Apple Quinoa Muffins

This muffins are light, fluffy & nutritious. Sour cranberries contrast nicely with sweet raisins.

Ingredients:

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup quinoa flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 apple, cored & diced
1/4 cup raisins, chopped
1/2 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, chopped

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease the muffin tins & line with paper cups.
2) Mix butter & sugar until the mixture is light & fluffy. Mix in eggs & vanilla.
3) In a separate bowl, combine flours, baking powder & salt. Gradually combine the wet & dry mixtures together. Chop apple, raisins & cranberries using the food processor. Fold in the fruits into the muffin batter.
4) Spoon into the muffin cups using more or less batter depending on the desired muffin size. Place the muffin tin into the oven & cook for 25", or until the muffins are a rich golden color & a wooden stick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for 30" & serve. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week.


Notes:
Quinoa is one of the oldest cultivated grains in the world. It is also the most nutritious. It is high in protein, calcium & iron. Quinoa flour can be substituted for half of the all-purpose flour in many recipes or completely replace wheat flour in cake & cookie recipes.
My favorite butter to use for baking (& eating on top of toast or baked potato) is the Kerrygold butter. They happened to carry it in our Trader Joe's nearby. This butter is made from "summer milk" of grass-fed cows in Ireland. It is soft & spreadable, with a naturally deep gold color.

Strawberry Banana Bread

I am not sure what it is about reaching the 3rd trimester of pregnancy, but all I want to do is bake! Nothing says "fall is here" like the delicious aroma of freshly baked banana bread. This recipe is a variation of the traditional banana bread. Strawberries add a surprisingly unique & delicate flavor to the predominant flavor of bananas.

Ingredients:

1 stick unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
3 ripe bananas (the riper, the better)
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
3/4 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mash up bananas in a large mixing bowl. Add butter, sugar, eggs & vanilla. Mix well. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, salt, baking soda & baking powder. Combine wet & dry ingredients & mix again. Fold in sliced strawberries & walnuts.
Grease a loaf pan with nontick spray or butter. Pour batter into loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown & bread passes toothpick test, 50-60." This bread tastes the best when slightly warmed.

Blackberry & Apple Crumble

This recipe was inspired by our trip to the Grass Lawn Park today. I took the kids outside for some much-needed fresh air & exercise. On our way back to the car, we discovered a large patch of blackberry bushes just breaming with juicy ripe berries. Most of the berries went straight into the kids' mouths, but the rest were saved in a plastic sand castle mold we brought along. I also happened to have a box of Ginger Gold apples bought on a trip to Wenatchee to visit grandma Chris & grandpa Gerry this weekend (just Gerritt & I). A dessert combining both apples & blackberries seemed like a perfect end-of-summer recipe.


Ingredients:
3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats
2 Tbsp light brown sugar
1/2 cup softened unsalted butter
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten

Filling:
3 cup gently washed blackberries
3 medium-sized apples with peel on, sliced
2 Tbsp corn starch
1/2 cup light brown sugar (add 3/4 cup if using sour apples)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2) In a large bowl, combine the filling ingredients - blackberries, apples, corn starch, sugar, lemon juice, & cinnamon. Mix well. Place fruit mixture in a 2-quart casserole.
3) In a medium bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, butter & baking powder. Mix with a fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the milk & egg until just moistened.
4) Drop batter on fruit. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes or until the crumble topping is golden brown & the fruit is soft & bubbling beneath.

Serve warm with ice cream on top.

A few photos from our trip to Wenatchee:


At the Smallwood's Harvest Farm near Wenatchee


Gerritt fell in love with Katie (a large cat that lives inside the Smallwood's Harvest Farm store)


Gerritt shopping with his "Boppy"(the name he gave to his toy puppy)


Posing with the rooster


Swimming with grandma Chris


Another stop at the Farm on the way back home


Gerritt did a great job taking this photo of me with the sunflowers


The beauty of a sunflower

Additional Resources:

Individual Berry Crumbles by Our Nourishing Roots

Upside Down Plum Cake

My last 2 baking adventures didn't turn out well. Last week I've attempted to make glutein-free pumpking pancakes, & a few days ago I tried to make muffins. Both of the recipes flopped - the pancakes & muffins failed to rise, turning out heavy & underbaked. Little did I know that baking powder & baking soda expire. Apparently, the baking powder I was using was more than 4 years old (!).
This weekend my husband & the kids visited Korean grandma, & he brought home a large bag of red plums. Last time we got plums, many of them rotted & had to be thrown away because we just couldn't eat them fast enough. This time, I wanted to put the plums to a good use. Despite being so discouraged last week, I stocked up on new baking powder this morning & decided to give baking another go.
The plum cake didn't disappoint. It turned out light, moist & not overly sweet. Plus, I loved the presentation! The cake is best served at room temperature, topped off with whipping cream.


Ingredients:
3 eggs
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 cups plums, pitted & sliced

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease & flour one 9-inch round baking pan.
2) Separate the eggs. In a small bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form & set aside.
3) In a larger bowl, cream the butter & sugar. Beat in the egg yolks & vanilla extract.
4) Stir together the flour & baking powder & then beat the flour mixture into the creamed mixture. Gently fold in the egg whites.
5) Arrange the plums in an attractive pattern on the bottom of the baking pan. Spread the batter evenly on top of the plums.
6) Bake at 375 degrees for 30-35." When transferring the cake to a cooling rack, turn it upside down, so the plums are on the top. Cool before serving.

Apricot Thumbprint Cookies

It was another Sunday & I was in the mood for cooking. Usually when it happens, I make several dishes at once. Sophia & Daddy were visiting grandma, so Gerritt & I had all evening to ourselves to bond over making one of his favorite cookie recipes. This is another recipe I borrowed & adapted to fit our family's needs from wonderful whole foods cookbook Feeding the Whole Family by Cynthia Lair. I am sensitive to almonds, so ground almonds were replaced with ground hazelnuts. Also, the cold pressed vegetable oil was replaced by melted coconut oil. In addition, I've added the omega-3-rich ground flax seeds (I put them into everything, it seems, including yogurt & meatloaf). This is an egg- & dairy-free recipe. Enjoy!

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cups ground hazelnuts (I use Bob's Red Mill Finely Ground Hazelnut Meal/Flour)
3-4 tablespoons of ground flax seeds (I use already ground Premium Gold Organic Golden Omega Flaxseed carried by Costco)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cup melted coconut oil (I use Fresh Shores organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil)
1/3 cup apricot or apple juice
1/3 cup maple syrup or concentrated fruit sweetener
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Apricot preserves (fruit-sweetened) (I used Mediterranean Organic Peach Apricot Organic Preserves)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, hazelnuts, baking powder, ground flax seeds, & salt in a mixing bowl; set aside. In a separate bowl, mix coconut oil, juice, maple syrup, & extracts together. Add wet ingredients to dry & mix well, kneading a little. Form dough into balls & flatten to make circles. Place on lightly oiled cookie sheet. Indent each cookie with your thumb or your child's thumb & put 1/2 teaspoon preserves in the imprint. Bake 15-20," until edges turn golden.

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Makes 15-20 cookies depending on cookie size

Chocolate Chip Coconut Walnut Cookies

With fall weather around the corner & after several requests by Gerritt, I've finally decided to bake some cookies. The cookies had to include chocolate chips (just like in one of the Dora the Explorer episodes) & be void of dairy & eggs (so that I could enjoy eating them too). I didn't have to search very long by modifying a recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks - Feeding the Whole Family by Cynthia Lair. These cookies have a delightful aroma (if you love chocolate & coconut that is) & are best served warm with a glass of cold milk.

Chocolate Chip Walnut Coconut Cookies

1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup melted extra virgin cold-pressed coconut oil (I like the Fresh Shores brand) (may use butter if you wish)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup chocolate chips
a handful of unsweetened coconut flakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine oats, flour, salt in a bowl; set aside. In a separate bowl mix together maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla extract. Add wet ingredients to dry mixture & mix well. Stir in nuts, chocolate chips & coconut. With moist hands form dough into 3" cookies & place on a lightly oiled cookie sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden on edges.

Sidenotes:
Why cook with coconut oil?
Coconut oil has no trans-fats & is one of the richest sources of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs). MCFAs permeate cell membranes easily & don't require lipoproteins or special enzymes to be utilized effectively by the body. MCFAs are easily digested, thus putting less strain on one's digestive system. MCFAs are sent directly to one's liver, where they are immediately converted into energy rather than being stored as fat. MCFAs in coconut oil can actually help stimulate body's metabolism, leading to weight loss. Since insulin is not involved in the process of digesting the MCFAs in coconut oil, you won't get the carb-related spikes in your blood sugar level. Coconut oil is also rich in lauric acid, which does wonders for the immune system & thyroid health. Coconut oil can be used for stir-frying or sauteing vegetables, eggs, poultry & fish; added into smoothies; used to make own mayonnaise, in salads & on popcorn (instead of butter).

Mommy's 33rd Birthday

Gerritt & Sophia mesmerized by the candlelight


Strawberry-Blueberry Tart


Celebrating at Korean grandma's house


A close-up of the tart


A rare moment alone

Last Sunday our family has celebrated my 33rd birthday. Since I can't have any dairy or eggs, buying a birthday cake from the bakery/store was out of the question. Thankfully, I was able to adapt a berry tart recipe from the Feeding the Whole Family cookbook by Cynthia Lair.

Strawberry-Blueberry Tart

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup ground hazelnuts (I like the Finely Ground Hazelnut Meal/Flour by the Bob's Red Mill)
1/4 cup ground walnuts
1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
Pinch of sea salt
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 Tbsp maple syrup
2 Tbsp cold-pressed vegetable oil
2 Tbsp water
3 cups sliced fresh strawberries
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1 cup apple or berry juice
2 Tbsp kudzu (may use gelatin if not a vegetarian)

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine oats, ground nuts, flour & salt together in a bowl. Add 1/4 cup maple syrup, oil & water; mix well. Press the mixture into standard-sized round pie pan with wet hands. Bake 12 minutes. Remove from oven & let cool.
2) Wash & trim strawberries & cut in half. Mix juice & kudzu together in a small pan on medium heat until kudzu is dissolved. Add blueberries & 2 Tbsp of maple syrup while continuing to stir until thick & clear, about 5 more minutes. Remove from heat; stir in strawberries. Pour mixture on top of prebaked oat-nut crust. Allow to cool at room temperature or in the refrigerator before serving.

Gerritt didn't care for this dessert (it was on a sour side, I must say) as much as the chocolate cake for Daddy's birthday, but I got my antioxidant fill by eating almost half of the tart all by myself.
It was a nice birthday celebration with my husband's Mom. She lovingly prepared a delicious Korean dinner for us. I had much to celebrate looking at my sweet husband who I am still in love with after almost 5 years of marriage & the two chubby adorable faces of my children in front of me. I am so grateful for having an exciting career I am passionate about as well as having my own family - all in my early 30s! The boys were color coordinated in blue, & Sophia & I wore pink & pearls for the birthday photos. Yep, she has officially inherited my first set of pearls. Sophia's first birthday celebration in 2 weeks is next!

My Husband's Birthday

The birthday cake


Vegetarian Chocolate Raspberry Cake


Happy birthday, honey!


Sharing the celebration with Korean grandma (Gerritt can hardly hold back from blowing out the candles)


Make a wish!

On Sunday, February 28th, we've celebrated my husband's 38th birthday. We packed the kids & headed to Tacoma to visit Korean grandmother since she cooked all-Korean traditional holiday meal for us: kim chi; pickled fern sprouts, zucchini, bean sprouts & lotus root; ox tail soup with seaweed & brown rice; salmon soup; & thinly sliced sauteed marinated beef with rice cakes. I took all of the necessary ingredients/bakeware with me & baked an egg-free & dairy-free chocolate cake while both of the kids were napping. This cake turned out to be a hit (especially with Gerritt) & was gone within 2 days!

Lena's Vegetarian Chocolate Raspberry Cake

Ingredients:
One 18.6 oz organic Arrowhead Mills Organic Chocolate Cake Mix
2 Tbsp of flaxseed meal (I like to use Bob's Red Mill Whole Ground Flaxseed Meal) mixed with 6 Tbsp of water
1/2 cup melted extra virgin coconut oil (or 4 oz. butter)
1 1/4 cups of milk (rice/almond/coconut) or water
12 oz frozen organic raspberries mixed with 1/2 cup of water (may use cherry cider instead)
2 Tbsp of Agar Agar seaweed gel (I like Eden's brand)
Two 3.5 oz Trader Joe's Organic Dark Chocolate Truffle bars


Preheat over to 350 degrees.

To make a great egg substitute, mix flaxseed meal with water in a small bowl & let sit for 2 minutes.

Lightly oil & flour two 8 or 9" round pans.

Place wet ingredients (oil, milk, flaxseed mixed with water) in a medium mixing bowl, mix for about 2 minutes. Add cake mix & beat 2-3 minutes until well combined with a smooth texture.

Pour batter into pan(s). Bake for 25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

In the meantime, prepare raspberry filling by mixing raspberries with 1/2 cup of water & Agar Agar flakes. Bring mixture to a boil, then simmer for about 5 minutes until Agar Agar disolves. Pour hot mixture into a 8 or 9" glass round pan. Cool (it is faster in the refrigerator).

Remove the cake pans from oven & allow to cool on rack.

Melt chocolate on very low heat taking care not to burn. Cool slightly until melted chocolate is pliable but not runny.

Remove the cakes out of cake pans. Place the solidified raspberry gel mixture between the two cakes. Cover outside of the cake with melted chocolate. Cool in the refrigerator.

Note: For those of you unfamiliar with it, Agar Agar is a vegetable gel used in Asia for over 1000 years. It is made by boiling seaweeds & then pressing them into a gel that is dried into flakes. Agar Agar flakes dissolve in hot liquids & then thicken as they cool to room temperature or below.