Twin Comfort of Dessert

I'm not sure if I'm even allowed to be sitting here, enjoying the Indie music and being around busy people, chatty people, groups of people slumped over coffees with their heads bent towards each other and deep in conversation. I haven't bought anything; I sought refuge from the rain outside. As I passed by the huge windows of this rustic coffee shop, I felt the pull of just sitting and spending time at a table situated in a corner. I love to watch the people that come and go, each one with a story which I attempt to discover. Each person has a distinguishable taste, noticeable by their sense of style as they walk from the door to the counter and order their choice of drink, sometimes pairing it with a muffin or scone, at the coffee bar.

I went to school today for a Provincial exam, and sat for three hours in the gym with all of the other English students writing three essays and answering 25 multiple choice questions. Afterwards, in our exhaustion and giddy perception of being free from the pressures of this exam, at least for a little while, some friends and I drove down the road for tea together. The woman behind the counter provided samples of aromatic tea leaves for us to smell, and help us to try and figure out which tea to make into a drink, until we all decided upon a black English tea, latte style.

So there we sat, all six of us, with twin lattes in our hands and perched in chairs situated around one small round table, legs intertwined. We went over the exam, exclaiming our surprise at some of the answers, and trying to figure out whether we had chosen the right one - if pre-exam chatter hadn't been stressful enough!

Our stomachs began to growl promptly, as our nerves settled down to make way for hunger, and our pack abruptly stood and left with the steam out of our hot mugs trailing behind. The smell of that little tea place was so calming and comforting, even if the white decor wasn't. And with a hot drink to sip I began to completely unwind from the buzz of sitting an exam.

Again we found an under-sized table to share, with nearly enough room for all of our lunches to share the space. Inside had been too busy, and all the tables were taken, so wrapped up in our fur-lined parkas and knitted scarves, and still huddled around lattes, we parked ourselves under a big out-of-place summer umbrella that dripped with the drizzling rain. There couldn't have been anything more Vancouver. Lunch was taken outside because its so beautiful, and we love it outside, but there we were wrapped up in big thick coats and leaning away to prevent being hit from the splatter of the rain.

So as I sit here, slowly warming with the steam of other's hot drinks rising into the space around me, I think of a decadent dessert to complement a peaceful afternoon. What better way to enjoy the fresh flavour of fruit with a sweet gluten-free topping than Twin Crumbles, have two for you and another, and just sit for a while.

Twin Apple-Blueberry Crumbles
Print recipe here.

The perfect complement to any meal, these little crumbles are quick to whip up when you have a craving for something sweet, and are light enough to leave your taste buds fulfilled without filling you up too much.

Fresh fruit sweetens the pots with delicious flavour, and be sure to serve them with a dollop of vanilla yogourt or ice cream for a creamy treat. This can be served as a summer or winter dessert, switching up the fillings for more seasonal fruits. Pomegranate and pear, anyone?

Serves 2

Ingredients

1/2 apple, sliced thinly
1/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1/2 tsp lemon juice

2 tbsp gluten free oats
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp ground almonds (or almond flour)
1 tbsp corn flour
2 tbsp cold butter

A pinch of cinnamon

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Divide the blueberries among two ramekins, top with sliced apple and drizzle with lemon juice. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, ground almonds, and corn flour. Chop up the butter and add into the bowl, rub between your fingers until the mixture becomes crumbly, resembling bread crumbs.

Divide the crumble topping among the two ramekins, levelling evenly. Sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon on top of each crumble.

Place in the centre of the oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the topping begins to brown and blueberries begin to bubble.

Allow to cool 5 minutes before serving with a spoonful of vanilla yogourt or ice cream.

Enjoy the sweetness of this treat after a long day!
xx S.

If Life Throws Snowballs, Sweeten Them!

Ever feel as if the cold of winter wraps it's icy tendrils around everything, and despite the layers of blankets the draft disperses and grows from underneath your skin; winter, in it's stubborn display of the changes to come, the winds and cold, the storms and the crystallised beauty, also wraps you gently at first, comforting and softly, tightening as a cocoon around a caterpillar, with each fibre pushing it's frosty exterior further onto you, freezing to the touch, and never letting go.

Maybe this is why I love winter, it truly is like being wrapped in a forever Snuggy. Forever slippers on your feet, and never thinking that the skies will suddenly brighten, open up, and even disperse.

I find the contrasts of winter's arrival most apparent as I stand on the dock for the ferry. The wind blows carefully at first, testing it's recipients for reaction, and with none, increases intensity. Laughing, it speeds up, as if a child chasing an animal around, it winds precariously through cars, through people, jumping over benches and fences, and still never tiring. Above, clouds hover close, grey and white in patches, but mostly a light grey similar to that of the sparse populations of seagulls buried in their feathers; some gulls peer atop their wings only in the search of dropped food. You feel as if a heavy dome encompasses the world, but there lies the sea, an expansive, vast body which stretches farther than the horizon, although unseen at the moment. By land you can continue on, but by the space above, the star and moon invisible, you are halted. You can travel off the island, there are so many places to be explored; other continents, ones you have traveled  others unknown, lie beyond the boundaries far off, perhaps they can be escaped to, and perhaps winter can be forgotten for some time. And yet, situated on a small island between the surrounding mainland, time seems to have stopped after five o'clock each night, and again we wait for winter to pass over in the tranquil escape of our homes.

So with the cold air coddling the timbers of our wooden house, and escaping in through every possible crack, I decided to embrace the winter wonderland it so wishes to be, and turn my counter into my very own personal snow field.

And with that, I poured icing sugar across the counter.

My own winter wonderland.

It's almost December, and surprisingly, I couldn't be more excited for Christmas.

So time to start the Christmas baking, the holiday treats, and decorating all those wonderfully sweetened cookies.

Did I mention that we already have a bottle of organic Egg-Nog in the fridge? A delectable winter treat, creamy and sweet, especially comforting when it's been warmed up on the stove and spiced with a delicate peppering of nutmeg and cinnamon. Remember last Christmas when you sipped Egg-Nog by the window and snow flakes fell, and still, you were warm.

Look, even the restaurants think it's already that time of year.

This is the first time that I have incorporated any of the gums, xantham or guar, into my baking, and although reluctant I thought it was worth a try. So many successfully bake with them, and can bypass the result of crumbly, flaky cookies or muffins which give gluten-free baking such a bad name.

Mum was given a small package as a sample of Bob's Red Mill Guar gum, and for the past couple of weeks it has been peering round the corner of a basket in the cupboard. I admit, I've eyed it a couple of times, however I haven't seen the need to use it. That is, until today.

I was reminded of my friend's comments on my cookies,

"These are sooo crumbly!"

And the picture of the depleted loaf when it came out of the oven, nearly crumbling across the expanse of the counter as I lifted it from the baking tin. No, I don't want disappointment from these picturesque little treats. They should be full of love and fun.

No tears, nor fears, mum would say.

Gluten-Free (and Vegan) Chocolate Snowball Cookies
Printable recipe.

Truffle-like in taste, but moist and light, these little snowballs will definitely be by my side for every winter celebration and party this year. They're the very essence of winter, comforting and delightful, and like the snow on the ground (may it come soon) they look like little snow balls that fly across the yard.

Quickly and easily made in a short amount of time, it's important to set aside a large area for the icing sugar, which will coat these little snowballs in a feathery dusting. Just remember, this area must be completely dry to avoid actually icing to form, which is very difficult to scrape clean!

Makes approximately 16 1-inch balls

Ingredients

4 oz gluten-free unsweetened chocolate chips or grated chocolate
2 tbsp coconut oil

2 tbsp ground flax seed
3 tbsp almond milk

1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 c light brown sugar

1/2 c coconut flour
1/4 c sorghum flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp each salt and guar gum (use xantham gum if you prefer)

approximately 1/2 c icing sugar for coating

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, melt together the chocolate and coconut oil in the microwave (high for 2 minutes, stir, and repeat for 1 minute or until completely smooth) or in a dish above a pot of simmering water on the stove.

In another, larger bowl, whisk together the ground flax and almond milk. When the chocolate and coconut oil is completely melted, pour into the flax mixture and stir well to combine.

Add the sugar and vanilla extract.

In another bowl, mix together the flours, baking powder, salt and guar gum before combining to the chocolate mixture. It should turn out thick and moist. If using shredded coconut, add it here.

With your hands, roll the dough into small balls and place approximately 3 centimetres apart on the baking sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes.

Even though the snowballs are still hot (and don't look like snowballs just yet!) roll them in the icing sugar, coating them completely before setting aside and repeating with each.

During this process, the snowballs will begin to cool, so repeat coating them until they are covered completely and no brown of the cookie dough can be seen.

Serve and enjoy!

*Notes*

If you choose to use sweetened chocolate, reduce the sugar to 1/4 c and taste test before baking. For a sweeter treat, keep the same amount of sugar with sweetened chocolate.

Between 1/4 c and 1/3 c of finely shredded coconut can also be stirred into the mixture right before forming the snowballs for a crunchier texture, however after baking the coconut might suck some of the moisture.

Pumped For Pumpkin

I just saw the page views from last week on my "Pea-Nutter Butter Cookies" Recipe and jumped up, extremely excited - Indonesia to the United States to Russia! It's amazing how many people, who I never imagined, have now seen my recipes. Thank you, to everyone!

Before starting, I was reluctant because I never thought I'd be able to post every week, and stay committed enough to cook every weekend whilst taking photos, but it's become so much more exciting each time, and I approach every post with anticipation for the process. This blog has opened my eyes to things around me that I would never have taken the time to notice before; the beauty of those little things in life, such as small moments that change the day for the better, are especially amazing to experience and ones that I've come to cherish. I've come to appreciate perseverance over procrastination, as the thrill of a popular post far outweighs the comfort of having nothing change, and never taking risks.

It reminds me of the time mum, dad and I looked up from lunch one Sunday to the swaying of a large tree out front of our house. It's one of the largest alders, but tiny branches grown just last spring splayed out from the expanding trunk. Among the branches, his charcoal black coat apparent against the drab brown and golden leaves of the tree, a big squirrel and its even larger tail jumped from branch to branch with vigor and speed, and not one of us knew of his intentions. He climbed higher and higher, to the teetering branches that bounced at the slightest wind, and careened over as the squirrel bounded down the length of it.

"What's he doing!?"

Dad exclaimed, as mum cried out,

"That's amazing!"

I laughed at their excitement, as well as the humor in their expressions, both standing at the window peering up to the trees. You can tell we don't have a TV.

"He's going to get picked off by an eagle..."

Said dad, and I wondered why such a small creature would venture up so high, with so much risk of falling. So much to lose.

"He can't get any food up there can he?"

I asked, "I mean there aren't any nuts or fruit growing on those trees."

"Look he's way at the top!"

Mum shouted excitedly, dashing back to find her camera from a large pile on the counter, an array of written out recipes, pens and schoolbooks.

"That would be a great photo, you can just see the outline of him up there!"

The branch that he was perched on bent precariously under his weight, bowing down ceremoniously. I gasped as he skittered forward, down, so near to losing everything, although so close to reaching the top of the tree.

Just at that moment, with his head tucked underneath the rest of his vertically positioned body, he sprung up and landed at the end of another branch and scurried furiously along it to the trunk of the tree.

A sigh of relief. It was even better than watching a movie.

And with that, after such difficulty and precision in steps, that big squirrel, who we all doubted from the moment the branch began to give way, had completed his journey to the top. Still, his purpose remained unknown, although it seems unlikely that he intended to get a better look at the mountains, or to seek the thrill of being up so high. However to us, he overcame something unattainable. Unbelievable. Extraordinary.

Just like overcoming something in our lives, with adrenaline pumping, we set to high gear. To go. Go. Go. But for some, after days of high heart rates and busy schedules, we rise to an early morning with dropping eyelids and a lagging drive to get up and out of the house.

In contrast to the squirrel, there's nothing behind us, like the fear of falling, to push us to the top, and propel us toward the day. So, for an added boost to my Sunday morning, I combined a bit of coffee, sugar and spice and definitely that something nice! Today, as fall envelopes my senses and imagination for cooking, I scraped the last of puréed pumpkin from the container.

I didn't quite have the energy to purée my own fresh pumpkin. Yet! However Halloween is still coming, and we have not yet carved our pumpkins - so soon!

Spiced Pumpkin Lattes
Print recipe.

A vision for fall:
Crisp air and the soft, gentle glow of the sun against brightly colored leaves. Bundled in warm mittens and scarves we bound through piles of maple leaves that float blissfully through the air as we walk the trails. As gatherings with friends slowly retreat indoors from the unused patio chairs, one treat remains a consistent favorite, and everyone enjoys the comfort of a perfect blend of spices - cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves - smooth, hot, and just enough sweet.

Serves 2

Ingredients

2/3 c brewed coffee
2/3 c almond milk
1 1/3 c water
2 tbsp honey

1/4 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp powdered cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves

3 tbsp puréed pumpkin

Directions

On the stove top, heat the coffee, almond milk, water and honey together
until it begins to boil.

Reduce to a simmer, and add the vanilla, spices and pumpkin.

Simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Pour through a strainer a couple of times to get ride of thickness, and pour into mugs.

Serve.

"Pea-Nutter Butter Cookie"

I can't even remember the last I time I had a good, homemade cookie.

Not the crunchy, flaky, type but a real, soft cookie. With the first bite into its moist centre I immediately remember those days mum and I would bake together, me as a little toddler, and my eyes couldn't yet see over the edge of the counter. It was before I became caught up in life outside of the comfort of my home, and the warmth of the kitchen where we baked.

There's one photo from my childhood that a freshly baked cookie, still warm from the clutches of the oven, reminds me of. It's in one of three photo albums from before digital cameras changed the process of documenting life neatly into books, right at the back where other photos of me with chicken pox remain. I laugh now at the contrast of one photo of me painfully lying in the bath tub, covered in red spots and looking extremely unhappy. Next to it, it's of me sitting happily atop the counter with a cookie dough covered spoon in my mouth and round cheeks full of happiness. My little belly full of cookie dough bulges, and flour and other ingredients have spilt around where I am sitting.

I must have loved cooking even as a young child, as another photo rests in my album of me sitting beside a cupboard in the kitchen, a bag of flour spilt across my lap, and an eager smile still gleaming across my face. My pink tights are barely visible under the whiteness of the flour, and it cascades across the floor.

A cookie is packed with love, its not to be unrecognised - it holds so much more than it appears. I mean, you give cookies to new neighbours as welcoming and make lifelong friends, cookies make perfect gifts, and they're always there to comfort and make a good day great. I remember when my best friend and I would spend the afternoon baking together at her house, enjoying the sweet smells wafting from the oven as we sat excitedly waiting for the timer's ring, rocking our feet back and forth as we sat on the counter recounting the first time we met. Biting into a cookie and reading gluten-free cooking blogs this afternoon, as the day became darker with heavy rain, I came upon this perfect quote from Karina of Gluten Free Goddess:

"A good cookie can make you smile, even after a tiresome, irritating day.  Yes, I know it's food not love. But a cookie can be. Love I mean. A kind of culinary hug, when baked with affection.

A good cookie might even bring you a kiss. Or tender arms of appreciation wrapped around your neck. A good cookie might even make you a new friend... A good cookie can make you feel like you belong."

And I did, sitting around the table with mum and dad, our cookies on a small plate in the centre, and mugs of tea in our hands. I felt perfectly relaxed at home. The day had been dark and rainy from the moment we awoke, the pitter patter of raindrops became the soundtrack to the day, a melody for naps in the afternoon and a comforting beat to read lines in our books.

I set to making cookies fearing that I would forget a vital ingredient again, at the very least that they wouldn't rise, or the very worst, not cook at all. However, using My Nana's Gluten-Free Flour Recipe and with a little patience, they came out in perfectly round shapes, even holding the designs on top, and tasting like every girls dream cookie. Every child's favourite cookie, and especially dad's favourite cookie, who recommended peanut butter when I wondered about what to bake.

Never neglect a need for a good cookie, it makes everything so much better. I swear.

Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies
Adapted from King Arthur Flour's Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe
Print Recipe.

If you want a smoother cookie, use smooth peanut butter, but I quite like the bits of peanuts in mine, they make for little crunchy bits. I'd like to try different types of butters for a different flavour next time too, maybe cashew, hazelnut, almond or a mix of two!

I used half butter and half shortening for this recipe, using all butter will cause the cookies to be crunchier and shortening will result in a much chewier and softer cookie. For a little in between, a soft interior with a bit of crunch, do as I have done below.

Makes between 20 and 24 cookies, depending on size.

Ingredients

40 mL shortening, I used vegan shortening for these cookies
1/4 c butter, or replacement
3/4 c brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 c raw peanut butter

175 g Gluten-Free Flour Mix
1 tsp baking soda

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper

In a large bowl beat together shortening, butter, brown sugar, egg, vanilla and peanut butter until smooth and thoroughly combined. If the butter and shortening is firm, microwave for 20 seconds to soften before adding other ingredients.

Add the gluten-free flour and baking soda, stirring to cover flour and then beat.

Pinch of small pieces of the dough and roll it into a ball with your hands, pressing it onto the baking sheet. Continue with the rest of the dough. With the edge of a fork press down to create little ridges and flatten the cookies.

Bake the cookies for 12 - 16 minutes, they will begin to brown at the edges but the tops should not. Remove them from the oven, and cool on a rack for 5 minutes.