Fresh Pea Hummus - vegan & gluten free

Hello and happy Monday! I hope the mommas out there had a good Mother's Day and felt loved and appreciated. Maybe you got a pasta necklace? or perhaps a fill-in-the-blank poem? My cousin got one that included a line about her smelling like jelly beans. That was my favorite part.

Now that we're fully into May, I hoping more of you out there have access to a nearby farmers' market. Perhaps you got a chance to go this weekend? (here are my top ten tips for having a great farmers' market experience) I have year-round ones available on Saturdays, but a local Thursday night one runs May-September only, and I got a chance to go for the first time last week. It felt so nice to be back! I got to check out my favorite farms and see the new booths. I learned that it's going to be a very short cherry season this year (#sadface) because winter here in the Bay Area was so weird (i.e. warm and dry). I forgot to ask if the same would be true of stone fruits like peaches, but I'd like to find that out this week (otherwise, I'm going to obsess about it, since we all know I'm somewhat in love with peaches). 

Anyway, among my purchases were my first peas of the season. Now, some people (ahem, mom.dad.) may express surprise at this since growing up I showed very little interest in peas. And I admit that they are still not my favorite vegetable in the world, but I've learned that fresh peas are dramatically better than frozen. They're sweet and tender and taste, well, pretty good. I like them raw in salads, mashed up into pesto, or, now, smooshed into hummus. Can you call it hummus if there are no garbanzo beans? 

This hummus is fast, easy, and you don't even need to turn on the stove. It's great with chips or as a sandwich topping. It's easily double-able, and if you don't have quite the right amount of an ingredient, don't sweat it. You can make it anyway, and it will still be tasty. 

Fresh Pea Hummus - vegan & gluten free
adapted from Whole Living

I think this would be good with several other variations, including using mint (or parsley or basil) instead of cilantro, or increasing only the volume of peas so that you taste them more. It's also tasty with roasted garlic in place of the raw. 

I found I didn't need to because my peas were fresh & tender, but should you wish to cook your peas, bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Add peas and cook until tender, about 2 minutes. Drain, then run under cold water or put into ice bath to stop cooking.

1 C fresh shelled peas
1/4 C fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp tahini
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 small clove minced garlic
1/8 tsp ground cumin
pinch of salt

In food processor (or blender), pulse peas, cilantro, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and cumin 30 to 40 seconds. Season with salt to taste.

How to Have Your Best Farmers' Market Visit

As longtime readers know, I really, really like farmers' markets. For me, it's the total package. I love being outside, surrounded by food and people who love food. I love supporting my local economy and knowing that I'm helping support small farmers and small business. I love smelling tomatoes picked that morning. I love the anticipation of visiting my favorite peach stall and tasting the current offerings. I love coming home with something new. 

So in the spirit of spreading the love, here are my tips for you to have your best farmers' market visit:

1. Decide on your goals. Do you want to buy the best looking produce and have the most selection, or do you want to go for larger quantities at a discount? Think about what you want to make ahead of time so you have a few ideas to work from. On the flip side, be prepared to be inspired or to learn something new.
2. If you want the best quality and the most selection, go as close to the opening of the market as you can. Vendors will have the best selection early, before they start to sell out.
3. If you want to get large quantities of produce for preserving (jams, pesto, tomato sauce, etc), then go towards the end of the market. You may not be able to buy exactly what you want (farmers may have sold out of blackberries, for example), so be prepared to be flexible and have several ideas in mind. Typically, near the end of the day, farmers will want to get rid of their perishables, so you should be able to pay somewhat less money per pound/flat/bunch. Pro tip: for your sanity, don't buy more to preserve than you can reasonably accomplish. For example, last week I bought basil for pesto, berries, and peaches. I did not buy tomatoes to make sauce or paste with. Just some for eating. Maybe next week I'll tackle tomatoes. Know your limits!

Overnight Oatmeal - vegan & gluten free

Happy Monday Tuesday! I'm not sure how that happened. I hope you had a good weekend and said hi to your mom.

A quick note- I finally started using Instagram recently, and you can see my gallery via Instagrid. I'd love to check out the galleries of photobugs who follow me!

I know I'm also kind of behind the curve on this overnight oatmeal thing; it's all over the interwebs. When I first saw it, the idea of cold oatmeal totally turned me off. But then I started working early mornings. I'm not a morning person in general, and I'm also not someone who can jump out of bed and eat right away. So I've been starting my day with iced tea and eating breakfast a few hours later. Overnight oatmeal is the perfect solution because I put it together the night before and all I have to do in the morning is remember to grab it out of the fridge. At first I thought I would microwave it in the break room, but I discovered, much to my surprise, that I like it cold. I also admit to using it as a vehicle for fruit, kind of like crisp or crumble.

Overnight Oatmeal - vegan & gluten free

Instead of cooking oatmeal, the time in the fridge does the work of softening the grains. The flavor possibilities are endless. This satisfies me and keeps me full, and it provides a great mix of whole grains, protein, calcium, and fresh fruits. Here's a recipe to get you started, but please play around with toppings an mix-ins. Think: jams, spices, purees like apple or pear sauce, nuts, muesili, granola, dried fruit, chocolate chips.

If you're making this for someone sensitive to gluten, be sure to use oatmeal that's certified gluten free.

1/3 C rolled oats (not quick oats)
1/3 C non-dairy milk of choice (I like almond)
1/3 C yogurt (optional)*
drizzle of honey (optional)
fruit, etc to garnish

Combine ingredients in a small lidded container. If using frozen fruit, be sure to add it at night and it will be thawed in your oatmeal by the morning. Leave it in the fridge overnight and enjoy for breakfast. It should be edible after a few hours, but I haven't experimented with that. If you want to add dried cereal/granola, add it right before you eat so it doesn't get soggy.

*This is completely optional. The recipe works just as well with just oats and milk. I recently tried some coconut yogurt that was delicious.

How to roast fresh beets

One of the fun things at farmers' markets around Seattle that I don't remember from San Diego is fresh beets. San Diego friends, help me out. Did I just miss them?

Anyway, we've gotten them a few times this summer, and each time we get them I have to look up how to cook them. So I figure if I write it down, I'll remember it (just like moms and teachers always say). 

First, cut off the leaves (you can eat them if you'd like) and give the beets a good scrubbing. Then, using either a single piece of foil that you then fold into a large packet or individual pieces, drizzle each beat in olive oil. Wrap with foil and seal the seams.

Bake at 375F for 45-50 minutes, or until the beets give a little when you squeeze them gently with tongs. If you already have the oven on for another project, stick the beets in with them and alter the time accordingly. For instance, I had mine in at the same time as these brownies and just baked them longer (more like 60-70 minutes)

Unwrap the beets and allow them to cool. At this point, the peels will come off pretty easily; you might not even need a knife except to get the tip off. If you're really on top of things, save the oil and add it to your salad dressing.

The peel even slips off the root, leaving a cute little (pony)tail. 

Easy-peasy.  

What new cooking techniques have you been trying lately?

A trip to the Ballard Farmers' Market

This weekend I did not buy 20 lbs of peaches. In fact, I was on the east coast for a shower an aunt threw for me. It was a short trip, but it was lovely to see family and friends and feel "bridal." Yes, I know it's out of order. Are you really surprised?

Anyway, had I been here, Mr. Official Taster and I might very well have once again headed to the Ballard Farmers' Market. I took these photos a couple weeks ago, so I thought I'd share them with you. Especially all you farmers'-market-deprived folks.

I apologize for the fuzziness of this one, but I really wanted to show you these Dragon Tongue beans. They're purple! and stripey/polka-doty! They taste just like regular green beans, but they add some pizzaz to your plate. fun times.

oh, the flowers. They're lovely.

The abundance of beautiful fruits and vegetables are almost enough to make up for the dreary winters. Almost. There's also plenty of other wares - meats, eggs, cheeses, milk, wine, cider, bread, foraged fungi, soaps, fresh (like fried in front of you) mini donuts (which were amazing), and many items I can't remember. 

There was even live musical accompaniment. In fact, two street bands to entertain happy shoppers. We sat on the sun-dappled curb and listened to this one while eating juicy raspberries and fresh cinnamon-sugar mini donuts. good times.

Peach Pie with Almond Crumble - gluten free & vegan

Peach week continues! and finishes. It's been real. It's been tasty. It's been real tasty.

A couple weeks ago, when Mr. Official Taster and I went to the farmers' market, one of the things we brought home was 20 lbs. of peaches. I was excited! I love peaches, it was a great price, and I was envisioning all sorts of delicious treats.

Then OT told me he didn't like peaches. Wha? Now he tells me? sigh.

So peach week(s) was born. Jam and streusel and cake, oh my. oh, and pie. Which I made just in time for a certain anniversary.  Lucky couple :)

Peach Pie with Almond Crumble - gluten free & vegan

Filling:
About 2 lbs of peaches, peeled and sliced (I used 9, but it could be less depending on size)
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 C sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
2 Tbsp instant tapioca (or 1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch)
1 premade piecrust

Crumble Top:
adapted from Smitten Kitchen
2/3 C whole oats, ground to a flour in a food processor
1/2 C flour or gluten free flour
1/2 C sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 C whole almonds
6 Tbsp vegan butter

Make the filling:
In a small bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, toss the peaches and lemon juice. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and toss to coat. Add the filling to the crust.

Make the crumble:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Melt the butter in a small bowl. Grind the oats to a flour in a food processor. Add the rest of the dry ingredients and pulse until the almonds are coarsely chopped. Add the flour mix to the butter and stir together.

Assemble:
Add the filling to the premade crust. Cover the top with crumble.

Bake the pie at 450 degrees F for 10 minutes. Then turn the oven down to 350 and bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the top is a lovely golden brown. Allow to cool before cutting and serving.

Sunday Flowers

Today's water lily photos also come from our wonderful trip to Hawaii in January. This top photo isn't awesome, but it does show off a huge koi, so that's fun. 

The bright sunshine made it relatively easy to take crisp, clear, pretty photos. Having that light is definitely something I've been struggling with since living in Seattle. Remember these whoopie pies? They were super stale when I finally had good light. Don't worry, though, we ate the rest before that. I just saved some pretty ones for you all. 

What are you doing this weekend? Are you able to enjoy some sunshine? Official Taster and I are heading out to the farmers' market (there is one year round one here). It's kind of a hike, but we don't go every weekend and when we do, it's a treat. 

Happy Sunday!

Vegan Apple, Strawberry, and Blackberry Crisp

The farmers' market was a success! Even though it was cold and cloudy (yes, really) and I couldn't find what I specifically was looking for, I did find the makings for a delicious vegan fruit crisp. Crisps are definitely one of my favorite desserts, and sometimes I even like them better than cake (shh don't tell my mom). They are easy to put together, don't get lots of stuff dirty, and taste good pretty much no matter what. Exact measurements aren't as critical as in cakes, either. And, so, without any further ado:

Friday Morning Flowers

Today I have a pave design to brighten up your weekend. In a true pave, all of the flowers would be at the same height, but as you can see, the roses are a little tall. A smaller variety would have worked better, or taller other flowers. But I really do like this kind of design- the patterns appeal to me. Many of them remind me of looking out an airplane window and seeing fields below. The colors we got this week are fantastic- we got all the colors except blue (rare in flowers), which I thought was pretty rare and wanted to do something to highlight that. Voila, the almost rainbow/color wheel.

What are you doing this weekend? I'm planning on going to the farmers market tomorrow, finding delicious fruit, and making a crisp. I'll share with you, assuming Official Tester doesn't eat it before I can photograph it!

Buttercream + Jam = Delicious

So yesterday I made Jammie Bodgers (I'm taking suggestions on more sellable/searchable names), whose name practically forces me to talk with a British accent and sip tea with my pinkie up. Where's my fine china?
They turned out to be rather tasty and very pretty. I think the ones with the apple cutouts would be great Valentine's (or anything) presents for teachers. I have to leave for work in a few minutes, but I'm hoping to get them onto ShortandSweets when I get back home. For the red ones I used strawberry jam and the orange ones are pumpkin butter. Unfortunately, after reading the label of the jar I had in the fridge, I realized my current pumpkin butter is not vegan since there's honey in it. So I'll have to find a different source than Trader Joe's. I think that means it's time to go to one of the farmers' markets!