Raspberry Lavender Scones

When Lisa and I first started Nourish, I was spending a lot of time in Bellingham. It was a period dedicated to new beginnings, dreaming, planning, being brave, and scones. Marionberry scones from Mount Bakery to be exact.

And although we’re no longer at the beginning stages of Nourish, it’s still nice to spend afternoons dreaming and planning for what may lie ahead in 2015.

These Raspberry Lavender Scones combine our two worlds – lavender from California and frozen raspberries from Whatcom county, or raspberry country.  They’re not too sweet. They’re just right. And they’re even better served with a hot cup of comforting tea.

We hope you enjoy them.

Makes 6 scones

Ingredients:

1 cup cake flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

pinch salt

1 tablespoon lavender sugar (sugar with crushed lavender buds)

1 large egg (plus extra for egg wash)

¼  cup milk (*see directions)

3 tablespoons cold butter

¼ cup frozen raspberries

Directions:

1.     Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2.     Sift flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Mix in lavender sugar and salt.

3.     Rub the cold butter into the flour mixture until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.

4.     Mix in the frozen raspberries.

5.     In a measuring cup, crack the egg and then fill to just over the 1/4 cup mark with cold milk. Whisk together.

6.     Add the milky egg mixture to the flour mixture and very gently stir until just combined.

7.     Gently pat the dough down on a floured surface until it is about 1-1.5" in height.

8.     Dust a round cookie cutter (or thin rimmed glass) with flour and cut out scones as close together as possible. Gently gather remaining dough, re-pat and cut.

9.     Transfer to lined cookie sheet, brush with egg wash, and bake for about 12 minutes until golden on top and smelling delicious.

Additional Scone Baking Tips:

*Best eaten fresh out of the oven or within a few hours.

*Scones that are not to be eaten the same day are best frozen and baked when needed. Bake from frozen.

*Like biscuits, you don't want to "over handle" the dough or it will be tough.

*If you have time, let the cut scones chill in the fridge before baking.

Enjoy, preferably with those you love.

Disclaimer: While we are the consulting dietitians for the National Processed Raspberry Council,  we’re sharing this recipe simply because we love it.

Mornings, and Whole Wheat Cherry & Almond Scones

We both love waking up early. Even on Saturdays. There’s something so serene and peaceful about looking outside before the sun has even risen. I’ve always loved taking advantage of this little window of opportunity in the day – to sip my morning cup of coffee while catching up on my favorite blogs, going for a walk, or simply enjoying tea and a scone on the carpet in my condo.  

Finding time throughout the day to relax – or reduce the stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the “fight or flight” response – is so important for your overall wellbeing, too. The relaxation response helps to lower blood pressure and lessens muscular tension. 

We hope everyone has a wonderful and relaxing weekend!

Whole Wheat Cherry & Almond Scones

This scone recipe was inspired by our friend, Sharon Palmer’s recipe for Peanut Blueberry Scones – these scones have just a touch of sweetness and aren't too heavy at all. We prefer to eat them on a lazy weekend morning paired with an almond milk latte. But, they are equally as good as a grab-and-go breakfast on a busy weekday morning.

2 ½ cup whole wheat flour

½ cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

¼ cup canola oil, expeller pressed

1 cup low-fat (2 percent) milk

¼ cup Frieda’s Bing Cherries

½ cup slivered almonds

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon.
3. Stir in oil and milk.
4. Stir in cherries and almonds. 
5. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and arrange  heaping spoonfuls of dough on sheet.
6. Bake for about 18 – 20 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through

Makes 8 servings

Disclaimer: We were not compensated by Frieda’s for this post. But, they did provide us samples. And that made us very happy!