A Few of My Favorite Things
Let’s be honest. Things right now are weird. We are all adapting to rather odd reality, but the key word is adapting. I am not going to go on to talk about what you need to do to deal with the crisis we are in right now, there are people out there who are the ones you should listen to.
What I can talk about is how I am managing during this time and how you might be able to as well.
I do not know if there is anything more comforting than being in the kitchen. I started baking when I was about 16. At first, it was just because I wanted to make myself cookies or cakes or biscuits because my parents wouldn’t. Then, with my Crohn’s flaring out of control, the kitchen was the one place where I was in complete control.
I know that when I pull down my glass bowl, set it atop the scale, whisk together just the right amount of flours with the right amount of fat and sugar, I will get a sweet treat. I think that we all need that sort of predictability right about now.
I have put together some of my favorite recipes. Some of these are mine, some are from other folks who make delicious things. There are so many more recipes that I could gush over and call my favorites. For me, recipes are like mile markers in my memory. Each one is tied to a moment in my life, complete with the emotions felt the first time I ever made it.
These are only a few, take a read and take some time for yourself in the kitchen.
Tahini Morning Cake
This might be one of my favorite recipes that I have come up with. I know that I say that a lot, but I really mean it here. I am not a cake fanatic, but that does not mean I do not love a slice of cake. It just has to be the right sort of cake. This cake get a little savory, nutty undertone from tahini, floral sweetness from orange blossom water (or orange zest if that’s what you have), and just the right amount of sugar. If you decide to swirl some jam Into the batter, it becomes the perfect morning treat.
Tahini Halva Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Can you see a theme here? I love tahini. Peanut butter is my first love, but tahini is like an infatuation, which I can’t stop thinking about. Or in this case, baking with. Tahini is a great base for cookies because it has not only fat, but also flavor. The natural earthy flavor of the tahini is a great foil to the sweetness of the added sugar. Add in some sweet-savory halva (a Butterfinger-like candy made with sesame instead of peanut butter) and this cookie is just perfect.
Chocolate Almond Olive Oil Cake
When I started eating gluten-free, one of the first cookbooks I bought was Alternative Baker by Alanna Taylor-Tobin. Without question, she is one of the best gluten-free bakers there is. Her photos are stunning and recipes easy to follow and always delicious. This cake is like a giant brownie, but fancy. Do yourself a favor, read her recipes.
Alice Medrich’s Best Cocoa Brownies
You didn’t think I would give a list of recipes without one brownie recipe, did you? In my world, Alice Medrich is a deity. She has been baking classics for decades and her cookbooks are like tomes that are cherished and referred back to over and over. These brownies are the simplest of things, but the most delightful. Before I started playing around with my own brownie recipes, this is the one I made over and over.
Zucchini Bread
The first food account I followed on Instagram (back in the last decade) was Deb Pearlman’s Smitten Kitchen. Her humor mixed with prowess in the kitchen won me over immediately. This zucchini bread is a stunner. In Martha’s Vineyard, there is a farm that makes the most insanely delicious zucchini bread that my family has been eating for years. The Smitten Kitchen version comes the closest to that flavor that I grew up with. It is the perfect thing to eat on a lazy Saturday morning.
Ginger Carrot Bread
In the fall, Flour Bakery has one muffin flavor that I always clamor for: carrot ginger. They are the BEST. Clearly, I wanted to try to recreate them for myself. This bread (or cake, that’s a matter of opinion) is packed with carrots, the warming spice of ginger and just the right amount of sweetness. I liberally top the batter with raw cane sugar before baking to make sure I get a super crunchy top. Give this dairy-free and gluten-free bread a try.
Chickpea Chocolate Chunk Bars
One thing I always have in my pantry is canned chickpeas. I do not really eat a lot of meat so chickpeas are often what I eat for protein. When I get tired of eating chickpeas for dinner, I like to think up other ways that I can use this little legume. Strain the chickpeas (keep the water to use as a vegan egg substitute), throw them in a food processor with some coconut sugar, gluten-free flours and, of course, chocolate and you will have a delicious protein and fiber-packed dessert.