just a bit of perfection with a nice cup of steaming tea.

Candied-Orange Spice Prune Loaf

9 1/2 oz. gf flour mix (about 2 1/4 cups)

1 1/2 tsp. xanthan gum

1 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. salt

1 1/4 cups boiling water

1 cup prunes, diced (about 18 whole prunes)

1/3 cup candied orange peel, diced

1/2 cup orange syrup (or honey)

1/4 cup molasses

1 Tbs. canola oil

1 egg

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 heaping tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/8 tsp. ground ginger

1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp. ground allspice

Pour boiling water over prunes. Let rest for five minutes. While prunes are resting, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 9″ x 5″ baking dish. Line it with a small handful of oats.
In a separate bowl, mix together flour, xanthan gum, baking soda, salt, and spices.
Measure out orange syrup, molasses, oil, egg and vanilla. Add them all to the prune mixture. Feel free to substitute honey for the orange syrup.
Pour liquids into dry mixture and stir in the candied peel.
Dish into the prepared baking pan. Level with a rubber spatula and sprinkle a few more oats on top for good measure.
Bake for approximately 55 minutes.
If you can, store this loaf away in the fridge for a day or two before eating. The flavors will be enhanced!