Last week, we took a little trip out to Denver, Colorado. Nestled right between the mighty Great Plains and the looming Rocky Mountains, this city is a convergence of food, sites, and culture. The entire city, or so it seems, was built using brick. Besides being absolutely charming, fusing old world sophistication with present day style, those homes are super sturdy and there to stay! It reminds me quite a bit of the Washington D.C. neighborhood, Capital Hill–but with a bit bigger lots and a little more yard (only a little though). However, interestingly enough, there is a reason behind the mostly brick architecture in Denver. In 1863, Denver had a huge fire, akin to the Chicago fire of 1871. The mayor of Denver at the time was also the owner of the city’s only brick manufacturing company. So, he deemed it “illegal” to build with anything other than brick–for the safety of the city’s citizens of course–oh, and his bank account. However, even though the ethics of what he did were highly questionable (both then and now!), the city’s history and character have been preserved beyond most cities I’ve seen and it is truly beautiful.

Denver also has something else really amazing going for it: an urban Truck Farm!

Photo via Denver Urban Farm Truck

Two University of Colorado master’s in landscape architecture students, Ashleigh Quillen and Ryan Sotirakis, decided they wanted to give Denver a new idea about what urban agriculture means and where it can reside. They are demonstrating for the city that “growing your own food can happen in even the most unlikely of places. Remnants of the past can literally become new vehicles for growing food”. Just because they didn’t have access to a backyard or garden plot to grow fresh food didn’t stop them–and they don’t want it to stop others either. Check out how they turned an old Ford 250 from Craigslist into their garden here! Personally, I think it’s a fantastic idea and am a little bit jealous that Portland doesn’t have something like this too. Seeing what they were up to was so inspiring, it made my mind explode with ideas–teaching gardening demonstrations for inner-city neighborhoods, school or corporate teaching/lunch programs… Just the sheer accessibility of the garden in a vehicle is a tremendous asset, and it really puts them way above and beyond the average “community garden”. Keep your eye out for them, they are going places! (pun totally intended).

When I first read Margit Beerli’s story, I was instantly taken back. While she has some 60 years more life-experience than me, I couldn’t help but reminisce about when my grandmother would tell me stories about her mother as a child, or even her grandmother’s childhood! The phrase “patterns and rules” really struck a chord for some reason. Maybe it’s how sewing was an art on both sides of my family–my mother made her own lined suit as a teenager, along with most of her clothes; my great grandmother on my dad’s side was a beautiful quilter. Maybe it’s my own lack of sewing knowledge or remembering the stories of the women in my family making beautiful garments and bed spreads. Maybe it’s my understanding that times past are times past–something I’m just now getting used to. It’s funny how as we age time seems to literally speed up. As a kid, I remember hearing “one hour and forty five minutes” and thinking that was FOR-EV-ER! But I’ve realized that I enjoy getting older; I honestly wouldn’t go back in time for anything. I enjoy the process age brings us of learning, exploring, pushing, discovering, and understanding. Andrew and a lot of my friends joke with me that I’m an old soul. And you know what? I take that as a compliment and I hope that it’s true.

Margit Beerli, Rinky Dink Pie

My life is simple right now because I choose to live uncomplicated and because I am in the third third of my life. I have raised my family, tripped, stumbled and danced through my middle years and now I’m savoring my surroundings: blooming peonies, the quality of light in the morning on the mimosa tree, the surprise of gold finches suddenly taking flight in a cloud of yellow. In the kitchen, I’m searching, always searching, for deep deliciousness in what I prepare, for seduction and surprise. My pie draws from the past. It comes from my mother’s childhood where there were patterns and rules. Every Sunday, in the summer, the family would meet at the park for a picnic. Mrs. Nelson always brought Rinky Dinks, individual tarts with an ambrosial coconut custard filling. You were allowed to eat one. I will make my pie of the coconut filling and lace the top with a thin criss-cross of dark chocolate. Imagine it: the custard so delicious it makes you stop, close your eyes, and succumb to sensuousness rarely experienced. And then the little bit of crunch and the shot of chocolate toying with the pie. There you have it, simple and deep, calm and seductive, pure and delicious.

Rinky Dink Pie

2 cups granulated sugar
1⅓ cups water
4 ounces angel flake sweetened coconut
7 Tablespoons salted butter
7 egg yolks
Pie dough for one crust

Good dark chocolate, chopped and melted

Bring sugar and water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Cook at a simmering boil for 15 minutes. Add the coconut and continue the simmering boil for another 15 minutes. Cool and add the butter. Beat the egg yolks until they are light yellow and stir into the batter.
Preheat oven to 350°. Roll out pie dough and cut into a circle larger than top diameter of your pie pan Carefully place the circle into the pan, pressing down along the sides and fluting the edge. Pour batter into pastry shell. Bake for about 25 minutes or until the pie is a lovely golden tan. Insert a knife into the center and it should come out relatively clean. Set on a rack to cool completely. Drizzle the chocolate sparingly across the pie. Serve at room temperature. If you are not serving immediately, keep in the refrigerator.

Phew! It’s not only a mouthful to say, it’s a mouthful to try. Another semi-finalist of Pietopia, this entrant’s story won the hearts of the food-writer judges for her honesty, clarity of feelings, and ability to relay her deep relationship to these specific tastes. The story is touching, the pie is a chocolate-caramel-banana flavor bomb, what better combination is there for a contest like Pietopia?

If you make this pie, you’ll instantly understand her story on a deeper and more meaningful level. This is what happened to me! Sure, I “understood” with my mind that banana’s, fudge, caramel, and kids were all a little messy and sticky–but I didn’t realize to what extent this could be taken to and how wonderful it all was together! You might even be surprised yourself.

Caroline Ford, Pietopia Semi-Finalist 2010

My younger brother has a spirited, cheerful three-year-old daughter and a giggly, flirtatious one-year-old son. Except, my brother is a drug addict and dealer and is in prison with a 20-year sentence. He has completely missed the exciting “firsts” of his babies and will continue to be absent for their early years. It breaks my heart, but I love the kids so much I can hardly stand it.

The little lives of my beautiful niece and nephew are like my Gooey, Sticky, Banana Caramel Fudge Brownie Pie. The soft, mushy bananas are the muddled circumstances and easily bruised emotions. Layered with salted caramel for all the tears along the way, a little chewy for my brother’s stubborn resistance. And the pie is oozing with dark, bittersweet chocolate for unexpected pregnancies that have brought two delightful babies.

The filling isn’t very stable. It is sticky and messy, but the combination is a sweet harmony. Each bite of the pie is happy and rich. The lush texture and comforting flavors make me swoon and grin and dive in for more. These two young souls have brought my family and the mothers’ families more joy than we could have ever imagined. They are perfect, adorable, laughing and smiling children surrounded by love, and they are exactly the delightful surprise we have all been craving. Sometimes messy is deliciously right.

Banana Caramel Fudge Brownie Pie

Crust: (makes enough for 2 single crust pies, save the other for later!)
2 ¼ c all-purpose flour
¼ c cornmeal
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
12 T butter, chilled, cut into ¼” pieces
½ cup shortening, chilled, cut into 1/4” pieces
1/2 cup water, very cold
Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt in food processor; pulse to mix.
Add butter and shortening; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal (pea sized pieces).
Add cold water 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing just until mixture comes together.
Remove dough and shape into 2 equal discs. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
To roll out, remove one disc from refrigerator and place on floured surface. Flour disc and rolling pin; roll out dough to a 12-inch circle, about 1/8” thick.
Transfer dough to pie tin, press gently into pan. Fold excess overhang under and crimp edges.
Prick bottom and side of shell with a fork and chill for at least 30 minutes. While chilling, preheat oven to 375 degrees with a baking sheet on the middle rack.
Line shell with foil and fill with pie weights; bake on sheet for about 25 minutes, or until pastry is set and golden. Set aside.

Fudge Brownie Filling:
4 large eggs
1 cup sugar, sifted
1 cup brown sugar, sifted
2 1/4 cup cocoa, sifted
1/2 cup flour, sifted
8 ounces melted butter
2 tablespoons ground espresso
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Beat eggs at medium speed until fluffy and light yellow; add both sugars and combine.
Add remaining ingredients and mix to combine. Set aside.

Other Layers:
3 ripe bananas, cut into ¼” pieces
1 cup caramel chews, cut into small pieces
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
To assemble:
Layer cut bananas, caramel and chocolate chips in bottom of par baked pie shell.
Pour brownie batter over top in spoonfuls, gently smooth over filling.
Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees or until brownie is set. Insert toothpick into center to check for doneness.
Serve warm and gooey.

The Pacific Northwest constantly and consistently amazes me. The abundance of fresh, flavorful foods that show up either on my own table and on friend’s tables makes me unbelievably thankful for it all. The abundance of berries, fresh salmon, peaches, apricots, heirloom tomatoes, garden herbs, and leafy vegetables are stunning–when you stop and think about it. My good friend and co-kitchen-conspirator, Leela, just got back from a nine month tour with her new husband around the world (lucky girl!). She and I are hosting a Taste the Place booth prior to the Pietopia event on August 5th at the Buckman Farmer’s Market. The entire premise of Taste the Place is to taste what grows locally here in Oregon. August is a great time for this because berries are in full force and stone fruits are hanging like gems from branches. But we decided to put a little twist on tasting the place and bringing some global flavors into the mix. Her trip was a total inspiration of sights, sounds, people–not to mention foods, tastes, flavors, textures! Her motto was “leave no masala dosa, bowl of bun, or bite of bakalava behind!”—now you understand why she is one of my favorite people in the world! Her enthusiasm and ability to enjoy life, in it’s present state, is contagious.

We each came up with a cool summer smoothie drink for people to sample at the market. Check her’s out here. I toyed with a blackberry orange blossom smoothie and a raspberry rosewater smoothie. The blackberry orange blossom was fragrant-heavy and smooth–it’s personality was tall, dark, guarded, and heavily perfumed. Maybe the blackberries didn’t pack enough punch, or maybe I’m just used to the sweet fruitiness of marionberries (not the ex-mayor), but it became all orange blossom and no berry. Even when I tried adding just 1/4 or an 1/8 of a teaspoon, it hit me in the top part of my nose and crept down the back of my throat no matter what I tried. By the end, I could have been just so used to smelling it, that I was over anticipating it and thinking it was too much. I think there’s potential here with this smoothie, but, it wasn’t the one for me. The raspberry rosewater smoothie, on the other hand, was like drinking a glass of smoothie-elegance. I am partial to rose–I love how they smell, how they look–the whole package. And the beauty of this flavor combination is that not one overpowered the other–they harmonized one another. The raspberry notes came first and then the subtle rose water essence followed suit. I added a touch of raw honey and this was my chosen contender!

Fear not, the blackberry certainly has it’s place in my heart and palate. I used it on a summer pizza the other night–fresh basil, heirloom yellow tiny tomatoes, fresh garlic, and fresh blackberries (all came from the farmer’s market), buffalo mozzarella, and an olive oil base….. I trail off here because words cannot describe this pizza’s deliciousness. And, I’m salivating. Thank you, summer.

Cheers!

Raspberry Rosewater Smoothie
2/3 cup fresh raspberries
1 tablespoon raw honey
1/2-1 teaspoon rose water
2 ice cubes
1/2 cup-3/4 cup filtered water

Blend until smooth, enjoy!

Leading up to the Pietopia event, I am going to share with you the six semi-finalists pies and their stories. The semi-finalists were the entries that made it from round one (the food-writer judges round) and have passed along to round two (the baker-judges). All the stories this year were absolutely fantastic! And it was a really tough decision for all the judges. As I post these pies and you read through the stories, I’m interested to know what you think about the food-memory-communication connection. How would you describe your life through taste? The pies take on a whole new flavor if you decide to make them–because you know you are tasting not just food, but someone’s story. Let me know if you do!

These pies represent a different type of nourishment we all need, something I call Primary Food. Primary food feeds us on a deeper level and includes our relationships, careers, and even spirituality. We can eat as healthy as we want, never skipping greens, and always getting the correct amount of vitamins and minerals each day. But if we are unhappy in our jobs or our relationships, the rest of our lives can be colored by those situations making us feel both physically and mentally drained. Having fun, enjoying your life, and those you spend it with are essential to feeling and being our best! What’s your primary food like?

Galaxy Pie, by Hannah Kane, Pietopia 2010 Semi-Finalist

There are at least 70 sextillion stars in the observable universe. Most stars are between 1 billion and 10 billion years old. This boggles my mind.

Though I often daydream about being an astronaut, my job has nothing to do with space, or stars, or even science. I’m a project manager at a nonprofit. In my job I deal with details. Thinking about the vastness of the universe provides a little perspective when I get bogged down in the minutiae of my work. In recent years, I’ve developed insomnia – specifically, the kind where you can’t stay asleep. On nights when I find myself wide awake at 4:00am, I sometimes try to imagine the entire universe in my mind’s eye. I start with a mental image of me lying in my bed. Then, like a camera lens, I zoom out to my apartment, my street, city, country, planet, and on and on, until I’ve zoomed out as far as my brain can possibly comprehend. It has the opposite of the intended effect. Instead of feeling sleepy, my heart starts to beat faster. It’s the most thrilling feeling I can create for myself – imagining the scope of everything.

This pie represents the delicious feeling of being so very small, and the wonder I feel when I consider everything we don’t yet know about the universe. The ginger snap crust is unexpected and hot, like a star. The creamy filling is like the band of light in the center of our galaxy, the Milky Way. The sweetness of the caramel entwined with the richness of the bittersweet chocolate remind me of the choices I’ve made – I love what I do, but part of me will always wonder what other, more extra-terrestrial, paths I might have taken.

Stellar Gluten-free Ginger Snap Crust
2 cups ground gluten-free ginger snap cookies (around 40 cookies) (Trader Joe’s brand are the best!)
2 tbsp sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Pulse the cookies and sugar in a food processor until you have fine crumbs. Slowly add the melted butter until moist clumps form.
Press the mixture into a lightly greased pie plate.
Bake until golden, about 8 minutes. Cool, like the crust of a newly-formed planet.
–
Cosmic Cream Cheese Filling
8 ounces heavy whipping cream
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
8 ounces sweetened condensed milk

Whip cream until it forms stiff peaks.
In a separate bowl, beat together cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk until smooth.
Mix whipped cream with cream cheese mixture.
Pour the cream cheese filling into pie crust, almost to the top.
Freeze for at least 4 hours.–
Remove the pie at least 20 minutes before you serve it.

Make the sauces on the stove:
Caramel Swirl
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp vanilla

Mix the water and sugar in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cover and cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves.
Increase the heat and boil uncovered until the sugar turns a medium brown, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.
Slowly (and carefully) add the cream and the vanilla. Simmer until the sauce is smooth and thick.

Bittersweet Chocolate Swirl
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1/3 cup sour cream
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla

Slowly melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler over hot water.
Stir in sour cream, sugars and heavy cream.
When fully blended, stir in vanilla. –

When the caramel and chocolate sauces are still warm, but not hot, drizzle in a swirled pattern over the cream cheese mixture.

Throw a few pieces of a broken toffee bar on top if you like, to represent the randomness of the universe.

When it gets hot out, I like to have good things ready and waiting for me in the kitchen. Fresh fruits, cold fresh veggies, some dips (like hummus or salsa), and a variety of summer salads. Making things in bulk is key for me–the hot days make me less inclined to turn on my oven or stove. Chopping extra carrot sticks or making extra salad, it really is a life saver when you sweat just thinking about the afternoon sun. We don’t have air conditioning which in the temperate Portland climate is fine for 50 out of the 52 weeks of the year. But it’s those scorcher weeks that make me want to do nothing but sit in the shade and sip icy cool mint water (ah, to dream!).

Last night I made another great summer salad and knew I had to share it with you. This salad was RE-FRESH-ING–and freshness, in it’s many forms, is something we all search for especially when we’re feeling overheated. The spicy coolness of the fresh basil mixed with the sweet crunch of fresh corn from the cob was a combination I hadn’t tried before, and it was delicious. I’m originally from the Washington DC area and summers there are, well, ridiculous. Many of my family and friends still there haven’t actually enjoyed the summer because it is TOO hot; they stay indoors where their air conditioners make it bearable from the 107 degrees F and 98% humidity–and I don’t blame them, that’s hot. Over the course of the past ten years, they’ve reached record highs in temperature–and it keeps getting hotter! As a kid, I remember the city would code the days: code orange, red, and purple, and they would highly advise to keep children and the elderly inside on those days. But my friends and I still road our bikes to the pool because staying inside was just not an option! (I wonder if they’ve created a code black day for today’s standards, because that was over 15 years ago.) However, the intensity of the weather there certainly has brought me pause. Summer, I believe, is a time to be enjoyed. But with people being trapped in their air conditioning because it keeps getting hotter each year, I wonder how the next generation will fare with “enjoying” the summer months. Not the shade, nor icy cool mint drinks brings people respite from that kind of oppressive heat when just 20 years ago, it did. Keeping cool and fresh in the summer means different things for us all depending on where we live–and I think every little thing you can do to take care of yourself during these hot days can do wonders for both your body and overall mood. After all, isn’t life about the little things?

Quinoa Basil and Fresh Corn Salad, recipe adapted from Vegetarian Times
1 1/2 cups uncooked quinoa, rinsed well
1 tsp. salt
2 cups fresh (about 4 ears) or frozen corn
1 cup tightly packed basil leaves, finely chopped
1/2 cup diced sun dried tomatoes (soaked in hot water for 15 minutes prior to slicing)
1/2 cup diced red onion
2 Tbs. olive oil
3 to 5 Tbs. fresh lemon juice (1 to 2 lemons)

In medium saucepan, combine quinoa, salt and 3 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 12 minutes.
Add corn, cover and cook until quinoa is tender but still a little crunchy, about 3 minutes.
Drain quinoa mixture and transfer to large serving bowl. Toss well with fork, fluffing quinoa. Set aside to cool slightly.
Add basil, peppers and onion. Stir in oil and enough lemon juice to give salad a distinct lemony edge. Adjust seasonings to taste and serve.
Serves about 6, enjoy!

On another note, I was featured on a fantastic blog called Copycat Mashup. The premise is where two artists are taken and “mashed up” to create a totally new project, inspired by the original artists work. Who knew I could be mashed up with sculptor and mobile artist Alexander Calder? Check it out–I hope they enter a pie next year in Pietopia!

I also wanted to introduce you to my friend and very talented photographer Abbey Hepner. All of her photos are pure magic and simply stunning. She did a small photo shoot for me last month and they turned out better than I had even imagined! Check out the rest of her work on her website and her blog.

Versatile, seasonal, and low-cost. Those words are music to my ears! Especially when it comes to fantastic tasting summer salads for the many BBQ’s, get togethers, and parties the warmer months spur on. I’ve been really enjoying two salads in particular: a pesto pasta heirloom tomato salad and a wheat-berry spinach salad. Pesto is super versatile and is the perfect playground for imaginative flavor combination. You simply start with a green base: basil, mint, Italian parsley, or spinach to name a few. Then you add in a little zest: fresh garlic, scallions, red onion, green onion, etc. Next, you might want to bulk it up a little, try: pine nuts, fresh crumbly parmesan (Trader Joe’s sells some of my favorite Parmigiano-Reggiano), sun-dried tomatoes, etc. Of course, don’t forget the olive oil, nothing less than 1/4 cup will do–it needs to be nice and juicy. And there you go! This particular pesto salad I used Italian Parsley, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh garlic cloves, salt, pepper, and olive oil. It was fresh, summery, and delicious! Next time, I think I may try adding some Parmesan too, just to mix it up a little.

Parsley Pesto
1 bunch fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
4 cloves fresh garlic
4 sun dried tomato halves, soaked in hot water for 15 mins
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
optional 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Pulse in your food processor until a past, fold into pasta (I used Oreccheti pasta, one of my favorite shapes). Add sliced heirloom tomatoes and stir. Serve and enjoy!

Wheat berries are one of my favorite grains. I love their chewy texture and how satiating they are! I also love them because their flavor expands and develops the better you chew them. As someone who tends to eat on the fast side (or more like wolfing down food! I just get excited I guess), this has been a great food to eat for me to meditate a little more on the amazing range of flavors and textures a food can provide. Wheat berries tend to be more of a winter food, however, I’ve found that using them in cool summer salads have been great. I like the tangy flavor of the feta mixed with the subtle sweetness of the wheat berry and the green crunch of the fresh spinach. A dollop of olive oil, a squeeze of fresh lemon, a little pepper and wha-la, summer wheat berry salad!

Wheat Berry Salad
1 cup wheat berries, boiled in 4 cups water for 70 mins on low
1 package of feta cheese (I say the more the better, but this is total personal preference)
1 clove fresh garlic or 1 scallion, minced
1 bag or package of fresh baby spinach
1/2 small lemon juice
1/8 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Wash wheat berries in a strainer until the water runs clear. Boil 4 cups water and add the washed berries, cook on low heat for 70 minutes. Strain berries from cooking water and transfer to a bowl. Add feta, garlic or scallion, spinach, lemon juice, and olive oil and stir. Let sit for a few minutes to let the spinach soften just a bit. Serve at room temperature and enjoy!

I made the avocado cake again and decorated the top with fresh raspberries (from my Aunt’s garden) and fresh strawberries (from Mt. Hood). I like cake.

Andrew and I went on a trip through Central Oregon for the holiday weekend. Oregon never ceases to amaze me–the coast is so beautiful but central Oregon has sun (and more sun!), desert, fantastic hikes, views of the Cascade’s that will blow your mind, and cute towns with good brew pubs. We first went to Crater Lake. We tried to go last year but the lake was hidden beneath a thick blanket of smoke from smoldering forest fires (they happen naturally from lightning). So we went again to get the full majestic and breathtaking views it has to offer.

Looks a lot like the Caribbean! Crater Lake’s water is clear and amazing.

We also went to Bend and Smith Rocks. The desert was beautiful–hot sun, but the air was cool. The temperature did not rise above 78 degrees F. We camped there then drove home the following day on some scenic back roads.

From left: Mt. Bachelor, The Three Sisters, Mt. Jefferson.

Andrew took this photo!

We stumbled upon these beautiful falls and a lake most appropriately called Clear Lake. Row boats beckoned us, so we went out on the lake for a break from our drive. This alpine lake was a gem to stumble upon!

Cheers for summer!

Buckwheat has made a grand appearance in our kitchen this week–and thank goodness it has. Chilly mornings before setting out for a vigorous hike or bike ride, I crave something dense, warm, and nourishing like buckwheat pancakes. I love them! Toss some fresh, almost mushy and insanely sweet berries on top with a splash of maple syrup, it doesn’t get much better than that. Or does it? I ran across a recipe for a Fleur de Sel Buckwheat cake and didn’t know what to think. Cake? Buckwheat cake? The author, David Lebovitz, is entirely reputable and any recipes I’ve made of his have been fantastic. Having lots of buckwheat flour in the house, I decided it was a must try. The warmer days have had me looking for foods a little more on the salty side and less sweet.

Let’s talk a little bit about buckwheat first. It’s actually not a grain, but a fruit seed akin to rhubarb! This makes it a great option for people who are gluten sensitive or intolerant. It has a deep, nutty flavor, earthy in taste and texture. Buckwheat is fantastic for your cardiovascular system. It helps lower cholesterol, maintain blood flow, keep platelets from clotting excessively, and provides the body with flavonoids, or phytonutrients that protect against disease by extending the action of vitamin C and acting as antioxidants. Nutrients in Buckwheat may also contribute to blood sugar control by lowering blood gulcose and insulin levels–one of the main reasons I love eating these pancakes in the morning! It is also a great source of magnesium–a very important mineral in our bodies. It helps maintain normal muscle and nerve function, keeps heart rhythm steady, supports a healthy immune system, and keeps bones strong. Magnesium also helps regulate blood sugar levels, promotes normal blood pressure, and is known to be involved in energy metabolism and protein synthesis. Cool!

I knew that buckwheat was “good” for me, but I didn’t realize just how good it actually was. It’s interesting how your body asks for what it needs! And in this case, I’ve been needing more minerals and phytonutrients. So neat! I’m going to share with you my never fail Buckwheat Pancake recipe. It is so easy to whip up in the morning and make a batch of these, you will not be disspointed. In fact, you may find yourself craving them as well! I don’t think I’ll ever go back to regular pancakes when I could eat these and be satisfied on so many levels! Adding a hint of vanilla and cinnamon really round out the nuttiness of the buckwheat–they are fragrant and flavorful and will keep you satiated until lunch!

Buckwheat Pancakes, recipe adapted from Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything Vegetarian
1 cup all purpose or whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup buckwheat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon maple syrup (yes, in the batter too)
2 eggs
2 cups milk or water
1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter

Preheat griddle or large skillet over medium-low heat while you make the batter. Mix together the dry ingredients. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the eggs, milk or water, vanilla extract, and oil or melted butter. Stir together until completely well mixed. If the batter seems too thick, add a little more milk or water. If your griddle or skillet is non-stick, you can cook your pancakes right on there, but otherwise, use a little butter first so they don’t stick to other surfaces. Adjust the heat as necessary; usually the first batch will require a higher heat than the later batches. The idea is to brown the bottom in 2-4 minutes without burning it. Flip the pancakes when they are cooked on the bottom and cook until lightly browned. Serve warm with maple syrup, fresh berries, peaches, or Greek yogurt! Enjoy!

And now for the cake! I am seriously impressed with the flavor and texture of this unassuming looking cake. It’s brown, it’s small, there’s nothing fancy about it really–except it’s taste! I could get lost in the subtle hints of flavors as I chew a slice of this. It is like walking down a garden path and wandering through a variety of different scents and scenes–but it’s all happening in your mouth. Something about how the dark rum mingles with the spicy hints of cinnamon all carried through by the earthy aroma of the buckwheat. There is also quite a bit of butter involved, which folds all the flavors into one another, connecting them and creating new sensations. Then there’s the fleur de sel. Yes. This is the icing on top, because just when you think you have it all figured out, you are pleasantly surprised by a tiny salty aftertaste. And then you’ve got to try it all over again, just to be sure! It can turn into a vicious cycle, leading to eating many more slices of this cake than intended. But that’s what friends and family are for! I made some fresh whipped cream flavored with maple syrup (have you tried this? it’s delicious!) for the side, but would also pair well with any fruit compote, or simply naked.

Fleur de Sel Buckwheat Cake via 101 cookbooks via David Lebovitz
For the cake:
7/8 cup (140g) buckwheat flour
1 cup (140g) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon plus 1/3 teaspoon fleur de sel
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 pound (240g) unsalted butter, at room temp
1 cup (200g) sugar
4 large egg yolks
1 large egg
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons dark rum

For the glaze:
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon milk

Butter a 9 or 10-inch (25-cm) tart pan with a removable bottom or a 9-inch/23 cm springform cake pan). Preheat the oven to 350F degrees (180C).

In a small bowl, whisk together the buckwheat and all-purpose flour with 1/2 teaspoon salt and the cinnamon.

In the bowl of a standing mixer or by hand, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and continue to beat until smooth.

In a separate bowl, beat the 4 egg yolks and whole egg with the vanilla and rum with a fork, then gradually dribble the egg mixture into the batter while beating. If using an electric mixer, beat on high speed so the butter gets really airy.

Mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top as flat as possible with an offset metal or plastic spatula.

Make a glaze by stirring the single yolk and milk together with a fork, then brush it generously all over the top. (You may not use it all, but use most of it.) Take a fork and rake it across the top in three parallel lines, evenly space; then repeat starting from a slightly different angle to make a criss-cross pattern.

Crumble the remaining 1/3 teaspoon salt over the gateau with your fingers and bake for 45 minutes (hs note: you might want to place a rimmed baking sheet on the rack below your tart in case it leaks at all – also, don’t over-bake or it will be on the dry side – start checking after 35 minutes or so). Let cool completely before unmolding.

Reprinted from The Sweet Life in Paris by David Lebovitz via 101 Cookbooks. Broadway (May 5, 2009)

Cheers!

Last week, a friend of mine sent me a recipe for chocolate cake. This cake, unlike the regular good-ol’ butter variety, is made with avocado for it’s main source of fat (because we all know that in order for a baked good to be truly good, there needs to be some good fat in there!). I had never tried substituting avocado for butter before, but was definitely up to the challenge. This cake is vegan, and one of the best vegan cakes I’ve ever tried, at that. Vegan baking used to scare me a little–if there isn’t butter or eggs in it, what IS in it? I used to think. But, after experimenting with lots of recipes and sampling delicious vegan baked goods from the numerous vegan bakeries around town, I’ve decided they are absolutely equal players in the baking field.

I was pleasantly surprised with how light and moist the crumb of this cake was as well as how much chocolate flavor each bite packed. I was even more pleased about the fact that I was eating something packed full of healthy fats (the avocado), no white flour (whole wheat pastry flour), no white sugar (brown rice syrup and sucanant), and it was delicious. What is happening here? I wondered out loud. My mind used to get so boggled when thinking about baking things that wouldn’t make my teeth fall out, grow an extra tire around my waist, make my blood sugar soar, or all of the above. But, it’s possible! I think I am more amazed than anyone here, haha.

Give this cake a try! You won’t be disappointed. However, if you are looking for something super sweet, you might not enjoy it as much. But that is precisely why I did! I could actually taste the chocolate flavors and not just an overpowering sweetness. There are a couple of options for frosting too! I made a simple, very non-vegan frosting with some cultured cream cheese, whipped cream, and maple syrup. My friend made a fantastic coconut cream frosting (vegan) that, she said, rocked her world. And I’ve also seen another recipe for a spinach-whipped cream frosting. No joke, but she said it was good! I’d have to try it to believe it though. This cake is really versatile when it comes to toppings, so take your pick and go for it!

ps–Just a gentle reminder that Friday is the last day to enter Pietopia this year! Just 300 words (about a short paragraph) and and a recipe and you could win!

Cheers!

Vegan Chocolate Avocado Cake, adapted from the edible perspective
3 cups whole wheat pastry or all-purpose flour
8 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 cup brown rice syrup
3/4 cup sucanat or granulated sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup soft avocado, well mashed, about 1 medium avocado
1 cup water
1 c almond milk or rice milk
2 Tablespoons vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 8 or 9-inch rounds or 1 9 x 13-inch pan. Sift together all of the dry ingredients except the sugar. Set that aside.

Mix all the wet ingredients together in a bowl, including the super mashed avocado.
Add sugar into the wet mix and stir.

Mix the wet with the dry all at once, and beat with a whisk (by hand) until smooth.
Pour batter into a greased cake tins. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Let cakes cool in pan for 15 minutes, remove from pan and place on rack to cool completely before frosting.

Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
1 package regular cultured cream cheese
2 cups heavy whipped cream
1/4 cup maple syrup

Whip the cream cheese and maple syrup until smooth. In another bowl, whip all the whipped cream until stiff peaks form. Add a few scoops of it to the cream cheese, folding it in and then blend well, then add the rest and whisk until completely blended.

What’s that, you say? Black Bean brownies? Yes, you didn’t read that wrong. These little dense chocolate squares of goodness are packed with dark chocolate flavor that melts in your mouth. They are flourless, heightening the chocolate-effect to a whole new level. So if you are gluten intolerant, this is a fantastic option for you.

I admit, I was curious. How would these turn out? Would they be…good? Or would they be just another new-fangled, health-crazed, recipe trying to turn a classic into something “healthy”? I had to find out. Reading through the recipe, I couldn’t tell how they would taste (namely because I had never purred beans into a baked good) but I was pleasantly surprised.

The only thing that caught me off guard was the cup and a half of agave nectar it called for. I mean, that stuff is sweet. For every tablespoon of honey, you only need about a teaspoon of agave–it’s intense. The thought of that much agave made my mouth pucker a bit. There is also a lot of controversy about agave nectar being a good sugar substitute. Unlike sugar, it has a very low glycemic index. Diabetics can use it because it doesn’t interfere with their insulin levels–meaning it doesn’t make their blood sugar go wonky when they eat it. However, the reason it doesn’t interfere with our insulin levels is because agave is processed in the body, through the liver, as fructose. Fructose does not get converted into blood glucose (or energy in the form of sugars from foods we eat including: whole grains, fruits, and even regular ol’ sugar–the most concentrated form), but rather it gets stored in our body as fat. Hmm.

Also, in order to get agave to it’s edible sweet form that we all know and can buy in bottles in the store, it goes through quite the process of refinement. This means that all of the natural enzymes that would normally help the body digest these high levels of fructose are gone, thus leaving our liver to do a big job of sorting through and processing everything. What do I think about agave? Moderation, moderation, moderation. I prefer over all raw, natural honey or maple syrup–they are my absolute favorites. I used to use a lot more agave (in my tea, on toast, etc…) but I don’t do that any more. The studies that I have read make me hesitant to eat too much of it–as it is constantly associated with being as bad, if not worse, for you as the dreaded High Fructose Corn Syrup. And in reality, they are both made quite similarly.

And knowing all this, I still made these brownies. I love the quest, the challenge, the different ingredients! And call it what you will, but it was so interesting to see how they would turn out in both flavor and especially texture. I am smitten with the flourless-ness that the black beans provided–they were as rich, moist, and dense as a flourless chocolate cake. This made my mind swirl with other ideas about using purred legumes in things! They also turned out to be a bit too sweet for my taste. If I ever end up making them again, I am going to play around with a combination of other sweeteners like molasses, maple syrup, honey, and brown rice syrup. (The recipe said to use a 1:1 ratio for honey as a substitute if you don’t have agave–if you try this, let me know how they turn out!) Make no mistake, these are not “healthy” for you! But they are fun to make, delicious to eat and share with friends. Did I mention they will satisfy major chocolate cravings? Yes, in a big way.

Cheers!

Black Bean Brownies, recipe adapted from 101 cookbooks

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups soft-cooked black beans, drained and rinsed well (about 1 can)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons instant coffee or espresso
3 tablespoons cocoa powder (I found adding this gave them a richer, deeper texture and flavor)
¼ teaspoon sea salt
4 large eggs
1½ cups raw, dark agave nectar (dark agave I feel heightens the chocolate flavor vs. the light agave which literally just adds “sweet” to what you use it in).

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line an 11- by 18-inch (rimmed) baking pan (or jellyroll pan) with parchment paper and lightly oil with canola oil spray.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a glass bowl in the microwave for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes on high. Stir with a spoon to melt the chocolate completely. Place the beans, 1/2 cup of the walnuts, the vanilla extract, and a couple of spoonfuls of the melted chocolate mixture into the bowl of a food processor. Blend about 2 minutes, or until smooth. The batter should be thick and the beans smooth. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the remaining 1/2 cup walnuts, remaining melted chocolate mixture, coffee substitute, and salt. Mix well and set aside.

In a separate bowl, with an electric mixer beat the eggs until light and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the agave nectar and beat well. Set aside.

Add the bean/chocolate mixture to the coffee/chocolate mixture. Stir until blended well.

Add the egg mixture, reserving about 1/2 cup. Mix well. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Using an electric mixer, beat the remaining 1/2 cup egg mixture until light and fluffy. Drizzle over the brownie batter. Use a wooden toothpick to pull the egg mixture through the batter, creating a marbled effect. (I ended up not doing this and it was absolutely fine). Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the brownies are set. Let cool in the pan completely before cutting into squares. (They will be soft until refrigerated.)

Makes 45 (2-inch) brownies.