A Dash of Sass » Whole Wheat & Whole Grains

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Scones

kate — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 15:23:53 +0000

The air is getting crisp and chilled, football is everywhere and good television shows have returned to prime time …. this can only mean one thing … Welcome Back Fall!! Something about the fall season begs for all things spicy, apple-related and pumpkin-flavored. The days are perfect for chili, tailgating, and stick to your ribs soups.

I know that I’ve been on a bit of a scone kick lately, but the change in temperature makes me want to curl up with a hot cup of tea and a homemade scone. Unlike the almond scones which were only mildly sweet, these pumpkin scones are for those people who prefer a sweeter, more dessert-like scone. They are tender, moist and studded with toasted pecans. Topped with crunchy sugar they have a nice sweetness and a tangy spiced pumpkin flavor. These pumpkin scones are a perfect way to welcome the new season.

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Whole Wheat Almond Scones

kate — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:31:40 +0000

I may be the only person who doesn’t like the sugar-crusted, cake-like, sugar bombs that coffeehouses are regularly passing off as scones. They generally taste like overly sweet bricks. Hard, bland and more appropriate for breaking windows than eating for breakfast. Once I discovered that this is not the true incarnation of a scone, I was more willing to give them a try. A proper scone is light, moist yet crumbly and only mildly sweet. That’s my kind of scone.

These almond scones perfectly fit the bill. With only two tablespoons of sugar in a full dozen scones, these only have a hint of sweetness. Toasted almonds permeate the dough and when served fresh from the oven they are moist, flaky and a perfect accompaniment to a morning cup of coffee or tea. Feel free to slather them with butter or lemon curd. We won’t judge you.

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Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies

kate — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 21:22:30 +0000

Ok, I’ll admit it … I’ve been on a bit of a chocolate/peanut butter binge lately. Unlike the heavenly, yet potentially sugar-coma inducing, Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes, these cookies produce the same dynamic flavor combo yet are lighter and decidedly more snackable. Consider these cookies the slightly less mature, more rough-around-the-edges younger sibling of the (arguably) elegant cupcakes.

With a crisp outer shell and a chewy center, these can become rather addicting. Made with oatmeal, whole wheat flour and all-natural peanut butter, the recipe was right up my alley. The salted peanuts smash right up against semi-sweet chocolate chunks for a true flavor explosion in your mouth. Get thee to a kitchen, pronto!

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Lemon Poppyseed Blueberry Muffins

kate — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 22:15:04 +0000

I don’t know about you, but my markets are still exploding with fresh, sweet blueberries. Having recently discovered the power of a good blueberry-lemon combo, I was on the hunt for more ways to play with this flavor pair. It seemed only natural to combine a classic lemon poppyseed muffin with some sweet blueberries.

When I was a kid, my family would buy the huge muffin variety packs from [insert the name of your favorite warehouse store that sells mayo by the gallon] and as soon as the double-chocolate muffins were gone (ok, lets be honest, these were really just an excuse to eat cake for breakfast) I’d head straight for the lemon poppyseed. They were endlessly moist and not overpoweringly sweet. Just perfect. This recipe captures that lemon essence and adds a burst of blueberry goodness.

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Banana Walnut Muffins

kate — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 01:12:03 +0000

I may be the only person who buys bananas with the intention of letting them turn brown and squishy. To me, a banana is nothing more than the jumping off point for moist, nutty loaves of banana bread. Heaping piles of banana muffins. Sweet roasted banana cakes. This whole wheat banana muffin is a portable, travel-sized companion that packs all the punch of it’s larger banana bread alter-ego.

Whole wheat flour works perfectly with banana breads and muffins. It basically acts like a shot in the arm to the already nutty flavor. This recipe is especially moist thanks to the use of yogurt in the place of milk. The toasted walnuts create a sweet level of depth to this unbelievably simple recipe. These muffins are so easy to make that you’ll probably end up trying to speed up the ripening process so that your bananas go bad faster (Hint: Put them in a paper bag with an apple. Does the trick every time.).

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Blueberry Almond Cookies

kate — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:08:58 +0000

This time of year, the beginning of summer, is usually known as the Era of Competing Interests. Interest #1: The loads of sweet summery desserts that are practically mandatory for the plethora of upcoming BBQs, picnics, and outdoor parties. Interest #2: The ability to wear a new bathing suit/tiny summer dress to said BBQ, picnic or party. These two interests rarely get along and are the cause of many internal battles concerning the exact calorie count in a 1-inch brownie versus the actual calories burned on the elliptical machine. The mounds of fresh fruit appearing at the grocery stores and farmer’s markets have been known to inject in this debate an intense desires to make berry pies, cobblers and all things representing sticky sweet, summery goodness.

I don’t want to alarm you, but I may have found a solution to this annual occurrence. How does a sweet, cakey cookie packed with fresh blueberries, lemon zest and toasted almonds sound? Pretty darn good. Ok, let’s make this official … Do you, Antioxidant-Packed Blueberry, take you, Fiber-Filled Almond, to be your partner in cookie making magic for summers to come? They do!! And now, I introduce you to the results of a marriage made in cookie heaven.

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Penne with Sausage, Tomato and Mushroom Sauce

kate — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 01:53:31 +0000

Italian food intimidates me. I’ve heard the stories about Italian women spending entire days making sauce and unspoken recipes with no actual measurements. This scares me. I didn’t grow up eating a lot of pasta and as a result never developed much of a taste for it. But I’m well aware that the rest of the world is rather fond of it. I’ve heard all the campaigns: It’s so easy! It’s so versatile! It’s so delicious!

These social pressures have, in fact, led me to obsessively keep a box of dry pasta in my pantry out of the fear that I will have an unexpected guest show up who wants pasta for dinner. Now, this same box has moved with me to at least three different apartments. As it turns out, people don’t frequently show up at my house demanding pasta. Nonetheless, I’ve always been terrified that someone will ask for pasta and I won’t know how to cook it! Oh the embarrassment! Can you imagine? You can’t cook pasta!?!?! For shame!

They always say “But it’s so easy! Just boil water and throw in the pasta!” I didn’t believe them. I was certain there was something they weren’t telling me. Then they would toss around words like al dente and I’d be done for!! But I had a revelation. Thanks to Giada.

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Irish Soda Bread

kate — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 15:13:38 +0000

Food memories play such a unique role in our eating experiences and food personalities. The first time I was introduced to Irish soda bread was through my great aunt. She took me to a bakery in New Jersey where you walk through the inner workings of the bakery and grab hot, fresh loaves directly off the bakery racks, fill up a paper bag with fresh bread, take it to the counter where they slice it to your preferred thickness and individually bag the loaves. I had never been to a bakery like this and I was fairly certain it was the coolest thing I had ever seen. (And since I’ve never been back, it has managed to retain its whimsical, does-it-actually-exist quality.) The magical racks of so many different types of fresh bread were intoxicating. My aunt insisted on filling my bag with a variety of bakery goods, including Irish soda bread.

I began nibbling on the loaf during the bus ride back to New York and I couldn’t stop! It was dense, lightly sweet from the currants, and tangy from the caraway. In short, completely addicting. Somehow I managed to save enough to share with my roommate at the time who had never tried it before either. We both were hooked! After demolishing the one loaf, we were on a mission to find this illusive Irish soda bread from New Jersey again. Luckily, being in New York, we really only had to open our eyes … since it is sold in regular grocery stores all around the city. And, as we came to find, was the standard sandwich bread at a touristy ice cream parlor only a few blocks from our apartment.

When we needed a break or just a moment to digest our thoughts, Em and I would venture over to this touristy spot and indulge in an order of Irish soda bread. It was served slightly toasted with butter and was probably way too expensive, but we were too young to care. It was a remarkably simple comfort but at the time it was exactly what we needed. These days I still find myself drawn to Irish soda bread when I’m in need of something comforting. It always reminds me of good family, good friends, and good conversation.

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Whole Wheat Buttermilk Waffles

kate — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 14:04:54 +0000

There was a time, a few years ago, when I suddenly became very self-conscious about the fact that I did not own a waffle maker. Despite spending many lazy weekend mornings making waffles as a kid, I had never, in my adult life, sought out a waffle maker. Maybe it was the space they take up (which can be a lot for someone with a kitchen as small as mine!). Maybe it was the fact that they are good for making exactly one thing (how very Alton Brown of me!). Maybe it was simply a desire to leave the complexities of waffle making to the professionals.

Then suddenly, this past summer, something came over me and I needed a waffle maker. It was as if not having a waffle maker was a symbol of all that was wrong in the world and if I had a waffle maker all would be right. I was torn between the fancy, flipping-upside-down Belgian style ones and the classic flat versions. All the reviews I came across basically said that nothing compared to the antique Sunbeam waffle irons that had been in the someone’s family for decades. Well, of course I had to search around Ebay for weeks, ok, months, until a classic Sunbeam showed up that wasn’t going to cost more than the value of the waffle iron in shipping.

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Whole Wheat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

kate — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 17:19:07 +0000

There are certain recipes that, over time, become your go-to recipes. Whenever I need a little sweetness or am terrified that the experimental dessert in the oven is going to fail, this is the recipe I whip out. This is my ultimate go-to cookie recipe. It is infinitely adaptable and impressively forgiving. I can’t even being to count how many times I’ve made these or how many variations I’ve created. Recently, I’ve taken to using 100% whole wheat flour in an effort to maintain my commitment to all things whole grain. I think it gives them a nice nuttiness that perfectly compliments the oats. But if whole wheat isn’t your thing, feel free to stick with the all-purpose flour.

Over the years I’ve taken to adding a bit of cinnamon and, when I’m feeling spicy, a little nutmeg to the dry ingredients. I love the spicy flavors mixed with the chocolate chips and the oatmeal. The beautiful thing about this recipe is that virtually every ingredient can be swapped out for something else. Try it with raisins instead of chocolate chips (if you are one of those strange creatures that doesn’t care for chocolate). Use all-purpose flour and coconut. Sunflower seeds or salted peanuts instead of the walnuts. White chocolate chips and macadamia nuts. You get the idea.

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