Regarding Granola:
I’ve been experimenting with making homemade granola lately and I am happy with the last result. I find store-bought versions to be too sweet and not too many are Gluten-Free. This is my second attempt at granola-making, be sure to not make the same mistakes I did:
- baking too long (30 min) granola was dark brown
- baking the granola with raisins
This first try resulted in a granola with a bitter after-taste, due to the over-baking and the high sugar-content in the raisins caused them to burn (I think).
This time I was sure to bake the granola for only 20 mins, granola was light-brown in color, and adding the raisins to the mix after I removed the trays from the oven. Granola is highly versatile, my mix included:
- GF rolled oats (about 2 1/2 cups)
- chopped pecans and walnuts
- raw flax seeds and chia seeds
- maple syrup and agave (about 1/4 cup combined)
- salt (about a 1/2 tsp)
- virgin coconut oil (about 2 tbsp)
- raisins (added after baking)
I paired mine with cold soy milk for breakfast, yum!
17th May 2012
Notes: 4
Some of you might know that I have a small design business called LAYERXLAYER with my partner Patrick. We recently designed a limited-edition backpack for Of A Kind, which can be found here.
Included in the write-up is my recipe for banana bread. This recipe carries some sentimental value, as it has been pasted down for a few generations in my family, with adjustments made each time to suit the baker’s personal taste. From my grandmother to my mom and finally to me. I would like to share my version of this classic treat, which is gluten-free and vegan.
Enjoy, we paired ours with homemade vanilla-maple vegan ice cream!
I still remember the first time I heard about “cashew cream”, a rich and creamy multi-purpose (and vegan) topping. Cashews, I thought, were a simple snack food, but I was wrong…
Simply soak, blend and mix. I mix in dry Italian spices and garlic and use as a “ricotta” substitute. Or, combine blended cashews with a small amount of sweetener and vanilla extract and use as a topping for a slice of warm pie.
Walnuts make for a interesting savory topping. I soaked these walnuts in a mixture of water, soy sauce, garlic, smoked paprika, dill and agave. To speed up the marinating process, I simmered the mixture for a few minutes and added a teaspoon of potato flour to thicken everything up a bit.
Both were used as pizza toppings…so good!
My favorite naturally gluten-free-vegan treat is available this time of year at my local Japanese grocery store. Kashiwa mochi is wrapped in a fragrant oak leaf, which I prefer over the mochi rolled in cornstarch.
I couldn’t help but buy two packs…mmm
Starting the day right: hummus cucumber bites, GF millet bread, chocolate-dipped pineapple w/ cashew cream.
Gluten-free millet loaf and hazelnut chocolate cake that I made for Easter Sunday.
I used to work at a bakery, a really delicious and famous bakery in Boston. Every morning the chef would prepare small individual size pizzas for the lunch rush, and every morning I was surprised and delighted by his choice of topping. My favorite was caramelized onion, gorgonzola and peach- the combination of sweet with savory and pungent has stayed with me to this day.
Today, I finally got to re-visit that palate. This pizza is gluten-free and vegan and is absolutely delicious. I made a cashew “cheese” with a sharp taste reminiscent of gorgonzola and substituted peach for a mango that I had on hand. I think that I now prefer the mango- juicier and sweeter.
I loosely followed this recipe by doubling the amounts and substituting the rice flour for millet and dusting the dough with coarsely ground flax seed. This is definitely the best GF pizza I have made to date. I also liked baking the dough first and then adding the ingredients after removing the dough from the oven.
This one is a keeper.
Breakfast this morning: banana bread w/ cashew cream, tomato-cucumber salad. Nice start to a day that will be full of sewing and pixel-pushing.
Left-overs make the best next-day brunch. Homemade bean-sweet potato burgers with spicy dill sauce and roasted potato wedges balance out a brunch of fruit and veggies.
I’ve been experimenting with baking muffin recipes as mini bread loaves in my mini cast iron pan. I love the results- its like eating the best part of the muffin, the crunchy top! Elaine should have tried this in that Seinfeld episode, then there would be no need to get rid of all the muffin bottoms…
At home Sunday brunch: raw kale salad, homemade banana bread, warm blueberries and fresh-made juice. I love brunch!
