Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls

I made these over a week ago, after roasting more sweet potatoes than I knew what to do with. Most of the potatoes were mashed up as a side dish for dinner, but the leftovers sat in my fridge waiting for an idea to pop into my head. I couldn't get over the idea of putting them into a dough for cinnamon rolls. I had been reading through a new cookbook I received at Christmas time that had a recipe for squash bread; sweetened with maple syrup and spiced with cinnamon, but I had been really craving a warm from the oven cinnamon roll.

It makes perfect sense to add potato to a cinnamon roll when you think about it. Or butternut squash, acorn squash, or even pumpkin for that matter. They all have a distinct sweetness and some water content that would add to an overall soft and tender dough. I just had to try.

I'm so glad I did. The sweetness from the potatoes allowed for no more than a couple tablespoons of maple syrup for added sweetness. The dough was soft and tender on the inside, with the perfect amount of cinnamon sugar. Next time I make these I'll try it with squash and add in some cloves or nutmeg to make a new twist on these. 

I know many people get turned off at the idea of making cinnamon rolls, mostly because of the yeast factor, but the best part about these is you can make them however far in advance you want and leave them in the freezer. Then when you're ready, pull them out the night before to rise and in the morning they'll be ready to pop into the oven. I still have a few in my freezer waiting to make their appearence again!

I didn't add any frosting to these for lack of ingredients, but these would be great with a simple sugar glaze and over the top with a cream cheese frosting. I'll leave that decision up to you. The reason I put 4 1/2 - 5 cups of flour is because many times sweet potatoes water content can vary. I ended up needing all 5 cups to get my dough to the right consistency, but you may need less if you notice your dough is fairly dry. If you don't have spelt flour, you could try using whole wheat pastry flour or a mix of all purpose flour and whole wheat for similar results.

Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls

makes 24 rolls

1 cup almond milk, warmed

4 teaspoons yeast

2 tablespoons maple syrup

2 cups sweet potatoes, mashed

1 egg

1 table olive oil 

4 1/2 - 5 cups spelt flour, depending on how much water content your potatoes have

1 teaspoons salt

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon

6 tablespoons butter, softened

In a large bowl, sprinkle the yeast and maple syrup over the warmed almond milk. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.

Place the mash sweet potatoes into a large bowl and whisk in the egg, oil, and 1 cup of flour. Add the potato mixture to the yeast mixture and stir until thoroughly blended. Mix in the rest of the flour, 1 cup at a time, blending thoroughly after each addition. The dough should be slightly wet and sticky, but not so much that you can't form it into a ball, you may not need all 5 cups of flour. Knead for 8-10 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic.

Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover with a clean towel and let rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.

On a floured counter top, cut the dough in half and roll each into a ball. One at a time, roll each ball into a 16-inch by10-inch by 1/2-inch rectangle.

To make the filling, combine the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl. Spread half the softened butter evenly over the dough and sprinkle half the cinnamon sugar over. Tightly roll the dough, lengthwise and turn seem side down. Cut into 12 equal slices and place cut-side up on a lined or buttered baking sheet. I used a pie dish and placed the rolls about a half inch apart. They will expand as they rise and fill in the space.

Cover, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about an hour. I find the best way to make cinnamon rolls is in two days. Do all the steps up until this point, then freeze the dough until you want to use. That way the day you want to enjoy cinnamon rolls in the morning, all you have to do is pull the frozen dough out the night before, place in the dish you want to bake them in, cover with a towel and let stand over night. In the morning you just preheat the oven and pop them in. Easy-peasy.

Heat the oven to 400˚F. You can brush the tops with some almond milk or an egg wash and sprinkle with sugar at this point. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until lightly golden. You don't want to over bake these or they will dry out. Serve warm from the oven, optional icing on top or on the side.

Green Miso Soup

Sorry for the lack of postings this month. You may have noticed So Good & Tasty has taken on a new look since you were last here. I've been meaning to give my blog a fresh look and I finally carved out some time to do it. But I've been cooking a lot and have a few things waiting to be posted; starting with this soup.

This time of year there always seems to be a pot of body warming soup or stew simmering away on my stove. Sometimes they require longer cooking times to develop their depth and flavor while other times it's as simple as heating a simple broth and adding things in to make it complete. This soup is of the later.

Soup becomes the perfect catch all when you rummage through your kitchen finding a carrot or two, a few potatoes, and other odds and ends. I seem to be a greens fiend, consuming them most chances I get and hate to waste them. They're easy to add to many soups at the end, but I had made this green dip earlier in the week and had some left over that I thought would make a nice addition to a pot of simple miso soup.

A broth made from miso is quickly heated through. Tofu and soba noodles are added for substance and a green sauce made from dark leafy collard greens is swirled in at the end. 

I usually make this green sauce as a sort of dip for veggies or crackers, which is amazing just like that. It is on the hotter side because of the jalapeño, so take that into consideration if you are sensitive to spicy foods. I seem to also be one of those people who always has an ever expanding cupboard of different kinds of nuts, which many times get made into nut butter, so it's not a surprise that hazelnut butter should make its way into this dish, plus it makes everything creamy and delicious.

If you're unfamiliar with miso, it's available at most grocery stores in the refrigerated section. It ranges in color from white, with a lighter less salty taste, to a deep dark brown that has a very strong flavor. It's loaded with all kinds of immune boosting properties and if your vegan, it's a great source for B12, which can be harder to come by. Soba noodles are one of my favorites to use. They are made from buckwheat flour and can usually be found in the Asian section of your grocery store.

Green Miso Soup

serves 4

1 tablespoon white miso
4 cups water
4 ounces soba noodles
4-5 ounces firm tofu, cut into small cubes
green sauce (recipe below)

Cook the soba noodles as directed on the package. Drain and rinse with cold water, set aside.

Bring the 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Place the miso in a small dish and spoon about a half cup of the boiling water over to thin it out a bit. Stir everything back into the pot and add the tofu. Remove from the heat.

Spoon the noodles into 4 bowls and ladle the miso and tofu evenly over them. Then take two heaping tablespoons of the green sauce and stir into the soup. Serve hot.

Green Dip/Sauce (Adapted from The NW Vegetarian Cookbook)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onions or shallots
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 fresh jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
6 cups chopped collards or other green such as kale
1/2 cup apple juice
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoon hazelnut or almond butter
pinch of salt

Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the oil, onion, garlic, and jalapeño. Stir and cook until the onions soften and starts to become lightly brown.

Stir the green into the skillet, add the apple juice. Cover and cook until the greens are very soft, about 20 minutes. Check every once in awhile to make sure there is enough water, add only a very small amount if needed.

Place the greens mixture, lemon juice, hazelnut butter, and salt into a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.

Keep stored in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to 4 days. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Spicy Roasted Chickpeas and Carrots with Lime

I know the first week of 2011 is almost over and I've said before that I'm not usually one for resolutions, but I'm having second thoughts. I've realized, without knowing, that I do make goals for myself, but because they're not the typical resolutions people always associate with the new year, I've never considered them to count. I know that in the month of December many people think about the diets they'll start after the holidays or the organized house they'll have in the new year, but I didn't even have time to think about what was going to happen the next day, let alone the things I wanted to improve on in the next year. The last month of 2010 was such a blur, I was not myself, I feel lucky to have enjoyed the last part of it spending time with family and slowing down.

It took me this whole week to realize that I've been thinking not only of goals I've set for myself and business, but also on the past year and how amazing it was. Our business, in it's 2nd year, grew, I started this blog, which I love and always find myself trying to make time for because it's a fun outlet for me. I got married to my best friend, that I have no idea what I'd do without. Together we went surfing and hiking to at least five different national parks. We moved to a new city and think we finally found a place to call home. I met so many amazing people that I'm happy to call friends and have in my life. So when I look back I can't help but feel incredibly lucky to be doing what I do everyday and it makes me want to set goals for myself because without them, many of the things above may never have been accomplished.

All of this has nothing to do with chickpeas and carrots, but I feel this blog is a place for me to not only share recipes and pictures, but a place for me to tell you my story and share with you experiences because without them life would be boring.

Now onto those chickpeas and carrots. I love beans, I eat them on a regular basis, but if I had to choose a favorite, chickpeas would be at the top. Right next to black beans. Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans and sometimes ceci beans, are one of the most distinct looking as far as shape go. If you've ever eaten hummus then you've most likely eaten chickpeas.

When I'm cooking with them I can never help popping them into my mouth one by one. They're perfect for snaking on. I love how well they go with spices and this version is no exception. Roasted alongside carrots and energized with a hint of lime juice and cayenne pepper, these were a welcome warm dish on a rather soggy afternoon.

Below are estimates for how much seasoning I used, I rarely measure when cooking, so add more or less depending on your own taste. I used organic carrots that I washed well to get off any extra dirt, feel free to peel them if you like, I usually don't. Also, I burned my tongue on a few of these when they came out of the oven, so be careful because the insides of those little chickpeas stays pretty hot even when the outside can be held in your hand.

Spicy Roasted Chickpeas and Carrots with Lime

serves 4 as a side

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon coriander

1 small bunch carrots, roughly chopped

3 cups cooked chickpeas or about 2 15-ounce cans, drained and rinsed

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

juice of one lime

salt to taste

Preheat oven to 400˚F.

Place carrots, chickpeas, olive oil, and spices into a bowl, sprinkle with salt and toss everything to coat evenly. Using half the lime, squeeze juice over the bowl and give everything one more quick stir.

Transfer everything to a rimmed baking sheet and roast until the carrots and chickpeas are lightly browned, about 25 minutes. Make sure you stir occasionally for even cooking. Once out of the oven, squeeze on more lime juice, if desired, and adjust the salt if need be.

Serve warm. Can be made ahead and re-warmed in the oven at 400˚F for about 5 minutes.

Walnut Bread

I hope everyone had a lovely New Year's. If you're still looking for some kind of resolution, even a small one just so others might stop pestering you for your answer, might I suggest you bake yourself a nice loaf of bread. It's a feat I know many are scared of when the mention of rising dough and kneading are in the same sentence, but trust me when I say there is truly nothing like it. And walnut bread is the perfect place to start.

I actually made this bread at the end of October specifically for a grilled Colby cheese and plum sandwich I created for the Wisconsin Cheese Talk blog. It was an amazing sandwich that makes me wish plums were still in season around here so I could make it again. It does remind me that I should make this bread again though and soon. The perfectly browned crust breaks way into a soft center that distinctly taste of walnut and whole wheat. If you ask me, it's probably my favorite sandwich bread to use, but it makes great toast with a smear of jam or honey too.

I know walnut oil can be expensive and possibly hard to find in your area, so if you would like to substitute I'd suggest olive oil. You can also probably find ground walnuts to save a little time, but because walnuts have a high oil content they can go rancid quickly, so I would find whole walnuts and grind them yourself in a food processor or spice mill. And forgive me, I can't seem to remember where I found this recipe, I know I changed a few things to it, but if you have made this or know where it's from please let me know.

Walnut Bread

makes 1 loaf

2 tablespoons honey

1 packet active dry yeast

1 1/2 tablespoons walnut oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup ground walnuts

1 1/2 cups spelt flour

1 egg

In a large bowl stir honey into 1 cup warm water until dissolved. Sprinkle in yeast, and let proof for 15 minutes. Add in the walnut oil and salt.

Gradually stir in the whole wheat flour and ground walnuts, then add in enough spelt four to make a soft dough.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes. You can alternately use the dough hook on a kitchen mixer.

Butter or grease a large bowl and turn the dough over in it to coat the surface. Cover with a clean towel and let sit in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.

Pound the dough down and shape into a loaf by folding the long ends into each other 3 times and securing the seem. Grease a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Put the dough, seem side down into pan and cover with towel. Let rise until double in bulk, 30-45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350˚F.

In a small bowl whisk the egg with 1 tablespoon water. Brush over the loaf (I forgot to do this, but it still came out good, just without a shinier top).  Bake bread for 35-45 minutes, until the loaf sounds hallow when thumped. Remove from pan and let cool completely before cutting into.