4-Grain Peach Pecan Pancakes

I've had these pancakes on my mind for the past few weeks. Ever since going out to breakfast with some family at a really great restaurant, in a really cute neighborhood of Seattle. But as great as the service, atmosphere, and even the food (I've been told) was, the peach pecan pancake special I ordered was a slight disappointment.

The two pancakes I was served were good, solid, and hearty, filling up my entire plate, but what I was really hoping for was a batter filled with peaches and studded with bits of pecans, as the name so implied. I counted maybe 2 little bites of peach and the only pecans were the ones mixed in with the blob of butter on the side. So it was a bit of a disappointment, but one I new I could easily recreate at home to fulfill my peach needs.

Starting with the base of one of my favorite pancake recipes, it was easy to go from there, adding and subtracting what I wanted. It combines so many flavors and textures into one pancake and I've made slight changes each time and always get a great end result. In the past, I've replaced the all-purpose flour with buckwheat for a truly hearty morning breakfast and served it topped with pure maple syrup and fresh blueberries. I have even made the recipe vegan by replacing the egg with an egg replacement, like flax meal and water, subbing in agave or more sugar for the honey and using oil instead of melted butter. All easy conversions and still a tasty pancake.

I decided to thinly slice the peaches and place a single one in the middle of each pancake instead of dicing and tossing them in the batter. I really wanted to taste the peach in every bite. The pecans were finely chopped and tossed in the batter because I wanted those to be really present as well. Each bite was better than the next and I soon forgot about the slightly disappointing version I had before, but was happy to have used it as an inspirational starting point for what I made at home. Have you ever had the same experience while dining out? A meal that gave you the inspiration to go home and make it better?

4-Grain Peach Pecan Pancakes

Adapted from The Joy Of Cooking
6-8 pancakes

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

6 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons cornmeal

2 tablespoons old-fashioned rolled oats

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch of nutmeg

1/4 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons almond milk, or another dairy equivalent

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons honey

1 egg

1 ripe peach, cut into 1/8-inch slices

In a large bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients, except for the walnuts.

In another bowl, combine the milk, butter, honey, and egg. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir in the chopped pecans or walnuts.

Heat griddle, and oil if necessary.

Pour 1/4 cup batter onto griddle. Place a peach slice right in the middle. When bubbles form on top, flip. Cook other side until golden brown. Serve with butter and maple syrup.

Broccolini and Chickpea and Soba Noodles with Almond Chile Dressing

Lately, meals like this broccolini and chickpea soba noodles seem to be frequenting my plate more often than not. Salads, pastas, and even desserts that have nothing in common other than requiring a quick blend through my food processor, before being tossed with a few other ingredients and on my plate ready to be savored and eaten.

I'm not sure if this is because it's Summer and I'd rather be outside enjoying at least some of the sunshine we've gotten, or if it's because my schedule is all over the place and we'll be leaving soon on our vacation, or honeymoon rather, and I want something light, healthy, but above all quick, so I don't resort to sandwiches or whatever is lying around. Either way I'm enjoying the simplicity of this bowl of soba noodles, that packs so many good things into one meal.

Speaking of our said vacation, I'm wondering, what kinds of meals you always plan on packing or making when you go out camping? Do you pack light and eat as you go, or do you fill the car and cooler with as much as possible, so you always feel prepared? We'll be gone for about 2 weeks and plan on tent camping most of the time, so space will definitely be an issue to consider. I'm still trying to find the perfect granola bar to bring, and I've been perfecting my graham cracker making skills for some fire side smores. Other than that I need to seriously get myself in gear on what we should pack.

This was so good that I actually found myself eating the broccolini and chickpeas with the dressing before I had even put in the noodles, so I can imagine eating it as a side without the soba.  

The almond butter gives this dressing a nice creaminess, but without an overpowering nutty taste. I thought it would be a little spicier with the jalapeno, but it wasn't at all, next time I'll add in some seeds to give it more kick. I know the dates seem to be an odd ingredient, but their subtle sweetness works perfectly against the almond butter, lemon juice and garlic flavors.  I actually didn't add ginger in the version I made because I was out, but I've still included it in the recipe below. It still tasted amazing without, but I imagine the ginger gives a lovely added dimension, so add it in if you have some.

Broccolini and Chickpea Soba Noodles with Almond Chile Dressing

Adapted from Whole Foods
serves 2-3

1/4 cup almond butter

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon chopped pitted dates, raisins or prunes

1/2 tablespoon fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

1/4 tablespoon sea salt

1/2 a jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped, optional

2-3 tablespoons water

1 bunch broccolinis, lightly steamed

1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped

1 cup chickpeas, cooked

1 bunch soba noodles, or spaghetti noodles

Cook the noodles according to package directions, set aside.

In a blender or small food processor, puree almond butter, lemon juice, dates, ginger, garlic, sea salt, jalapeno, and water until smooth.

Place the steamed broccolini, chickpeas, and cilantro in a large bowl. Pour about 3/4 of the dressing over and toss well. Add in the soba noodles and more dressing, if desired and toss again.

Enjoy or cover and marinate for up to 1 hour, if you like.

Giveaway Winner!

And the winner of a $60 gift certificate to any CSNstores website is ikkinlala! Hope you find something great to add to your home! Thanks to everyone who participated, I loved seeing what everyone's favorite kitchen item was!

Above is our cat Sofia. I always find her sniffing away at any type of flower we might have around the house, this time it was some lavender.

Chocolate Cherry Sorbet + A Giveaway!

I know most of the country has been experiencing an excessive heat wave (I can only imagine) and you're probably wanting Fall's crisp, clear, cool days to come as quickly as possible. For everyone in the NW though, Summer has finally arrived and my tanned arms and legs can prove it.

I can't remember having to wait so long just to see a little sunshine. All the rain and cloudy days we've been having not only kept the sun away but have also slowed things down in the local produce department. It seems everything is coming a week or two behind schedule. Which also means that while cherry season is just ending for most, I was still able to pick up a good amount of fresh Bing cherries from the farmers market.

I had this chocolate cherry sorbet bookmarked well before cherry season hit. At the time I didn't even have an ice cream maker, but there was one on our registry, and both Scott and I were crossing our fingers we'd get one. 

Now I know most people can't see the point of adding such a thing to their already full kitchen cupboards, especially when one lives in a small city apartment. However, a few years ago I realized dairy products (mostly milk and ice cream) were not my body's best friend, when consumed in large quantities. That meant ice cream had to go, because I can rarely consume only a few bites. This was harder on Scott than me. So occasionally we'd buy some, but inevitably I'd end up having a bowl and feeling terrible afterwords. Then we found ice cream made with dairy alternatives, which was great, but a little expensive when your starting up and running your own business. So we cut back, a lot, and I decided the best way to go, would be to make it myself.

With such excessive heat this week, sometimes a thick and creamy frozen dessert, like ice cream, doesn't even sound appetizing, so we put our new ice cream maker to good use with sorbet instead. Using fresh organic cherries and deep chocolaty cocao powder to create a frozen treat that was as cooling and refreshing as it was delicious. I do however have a few diary free ice cream recipes I can't wait to experiment with.

Now to the giveaway. I couldn't think of a better way to share my excitement at finally having an ice cream maker, than to provide all my wonderful US and Canadian readers (I promise to have another giveaway that includes everyone) with a one time use, $60 gift certificate to use on any item you wish at any CSNstores site! Might I suggest one of the Le Creuset products for those of you who can't wait to turn the oven on and get into the mood for Fall's seasonal favorites.

To enter all you have to do is leave a comment on this post. Tell me what your absolute favorite, must have, can't live without, kitchen item you own is and please leave some way for me to contact you if you win. For a second chance to enter twitter to @slidesideways about this giveaway and leave another comment on this post.

All entries must be in by Saturday, 21th at 11pm PST and I will select one winner through random.org the following Monday.

Now go cool off and make some sorbet!

Chocolate Cherry Sorbet

Adapted from The Essential Vegetarian Cookbook
makes 4 cups

2 cups water

3/4 - 1 cup cane sugar, depending on sweetness preferance

1/2 cup cocao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups pitted cherries

Puree the cherries in a food processor. In a large mixing bowl, combine the water, sugar, cocao, and vanilla, add in the blended cherries. Freeze in an ice-cream maker according to the manufacturer's instruction.

Raw Chocolate Raspberry Tart

This past Wednesday was Scott's birthday, and since the last few weeks have been filled with more cake and cookies left over from the wedding than I care to mention; filling our freezer and gifted to anyone who happens to stop by, we decided to forgo the idea of cake for something a little different.

Usually when asked what kind of cake Scott wants for his birthday, his response is always the same... ice cream cake. I still have pictures from the very first one I made. It's a little sad to look at, leaning in all it's glory, with flaming candles arranged in the number 22 on top. Even though ice cream cake is what's usually asked for, I somehow have managed to convince him that sometimes other desserts are worth eating too. One year it was a classic chocolate cake with chocolate frosting piled high, then a moist yellow cake topped with chocolate frosting, and then a classic chocolate torte... honestly,  I think I've been fulfilling my inner indulgence this entire time.

I think this chocolate raspberry torte however, managed fulfill the need for "ice cream" without the layer of cake.

We've been enjoying this chocolate banana pudding-like dessert for the last few months, it's so good and satisfying, but I wanted to jazz it up a bit and make it more special. Made with an almond meal crust, lightly sweetened with agave, and held together with coconut oil. A layer of raspberries fills the bottom, adding the perfect amount of tartness, and topped with the richest, most decadent and smooth chocolate filling to cross my lips. You would hardly even know there's not even the slightest bit of milk, cream, or egg near this thing. And it's dang good. After a long day of surfing, we both couldn't have ended the day on a sweeter note.

If you decide to make your own almond meal from whole almonds, might I suggest you try soaking them first. It's super easy, it just takes a little more planning. First you soak the almonds in water overnight. Drain and rinse. Then you can either place them in a dehydrator at 115˚F until dry for about 12 hours, or you can place them in your oven at the lowest temperature setting possible until dry. Using frozen bananas really helps to make this tart creamy like ice cream. Make sure you peel them first, then stick them on a baking pan in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. For longer storage I keep them in a freezer bag tightly sealed.

Raw Chocolate Raspberry Tart

serves 8

filling (Filling adapted from Green Kitchen Stories)

4 small bananas, frozen

6-8 tablespoons unsweetened cacao powder

1/2 cup almond butter

1/2 cup fresh or frozen raspberries, plus more for garnish

Blend the bananas, cacao powder, and almond butter in a blender until smooth. Let chill in refrigerator while preparing the raspberries.

For the raspberries: if fresh, mash in a bowl until all large pieces are mashed up. If using frozen, like I did, let thaw, and mash as you would the fresh. If you would like to add a little sugar to sweeten, do that now. I left them as is because I like their tartness with the chocolate.

Spread the raspberries over the chilled crust in a thin layer. Top with the chocolate mixture, I found the easiest way to do this was to drop it on in blobs, then smooth it out. Place back in the fridge to chill, or if you want it firmer and colder place it in the freezer. Garnish with raspberries and serve cold.

crust (Crust adapted from Golubka)

1 3/4 cups almond flour, or 1 3/4 cups whole almonds finely ground

1/4 cup agave

1/2 cup coconut oil

In a large bowl mix the almond flour, agave, and coconut oil thoroughly. Evenly spread the almond flour mixture into a 9-inch removable bottom tart pan by pressing it into shape. Let chill in the refrigerator for 30-40 minutes to allow the coconut oil to harden and keep the crust together. Keep chilled until ready to fill.

Three Ingredient Challenge + Guest Post

I've whipped up a real treat to beat  the summer heat. The best part is it only contains three ingredients. Three. That's it.  Head on over to the Real Simple Magazine's blog, Simply Stated, to get the full recipe.

Grilled Veggie Wraps

It feels so good to finally be back in the kitchen. After weeks of running around, grabbing snacks on the go, eating out with family in town, and preparing a meal with 3 or 4 other people in the kitchen, I thought I'd almost forgotten what it feels like to cook. I also haven't had a chance to make any trips to my local farmers market, let alone even a grocery store, so I feel like I've been missing my favorite season of produce abundance.

Weeks ago, Scott and I made a quick stop to my grandpas house, where his raspberry bushes were overflowing with large, ripe, red berries just waiting to be picked and eaten. Instead, they ended up in my freezer because I just didn't have the time to cook them up into something delicious. All the fresh summer squash, berries, peaches (oh the peaches), and cherries have hardly made an appearance in my kitchen. I have a lot of catching up to do.

When I was deciding what I wanted one of our fist meals to be as a married couple, I thought back to when we first met, and it was right about the same time I was learning to cook. Many of our first meals together were above the college standard of ramen noodles or peanut butter and jelly, but sometimes just barely. I remember there was a time when it seemed like we rotated meals on a weekly basis. I must have gotten bored quickly, because cooking soon became something more than just our next meal.

I remember making a wrap similar to these, that was my first feeling of triumph in the kitchen. Back then they seemed so simple. I remember thinking, hey, I can roast some vegetables, whip up a quick dressing, toss it all together and throw it in a tortilla. It was like I finally saw that cooking didn't have to have a long list of ingredients and complicated instructions to be good. Sometimes simple is the better route and these wraps ended up being one of them.

Perfect for the grill on a hot summers night, but also can be easily prepared in the oven as well. Any vegetable that works great on the grill would be a good addition to these, I'll add in some eggplant next time. The dressing makes more than you will need for the wraps, but save it and toss over your salad the next day or two. These wraps are vegan, if you use vegan tortillas, but feel free to add cheese or sour cream if you'd like. I actually would have topped mine with guacamole if I had some.

Grilled Veggie Wraps

serves 4

2 red bell peppers. halved and seeded

2 green bell peppers, halved and seeded

1 carrot, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices

2 medium red onions, cut into thick slices

1 medium zucchini or yellow summer squash, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch thick slices

8 mushrooms, wiped clean

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, basil, or parsley

salt and pepper to taste

about 1/4 cup Mojo dressing, recipe below

4 8-inch whole wheat tortillas

Wrap all your veggies in foil and place on the BBQ for about 15-20 minutes or you can alternatively roast them in the oven at 425˚F, until they are lightly browned, stirring once or twice while roasting. Once they are all cooked until tender, let cool just enough so you can finish chopping them into 1/4-inch pieces.

In a large bowl, add the chopped veggies, cilantro, salt and pepper to taste, and 1/4 cup of the dressing. Toss to combine. Divide among the 4 tortillas and serve.

Mojo Dressing

Adapted from Joy Of Cooking
makes 1 cup

1/2 cup olive oil

8 garlic cloves, minced

3/4 cup fresh lime, sour orange, grapefruit, or pineapple juice

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, cooking until fragrant but not browned. Remove from the heat and let cool 5 minutes.

Carefully stir in the lime juice, cumin, and salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Let cool, and serve at room temperature. This dressing is best served fresh, but will keep covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 days.

Well it's official, I'm a married woman! Six years ago I met the love of my life and now we are starting a new chapter in our lives together. It feels so good, words can hardly express how I feel. The day was beautiful, the food was delicious, and everyone had a blast, as seen in the photo booth pictures above. I can't wait for the pictures our photographer took, he's awesome!

July flew by for us with all the planning and decorating, but I'll be back soon with more recipes (I've got lots of new gadgets to play with). For now I'm enjoying a little relaxation with some of the family that is still in town. Have a wonderful weekend!