Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Glaze – vegan

hello, friends! Today I give you yummy nummy (now a word, btw) pumpkin cinnamon rolls with...drumroll please....maple glaze. I've been teasing you since last week, so it seems only fair to share the love. And love it really is.

I'm one of those people who feed people as an expression of love, as a welcome-to-my-home, as an are-you-ok, as an I-hope-you-feel-better-how-can-I-help, as a hello-nice-to-meet-you-I-hope-you-like-me kind of a thing. I hope other people see it as such, but even if they don't, a) I hope it makes them feel better, even if they don't know why and b) it makes me feel better. And in a weird kind of way, sometimes presenting a dish that's more complicated or time consuming than usual makes me feel like I'm giving them more and showing I care even more. Do you other cooks and bakers out there feel the same way, or is that a Kate Special?

Anyway, these pumpkin cinnamon rolls fall into that category. I'm not going to make these all the time, but when I do make them, know that you're special. or that I want to impress you. or both. Because they are impressive (ask my coworkers) and they are delicious (ask my mouth) and they aren't as hard as they look (yay). The perfect trifecta.

These buns are full of sweet, gooey, pumpkin, cinnamony goodness. As with my other go-to brunch recipe, you can prepare them at night, go get some sleep, and bake them fresh in the morning. Side note: the overnight route is really, really, really the way to go if you are hosting breakfast/brunch. It's a win-win- you don't have wake up stupid early, and you and your guests get fresh, out of the oven yummies. Also, a more relaxed host(ess) makes for a better party.

In an effort to help make clear possibly hard-to-understand directions, for the first time I enlisted Mr Official Taster's help in creating a short video for you. I wanted to give the time-lapse feature on my iPhone a try. There is no sound, and if you want to make it larger, click on the button on the bottom right that has the four arrows to make it full screen. Update: the video doesn't seem to be showing up on mobile devices, and I don't know why. Hopefully I can figure it out. Until then, here's a link to the video: https://flic.kr/p/pgN3GL

 

For the most part, I'm pretty happy with it. I know the lighting is not great, and next time he'll stand on a stool behind me for a better birds-eye perspective. But I'm really curious about your reaction. Is is helpful? Do you like it? Is it long enough? too long? Unnecessary? Speak your mind, please!

Also, please make these for someone you love. Neither of you will regret it!

Not into pumpkin? Try my regular cinnamon rolls- they're yummy too.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Glaze – vegan

adapted from Chloe's Vegan Desserts

Though the written recipe is long, it is not particularly difficult, and the end results are well worth it. I chose to use coconut oil in place of vegan butter throughout this recipe, but either works, and I can imagine that Earth Balance vegan butter would impart a nice buttery flavor. Note that vegan butter is salted, so if you go that route, be sure to use the smaller salt measurement.

If you need this recipe to be corn free, powdered (AKA confectioners’) sugar is not your friend since it's sugar+cornstarch. I can think of three options here. A) Make the glaze, but don’t drizzle over the top. Allow everyone you’re serving to choose whether to add it to his or her portion. B) Skip the glaze and just top with maple syrup. C) Make your own corn-free powdered sugar by whirring an equal volume of regular or superfine white sugar in a food processor. Basically, you grind it down into finer grains. It’s not exactly the same as powdered sugar, but it’s a pretty good substitute.

Dough

1 C pumpkin puree, canned or fresh

1 C nondairy milk

½ C plus 1 Tbsp sugar, divided

½ C vegan butter or coconut oil

½ -1 tsp salt (see note)

1 tsp vanilla

¼ lukewarm water (about 110F)

2 ¼ tsp (or 1 packet) active dry yeast

5 C all-purpose flour (I used white whole wheat), divided, plus more for rolling

Filling

¾ C brown sugar (I used Sucanat)

2 Tbsp sugar

2 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

4 Tbsp vegan butter or coconut oil, melted

1 C raisins (optional)

Glaze (see note)

½ C powdered sugar

3 Tbsp maple syrup

Up to a few tablespoons water, as needed

Make the dough

In a medium saucepan, whisk the pumpkin, nondairy milk, ½ cup sugar, coconut oil or butter, and salt over low heat until combined. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Let cool until lukewarm, about 110 degrees F.

While the pumpkin mixture is cooling, place the warm water, remaining 1 tablespoon sugar, and yeast in a 1-cup glass measuring cup. Stir for a second or two and set aside for about 10 minutes. The yeast will become foamy, double in size, and reach the ¾-cup line. If it does not do so, then either your yeast was dead or the water was too hot (and killed the yeast); make another yeast mixture before proceeding.

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the pumpkin mixture and the yeast mixture. Beat at a medium speed for about 1 minute. Add 2 ½ cups flour, and stir on low until incorporated. Add the remaining 2 ½ cups flour and repeat. The dough will be somewhat sticky. Exchange the paddle attachment for the dough hook and knead on a medium speed for about 2 minutes.

To save yourself from washing an extra bowl, gather the dough ball and balance on one hand. With the other, spray the mixing bowl with nonstick spray. Return the dough to the bowl, and then turn it over so the entire ball is coated with oil. This will prevent the dough from sticking to the bowl as it rises. Cover with a kitchen towel or shower cap, place in a warm spot, and let sit until it has doubled in size (about 1 ½ hours, less if it’s a warm day).

Remove cover and punch down the dough so that it deflates. Take the dough out and put it on a lightly floured surface. Recover with the kitchen towel and let rest for about 10 minutes.

Make the filling & assemble the rolls

While the dough is resting, lightly grease a 9- x 13-inch baking pan. Combine brown sugar or Sucanat, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small bowl and set aside.

Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface. Aim for a 20- x 13-inch rectangle (it doesn’t need to be exact). Brush or spread the melted oil over the entire surface of the dough. Sprinkle the sugar mixture evenly across the surface. If you like raisins in your cinnamon rolls, sprinkle them evenly over the surface at this point.

With the long edge of the dough rectangle close to you, roll the dough up away from you, so you are creating an approximately 20-inch long log. (see video above) With the seam side down, use a sharp knife to cut the log in half. Then cut each roll into 6 equal pieces (observant readers will notice I ended up with 13 pieces. It is a-ok). Ideally, you will have 12 cinnamon rolls. Place the rolls, swirled side up, into the prepared pan, in 4 rows with 3 rolls in each row. You don’t need to smoosh them together – the next rise will take care of that.

If you’re baking them right away, cover pan with a dry kitchen towel, place in a warm spot, and allow to rise a second time for about an hour. If, however, you are assembling them at night and plan to bake them in the morning, cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap and place the fridge overnight. Remove them in the morning at about the same time you start to preheat your oven.

All together now - once the cinnamon rolls have risen, preheat your oven to 375F. Bake, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes. When fully cooked, they will be lightly brown on top, and a toothpick or a knife inserted in the center will come out free of dough. (Do check. Don’t be as impatient as I was the first time). Let the rolls cool for about 10 minutes before glazing.

Make the glaze

In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and maple syrup. If it’s too thick, add water, a little bit at a time, until smooth and drizzle-able.

Drizzle glaze over the rolls. Proceed to stuff the warm pumpkin cinnamon gooey goodness into your mouth. Alternatively, use a fork and a plate for maximum politeness.

Build a Better PB&J - free of everything you want

 

I can't take any credit for this one. My friend S nearly always packs her lunch, and it always looks super yummy and super healthy. I first noticed these sandwiches a while back; it took me a long time to give it a try. I'm SO GLAD I did. 

Here's the thing: I've never liked PB&Js. I like bread. I like peanut butter. I like jam. I like bread with peanut butter. I like bread with jam. But I don't like all three all together. I know. I'm kind of a weirdo. Even my mom thinks so. 

But it turns out that I do like peanut butter and fruit. A lot. And just about any fruit will work here. While visiting, my mom made a peanut butter and nectarine sandwich she was quite happy with. Fresh blackberries are excellent. Sliced strawberries, sliced apples, and sliced bananas are all good. 

Besides the obvious benefit of no added sugar, you can make this breakfast/snack/lunch-if-you-add-another-piece-of-bread-and-pack-it-safely free of whatever allergen you need to. Regular or gluten free bread, any nut butter or sun butter, fruit of choice. It's that easy. 

 

For those of you who like instruction to come with your food photos, here goes:

1. Spread nut or non-nut butter of your choice on a favorite slice of bread.
2. Arrange fruit or slices of fruit (if large, like strawberries, bananas, apples, peaches, etc) on top in rows, or however the fruit is telling you to do so. 
3. If you're extra hungry, spread another piece of bread with nut/non-nut butter and place, sticky side down, on top of fruit. 
4. Eat. Enjoy. nom nom nom

I especially like this in the morning with a hot cup of tea. 

Have you tried this before? What are your favorite combinations?

Fruit Topped Citrus Olive Oil Muffins - dairy free

Can we take a minute and just appreciate the cuteness of mini things? They're just better.

That's right, take a moment. Enjoy the cuteness.

Now that we've got that (mostly) out of the way, let's talk about how delicious they are. Because they are. They're perfect little sweet morsels for parties, for lunch boxes, for a breakfast treat. And the other great thing about them is that they are relatively healthy. Heart healthy olive oil, fruit, and not an overwhelming amount of sugar means you can feel good ok about stuffing twelve into your mouth. Not that I've ever tried anything like that.

These (cute) little bite sized treats were very popular party treats last month. They're nice and light, sweet, and the fruit pieces give nice juicy bursts. Olive oil is one of those ingredients that people (ahem. Mr Official Taster) think sounds odd as part of a baked good, but, invariably, if they try it, they like it. Olive oil pairs especially well with citrus or rosemary, which makes sense given their shared growing region (like how tomatoes and basil go together).

You might look at the written recipe and think it's too fussy. Think again. Although these yummies are not one-bowl wonders, they're really pretty easy, hard to mess up, and worth a couple dirty bowls. Additionally, you could definitely make a batch and freeze some for later. Put them in your freezer, label them, and forget about them. That way, you will be rooting around looking for some corn for chili one day and come across your stash. It'll be on par with finding a $5 in your jeans.

But way cuter.

Fruit Topped Citrus Olive Oil Muffins - dairy free
adapted from How to Cook Everything

The fruit topping is completely adaptable to what you like, what allergies you may be dealing with, or even what colors you want. Red and blue are great for July 4th or Memorial Day parties. How about star fruit? Red and green (kiwis, perhaps?) for Christmas. Or pink raspberries for a little kid's birthday party. You get the idea- have fun! 

cooking spray (or liners) for pan
4 eggs, separated and room temperature
1/2 C extra virgin olive oil
1/4 + 3/4 C sugar
2 C flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 C orange juice
zest of one lemon, orange, or lime (grapefruit should be yummy too)

chopped or whole berries (or other fruit)

Separate your eggs when you first take them out of the refrigerator because it's easier when they are cold. Then allow them to come to room temperature for 30 min or so.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray or line muffin or mini muffin trays.

Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs whites in a small bowl until they foam. Then sprinkle in 1/4 C sugar while still beating the whites. Continue beating until the whites hold soft peaks.

In a large bowl, add the olive oil and 3/4 C sugar and beat together. Add the egg yolks and beat until thick and fluffy (5-7 minutes). Mix in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Next, mix in the orange juice and zest. The mixture will be very thick and/or crumbly. If it's crumbly, add in a splash more of juice. Don't despair.

Add the beaten egg whites to this thick mixture. As gently as possible, thoroughly fold together the batter and egg whites. You may think they will never combine, but they will.

Spoon batter into cupcake pans. I used minis and topped each muffin with a couple blueberries or a slice or two of strawberry. Do what makes you happy.

Turn the mixture into your prepared pan and bake for 15-20 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean), depending on muffin size. Obviously, mini muffins will cook a few minutes faster than standard size ones. (15ish for minis, 18-20 for standards) Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes or so, then remove and allow to cool completely on a wire rack. 

Strawberry Margarita Jam - vegan & gluten free

I know it's well and truly summer because stone fruits and tomatoes are in. And if it's summer, it's hammer time preservation time. My dehydrator has been humming merrily along (should I post about that? Is anyone interested? comment here or on Facebook), and I've been making batches of jam here and there. We ran out of jam I canned last summer in March or April of this year, so I know I need to increase production this summer. I did give away a lot as presents, and I'm planning on doing the same this year (so get your special requests in early, people).

Each summer that I've made jam, I've gotten a little more adventurous, and this year I'm actively trying new flavor combinations. This was my first really fun one, and it's a winner. 

I've been studying Northwest Edible's flavor chart and thinking up ways of combining fruit with other flavors I like. If you aren't already familiar with Erica's site, I recommend you give it a shot. She has lots to say and to teach, she's often humorous, and never preachy. 

Like all of my other jams, this one is pectin free. It relies on the fruit's natural pectin, sugar, and cooking out the juices to firm it up. Keep in mind that if you like really firm jam, you will probably prefer jams made with pectin, but you won't be able to experiment as much, and you also won't be able to use less sugar than what the box tells you. For more information, check out this post by Erica.


Strawberry Margarita Jam - vegan & gluten free
inspired by Northwest Edible Life

Depending on how much you cook it down, you should get about 4 half-pint (8 ounce) jars using the measurements below. I always like to prepare a 4oz jar as well, so if there's a little left at the end I can preserve it along with the half-pint jars. If you're swimming in strawberries (or tequila), feel free to double, or even triple the recipe, but this is a nice manageable size.  You’ll notice that I don’t give a cooking time. That’s because cooking times can vary greatly depending on the width of your pot, the power of your stove, the amount of humidity in the air and even how much rain fell in the days before your fruit was picked. Stay close to the stove as you cook your jam and watch closely for changes. Besides putting it on toast, jam makes a great cake filling and fabulous ice cream. 

Just like with any other jam, you can of course skip the processing and just store the jam in the fridge and eat within a month or so.

2 pounds washed and chopped strawberries (weigh after preparing)
4 to 8 oz (a gently rounded ½ to 1 cup) sugar
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice (required) + 1 tsp or more for extra flavor
¼ tsp – 1 tsp lime zest
1-3 tsp tequila

In a large pot (with only 2lbs of fruit, I was able to use my large saucepan), gently mash berries and 4 oz sugar together. Cover and let stand for 1 hour or more. If I'm cooking it right away, I like to use this time to prepare my jars, lids & tools, get my giant pot of water heating up, clean up and clear off my (very limited) counter space, etc. You're going to be doing a lot of tasting, so make sure you have a bunch of clean spoons ready. If you'd prefer to break up the jam making, you can refrigerate the pot (or a bowl of the fruit+sugar) for up to 24 hours or so. The fruit will just keep releasing its juices, which is what you want anyway.

Prepare jars and lids for standard water bath canning. I don't pretend to be an expert, so if you're new to this, please do your homework! Read this, and also possibly this and many of these. Knowledge is power (botulism free canning for the win!). 

If you macerated your fruit in a bowl, pour it into a large pot or large saucepan (the wider the better for faster evaporation). 

Bring everything to a simmer. Stir frequently to avoid scorched jam. As your fruit begins to soften, add lime juice (1 tablespoon for every 2 lbs of fruit). Stir in lime zest. 

At this point, if you like smoother jams, you'll want to use an immersion blender to break up fruit. I don't have one, so I just use a potato masher/spoon to break up the fruit as much as I feel like. You can make it as chunky or as smooth as you'd like. 

With a clean spoon, taste your jam (without burning your tongue, please). Decide if it's sweet enough, and add more sugar if you like. You should also decide if it's lime-y enough. Add in more zest and/or juice if you'd like. Trust your taste buds. If you think it's too tart, add sugar. If not, wonderful, you can move along. Keep tasting until it's the right sweetness for you, but be sure to use a clean spoon every time. Remember that the longer your jam cooks, the more concentrated the flavors will become. Keep stirring frequently. 

You can test for set (lots of info here) quite easily- when your preserve is "glossy, a bit darkened and looks slightly thickened"scoop a small amount onto a plate (even better if it's been chilled). Run your finger through the jam. If the finger swipe remains visible or only fills in very slowly, the preserve as reached a soft, spoonable set. If you're good with that (I am) you can move on. If you like a firmer jam, keep cooking down your fruit and keep testing for set (clean spoons!!!). 

Stir in tequila. Start with 1 teaspoon (you can always add more). Taste. Add in more if you'd like. In this final tasting, make sure the jam is sweet enough, and the whole thing tastes good. Add more of one or more components if needed. 

Now it's time to fill your jars! Skim off the foam if necessary, ladle jam into hot, sterilized jars, leaving a 1/4-inch (6mm) head space. Wipe the rims clean and apply lids. Process the jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes (full-on boil! simmering doesn't count). Remove jars, and allow to cool on a wire cooling rack or a folded kitchen towel. Listen for the "ping!" of success. When jars are cool enough to touch, check seals. Jam is ready to eat as soon as it is cooled but can also be stored in a cool, dark place for up to a year.

Strawberry Rhubarb Double Crisp - vegan & gluten free

Happy (almost) Summer! Tomorrow, June 21, marks the official start of summer. Around here it's still cool enough to drink hot tea in the morning, but the afternoons have been glorious. I've been busy with strawberries lately, and I think my berry obsession will go on for the next several months (you're welcome). Last year my strawberry forays were pretty tame, but this year I'm hoping to share more creative ideas. I'll be the first to admit that a crisp isn't a terribly good example of said creativity, but crisps top the list of my favorite summer desserts, so I think I'll give myself a pass.

(One of) the great things about crisps is their endless adaptability. Want to use different fruit? Go ahead, it's no problem! Want something warm for dessert? These are perfect! Want a cold breakfast? Crisps to the rescue! I really can't say enough good things about them.

Up until this point, I've always made crisps comprised of a layer of fruit and a layer of topping/crumbley crisp/crust/whathaveyou. This was my first double crisp experiment, and I was pleasantly surprised. Two crusts make them more bar-like, and thus more structured, which, besides photographing better, leads to easier serving to guests. It also makes the crisp a bit heartier, and (I think) even better for breakfast.

Strawberry Rhubarb Double Crisp - vegan & gluten free
adapted from Smitten Kitchen

I doubled the amount of fruit Deb used in her version, so if you have less, know that will work. I tested this recipe with olive oil and melted coconut oil AND with white whole wheat flour, almond flour, and brown rice flour. I preferred the coconut oil (crispier than olive oil) and the almond flour (yum). I see no reason that whole wheat flour or your favorite gluten free flour will not work in place of the listed all-purpose. To make this corn free, be sure to omit the cornstarch (duh), but also don't sprinkle any confectioners' sugar on top. 

Yield: 16 small bars or 9 larger ones (pictured); recipe can be doubled and baked in a 9×13-inch baking pan, where they will come out a little thicker

1 C (80 grams) rolled oats
3/4 C (95 grams) plus up to 2 Tbsp (15 grams) extra all-purpose or gluten free flour (see note)
1/2 C (95 grams) Sucanat or brown sugar
Heaped 1/4 tsp table salt
5 Tbsp vegetable oil or coconut oil, melted (see note)
1 tsp cornstarch (optional, but helps firm up the filling)
1 Tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
1 Tbsp (15 grams) granulated sugar
2 C (250 grams) small-diced rhubarb (from about 3 medium stalks)
2 C (310 grams) small-diced strawberries
Powdered sugar, for decoration, if desired

Preheat oven to 375F. For easy removal, line bottom and two sides of 8-by-8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. No need to bother (and no greasing needed) if you plan to serve them right in the pan, as I did.

Place oats, flour, Sucanat, and salt in a large bowl and mix. Pour oil over the mix and stir until clumps form. If the clumps feel soft or look overly damp, add the remaining 2 tablespoons flour. Pour in and press a generous half of the crumb mixture evenly in the bottom of the pan.

Toss fruit with lemon juice, sugar, and cornstarch if using; then spread evenly over the crust. Scatter reserved crumbs over fruit and bake bars for 30 to 40 minutes (firmer fruits will take longer), until fruit is bubbly and crisp portion is golden and smells toasty and amazing.

Let cool in pan and cut into squares. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired. Store leftovers covered in fridge.

Small Batch Strawberry Jam - vegan, gluten free, and free of just about everything else

As longtime readers will know, I have a bit of an obsession/problem/interest in regards to farmers' markets. Last week, as usual, I bought a lot of fruit. Possibly more than two people (even with guests) can eat before it passes its prime. And so it came to pass that we had a couple pints of strawberries left that were just a bit too ripe to happily eat. I didn't want to throw them away (shudder), so I decided to make a mini batch of strawberry jam. Mr Official Taster has been on a bit of a pb&j roll lately, and we've just about used up the jams I made last summer, so this seemed like a good solution.

I started out with the intention of just using up the fruit I had and making a jar or two of jam. I wanted to keep it as simple as possible, so I didn't want to sterilize and get set up for water bath canning. That's the beauty of small batch jams. Use what you have, pour into normal clean containers, refrigerate, and eat. Super simple, and it's a great way to use up aging fruit. Of course, you don't want to use fruit that really is past its prime and belongs only in the compost bin (duh. but it has to be said).

To figure out my ingredient volumes, first I rinsed, hulled, and roughly chopped up the berries. I ended up with about three cups, so I wanted to use a bit less than half that volume of sugar. The lemon is in there to brighten the sweetness, rather than to provide acid for canning. This ratio can translate to lots of other summer fruit, so use this as a template and keep yourself in super seasonal, fresh jam all summer (or if you need to finish up some fruit before heading on a trip). You could also use this process to make small batches of freezer jam.

Small Batch Strawberry Jam - vegan, gluten free, and free of just about everything else

Important: this is not a tested and safe recipe for canning. I made this small batch with the intention of refrigerating and consuming within a couple of weeks. You could also freeze it. 

Next time I'll probably reduce the sweetness a bit more, but as written, this is quick, easy, and bursting with strawberry goodness. You can skip the honey all together and just use sugar. 

3 C chopped strawberries, picked over and rinsed
scant 1 C sugar
1/4 C honey (for strict vegans use sugar instead)
splash of lemon juice

Add all ingredients to a medium pot or large sauce pan. At this point, I like to stir them a bit and then leave it alone and let the sugar start drawing the juices out of the berries for a bit (10 minutes to several hours) while I do other things. If you are in a rush, skip that part and just keep going.

Over medium heat, bring the mixture up to a boil. Stir frequently and help the jam along by squishing some fruit with your kitchen utensil of choice. Keep a close eye on things, as small batches cook quickly. Mine took about 10-15 minutes. Test for set (or aim for a temperature of 220F). I didn't actually test either the temperature or for set. I just kind of eyeballed it, and it worked out ok. Pour into clean jars, allow to cool, cover and refrigerate. It should last a few weeks in the fridge.

Whole Wheat Maple Oatmeal Bread - vegan

Be not afraid, ye who enter here.

Seriously, guys? I'd really like to somehow free the American population from their fear of bread. (Yes, I know this sounds rather grandiose.) I can't speak first-hand about other countries, but I suspect they have less fear. (Yes? No? Anyone?) I get that this is a multi-level fear, so let's first get this out of the way: carbs are not the devil. Sure, if all you ate was bread, you'd probably contract scurvy. And sure, if all you ate was bread, avoided scurvy, but never got up from the table, you'd probably gain some weight. But I'm pretty sure some fruit and maybe a walk around the block would solve those problems. So, let's agree to agree here. Good Bread is wonderful.

Side rant: bad bread is not worth your time, caloric intake, or money. However, Good Bread with capital letters is wonderful.

OK, onto to the next fear: yeast. Also, that bread is a magical, mystical being that has its own unpredictable mind. That there's no use even trying to make yeast bread because the yeast will act all puckish and just do what it wants. All of these fears? Unfounded, I say.

A well-written, tested (i.e. not just made up) recipe and good ingredients should be all you need. For this specific bread you need flour (all-purpose is just fine, but for more flavor and healthy stuff, white whole wheat and whole wheat are lovely), yeast, oatmeal, salt, oil, maple syrup (or sugar), and water. That's it. Nothing exotic or scary. As long as you remember that yeast is a living organism, and will perform it's best if treated well (no boiling alive here, please), you will be just fine. Follow the directions, use your sense and your senses, and your home will smell amazing and your carb-loving self will thank you.

Still nervous? Try the even easier Oatmeal Bread, No Knead Whole Wheat Bread, or English Muffin Bread.


Whole Wheat Maple Oatmeal Bread - vegan

adapted from King Arthur Flour

The boiling water in this recipe serves the dual purpose of softening the oatmeal and helping the sugar/syrup dissolve. I cannot emphasize this enough: do not add your yeast too soon or you will kill it and your bread will not rise. Lukewarm is all that yeast can handle. In place of the maple syrup/brown sugar, you could be fancy and use maple sugar instead (as the original recipe calls for). I suspect (though I haven't tried it) that you could add a tiny bit of maple syrup a little bit at a time to regular sugar, mix thoroughly, and create your own maple sugar. 

This recipe yields two loaves of bread, but you could certainly halve the recipe and only make one. But for pretty much the same amount of time and effort, make two, and then share or freeze your second loaf (assuming you don't eat the first one within a day or two). I slathered on some of my Raspberry Peach Jam, but there are no bad choices. 

2 C boiling water
1 C rolled oats, traditional or quick (not instant)
1/2 C maple syrup or brown sugar (I use half maple syrup & half sucanat)
1/4 C vegetable oil (I use olive)
1 Tbsp kosher salt or 2 1/2 tsp table salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional, but delicious)
1 Tbsp instant or active dry yeast
1 1/2 C whole wheat flour
4 C all-purpose or white whole wheat flour plus more (possibly. see below)


In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the water, oats, maple syrup or brown sugar, oil, salt, and cinnamon. Let cool to lukewarm, about 10 to 15 minutes. If you get as antsy as I do, stir a few times, but DO NOT add yeast until it's lukewarm. Too hot, and you'll kill your yeast.

Add the yeast and flours, stirring to form a rough dough. Knead (about 10 minutes by hand, 5 to 7 minutes by machine) until the dough is smooth and satiny. If you used maple syrup (or if it's a dry day), you will need to add extra flour a little bit at a time to achieve a nice texture and help the dough form a ball. When fully combined and you're kneading, the dough shouldn't be very sticky. You should be able to handle it without it sticking to your hands. I used half sugar and half maple syrup and added an additional 1/2 - 3/4 cup of flour.

Remove the dough from the bowl, scrape any remaining dough from sides, mush into dough, and form into a ball. Place dough in the bowl upside down (seam side up), and then flip it over so the seams are on the bottom. This way, you've easily coated the surface with the oil. Cover the bowl with lightly greased plastic wrap (or a shower cap. That's my favorite method), and allow the dough to rise for 1 hour. Since the dough is warm to begin with (from the boiling water), it should become quite puffy.

Gently punch down the ball, divide the dough in half, and shape each half into a loaf. Place the loaves in two greased 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" bread pans.

Cover the pans with lightly greased plastic wrap (again, or a shower cap) and allow the loaves to rise until they've crowned about 1" over the rim of the pan, about 60 to 90 minutes.

Bake the loaves in a preheated 350°F oven for 35 to 40 minutes, tenting them lightly with aluminum foil after 25 minutes to prevent over-browning. Remove them from the oven when they're golden brown and the interior registers 190°F on a digital thermometer. A more traditional (if less scientific) way is to tap on the loaf on the bottom - it should sound hollow. The sides should also be pulling away from the sides of the pan.

Turn the loaves out onto a rack to cool. Store at room temperature, well-wrapped, for several days; freeze for longer storage.

Banana Bread Granola – vegan, gluten free & refined sugar free

This granola, man, has it been weighing on me. It took me several tries over the course of several weeks (months!) to get it right. I think it was actually cold out when I started this experiment. hmmm

Nevertheless, I'm so glad I plodded along. It was such a tease - the idea of it, the smells emanating from the oven, and then the taste, not quite right. But I persisted (and ate some burned granola along the way), and this weekend's batch confirmed my last recipe test and proved blog worthy.

Dear readers, believe me when I tell you: go make this. You won't be sorry. It's excellent, quick and easy in the morning with almond milk, and it's also pretty great as a snack. There's no refined sugar (unless you so choose), and it's full of whole grain, protein, fiber, and omega goodness. Perhaps you have a trip in your future? It packs well and will not earn you a glare or a pat down at security. They might be jealous, though.

Banana Bread Granola – vegan, gluten free & refined sugar free
adapted from Minimalist Baker

Below is what I use but feel free to pick and choose your add-ins or come up with some of your own. The various seeds and the wheat germ are completely optional, but I include them for nutrition. The sugar? Doesn't need it one bit. I argued with myself, but ultimately left it in the ingredients list so you can make your own decision. To start, you could try just 1 or 2 tablespoons. I also never needed to add in the extra tablespoon of liquid sweetener. As for oil, so far I like coconut oil best, but olive oil also works has the added bonus of not needing to melt. The recipe should work with just about any kind of oil you prefer; it's really just a matter of taste.

3 C rolled oats (GF for gluten free eaters)
¾ C walnuts
½ C pecans (I’ve also used hazelnuts)
3 Tbsp raw sugar (totally optional)
½ tsp sea salt or ¼ tsp table salt
1 Tbsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 Tbsp flax seed
1 Tbsp hemp seeds (optional)
1 Tbsp wheat germ (optional – skip for gluten free)
¼ C coconut oil (see note)
1/3 C + up to additional 1 Tbsp maple syrup, agave or honey if not vegan
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 medium ripe banana, mashed (~1/2 cup)


Preheat oven to 275F.

Using a large spoon or spatula, mix the oats, nuts, sugar if using, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and any seeds/wheat germ you're using together in a large bowl. If there's a fine coating of cinnamon on everything, it's well mixed.

In a small saucepan over medium low heat (or carefully in the microwave should also work), warm the coconut oil, maple syrup (or agave or honey) and vanilla extract. Once liquidy, remove from heat and whisk in banana puree until well combined. Pour over the dry ingredients and mix well.

Spread the mixture evenly onto one or two baking sheets (I lined mine for easy clean up, but Minimalist Baker did not) and bake for 75-90 minutes, gently turning occasionally, until golden brown and nearly crisp. I like to crack open the oven door now and then to let out some of the steam (accumulated moisture). I don’t know if doing so helps the granola crisp up faster or not, but it feels like it should.

Once the granola is visibly browned, remove from the oven and gently toss just a bit to let the heat escape. Cool completely (it will crisp up as it cools) on the baking sheet or in a heat-safe bowl. Store in a container or jar with an air-tight seal – it should keep for a couple weeks.

Steel Cut Oatmeal Round Up

Baked Steel Cut Oats with Strawberries, Bananas, Almonds, and Chocolate

I woke up this morning with the clear notion that I wanted steel cut oats for breakfast. This is not normal for me, so I guess the craving was my body's way of telling me I need more...fiber?...in my life. I enjoyed mine with maple syrup and fresh strawberries (oh? no fresh strawberries? Be jealous of us Californians!), but I also looked around for some further inspiration. Et voila, here are some of the best that I found.

• Mocha Crunch Steel-Cut Oatmeal from The Kitchn
• Slow Cooker Apple Cinnamon Steel-Cut Oatmeal from Salu Salo
• Steel Cut Oatmeal with Yogurt, Peaches, and Chia Seeds from The Roasted Root
• Banana Bread Steel Cut Oats from The Boot
• Morning Glory Oats from Joy the Baker

Cranberry Hazelnut Quick Bread - vegan

Mom, this bread is for you.

As I mentioned on Sunday, this week I'm on vacation from work, but entertaining full time at home. We had a great dinner last night with our friend (pumpkin chili recipe coming soon to a Short & Sweets near you), followed by a slice of this bread (it was fresh! we had to try!) and maybe a brownie or two. oh, and some raspberries. It was a feast.

Now that I've recovered from our group gluttony dinner party, I can fully appreciate this easy bread. I pinned the inspiration for this quick bread recipe, oh, a year ago. And I'm just now getting to it. What was I thinking? It's easy, comes together in a snap, and I bet you have all the ingredients on hand. If you're like me and have a seasonal food hoarding problem, you might even have a bag of cranberries from last fall stashed in your freezer that you should really finish off before you buy this year's cranberries to stash in your freezer. ahem.

Snickerdoodle Muffins - vegan

Oh, these muffins.

I've had this idea floating around in my head for a couple of weeks for snickerdoodle muffins. It seemed like a delicious and not overly complicated idea. Unfortunately, my first attempt over the weekend didn't turn out so well. I adapted a plain muffin recipe from a food writer I trust (I'm looking at you, Bittman), but it, well, sucked. Most of the batch went into the compost bin, which is something I almost never do.

So I went back to the beginning, thought what I didn't like about the batter (tough, dry, blegh), tried to fix it (more liquids), put the muffin tin in the oven, and crossed my fingers.

Bourbon Pumpkin Muffins - vegan

I hope you're not over pumpkins yet.

I know, I know, this is the third pumpkiny recipe in a row here, and for that, I sort of apologize. If you need some balance in your life, I did recently give you a salad, and before that, granola, both of which are quite healthy and a good antidote to overindulgence. (by the way, have you tried the granola yet? as part of my plan to convert everyone I know to homemade-granola-makers, you really should)

But I don't apologize all of the way, because when, if not in October, are you going to overindulge in pumpkin anyway? September's not the season quite yet, and November is Thanksgiving focused, so that leaves (pun intended) October as The Time of Pumpkin. I'm keeping you trendy. You're welcome.

Breakfast Salad - gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian

Hi all- I'm back again. For those of you who don't follow along on Instagram or Facebook, Mr Official Taster and I went on a pretty epic trip. One Phillies game. Two weddings. Three flights. Nine States. Ten days. Seven beds to rest our weary heads. 

Let me be clear: it was fun and I'm so glad we went. The weddings were lovely, the flights uneventful. We visited with so many people, some of whom we hadn't seen in years and years and years. But, boy, were we glad to get home to stinky puppies, piles of mail, laundry for days, and our own kitchen where we could make instead of buy food and snack when we felt like it. 

Medium-Big Cluster Maple Granola - gluten free & dairy free

I've never been what anyone would call a "trend-setter." I couldn't tell you what this year's New Black is, though I do happen to know the Pantone color of the year. I wear heels as few times per year as possible, and I blow dry my hair even less often. I don't own anything ombre. I refuse to make Instagram videos, and the rugs at Chez Sweets tend to fall into the washable-because-we-have-dogs-who-vomit category rather than the chic-and-trendy one.

Raspberry Coconut Bread, or is it Cake? - vegan, or not

Friends, I have a problem. I can't decide what to call this sweet, delicate, summery thing I'm eating. On the one hand, it's a quick bread, totally appropriate for toast and a pat of butter (or perhaps this new coconut spread? I sampled it, and it was delicious. And, no, not sponsored, just my own two cents). On the other hand, I'm sitting here, feeding myself with a fork between sentences. Who eats bread with a fork? Not me. sigh #firstworldproblems

Ambrosia: Apricot Butter - vegan, gluten free, & free of just about everything else

Remember my friend with the apricot tree? Well, when I went over the other week to get some more fruit, her countertops were covered. You know those plastic tubs that baby spinach and salad greens come in? I think she had about six of those filled and overflowing with fragrant, golden fruit. So instead of coming home with a pound or two, I came home with eight.

It turns out that I don't love fresh apricots. I like them dried, but I love them turned into butter. If you think I went into raptures in past summers about peaches, well, you're right, but I went into bigger, louder raptures over this apricot butter. Obviously, Mr Official Taster thinks I'm nuts, but, you know what? More. For. Me.