HEARTY APPLE LOAF

There are days I feel like cooking, and there are days that it sounds like the last thing I’d like to do. Hugh does an excellent job of romancing you into the Sprouted Kitchen, but believe me, toast and hummus work fine for me some nights. For this experiment, I strapped on an apron to remind myself that I mean business. I doubled this recipe, trusting it would work out. I like to have a tasty option waiting for me for breakfast and I also wanted to take action on my long time intention to send a loaf to a new friend. If you make this, I suggest you do the same. I have never met a person who does not like surprise mail, and I guarantee there is someone in your life who could use a surprise.

The lovely thing about this hearty loaf, is that you could use apples, pears, stone fruit or berries and make it yours. Throw in whatever you’re in the mood for. If it is a day you need to toss in the rest of the bag of chocolate chips you have into the batter, I encourage that. It tastes more like a bread than a cake due to the whole grains and modest amount of sweetener.

HEARTY APPLE LOAF // Makes one loaf

2019 Recipe update: Phew, I’ve gotten better at writing recipes and cleaned this up. The photos show that I soaked the apples, but I don’t believe that to be a necessary step any longer. The directions reflect that change, despite the photos. If you need it to be gluten free, replace the pastry flour with a 1:1 GF All-Purpose like Bobs Red Mill or Cup for Cup.

2 eggs

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup butter, just melted

1 tbsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 cup almond meal

½ cup cooked oatmeal

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tbsp. fresh grated ginger

1/2 tsp. sea salt

2/3 cup muscovado (or light brown) sugar (plus 2 tbsp for the top)

2 cups cored and chopped apples, small pieces

Oven at 375’

Butter the loaf pan or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.

Whisk the eggs, buttermilk, butter, vanilla and buttermilk together.

Add the dry ingredients together, including the cinnamon, ginger and salt and mix to combine. Gently mix in the buttermilk mixture til incorporated.

Fold in the apples, do not over mix.

Fill the loaf pan and sprinkle remaining 2 tbsp. of the muscavado. Bake on the middle rack for 45 minutes until golden on top and springy to the touch. Test for doneness with a toothpick, as the type of pan and oven vary. Remove and cool.

Serve toasted with a dollop of yogurt.

SPICED SWEET POTATOES AND CHICKPEAS

I am not sure there is a group of people more partial to fall, than the food blogger demographic. I have read countless posts and tweets about the elation brought to most via soups, squashes and pumpkin baked goods. Autumn is like the big hug we all get before the pale skin, freezing toes and overdose of holiday jingles. I do like me some good fall foods, but they seem to require a bit more time, ingredients, number of pots to clean and what forth. The pay off, is the complexity of layered flavors, the tenderness of braising and roasting and aromas that linger for hours. The art of delayed gratification. It's supposed to be 80' here this weekend, so the chilled leftovers of this dish are going to be heaped on a nice plate of spicy greens. I've got my arms out and ready for that hug autumn, where are you?

Note that yams and sweet potatoes are not the same thing, but either could work here. Yams are slightly less starchy, but in this recipe, the taste is not compromised. Be creative with the spices, if you like it spicy add a bit of red pepper, a squeeze of lime at the end if you enjoy citrus or more ginger if you like the zing.

SPICED SWEET POTATOES AND CHICKPEAS // Serves 4 as a side

I suggest serving this side, on a wide or long platter, not a bowl. When all the warm potatoes sit on top of each other, they continue to steam and get mushy.

1 Cup Dried Chickpeas/Garbanzos ,soaked in water overnight

3 Large Sweet Potatoes, peeled (about 3 lbs)

¾ Cup Finely Chopped Yellow Onion

2 tbsp. Melted Butter

1 tbsp. Olive Oil

1 tsp. Cinnamon

2 tbsp. Honey

2 tsp. Fresh Nutmeg

1 tbsp. Fresh Grated Ginger

1 Garlic Clove, minced

1 tsp. Salt

1 Lime Zest and Juice

Fresh Ground Pepper

3 tbsp. Fresh Thyme, leaves removed

Oven to 425’

1. In a medium pot, bring 3 cups of water to a boil, add the soaked beans. Gently boil for about 50 minutes until the beans are cooked through. Drain.

2. In the meantime, prepare the peeled potatoes. Cut off the ends and chop them into one inch cubes. Try to make them equal in size, shapes can vary. Put them in a large bowl.

3. In a small bowl, whisk the lime zest and juice, melted butter, oil, garlic, salt, honey, cinnamon, and nutmeg together. Pour the mix over the big bowl of potatoes, stir. Add the drained garbanzos, onions, 2 tbsp. of the fresh thyme and gently fold to cover everything in the spice mixture.

4. Spread the goods evenly onto a rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 425’ in the upper third of the oven for 35-40 minutes, gently stirring halfway through for consistent browning.

5. Let cool a bit before serving, sprinkle fresh pepper, squeeze of lime,taste for salt and sprinkle remaining thyme on top.

PISTACHIO CRUSTED TOFU SALAD

I'm a bit under the weather. While most people usually lose their appetite when they're sick, I can always seem to find mine. I fought through the desire for cookies alone, and decided something with a more impressive nutritional profile would make a better lunch for my wellness. I am also impressed that Hugh will eat tofu without hesitation. You can't say that about too many 6'5 men. Reason #987,543,222 why I adore him.

Curdled beans. Coagulated soymilk. Tofu is not exactly the beauty queen of vegetarian protien sources, but her possibilities are endless. It's skin deep, my friends. I've eaten my fair share of tofu, but have never crusted it as follows, so this was a learning experience. If you cover a bland bean cake with all of these flavors and give it a crunchy crust, this fall-ish salad will suprise you. Farmers markets are brimming with greens, so shop well and even the lettuce will contribute to the flavor here.

PISTACHIO CRUSTED TOFU SALAD // Serves 2 (with tofu leftovers)

If you don't use bread crumbs often, you can toss a piece of toast in a blender and wa-la. Single serving of bread crumbs.

4 Cups Baby Greens

1 Large Asian Pear

3/4 Cup Green Onions, sliced thin on a bias

1 14 oz. Package Organic Firm Tofu, drained and pressed*

1 Cup Toasted Pistachio Nuts

2 tbsp. Cornstarch

3 Egg Whites

1/2 Cup Whole Grain Bread Crumbs

2 Tsp. Cumin

1 Tbsp Garlic Powder

1 Tbsp. Oregano

1 Tsp. Mustard Powder

2 Tsp. Salt

1 Tsp. Pepper

//DRESSING//

1/2 Cup Cilantro (big handful)

1/2 Cup Parsley (big handful)

2 tbsp. Capers

1 tbsp. Agave/Honey

1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar

1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or nut oil if you have some)

2 tbsp. Yogurt/Sour Cream

A pinch of Salt and Pepper

*Press out as much water possible. Set it on a plate with a paper towel and under something heavy to press out remaining moisture.

1. For the dressing, add the first 5 ingredients in a blender and blend. Add the yogurt/sour cream and give it a pulse. While running, slowly stream in the olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk up the egg whites until they are lightly frothy. Add the cornstarch and continue to whisk another minute to combine.

3. Grind the pistachios and bread crumbs and put that mixture in a medium bowl. Add the salt, cumin, pepper, garlic powder, oregano and mustard powder to the nut mixture.

4. Slice the tofu in half width wise, and then diagonally to form triangles. Working with one piece at a time: Pat the tofu dry, dip in the egg mixture, then the nut mixture, and place on a baking tray. Repeat with each slice of tofu. * At this point, if you prefer the tofu cold, you can chill them in the fridge. Or, continue with directions for warm tofu.

5. Set oven to 350’. Coat the bottom of a saucepan with oil and warm over medium heat. Fit in tofu pieces without touching, you will probably need to do two sets. Sear for about 2 minutes on each side until golden and crispy, return to baking tray. Repeat with all tofu chunks and pop the tray in the oven to warm through.

6. In the meantime, Slice the asian pear into matchsticks. Toss the greens, green onion with desired amount of dressing. Plate with asian pear slices and tofu chunk on top.