Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup (250 grams) creamy almond butter
2/3 cup (150 grams) sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (60 grams) miniature chocolate chips

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).

In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the almond butter and sugar. Mix in the egg, vanilla, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Drop cookies by the tablespoon onto a baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for at least 5-10 minutes before moving to a cooling rack to cool completely (the cookies will be very fragile and need to set-up before they can be moved).

Comment: Gluten free and so easy when you don't have a lot of ingredients on hand but want a hearty chocolate chip cookie.

One-pan farro with tomatoes

2 cups water
1 cup (updated) semi-pearled farro (see Note above for farro types)
1/2 large onion (I usually use a white one, for mildness)
2 cloves garlic
9 ounces grape or cherry tomatoes
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher or coarse sea salt
Up to 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (to taste)
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
Few basil leaves, cut into thin ribbons
Grated parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)

Directions: Place water and farro in a medium saucepan to presoak (I find just 5 to 10 minutes sufficient) while you prepare the other ingredients. Adding each ingredient to the pot as you finish preparing it, cut onion in half again, and very thinly slice it into quarter-moons. Thinly slice garlic cloves as well. Halve or quarter tomatoes. Add salt, pepper flakes (to taste) and 1 tablespoon olive oil to pan, and set a timer for 30 minutes. Bring uncovered pan (no lid necessary) up to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally. When the timer rings, the farro should be perfectly cooked (tender but with a meaty chew), seasoned and the cooking water should be almost completely absorbed. If needed, though I’ve never found it necessary, cook it for 5 additional minutes, until farro is more tender.

Transfer to a wide serving bowl. If there’s enough leftover cooking liquid to be bothersome, simply use a slotted spoon to leave the amount you wish to behind. Drizzle farro lightly with additional olive oil, scatter with basil and parmesan. Eat immediately. Repeat tomorrow.

Comment: You can substitute other hearty grains. I've tried it with tarly and it works great. So easy, so good and satisfying, done in 30 minutes. I make it almost weekly now-Elizabeth.

Salted Caramel Brownies

Caramel

1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (or salted, but then ease up on the sea salt)
Heaped 1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt (or 1/8 teaspoon table salt, more to taste)
3 tablespoons heavy cream

Brownie

3 ounces (85 grams) unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
1 stick (4 ounces or 115 grams) unsalted butter, plus extra for pan
1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
Heaped 1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt or 1/8 teaspoon table salt
2/3 cup (85 grams) all-purpose flour

Directions:

Make caramel: Set a square of parchment paper over a medium-sized plate. Lightly butter or coat the parchment with a spray oil, just as an added security measure.

In a medium, dry saucepan over medium-high heat, melt your sugar; this will take about 5 minutes, stirring if necessary to break up large chunks. By the time it is all melted, if should be a nice copper color; if not, cook until it is. Remove from heat and stir in butter. It may not incorporate entirely but do your best. Stir in cream and salt and return saucepan to the stove over medium-high heat, bringing it back to a simmer and melted again any sugar that solidified. Cook bubbling caramel for a few minutes more, until it is a shade darker.

Pour out onto parchment-covered plate and transfer plate to your freezer. Freeze until solidified, which can take anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes in a decent freezer to 40 minutes in my terrible one.

Meanwhile, or when your caramel is almost firm, make your brownies: Heat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment, extending it up two sides. Butter the parchment or spray it with a nonstick cooking spray.

In a medium heatproof bowl over gently simmering water, melt chocolate and butter together until only a couple unmelted bits remain. Off the heat, stir until smooth and fully melted. You can also do this in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each. Whisk in sugar, then eggs, one at a time, then vanilla and salt. Stir in flour with a spoon or flexible spatula.

Assemble brownies: When caramel is firm, remove it from the freezer and chop it into rough 1-inch squares. Gently fold all but a small amount of caramel bits into batter. Scrape batter into prepared pan, spreading until mostly even. Scatter remaining caramel bits on top. Bake in heated oven for 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Comment: Sinfully good. Homemade caramel, need I say more? From smittenkitchen.com>a treasure trove of wonderful recipes!

Banana Buttermilk Bread

butter, for greasing the pan

6 bananas, very ripe

150g (2/3 cup) vegetable oil

200g (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) dark brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp dark rum

2 eggs

75g (1/3 cup) cultured buttermilk or plain yogurt

210g (1 1/2 cups) plain flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp fine sea salt

3 tbsp caster sugar

Directions: Heat the oven to 180°c (350 F). Butter and line your loaf tin with baking paper.

Mash up well, 5 ½ bananas, reserving half a banana (cut lengthwise) for the top of the cake.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the oil, brown sugar, vanilla, rum, eggs and buttermilk. Add the mashed banana and set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together the flour, soda, powder and salt.

Fold the dry ingredients into the banana mixture until just combined and pour into your prepared tin. Smooth the top and place the banana half on top and sprinkle with the caster sugar.

Bake for 40-50 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean and the top has become set and starts to caramelize. i sometimes use a kitchen blow torch to help this along.

Comment:  Rich, balanced banana bread, so good. If you haven't already, I highly suggest investing in a cooking/baking scale-it makes clean-up so much easier and is more precise! 

White Chocolate Cherry Macadamia Nut Granola

50 grams (1 cup) big coconut flakes                     

95 grams (1 cup) rolled oats

125 grams (1 cup) oat flour

30 grams (1 cup) rice puffs

1/2 tsp salt

50 grams (1/4 cup) sugar

70 grams (3/4 cup) roughly chopped macadamia nuts

85 grams (1/4 cup) honey

75 grams (1/3 cup) unrefined coconut oil, melted but not hot

1 egg white, room temp (if cold, it will cause the coconut oil to harden)

1 cup dried cherries, roughly chopped

1 bar lindt classic recipe white chocolate, chopped/broken into bite size shards

Directions: Heat oven to 300°f, and line a sheet tray with parchment paper.

In a mixing bowl thoroughly combine the bee pollen, coconut flakes, rolled oats, oat flour, rice puffs, salt, sugar, and nuts.

In a separate bowl thoroughly combine the honey, coconut oil, and egg white.

Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and stir (or work with your hands) until thoroughly combined & all the dry ingredients are wet.

Pat the granola onto the sheet tray in one solid mass, a single layer, about 3/4 inch thick. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the edges start to turn golden. Remove from the oven, flip the granola, and bake for an additional 20 minutes or until it's just golden brown. Allow granola to cool fully (it will come out chewy but crisp up when it's room temp), and then break it up into desired size clumps. Gently mix in the cherries and white chocolate and store in an airtight container.

Comment:  The best granola recipe I’ve ever come across! You can subsitute whatever nuts and dried fruit you have on hand. Great for breakfast with milk or over yogurt, or for an afternoon snack.-Elizabeth