Cranberry Apple Pecan French Toast

Saute the apples

It was a little brisk out there this morning. I don't know why, but tasty aromas just smell different with a dip in air temperature.  Leaving yoga class this morning, I was overwhelmed by the need for some autumn flavors in my brunch. Inhaling the sweet and savory breakfast smells wafting from apartment windows and restaurants, I headed to my nearest market to pick up a few things to throw together. This time of year is so easy to convert classic dishes to a seasonal treat. With apples, pumpkins, cranberries, figs, pecans, concord grapes, walnuts, and spices a typical menu can make something basic into something really special.

Cook 3-4 minutes on each side

Today I decided to go with some French toast. Sometimes I use whole wheat challah, sliced thickly, for my French toast. Today, though, I was drawn to the 9-grain sliced loaf from The Baker. Adding some apple butter to the egg mix and doing a quick sauteed topping makes this classic breakfast a perfect cool weekend treat. I considered going with a pumpkin theme by using pureed pumpkin and spices with the egg mix, so if you are a pumpkin lover, that is a great variation to try. Use organic pastured butter to get your omega 3's!

Cranberry Apple Pecan French Toast

1 sliced Golden Delicous apple (with skin on, if organic)
2 T +1 T+ 3T organic unsalted butter, pastured if available
pinch of sea salt
dash of ground cinnamon
1/2 cup roughly chopped pecans
1/2 cup dried cranberries
another dash of sea salt and cinnamon
1 tsp or so of honey

3 large eggs
1/2-2/3 cup oat milk, rice milk, or other preferred milk (I used sunflower seed milk)
2 dashes of ground cinnamon
1/2 cup apple butter
10 slices whole grain bread

real maple syrup for serving


In a saute pan, cook the sliced apple with 2 T butter, dash of salt, and dash of cinnamon over low heat for 15 minutes or so or until apples are nice and tender and beginning to caramelize. Transfer to a bowl and cover to keep warm.

Melt another tablespoon butter in the pan and cook pecans and dried cranberries over medium-low heat with a pinch of cinnamon and a dash of sea salt for about 10 minutes, stirring often until fragrant and pecans are just toasted. Finish with honey, stir honey in, and transfer to bowl with apples. Mix nuts and fruit together and cover.

Wash and dry the pan. and Melt some butter over low. In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cinnamon, and apple butter. Raise heat in the pan to medium. Dip bread into egg mixture two slices at a time (or more if your pan is big), and cook for about 3-4 minutes per side.

Transfer to a warming plate and continue with remaining bread OR serve immediately by topping with apple cranberry pecan mixture and drizzling with real maple syrup. Enjoy with a hot cup of coffee or tea.

'Chocolate by the Bald Man' and a Good Omelette

Max Brenner in NYC

Yesterday, I met a friend who was passing through the city for work at Max Brenner off of Union Square to say hello and catch a cup of coffee and some breakfast before me moved on with our own day's agendas.  I often pass by and wonder what the story is with a place whose subtitle is "Chocolate by the Bald Man" and it seemed it could be a great spot to meet a fellow adventurous foodie friend.  The fragrance of chocolate rolls out of the heavy wooden doors to the passers-by and the window displays are quirky.  Those things are enough to pique my curiosity but for some reason I had never gone in to check it out until yesterday.

A simple bowl of granola.

We walked in and were immediately enveloped in an invisible chocolate-scented cloud. Whoa.  We walked past big barrels of dark, milk, and white chocolate being mixed with a paddle.  There were brown pipes along the ceilings and walls and we wondered if there was actually chocolate flowing through them.  Probably not, but the effect was pure delight.  I commented at a point that I felt like I was in Willy Wonka's chocolate factory.  Everyone was friendly and the pastry case was filled with everything from chocolate and roasted marshmallow dessert pizzas to big plastic syringes filled with their own house-made chocolate ganache made to be injected directly into a choco-holic's mouth (only $3.95, by the way!)  There were cookbooks, souvenirs, and assorted chocolate novelties, as well as serious and straightforward chocolate wares.

A light breakfast complete with chocolate

The novelty was entertaining but, both of us ended up ordering more practical fare, a spinach and goat cheese omelette for me, a bowl of fruit, granola, and yogurt for my friend.  When the food arrived, alas, there was a well-sugared biscuit with a bowl of chocolate dipping ganache next to my omelette.  The granola was placed before my friend in a huge stemmed chalice-type thing, complete with shaved chocolate all over the top and accompanied by a sugared biscotti.  This place was a crack-up! 
The food turned out to be pretty good, not the best I've ever had, but totally passable and the coffee was good.  Prices were very reasonable.  The place is definitely a novelty in which groups would have fun and it would be great for entertaining friends and family who are visiting from out of town.  This chocolate fantasy was definitely a perk in my quiet January week.  There are also locations in Las Vegas and Philly if you are interested in checking those out. 

Spinach and Chevre Omelette a la Max Brenner

What is unique about this omelette is that the eggs and chopped spinach were incorporated together and filled with creamy, delicious chevre (as opposed to the spinach as part of the filling and plain eggs.). I thought it was a nice variation.  Here is how they did it if you are interested in trying it out!

2 large eggs
1 cup minced spinach leaves
salt and pepper to taste
2 T butter
3 T chevre

Whisk together the eggs, minced spinach, and salt and pepper.    Heat the butter in a non-stick pan and swirl pan to cover the bottom of the pan.  Pour egg mixture into pan and turn heat to medium-low. When egg is about halfway cooked, dot the chevre in the middle and fold the egg over.  Cover and cook 2-4 minutes, until eggs are cooked through and chevre is melty. 

(opt.) Serve with chocolate sauce and a biscuit for dipping...

Fig and Almond Loaf

Things are finally beginning to feel a little more seasonal.  Yesterday, I got motivated and did my first baking in months.  With a cool 72 degrees outside, I was okay with turning on the oven in our apartment.  First on the agenda, was Will's favorite Zucchini Pineapple Bread which I made in the form of muffins this time.  I then tried a new one--Fig and Almond Bread.  My friend, Shannon, facebooked about it and the title alone had me enthralled.  It's a recipe she found in Cooking Light magazine, but I was able to find it easily online.  It turned out so well!  I wish I would have used fresh figs since they are all over right now, but the dry worked just fine, too.

It's easy and I highly recommend trying it!

Fig and Almond Loaf

adapted from Cooking Light magazine

Ingredients:

    Streusel:
    * 2 1/2  tablespoons  brown sugar
    * 2  tablespoons  all-purpose flour
    * 1 1/2  tablespoons  coarsely chopped almonds
    * 1  tablespoon  chilled butter, cut into small pieces
    * 1/8  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
   
     Bread:
    * 1  cup  dried figs
    * 1/2  cup  boiling water
    * Cooking spray
    * 1  tablespoon  all-purpose flour
    * 2  large egg whites
    * 1  large egg
    * 3/4  cup  applesauce
    * 1/3  cup  plain fat-free yogurt
    * 1/4  cup  canola oil
    * 1/2  teaspoon  almond extract
    * 3/4  cup  granulated sugar (Florida Crystals!)
    * 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
    * 1/3  cup  chopped almonds

    * 1  teaspoon  baking powder
    * 1  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
    * 1/2  teaspoon  salt
    * 1/2  teaspoon  baking soda

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. To prepare streusel, combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a fork until crumbly; set aside.

3. To prepare bread, combine figs and 1/2 cup boiling water in a small bowl; let stand 30 minutes. Coat 2 (8-inch) loaf pans with cooking spray; dust with 1 tablespoon flour.

4. Place egg whites and egg in a medium bowl; stir well with a whisk. Add applesauce, yogurt, oil, and almond extract; stir well. Add sugar; stir well.

5. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours and remaining ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drain figs, and coarsely chop. Add figs and applesauce mixture to flour mixture, stirring until just combined. Divide batter between prepared pans. Sprinkle streusel over batter. Bake at 350° for 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 15 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.

My Favorite Belgian Waffles

Still looking for ideas on nice things to do for Mom this weekend?  Maybe make her these really delicious and healthy Belgian waffles!  I have done these a few times and they really turn out great.  Top them with fruit, powdered sugar, chocolate chips, or whipped cream and make your mom extra happy this weekend!

My Favorite Belgian Waffles

2 c unbleached white flour
2/3 c whole wheat pastry flour
1 T Florida Crystals
½ t baking powder
1 ½ c almond, soy, or rice milk
1 very ripe banana
½ c earth balance
½ t vanilla extract
¼ t almond extract
½ c applesauce
Cooking spray

Mix together flours, Florida Crystals, and baking powder in a large bowl.

In a blender, puree these: almond milk, banana, Earth Balance, extracts, and applesauce.

Fold wet mixture into dry ingredients.  Batter will be very thick.  Add another splash of almond milk, if it’s too dry.

Make waffles using about ½ c of batter at a time.

Cafe au Lait and Beignets

snowy, snowy Brooklyn

If you are anything like me, you are feeling lucky today. The snow is coming down and lots of things in NYC have been cancelled. I love an impromptu day of nothing. I like to catch up on reading and feel no pressure to hurry up or get to this place or that. Usually on a day like this, I like to do a bit of organizing and often a bit of cooking as I putter around the apartment peering out at the snow coming down.

It's a great day to treat yourself to a comforting cafe au lait with beignets. They take awhile to make, but are pretty straightforward. Start them now and you will have beignets and coffee for your afternoon snack. You probably have all of the ingredients on hand and Fat Tuesday is next week...take advantage of the extra time today and enjoy being snowed in. If you are a Saints fan, you could make these in honor of the Superbowl win. In general, New Orleans-y food seems fitting right about now. You won't have the whole experience of sitting at Cafe du Monde on a sweltering day with marching band sounds playing in the background, but you can turn the heat up and throw on some music, if you are so inclined. You won't regret that first steamy bite of a classic Cafe du Monde-style beignet!

Here is a scratch recipe for beignets. According to the author at NolaCuisine.com, it beats the Cafe du Monde mix by a lot. I believe him. Let's try it, shall we?

New Orleans Style Beignet Recipe
**These take awhile, so start them well ahead of time.**
Makes about 2 dozen

1 Envelope Active Dry Yeast
3/4 Cup Water (110 degrees F)
1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
1 Beaten Egg
1/2 Cup Evaporated Milk
3 1/2 – 3 3/4 Cups A.P. Flour
1/8 Cup Shortening
Vegetable Oil for Frying
Powdered Sugar in a shaker or sifter

Combine the Yeast, Water, and Sugar in the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook (You could also make this in a food processor, or the old fashioned way, by hand). Let this sit until frothy, about 5 minutes, then add the Salt, Egg, and Evaporated Milk.

Mix on low speed, then add half of the flour until it starts to come together, then add the shortening. When the shortening is incorporated start adding the remaining flour, a little at a time until most of it is incorporated. At this time I always turn the dough onto a floured bench to finish by hand, just like when I make bread; it’s a touch thing. Knead the dough adding just enough flour as necessary to make a non-sticky, smooth dough.

Place the dough into a large oiled bowl, loosely cover and let rise. After the dough has doubled in bulk, punch it down and turn it onto a floured surface and roll out into a rectangle that is about 1/2″ thick. With a very sharp knife working at a diagonal to the rectangle, cut into 2″ wide strips. Now cut into diamond shapes by making diagonal cuts in the opposite direction. Place the Beignets on a floured baking sheet to let rise about 40 minutes in a warm place (I place them in a barely warm oven).

When the Beignets have risen, heat 2-3 inches of vegetable oil in a large saucepan to 350-360 degrees. Place 2-3 Beignets into the hot oil at a time, being careful not to smash or deflate them. When they are golden brown, flip them over until golden brown on the other side (They go pretty quickly so start checking them right after they go into the oil). Remove to paper towel lined plates to drain. Serve hot topped with plenty of powdered sugar (because the dough doesn’t contain much sugar, you will want a lot!). Best served with Cafe au Lait. Enjoy!


Cafe au lait: In French, it means coffee with milk. In New Orleans, it means strong chicory-infused coffee mixed 50/50 with scalded milk and served in a wide bowl-type mug.

The easiest way to do this is brew Cafe du Monde coffee, which is readily available in supermarkets, not just in New Orleans anymore. If you don't have any at home and they don't have any at the corner deli, just brew a nice, strong pot of coffee. Pour some milk (*or soy milk or almond milk) into a small pot and scald it, which means almost bring to a boil or bring just under a boil. If you are a perfectionist, this means 170 degrees F, but I never check. Then pour the milk and the chicory coffee together in a wide mug.

*If you use milk alternatives, be sure to pour it through a fine sieve on it's way into the mug, because soy milk/rice milk/almond milk-type things tend to curdle when heated--it's perfectly fine, just strain it.


Bon Appetit, Mon Cher!

Apple Blueberry Coffee Cake Muffins

After a late night, I woke up this morning so hungry. With nothing much to eat in the house, I decided to use up a bowl of blueberries that were lying around and make something to welcome a sunny, but cold Saturday. I added a diced apple and the blueberries to a muffin recipe and voila! The moist fruit turned this healthy muffin recipe into a gooey, delicious coffee cake. The streusel topping was an afterthought, but really makes it.

Apple Blueberry Coffee Cake Muffins

1 apple
1 ½ c ww pastry flour or barley flour
½ c turbinado sugar
2 t baking powder
½ t baking soda

½ t sea salt
2 eggs (Egg-Replacer works)
2 c applesauce
2 t vanilla extract
1/3 c rice milk
2/3 c maple syrup

1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen--I like fresh)

Streusel Ingredients:
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup turbinado sugar
dash of cinnamon
3 T melted butter

Peel and core the apple. Cut it into a medium dice (about blueberry-size pieces).
Place in a pot with about 1/2 cup water and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain.

Oil about 16 muffin cups or line with paper muffin cups and preheat oven to 375 degrees. (I know it's weird, but that's just how the count turned out--You could just do 12 and make a small loaf instead)

Combine flour, turbinado sugar, baking powder, and baking soda in large mixing bowl.

In a smaller bowl, whisk together salt, eggs, applesauce, vanilla, rice milk, and maple syrup. Whisk until uniform. Add berries and apples.

Make a well and scrape into dry mix. Gently fold together until just blended. Spoon into muffin cups.

Combine streusel ingredients in a small bowl and combine with a fork. Mound it over the top of each muffin.

Bake for about 20 minutes, or until just firm in the center.

Buttermilk Pumpkin Muffins

A November weekend is the perfect time to hit the greenmarket and bake some pumpkin muffins. Here is a moist and gooey recipe featuring buttermilk and maple syrup. If you want to keep it healthy, eat them as is or get crazy and top with a batch of cream cheese frosting for a special treat.

**Time to order your turkey from the greenmarket, if you haven't already done it!** Once you go greenmarket, you won't ever go back to those yellowish frozen blobs. Don't wait! If you aren't sure how, contact me and I will hook you up with the turkey people!

Buttermilk Pumpkin Muffins
makes a fat baker's dozen

1 ½ c ww pastry flour
¼ c turbinado sugar
2 t baking powder
½ t baking soda
½ t sea salt
½ t allspice
½ t cinnamon

2 eggs (Egg-Replacer works)
1 ½ cups pumpkin puree (peeled, steamed, pureed or canned--as usual, fresh is best)
2 t vanilla extract
¾ c buttermilk
2/3 cup maple syrup (grade B is best for baking, but any of the real stuff will do)

Oil 12 muffin cups or line with paper muffin cups.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine flour, turbinado sugar, baking powder, and baking soda in large mixing bowl.

In a smaller bowl, whisk together salt, cinnamon, allspice, eggs, pumpkin, vanilla, buttermilk, and maple syrup. Whisk until uniform.

Make a well and scrape into dry mix. Gently fold together until just blended. Spoon mixture into muffin cups. Sprinkle the tops with turbinado sugar. If you are planning to frost them, skip this step.

Bake 20-25 minutes, or until springy in the center. Let cool.




Frost lightly with cream cheese frosting.


Cream Cheese Frosting

1 stick unsalted butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 t vanilla extract
2-3 cups powdered sugar

Cream butter and cream cheese with electric mixer and add vanilla.
Add powdered sugar until you reach the desired sweetness/consistency.

**If they are really messy, chill for awhile to firm up frosting.

Best Zucchini Bread Ever!

Zucchini Pineapple Bread. It really doesn't need an explanation. Try it. It's a really good one. I promise. I was going to post a photo, but we ate ours before I could take a picture. Oops. If anyone tries it out and takes a pic, send it and I will post it!

Zucchini Pineapple Bread

Makes 2 loaves

3 eggs
1 cup expeller-pressed canola or sunflower oil
1 c sucanat
1 c turbinado sugar (you can use 2 c of sucanat or 2 c turbinado sugar, instead of both)
1 t sea salt
2 t vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 cups barley flour (you can use 3 c whole wheat pastry or 3 c barley, if you prefer)
2 t baking soda
1/4 t baking powder
1 1/2 t ground cinnamon
3/4 t ground nutmeg
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup diced pineapple
1 c golden raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil 2 medium loaf pans.

Beat eggs, oil, sucanat, turbinado, sea salt, and vanilla together in a medium bowl.

In a separate larger bowl, whisk together flours, baking soda, baking powder, and spices.

Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in wet mixture. Add zucchini, pineapple, and raisins. Fold gently together until completely mixed.

Divide evenly between oiled pans. Bake about 50 minutes, until center is just firm. Let cool 15 minutes before removing from pans. Finish cooling on a cooling rack or uncovered plate.