Holiday Gifts: Whole Grain Pumpkin Gingerbread

I love, love, love the holidays.  The Christmas carols, the decorating, the parties, the food.  All of it makes me happy.  This time of year truly symbolizes the essence of Nourish—people gathering with their loved ones around the table, nourishing each other with good food and time spent together.

As you’re gathering together with your family and friends, instead of buying gifts, why not make something from your heart? Everyone loves a homemade gift, especially if it’s edible!  Our granola is a great choice, or our Whole Grain Almond Pancake Mix.  But this year, I’m likely to give this Pumpkin Gingerbread.

My Mom made this Pumpkin Gingerbread over Thanksgiving from a recipe she got at the Community Food Co-op.  I adapted the recipe slightly, using all whole wheat pastry flour for added fiber and nutrition, reducing the sugar by ½ cup, replacing the canola oil with olive oil and adding a little dried mustard for added spice.  The original recipe was delicious, but this slightly healthier version is just as good, if not better!  Moist and spicy, this Gingerbread keeps well for several days, well wrapped.  And it freezes beautifully.  I love it toasted, with a little bit of cultured butter and a cup of coffee. 

We’d love to hear from you! What are your favorite homemade gifts to give?

Whole Grain Pumpkin Gingerbread

Makes 2 loaves

Butter, for greasing pans

3 ½ cups whole wheat pastry flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 tablespoon ground gingr

½ teaspoon ground mustard

1 ½ cups coconut sugar (or regular sugar)

½ cup olive oil

1 cup applesauce

½ cup blackstrap molasses

4 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

½ cup water

1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease two 9 x 5 inch loaf pans with butter.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, salt, baking soda, baking powder and spices.

In a large bowl, mix together the sugar and rest of the wet ingredients (olive oil through pumpkin puree).  Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and fold together until completely combined.  Pour the batter evenly into the loaf pans.

Bake for 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted int o the center of the loaf comes out clean.  Let cool on a rack for about 15 minutes.  Remove from the loaf pan and place on the rack to cool.  Let cool completely.

Enjoy, preferably with someone you love!  

Almond Pancakes with Brown Butter Pears {Recipe Redux: Homemade Mixes for Holiday Gifts}

Pancakes are a tradition in our house.  Any celebration equals an excuse for pancakes.  Or, maybe it’s just Sunday.

When I was growing up, everyone in our house got breakfast in bed on their birthday.  It didn’t matter if it was a school day or a work day – you woke to the sounds of Happy Birthday and the smell of pancakes.  Last year, my Mom snuck over to our house and surprised me with breakfast in bed and her incredibly delicious yeasted buckwheat pancakes.  I’ll have to share that recipe soon. 

For my husband’s birthday this year, I made these Almond Pancakes with Brown Butter Peaches.  While he chose not to eat in bed, it still felt like a celebration.

Since pancakes make people happy, it feels like a perfect gift to give for the holidays.  Make it simple for your family and friends to have a healthy, hearty holiday brunch by giving them the mix and instructions for Almond Pancakes with Brown Butter Pears (pears, instead of peaches, since pears are in season now.

Healthy pancakes is not an oxymoron.  These pancakes are loaded with fiber and protein from whole wheat pastry flour and nut (almond) meal.  Just don’t overmix, and you’ll have delicious, fluffy pancakes.  Go easy on the maple syrup and top the pancakes with caramelized fruit for sweetness and nutrition.  Your family and friends will thank you.

To make the mix, combine the following ingredients in a medium bowl.

1 ¾ cup whole wheat pastry four

¼ cup almond meal

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 tablespoons sugar

½ teaspoon salt

Whisk together and then transfer to a gift jar, like a Ball jar or Weck jar (my favorite).  Tie a bow, if you like.  If you want to make the present really special, place the mix in a little basket with pears and a card with the following cooking instructions:

Instructions for Almond Pancakes with Brown Butter Pears

Makes about 8 – 10 3-inch pancakes

1 jar almond pancake mix

3 large eggs, separated

1 ½ cups whole milk

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (plus more for cooking the pancakes)

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Pour the pancake mix in to a large bowl.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, milk, melted butter and vanilla.  Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry mixture until just combined.

In another bowl, whip the egg whites until they reach medium peaks (still soft).  Be sure not to overmix.  Gently mix half of the whipped whites into the batter with a spatula.  Then, gently fold in the remaining whites into the batter, being careful not to overmix.

Heat a griddle or large pan over medium heat.  Add a little butter and let melt and start to foam.  Drop ¼ cup of batter onto the griddle and let cook until you see holes forming in the batter.  Flip the pancake and cook until golden brown on the other side. 

Serve with maple syrup and brown butter pears.

Brown Butter Pears

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 large, ripe pears, cut into thin wedges

In a large skillet, cook the butter over moderately high heat until it is lightly browned and nutty-smelling, about 3 minutes. Add the pear wedges and cook, turning once, until they are softened and lightly browned, about 4 minutes.  Spoon over pancakes while still hot.

Finally, here is the entire recipe, start to finish, with pictures—in case you want to just make these for yourselves, and not give as a gift!  I hope healthy, hearty pancakes become a part of your family traditions. 

get all of your ingredients together in separate bowls

be careful not to overmix, or the pancakes will be tough

I used peaches in Elie's breakfast, because it was summertime.
Use apples or pears in winter.  The technique is the same.

Almond Pancakes with Brown Butter Pears

Makes about 8 – 10, 3-inch pancakes

1 ¾ cup whole wheat pastry four

¼ cup almond meal

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 tablespoons sugar

½ teaspoon salt

3 large eggs, separated

1 ½ cups whole milk

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (plus more for cooking the pancakes)

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the whole wheat pastry flour, almond meal, baking powder, sugar and salt*.

In another bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, milk, melted butter and vanilla.  Whisk the wet ingredients into  the dry mixture until just combined.

In another bowl, whip the egg whites until they reach medium peaks (still soft).  Be sure not to overmix.

Gently mix half of the whipped whites into the batter with a spatula.  Then, gently fold in the remaining whites into the batter, being careful not to overmix.

Heat a griddle or large pan over medium heat.  Add a little butter and let melt and start to foam.  Drop ¼ cup of batter onto the griddle and let cook until you see holes forming in the batter.  Flip the pancake and cook until golden brown on the other side. 

Serve with maple syrup and brown butter pears (if desired…which you will!).

Brown Butter Pears

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 large, ripe Bartlett pears—peeled, cored and cut into thin wedges

In a large skillet, cook the butter over moderately high heat until it is lightly browned and nutty-smelling, about 3 minutes. Add the pear wedges and cook, turning once, until they are softened and lightly browned, about 4 minutes.  Spoon over pancakes while still hot. 

Homemade Gifts for the Holidays

We love nourishing homemade gifts, from photo albums filled with memories to cookies baked with love, a gift created from your own hands says, “I love you.”

Here are some of the gifts we’ll be giving to loved ones this year.

Our signature granola makes a perfect gift.  Healthy and delicious, it’s great with yogurt, milk or on its own.  It looks beautiful packaged in a jar with a bow and a personal note.  See below for my favorite version, made with less sugar than our original recipe and studded with pecans and currants.

Who doesn’t love to receive cookies?  Our no-fail signature oatmeal cookie recipe, made with chocolate, cherries and hazelnuts, has been known to win hearts.  You can feel good giving this gift to absolutely anyone—while the cookies are incredibly delicious, the whole wheat flour, oats, nuts and dried fruit also make them a healthy treat for the holidays.

Another healthy treat, our Cranberry Walnut Banana Bread, looks beautiful wrapped in cellophane and tied with a bow.

And this year, we have a new edible gift to add to our repertoire—Cranberry Apple Champagne Sauce.  It’s incredible easy, low in sugar, and equally delicious on ham as it is on leftover turkey sandwiches.  Your friends and family will love this addition to their holiday table.

This is a very forgiving recipe.  Change the ingredients according to your whim or fancy.  Like it sweeter?  Add more honey or jam.  Like it spicier?  Add more chili flakes.  Don't have oranges on hand?  Use apple juice.

Sauté the apples in a little butter.

 Add the rest of the ingredients.

Simmer over low heat until the cranberries pop and the sauce reaches your desired consistency, about 20 to 30 minutes.

Package in a jar and tie with a bow.  I was too busy getting ready to leave for Maui to photograph this step—but I did give my Mom a jar before we left.        

Happy Holidays and joyful gift giving, from our hearts and kitchen to yours!    

Cranberry Apple Champagne Sauce   

Makes about 3 cups

1 teaspoon butter

1 apple, diced

1 bag fresh cranberries

Zest and juice from one orange

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

Pinch of red pepper flakes

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Pinch of salt

1 tablespoon fig jam, or honey

1 – 1 ½ cups champagne or Prosecco

Melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat.  Add apples and saute until the apples just start to soften. 

Add all the other ingredients to the pot.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer, until cranberries have popped and the sauce reaches a desired consistency, about 20 to 30 minutes. 

Let cool completely.  Spoon the sauce into a glass jar and tie with a bow.  Give to someone you love.

Nourish Granola

Makes 45 servings ¼ cup servings

4 cups whole rolled oats

2 cups unsweetened flaked coconut

2 cups pecans

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ cup grapeseed oil or melted butter

¼ cup maple syrup

¼ cup brown sugar

2 cups dried currants

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Place two oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven.

In a large bowl, combine oats, coconut, pecans, sea salt and cinnamon. 

In another small bowl, whisk together oil or butter, maple syrup and brown sugar.  Pour the maple syrup mixture over the dry ingredients and stir well, being sure to coat all of the dry ingredients with the maple syrup mixture.

Divide oats mixture among two large rimmed baking sheets and spread to a thin layer.  Place baking sheets on two racks in the oven and bake, about 1 ½ to 2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes, or until deeply golden brown.  Halfway through cooking time, switch the placement of the pans to the other rack.

Remove from the oven and pour into a large bowl.  Stir in currants.  Let granola cool completely before storing in an airtight container, preferably in the refrigerator.

Nourishing Yourself - More Than Just Food

After a wonderfully hectic and productive year, we both took some much needed

R & R over the holidays. We both spent time independently reflecting on the year and enjoying some amazing company -- but the  location we each chose to rest and reflect could not have been more different. While Lisa enjoyed the tropical paradise of Hawaii, spending her vacation reading, hiking, lounging on the beach, and enjoying the local cuisine, I headed home to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada -- a place where it has been known to hit temperatures around minus 40 degrees (the temperature in which the Fahrenheit and Celsius scales meet) and hockey is part of everyday discussions. Let's Go, Oilers!

Disclaimer: This winter was mild and Edmonton rarely reaches -40 degrees. I have become a softie since living in California and Edmonton is a wonderful city.

As corny as it may sound, this holiday was particularly important to both of us in regards to nourishing our soul. When it comes to being nourished, the conversation begins with food. But, it doesn’t take long to realize that we nourish ourselves with the things we do, the people we know, the traditions we follow, and the philosophy we embrace. Who we are and who we want to be are all nourished by the world we live in and the world we imagine. When we’re living our best lives, everything and everyone nourishes us.

And everyone wants to be nourished.

This December, I was nourished surrounded by the people I grew up with, relaxing in my yoga pants, playing ridiculous board games, singing terrible karaoke, laughing way too hard, going on long walks, hitting the slopes.; and of course, making delicious meals.  And watching hockey. Let's Go, Oilers! 

I also visited some of favorite local food stops which are high on my recommendations list, including Credo Coffee for my morning Americano, Blue Plate Dinner for my favorite weekend brunch, Corso32 for a delicious and locally inspired dinner, and Queen of Tarts for really, really good bread and dessert.

And isn’t it a fun thing to realize why you are the way you are? This happens when you go home and an older brother cracks jokes that you can imagine telling yourself...

...and where your friends know exactly what you are feeling or thinking without your saying a word.

One of the best parts of the holiday?  Receiving an absolutely perfect gift, a “Recipes from Home” scrapbook made and given to me by my wonderful friend, Kelsey. The book is a compilation of recipes from my friends’ and family’s favorite dishes. Each recipe is paired with a genuinely unflattering picture of the person that submitted it. You know the ones… when you’re mid-bite, when your eyes are half-closed, or when you have a “funny face” gone wrong. It’s an amazing gift idea. And not to worry, I’m on the cover looking pretty unattractive myself.

So without further ado, let me introduce you to Caitlin’s Homemade Black Bean & Veggie Burgers from Recipes from Home.

 Lisa and I particularly appreciate this recipe because it’s packed with beans – a nutrition superstar, and the breadcrumbs have also been substituted for oats to add a little whole grain love. Since beans are high in protein AND fiber, they leave you feeling completely satisfied and nourished after eating them. Even better, they’re inexpensive.  You don’t need to spend a lot of money to be well nourished – body and soul.

So, in 2012 make it a promise to yourself to enjoy the important things in life – love, laugher, and friendship. Because the most important things in life aren’t things.

Caitlin’s Homemade Black Bean & Veggie Burgers

Ingredients:
1 (16 ounces) can black beans, drained and rinsed
½ green bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces
½ onion, cut into wedges
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 egg
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon Thai chili sauce or hot sauce (optional)
½ cup oats

If grilling, preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil a sheet of aluminum foil. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly oil baking sheet. In a medium bowl, mash black beans with a fork until thick and pasty. In a food processor, finely chop bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Then stir into mashed beans.

In a small bowl, stir together egg, chili powder, cumin, and chili sauce. Stir the egg mixture into the mashed beans. Mix in oats until the mixture is sticky and holds together. Divide mixture into four patties.

If grilling, place patties on foil, and grill about 8 minutes on each side. If baking, place patties on baking sheet, and bake about 10 minutes each side.

Enjoy, preferably with those you love.

'Tis the Season for Baking

'Tis the season for baking…and baking, and baking. Not only are baked goods an almost-required ending to holiday meals, but they make special gifts for friends and neighbors. If you’re tired of the same ol’ Christmas cookies, why not give your loved ones a baked good packed with great nutritional value? 
 I just made this Cranberry Walnut Banana Bread for a friend who was under the weather, and it was a real pick-me-up! Packed with protein, fiber and good old-fashioned banana-bread-goodness, it’s a surefire way to make someone’s day a little brighter. The cranberries add a little holiday color and a dose of antioxidants!

 To give as a gift, wrap in colored cellophane and tie with a bow. It may become your favorite banana bread ever. 

Cranberry Walnut Banana Bread

 4 ripe bananas 
1 egg, beaten 
1/4 cup melted butter 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour 
1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed 
1/4 teaspoon salt 
1 teaspoon baking soda 
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
½ cup dried cranberries

 Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a loaf pan.

 Mash the bananas in a bowl. Stir in egg, melted butter and vanilla.

 In another bowl, stir together remaining ingredients. Add dry ingredients to the banana mixture and mix with a wooden spoon. Be sure not to over mix. 

 Pour batter into buttered loaf pan. Bake until a toothpick stuck into the bread comes out clean, about 55 to 60 minutes. 

Slice and serve with love.