Blueberry Coffeecake

Coffeecake has definitely always been more like a dessert than a breakfast. Whole Foods Market sent me a recipe link to one they had changed to be more health conscious. This morning I decided to try their recipe Blueberry Coffee Cake with very little change. It turned out wonderfully and now I am contemplating apricot, peach, mango, apple coffee cakes in our future. This is a much more breakfast friendly recipe!

Changes I made: Used only WW pastry flour, added some almond extract, slightly short on the sugar in the mix, a pinch more soda and extra almonds on top.

Wheat Berry Salad

I recently had a friend who wanted recipes for wheat berries, this is a favorite around here. It can also be vegan (just don't sprinkle with cheese) and is good with other grains. A perfect summer dish... a great way to get rid of all that squash in your garden!

1 - 2 cups uncooked wheat berries, soaked overnight in cold water (I like a really grainy salad so I use the larger amount)
1 - 2 tsp salt
2 - 3 squash, sliced (both yellow and zucchini are good)
1 red onion, sliced
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
6 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to saute
2-3 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar
3 cups fresh baby spinach
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
1 red pear, cored and sliced thinly
Parmesan or Romano cheese to top
Pepper to taste

Transfer soaked wheat berries to pot add more water and bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and allow to cook for 50-60 minutes. Drain and set aside. Toss the squash with salt. Allow it to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Drain the liquid and pat squash dry.

Heat several tablespoons of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and mushrooms and saute until almost caramelized. Add the squash and garlic and saute for about two minutes more, turn over and saute the other side for an additional two minutes, or until lightly brown. Dump over wheat berries in a large bowl.

Add up to 1/4 cup of olive oil to the pan and Balsamic vinegar. Stir to incoporate the brown bits into the warmed dressing. Pour over the sauteed vegetables. Add the pine nuts, spinach, sliced pear, and toss well. Sprinkle with cheese, fresh ground black pepper, and salt if desired.

Again, again

I guess I seem "start blogging" once or twice a year...so here we go again. Since Sam received her own MacBook for graduation and Craig's now resides on the kitchen counter, I can stand here and *maybe* blog more often without sitting in the office.

I imagine this will still be a mostly food blog, especially since I am in an emotional numb zone at the moment. The kids can be followed in images at the www.postfamilydigital.net website.

Nut Butter

Almost finished pressing and then I will freeze them so we can have cookies the first week this baby is here.

3/4 c. nut butter of your choice (almond, cashew, peanut...)
1/2 c. butter or oil
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. whole wheat pastry flour

Heat oven to 375. Cream nut butter, butter/oil, sugar together. Add egg and vanilla and mix well. Stir together the dry ingredients and add in several parts to butter mixture. Beat well at each addition.

Roll the dough into one inch balls and press with fork in an x pattern...I cinnamon and sugar coat the fork. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Trail Mix Cookies

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup applesauce
1 banana
1 egg
4 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup oats
1/2 cup cranberries
1/2 c. almonds
1/2 c. coconut

Heat oven to 375. Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in one bowl. Mix the brown sugar, applesauce, eggs, margarine, and vanilla in another bowl. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture. Add oats the rest of the ingredients.

Drop rounded teaspoons of the dough onto a baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Snickerdoodles

1 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
2 eggs
1 1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon
3 Tbsp organic sugar

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper, or lightly grease.
Combine cinnamon and 3 Tbsp sugar in a small bowl and set aside.
Sift together flour, baking soda, cream of tarter and salt then set aside.
In a large bowl beat sugar with softened butter for 2 minutes. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture until thoroughly combined.
Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls and then roll in cinnamon mixture to cover. Place cookies two inches apart on a cookie sheet.
Bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until the tops are light golden brown. Do not over bake.
Allow cookies to cool for two minutes before removing them from the baking sheet. Transfer to rack to cool completely.

I figured since I have had several requests for the Chai cookie recipe and a couple of other requests, I would place all the cookie recipes I made this week up.

From Left to Right - (top) Chocolate Chip Walnut, Snickerdoodles,(bottom) Almond Butter, Chai, Trail Mix

Chai Cookies

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cupa whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat butter with granulated sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl until well blended. Stir in flour, spices and salt until just combined.

Scoop and roll dough into small teaspoon-sized balls and place about an inch apart on greased baking sheets. Bake until lightly golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then cool completely on rack. If you want them sweeter you can sprinkle them in powdered sugar after baking.