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. 

Blackberry Coconut Oatmeal Cookies - vegan

In my mind, it's still summer. Yes, there have been a few chilly, fall-like moments. And yes, you can buy pumpkins and pumpkin flavored things at stores and coffee shops. But at the grocery store this afternoon, right across from the pumpkin display was an equally large watermelon display. Welcome to September. It's got to be the most bountiful month of the harvest. So here, on this tiny piece of the interwebs, we're going with summer. I'm going to join Deb and declare this a pumpkin-spice-free-anything zone for at least another couple of weeks. 

So, since it's summer, and since berries are still abundantly available at my farmers' markets, these cookies are a perfect way to savor the season. I love fresh berries in cookies, and these were a big hit at our big party a few weeks ago. They are tiny, perfectly sized, relatively wholesome treats. No, really. There are whole grains and fruit. See? Relatively wholesome.

Were I even more on top of things, I would make up a batch or two, divide dough and form into logs. Next, I'd wrap each log in plastic wrap and stick them in the freezer. (oh, and, uh, labeling them is helpful. I recommend a sharpie and some tape) Then, come the dark days of February, I could take out a log, slice off some cookies, and bake up some summer. 

You know, to compliment my Pumpkin Spice tea.

Blackberry Coconut Oatmeal Cookies - vegan

Of course, you can also make these not vegan by using regular butter and milk, and 1 egg instead of the applesauce. Yields about 50 teaspoon sized cookies.

1/2 C coconut oil
1/2 C firmly packed brown sugar or Sucanat
1/2 C sugar
1/4 C applesauce
1 tsp vanilla
3 Tbsp non-dairy milk (I used almond)
1 C flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 C quick or rolled oats, uncooked
3/4 C fresh blackberries, chopped if large

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease or line a couple cookie trays.

Cream the coconut oil and sugars. Add in the applesauce, vanilla, and milk and beat until smooth. Do the same with the flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Finally, beat in the oats. Fold or stir in blackberries, smooshing as much or as little as you'd like.

Drop teaspoons of dough (YES. teaspoons. Larger amounts of dough don't work very well) 2 inches apart on prepared pan. Bake about 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Mango Quick Bread - dairy free

A quick Facebook-related note: as happens every so often all the time, Facebook has changed things again. If you'd like to see Short and Sweets in your feed again, go to my Facebook page, and hover your mouse over the "Like" button. Make sure the box next to "show in news feed" is checked, and if it's not, just check it, and Short and Sweets posts will show up in your feed again. Sorry FB is silly.

And back to originally scheduled programing:

As part of my diversify-our-carbs mission, I picked up some coconut flour with no real plan for it. I was originally on the hunt for barley flour to make this, but, alas, I haven't found any. Then, I got mangos with the express purpose of making this bread, and I had my epiphany. Mango+coconut oil+coconut flour = tropical delight. If I'd had some rum, perhaps it would have been even more of a delight.

In any case, I'm pretty happy with the result. Well, except for the part where I didn't wait long enough to take it out of the pan. That made a mess. It's tasty and not too sweet, and I don't even mind the raisins. It made for a tasty breakfast, and I think the suggestion from the original recipe that you schmear on some cream cheese sounds pretty delightful. Extra points: Mimosas.

Mango Quick Bread - dairy free
adapted, very liberally, from Bon Appetit. I changed the original so much that I almost didn't link to it here, but you may find it useful if you want a simpler version. The reviews also hold some useful tips, like using peach schnapps to soak the raisins.

1 C golden raisins
1/4 C juice or liquor*
2 large mangos, peeled, pitted and diced
1 1/2 C flour
1/3 C coconut flour**
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3/4 C sugar
1/2 C coconut oil (or 1/2 C butter or vegan butter)
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350F. Generously grease and flour a 9-x5-inch loaf pan. In a small bowl, mix raisins and juice or liquor and let stand 15 minutes while you mix everything else together.

Puree mangos in a food processor until smooth. Measure total amount (see note below).

Whisk together flours, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and nutmeg. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream coconut oil and sugar together. If using butter, beat until light and fluffy. If using coconut oil, it won't get fluffy, but it will smooth out. Beat it a few minutes to aerate it. Beat in eggs one at time, then vanilla and mango puree. Add dry ingredients in two or three batches and beat after each addition until just combined. Fold in raisins+juice. Pour batter into a prepared pan.

Bake bread until tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 60 to 75 minutes. Cool 20 minutes in pan on rack (don't be like me and try and get it out after 10 minutes). Turn bread out; cool completely.

~~~

*I used Mango Peach Orange juice from Trader Joe's, which worked well. The original recipe called for brandy, which we don't have any of sitting around. I took advantage of the natural sweetness of the juice to cut back the sugar from 1 1/4 C. So depending what liquid you choose, adjust sugar as needed.

**This amount is one you can play with a bit. The total amount of flour should be approximately 1 3/4 cups, and the original recipe called for 1 cup of mango puree.  Coconut flour is super absorbent, so when you use it in recipes, you need to increase the amount of liquid. I chose to increase the amount of mango puree rather than adding juice or milk. My two mangos yielded 1 1/3 cups of puree. Thus, I was able to use 1/3 cup of coconut flour. I used 1 1/2 cups of regular flour and trusted that 1 1/2 C+ 1/3 C was close enough to the original 1 3/4 cups to work, and it was. So, basically, measure your puree first, before you decide on your flour amounts. Or just go with 1 C mango and 1 3/4 C flour and forget the coconut flour altogether. Questions?

Guacamole - vegan & gluten free

Happy Friday! I am glad the weekend is tomorrow (or tonight if you're ambitious). I am looking forward to hanging out with Mr Official Taster, wrapping up the unpacking, and spending some time with my cousin and his lovely family on Sunday. I think there will be a tv on in the background with some good commercials every couple of minutes every time the big guys need a water break between important plays.

Guacamole has somehow become a traditional Super Bowl food, and I'm not really sure how that happened since I can't tell how avocados, a traditionally tropical food, and football, a sport traditionally idyllically played in either snowstorms or on glorious fall afternoons, are related. But, I won't argue too hard because once I moved to the West Coast, I fell hard for avocados, and chips are just a handy vessel for getting them into my mouth. Thus: manly games = guacamole = I have something to care about during said game. It's a win-win.

Guacamole - vegan & free of just about everything
Everyone has an opinion on guacamole, and this is just the way I like mine. Feel free to ignore completely and carry on with whatever you always do. Unless that means buying it in a tub. If you buy it in a tub, stop doing that and make this.

ripe avocados, skin and pit removed
salt or sea salt
garlic powder
chili powder

I tend to make this when I need an afternoon snack, so I only use 1 avocado (2 or more if I have company). Put said avocado in a small bowl, and mash with a fork or an avocado thinger. If you like some chunks in your guac like I do, you won't have to mash very long if your fruit is ripe. Lightly sprinkle with salt, garlic powder, and chili powder. Mix well and taste. Add more seasoning if you so desire.

Serve with chips or use as a sandwich spread. Some fresh lime probably wouldn't be amiss if you're feeling feisty.

Sugared Cranberries - vegan & gluten free

Happy Friday! I hope you are surviving the week in relative good cheer. My parents arrive for a week-long visit tonight, and Mr Official Taster's side arrives tomorrow. We'll be feeding eight people for the Christmas holiday (we're having these for breakfast). I think it'll be fun!

If you are one of the people still scrounging around for gift ideas, here are a few gift worthy sweets and welcome additions to any party:

Coconut Butter

Pumpkin Pie

Peanut Butter Dog Treats (for your furry friend)

Freezer Burritos (especially for new parents or any other caretaker)

Apple Cranberry Pie

Ginger Chocolate Chip Bars

Rosemary Olive Oil Bread

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

You could also take a look over at Smitten Kitchen's mouthwatering collection.

These cranberries are perfect for holiday gatherings. Not only are they vegan and gluten free, but they are free of just about everything, including fat. They also have a nice, refreshing "pop"when you bite into them, and aren't as sweet as almost everything else this time of year. The other handy thing about them is how little attention you can pay to them (mine actually soaked almost two days) and they stay good for a bit.

I think this will be my last post for several days (or a week). Best wishes to you and yours!

Sugared Cranberries

adapted from MyRecipes

2 C granulated sugar *
2 C water
2 C fresh cranberries**
3/4 C superfine sugar***

Combine granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan over low or medium heat. Stir mixture until sugar dissolves and water is steaming. Remove from heat. (Do not boil or the cranberries may pop when added.) Add in cranberries. Here you can either pour mixture into a bowl or simply leave it in the pot. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

Drain cranberries in a colander over a bowl (don't shake off excess liquid, as it helps the sugar adhere), reserving sugar water, if desired (I didn't know what to do with mine, so if you have ideas, please share!). Place some superfine sugar in a small zip top plastic bag. Add the cranberries, maybe 10 at a time, and shake them to coat with sugar. Spread sugared cranberries in a single layer on a baking sheet (no need to grease or line sheet). Let stand at room temperature 1 hour or until dry.

Store in an airtight container in a cool place for up to a week.

*I used superfine sugar here because, well, I had it,

**I used the what I had leftover from making these cookies, which was about 1/2 a bag. If you froze them, like I did, allow them to defrost before using them in this recipe.

***My there are a lot of stars for so short an ingredient list. Superfine sugar is available in the grocery store, and it usually hiding among the other sugars in what looks like a milk carton. I don't honestly know exactly how much I used, since I just dumped some in my plastic bag and added a little more when I was running out. But it wasn't very much

Weekend Baking

It's been a tasty 48 hours! Yesterday I found this recipe for cornbread and decided to give it a whirl. The main draw was that it didn't call for buttermilk, so I could substitute soy milk for regular milk. I got to use my new whisk (thanks, mom!), which was an added bonus. It turned out well, though next time I may try adding creamed corn as some people suggest. I think it will make it significantly moister.

Next up: Snickerdoodles! Thanks to one of my loyal Etsy buyers who reminded me I wanted to make these. Light, sweet, and cinnamony.

Finally, VEGAN HOMEMADE OREOS!! These turned out phenomenally well. I'm really excited about them because they taste delicious and are 100% vegan. You will not be disappointed with them! Order them from me :)

Hello!

Hello and Happy New Year!
This past fall I started my store on Etsy and I'm expanding to the blogosphere as part of my New Year New Plan. So, first, check it out: shortandsweets.etsy.com
I've got all sorts of delicious gluten free and vegan desserts, treats, and delights for sale. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get my masterpiece up there this year. For a Christmas party I attended I brought this dessert:

Everything (except the tree) is edible on it, which seemed pretty cool. Popcorn, cranberries, cookies, and candy canes dress the tree, while the presents at the bottom are cut up fudge wrapped with ribbon. My other holiday project that didn't make it to my site was delicious smelling Christmas ornaments in various cookie cutter shapes and decorated with glitter:

They made our living room smell yummy!
In the upcoming week, I hope to post new items for sale for Valentine's Day and spring time. If you have any ideas for vegan or gluten free items you'd like to see for sale, please let me know!