Gingered Carrot Millet Muffins

I realized the other day that I have so many recipes either bookmarked from online or tagged in my cookbooks and magazines, that have been sitting there, waiting for me to get to it, for way too long. Many times they're a seasonal recipe I discover at the end of it's prime season, so it gets saved until the next spring, or summer, or fall arrives in the hopes that I remember to come back and rediscover the recipe I found the year before.

So I found myself going through them, editing down my long list to what is relevant to me in this moment now. I felt quite organized after doing this and ready to start fresh and tackle the recipes I had long been waiting to try. The first was a millet muffin from Heidi's book. I remember when I first came across her recipe and how intrigued I was by the idea of crunchy little millet seeds in a muffin. So I whipped up a batch for the weekend. They were delicious. Slightly sweet from the honey with a bit of tang from the yogurt, and of course, the crunch of millet that I was anticipating.

Her muffins were what lead my brain to these little gingered carrot and millet muffins. I craved adding some shredded carrots to the recipe. Then I gave myself the challenge of making them vegan so I could share a batch with our weekly Monday night potluck friends and everyone could enjoy. That meant no yogurt, honey, or eggs. Those got replaced with coconut oil, natural cane sugar, and flax meal. I thought about how ginger would make a great flavor profile alongside the carrots, so I added fresh and ground to the batter too. By that point they were a whole new muffin, but they came out as perfectly as I had envisioned. I knew there was a reason I had tagged that page. They inspired me to a new delicious recipe and hopefully one for you too.

Did you know millet is actually a small seed from the grass family and not a grain. Awesome right! I've been cooking millet for awhile now and love it combined with quinoa or bulgar for a slightly different texture. This was my first time baking with it and using it in it's uncooked form, but I can't wait to try it baked into more things. Have any of you experimented with millet in other baked goods?

Gingered Carrot Millet Muffins / makes 12-15 muffins

Inspired by Super Natural Everyday by Heidi Swanson

This recipe yielded an awkward 15 muffins for me. I think next time I'm going to fill them as high as possible in the paper cups to get 12, as well as a slightly higher dome on top.

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1/3 cup raw millet

1/2 cup cane sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons flax meal + 6 tablespoon water combined

1/2 cup almond milk

1/3 cup coconut oil, melted

1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger

2 cups grated carrots, about 3 large carrots

Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Line a muffin tin with paper muffin liners.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, millet, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, ground ginger, and salt. Set aside.

In a medium bowl combine the flax meal mixture, almond milk, coconut oil and fresh ginger. Stir in the carrots, then pour all the wet mixture into the dry. Fold the wet into the dry just until combined. This may take a few strokes as the batter is very thick.

Scoop out batter into prepared muffin tins, filling roughly level with the top of the pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool slightly. Serve warm or room temperature. Store covered for about 2-3 days or freeze for a month.

Roasted Roots & Spinach Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing

This salad is really more about the lemon tahini dressing than the salad as a whole. I wanted to share with you more ways to use the dressing than on a traditional green salad (which is equally delicious) and since roasted root vegetables have been a weekly staple since well, late fall, that's what I cooked up. A hearty winter root salad, livened up by a dressing you really must try.

I've been eating this dressing on everything for the last few weeks. Yes, every. Single. Thing. It's just so good and I've found it so versatile too. I can't believe it's taken me this long to share it with you.

It's rich and nutty tasting, balanced by the tartness of lemon and spiced up from the garlic and cayenne. It's super creamy and goes well over a sturdy salad made with Romaine and equally as well spooned over a wrap or for dipping your sweet potato fries in. I can hardly wait until summer arrives and I can drizzle some over eggplant or keep it thick and dip fresh veggies in.

Roasted Roots & Spinach Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing / serves 4

I've kept the roasted vegetable amounts below pretty loose. You'll want roughly 4lbs for 4 meal sized servings. If you can find sunchokes, use them. They are absolutely one tasty little root, but other options could include parsnips and sweet potatoes. The dressing has been adapted from The Northwest Vegetarian Cookbook. It's a great little book full of recipes from small farms all over the NW and I've got little tags hanging out all over it for new recipes to try.

4lbs. root veggies of your choice (I used red sunchokes, carrots, and yellow potatoes)

3-4 tablespoons olive oil

pinch of salt and ground pepper

1 bunch baby spinach, washed and dried

for the dressing

1/4 cup tahini

just and finely grated zest of one lemon

1 tablespoon white miso

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro or parsley

pinch of cayenne

water as needed

Preheat the oven to 425˚F. Have ready a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silpat mat.

Wash and scrub the vegetables well and roughly cut into even thicknesses so they bake at relatively the same time. Drizzle olive oil over the top and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Give everything a good toss and roast in the oven for about 30-45 minutes, depending on the thickness you cut everything. The vegetables should be tender and have lightly golden crusty ends.

Meanwhile make the dressing. In a small bowl whisk together the tahini, lemon juice and zest, miso, and garlic. Mix in the cilantro and cayenne and enough water to reach desired consistency. I like to thin mine out quite a bit for this recipe. You can also do this in a small food processor to make it quickly. Store in a covered container in the fridge for up to a week. Makes about a 1/2 cup.

To assemble, place the spinach on a plate, pile with the roasted veggies and drizzle with the dressing and serve.

Cumin-Scented Black Rice & Quinoa

I found myself with a lot of welcome down time this weekend. Scott and some friends decided going surfing up in the Straits was a good idea even though there were predictions of snow. So Saturday afternoon he headed North to meet up with them and Sunday morning they caught an early ferry across to the peninsula. I don't blame him for his itch to get in the water, even when there is snow on the beach. It's been at least since early fall that we've gone and surfing has this hold on you that's hard to let pass by. The only reason I opted to stay home was the fear I'd loose all my fingers and toes to frost bite.

Instead I cozied up at home enjoying my own company alongside our cat Sofia. I put together a large batch of yeasty dough to make bread, caught up on some reading, started knitting a hat for Scott (á la Jacques Cousteau - as per his request), and went through a very large box of photo's from my childhood that my mom had given me for Christmas. The photo's all came from my grandmother's albums (over 20 of them!) and when she passed away over a year ago, my mom scooped them up, took them home and went through every single one dividing every picture for my sister, cousins, and I to have and cherish ourselves, as much as she did. It was my favorite gift by far.

As I was going through the pictures, there were lots of smiles, big hugs, celebrations, and summer's spent at our family cabin. Then I found a picture of my great grandfather holding me when I was about 2 years old. I stopped at this one for awhile. I didn't really know my great grandfather or my great grandmother, both passed a way before I was 6 or 7, but they lived on the eastern side of Washington state, in a little town called Wenatchee. I used to call them great grandma and grandpa 'natchee because that was my best pronunciation and it seemed to stick even after I could say it right.

I love the story this picture seems to tell and instantly fell in love with it and with the lifestyle I know he and my great grandmother lived. It took me back to a simpler time, before internet and before the constant go-go-go world we live in today. The expression on his face and mine is priceless, almost like he was just in the middle of telling me a tale, when someone decided they couldn't pass up this kodak moment. I love that my great grandfather and I are the main focal point, but whoever took it definitely wanted to make sure and get those big, ripe tomatoes in the frame. They're the kind of imperfectly perfect juicy tomatoes that only come from ones home garden and displayed out at the end of the harvest season; so it's no wonder you'd want to show them off. I wish I could know them today, I know I could learn a lot from them and it would be lovely to eat a meal cooked from their kitchen.

Cumin-Scented Black Rice & Quinoa / serves 4
Adapted from Bon Appétit


This side dish would make a fantastic addition to any Spanish style meal, maybe something like this. I've kept it simple, but it also seems perfect to add too, I'm thinking fresh tomatoes and avocado in the summer and possibly even roasted root vegetables in the winter, maybe throw in some pinto or black beans too, make it yours. If you can't find black rice you can swap it out for brown, but I really suggest you try it, it's a delicious little grain. Although beware, it will stain everything it comes in contact with a purplish hue if you're not careful.

1/2 cup black rice
1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed well
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup salt plus more to taste
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
fresh ground black pepper

Bring rice and 1 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Once boiling, cover, reduce heat to low and cook until the rice is tender and water has been absorbed, about 25-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the quinoa, bay leaf, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 cup water in another small saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer until quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes. If you have any remaining water, drain, return to the saucepan and keep covered for roughly 15 minutes. Discard the bay leaf, fluff with a fork and transfer quinoa to a large bowl.

Heat tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and beginning to brown, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cumin seeds and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes. Add the onion mixture to the quinoa. Add the cooked rice and mix everything well. Stir in the remaining 1-2 tablespoons oil (depending on preference), fresh lemon juice, cilantro, parsley, and chives. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm or room temperature and garnish with avocado slices and lemon wedges if desired.

Kale & Quinoa Citrus Salad with Lemony Avocado Dressing

I’ve never really been a dieter or one to go along with the latest diet craze, but I do like to lighten the food load once in awhile when I feel like I’ve had one too many indulgent treats; and right after the holidays nothing is more true. So in keeping with the Whole Living January detox plan this month, I’ve created a super healthy salad filled with all kinds of good for you ingredients, but it still packs great color and flavor to keep it anything but boring. Get the recipe here.

Mushroom Leek & Barley Bake

The last couple days have been beautiful around here. They've been the kind of days that are full of sunshine, but also full of winter's brisk temperatures that keep my hands wrapped around my endless mug of tea. The cold had me thinking about casseroles and baked dishes and asking myself why I rarely ever make them. 

I do love the idea of a casserole. I always picture a gathering of people around a table, each helping themselves to their corner of the hot dish. A casserole is the perfect way to feed a hungry crowd or to stash away any leftovers in the freezer for those days your pressed for cooking time. Plus they seem like the perfect way to rid your fridge of any leftovers you may have. I think the reason I rarely make them has more to do with the stereotypical style of casserole I grew up knowing. The kind that are possibly only good because of the gobs of cheese, layers of pasta, and starchy potatoes, which all lead to little room for my favorite thing... the veggies.

I could easily have taken these same ingredients and made my usual fare of whole grains, combined with sauteed leek and mushroom, tossed in a handful of almonds, rounded it out with a bit of Parmesan and topped it with a crumbled hard boiled egg or two, but I didn't. I wanted to make something different from my regular routine and something that would keep me satisfied and warm at the same time.


Another magical thing I discovered about casseroles; how much I can get done in the 30 minutes or so it takes to bake! I'm not kidding. Once I popped it in the oven, I washed the sink-full of dishes (I don't own a dishwasher), scrubbed the sink, and swept the floors. It had me feeling like I should make casseroles every night, just to keep the chores from piling up!

Really though this casserole is delicious, simple to make, and perfect for using up leftover grains. I used barley, but I imagine rice would make a great stand in as well. Have a beautiful weekend and stay warm!

Mushroom Leek & Barley Bake / serves 4-6

2 tablespoons olive oil

4-6 ounces mushrooms, chopped

1 leek, white and light green parts only, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

2 cups cooked pearl barley (about 1/2 cup dried cooked in 1 1/2 cups water)

1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted

1/2 cup Parmesan, divided

4 eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375˚F and grease a 1 3/4 qt. baking dish.

In a large frying pan heat the oil over medium heat. Add in the mushrooms and a pinch of salt, cooking for about 3 minutes or until just beginning to soften. Stir in the leeks, cook another 2 minutes, then add in the garlic. Continue cooking until everything is softened and the mushrooms are a nice brown color, about another 3 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Place the barley in a large bowl. Stir in the mushroom mixture, the almonds (reserving some for garnish), and half the Parmesan.

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and salt. Fold the eggs into the barley mixture, then pour into your prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with the last half of the Parmesan. 

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until set. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with the left over almonds and serve.


* Starting on Thursday, January 26, check out other potluck dishes fellow gojee contributors shared. Go to gojee.com and enter “gojeepotluck” into I Crave.  You can also follow #gojeepotluck on Twitter.

Lemon Tart with Rosemary Crust

Today I'm sharing this lemon tart with rosemary crust over on Kelsey's blog, Happyolks. Her blog and writing is one of my favorites, so please go and check it out.

Oh and, I promise you, this beauty of a tart is anything but a sugary toothache. It's fresh, light, tangy, and creamy all at once and has an added surprise of rosemary in the crust. You're in for a real treat!

Spicy Lentil Collard Wraps

I hope you all had a great New Year's eve and are ready for the year to come! We had a few different offers for an evening of celebration with friends, but after being out of town every single weekend since before Thanksgiving, and just getting back from an entire week with family in eastern WA on friday, we decided to have a quiet evening at home.

I made lentil "meatballs" and a big salad for dinner. We settled in to watch a movie about The New York Times and there was even a few leftover cookies from Christmas for dessert. It was the kind of night that seemed so normal, even though many people were out celebrating, but it just felt right for us. It was the quiet evening we really needed.

Over the last week or so I've reflected on what 2011 was for me. It was a great year in terms of growth and learning even more about myself as my husband and I continue running our small business. I don't ever really make resolutions on the new year; I prefer to reflect on my birthday. Not resolutions so much, as goals and/or fulfilling ideas. Since my birthday is in November, by the time the new year rolls around, it's like a little reminder to see if I'm on track.

I also want to thank all you dear readers. I don't thank you enough, but everyday I am grateful to have your support and I'm surprised every time, by the kindest of comments and emails you've left for me. It's my little space on the web where I come to share recipes, photos, and short stories from my life and it truly is a place I look forward to coming to. I have a few things I'm excited to share with you in the new year (can't wait!), but you'll have to wait.

Spicy Lentil Collard Wraps / makes 6-8

I've combined red lentils with bulgar and spices as a great filling for wraps. To keep it on the lighter side, post all that holiday food, I used collard greens for the wrap rather than a flat bread. Slightly spicy with a hint of nuttiness from the tahini. These are a healthy and super satisfying meal. If you prefer your collard greens cooked, bring a large pot of water to a boil, place the leaves, one at a time, in the boiling water for about 30 seconds. Remove and let dry between a clean towel, repeat. this will also make the leaves a little more pliable when rolling.

1 cup dried red lentils

1/2 cup bulgar

1/2 white onion, roughly chopped

3 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

big pinch cayenne

6-8 collard leaves

1 medium carrot, thinly shaved

tahini

fresh lemon juice

hot sauce

Rinse and drain lentils and place in a saucepan. Cover with water 2-3 times the amount of lentils. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes. Drain and let cool briefly.

To cook the bulgar, place in a small saucepan with 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Once the liquid is absorbed, cover, remove from heat, and let sit for 10 minutes. 

Place the cooked lentils, cooked bulgar, onion, parsley, cumin, salt, and cayenne into the bowl of a food processor. Puree until the mixture is smooth. Taste and add more salt if needed. 

Take a collard leaf, trim off the thick stalk and carefully, with a sharp knife, shave down the middle of the stalk so it's even with the leaf. This will help with rolling. Place down a layer of the shaved carrots, then roughly a 1/2 cup of the lentil mixture (see image). Spoon on some tahini, squeeze a bit of lemon juice and hot sauce, then carefully start to roll, starting with the sides and tucking the end of the leaf under at the end, kind of like rolling up a burrito. For larger wraps you can double the leaves up.

Stored in an airtight container in the fridge and you've got yourself lunch ready to go for a week!