Apple Carrot & Ginger Spelt Muffins

Both of my parents love to stories about the eccentric and goofy people they lived with throughout their twenties. They talk about the weird foods these people ate, their poor hygiene, their unbelievable sleep schedules, the strange people they would bring home. When I was in high school I would use these stories to get out of trouble; “at least I don’t clip my toenails over your toothbrush” somehow saved my ass many times. That was a mild one.

It’s an unbelievably intimate thing– sharing a living space with someone you hardly know. Some do it to slice off a fraction of their rent while others are just looking for the security of having a living, breathing person to come home to. Some roommates happen as marriages of convenience (my sister and her roommate of two years met on Craigslist when they got jobs in the same town. When people ask, they still say they met through a friend named Craig). Of course, roommateships also happen with close, established friends. Even in that case, however, you get to know people a whole lot better when you live with them.

I have four roommates this year, all of whom are different and wonderful. One thing we share is a love of cooking (remember the aforementioned weird food habits? I am that roommate). This post is a special shout out to May, who is the baking queen of our apartment, constantly concocting some new project. Too many baked goods is a problem which I’m pretty sure only happens in our house (hashtag good problem to have). These muffins were one of many of May’s baking frenzies, and she agreed to put ‘em on the blog for all y’alls enjoyment. That’s the other thing about roommates– they’re awesome.

Apple-Carrot & Ginger Spelt Muffins

Adapted from For the Love of Food

• 2 cups spelt flour
• 1/2 cup ground flax seeds
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
• 1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 3/4 cup agave nectar (or maple syrup)
• 3/4 cup almond milk
• 1 cup shredded carrot (about 2 medium)
• 1 cup shredded apple (about 1)

Preheat the oven to 325*

1. Combine the flour, flax seeds, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cardamom in a bowl and whisk together. Add the ginger, coconut oil, almond milk, agave nectar, and vanilla- stir to combine. Add the carrot and apple and mix until a smooth batter forms.

2. Line a baking pan with cupcake liners or lightly grease with coconut oil. Fill each cup about 1/3 of the way for normal muffins or overflowing (as pictured) for jumbo ones. Place in the oven for 22-25 minutes at 350. Remove and test with a toothpick in the center to make sure they’re done. Set to cool for 15-20 minutes.

Baked and Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Lemon-Tahini Sauce

Happy Pi Day, peeps n creeps of the internet. Rather than harassing you with some kind of pie or perhaps a math pun I will instead post vegan food and write something sassy about it. There comes a time in vegandom when you realize you are no longer a normal person and instead get questioned/made fun of for things like eating hummus with a spoon, hoarding kale, asking yourself “is jam an okay thing to eat straight?,” and eating lentils for six days in a row. Don’t listen to the haters, cuz as some very wise 3LW once told us, they gon’ hate. Being a vegan is about acknowledging your strangeness and embracing it. If accepting granola as one of my food groups is wrong, I don’t want to be right.

Here’s a dish that is some good, clean vegan fun.*
*can be enjoyed by non-vegans too**

**if they know what’s up

Baked and Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Lemon-Tahini Sauce

Recipe for 1 potato. Multiply recipe for desired # of tates.

• 1 sweet potato, baked (400° for an hour or so)
• 1/3 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1/2 medium carrot, chopped
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped kale
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 2 Tablespoons tahini

1. Heat a small pot over medium heat and add chopped onions with a splash of olive oil. Cook, stirring, until the onion are translucent, 4-5 mins. Add the quinoa, carrots, and salt plus about 2/3 cup water. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 10-12 minutes. Keep an eye on the pot and add a bit more water if necessary. Remove from heat and set aside 5-10 more minutes, until fluffy.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon and tahini plus a dash of salt.

3. Assemble your tate! Take pre-baked potato and cut a slit down the middle. Pile on the quinoa mixture, kale, and top with the lemon-tahini sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste.

 

“Weather Sucks” Lentil Soup

February is unanimously the worst month of the year. I think I write about this every Febrewary (it makes me want to do nothing but drink away my sorrows with some brews), but the sleet/snow/rain mixture currently being aggressively spat on Madison is renewing my loathing for this godforsaken month. SO LET ME GO ON. February is the hangover wedged between holiday cheer and the first springish hints that I can stop wearing pants. And as long as it’s cold as balls I’m a lentil fiend. Hearty, healthy soup is the best thing to make in big batches at the beginning of the week and warm up after your snot has frozen and glued your nostrils together. I’ve made about 73 batches of this in the last two weeks, and given that “wintry mix” is predicted for tomorrow, there’s a 100% chance of lentil soup in the forecast.

Weather Sucks Lentil Soup

• 1 onion, chopped (~2 cups)
• 2-3 large carrots, chopped
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup kale, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 5-6.5 cups vegetable broth or water
• 3 cups dry green or brown lentils
• salt and pepper to taste
• Sriracha sauce (if ya think spice is nice!)

1. Rise and drain the lentils, then pour into a pot and add vegetable broth or water (enough to cover them by 1” or so). Bring to a boil, then add the onions, carrots, corn, kale, garlic and spices. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 25-35 minutes, until lentils are soft. Stir frequently to avoid any burnage. Season with salt, pepper, and the ‘Rach to taste. Watch your winter blues melt away.

Kick the Sick Chickpea Stew

It’s unseasonably cold in Madison and let me tell you SOMEONE’S PISSED. This same someone’s also sick. Don’t give me a glass vase or the kneecaps of someone who crossed the mafia the wrong way cuz I’ll probably break them out of rage without apology. I don’t like to get too graphic here but this morning I threw like all of my laundry on the floor out of frustration. I pride myself on never getting sick so the snot dripping down my face is really only adding insult to cold, bitter injury.

Instead of trying to fight this cold in a rap battle or some other form of public humiliation I’ve decided to take the high road and GET OVER IT. I may have slipped a few harsh words about his mother yesterday but I’m being the bigger person now. To get over said cold I made a batch of this soup which is scientifically-proven* to make you better quick. This soup also just so happen to be the twelfth out of 50 ways to love a chickpea! Boy oh boy this excitement is making me wheeze.

*not scientifically proven

Kick the Sick Chickpea Stew

• 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
• 2-3 Tablespoons coconut (olive, or vegetable) oil for frying
• 6 cups vegetable stock (or water + bouillon*)
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 2-3 leaves swiss chard/collard greens/kale
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2” chunk of ginger, peeled and minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 can chickpeas, drained

1. Heat the coconut oil in a  medium skillet and add the mushrooms. Fry 4-5 minutes or until browned and soft.

2. Place a large pot on the stove and add the vegetable stock plus the veggies, bay leaf, ginger, garlic and chickpeas. Bring to a boil and leave to simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until hot and the veggies are soft.

My Babushka’s Borscht

Some things are inevitable.

It is inevitable that when I buy a new item of white clothing it will be dirty within four minutes of purchase.

It is inevitable that I will spill many a tear on my tacky 80’s pillow when in Russia because I miss kale and nutritional yeast.

It is inevitable that when I go to a club in a back alley in Russia by the name of “Jesus” I will dance with a guy and he will spin me over his shoulder (can someone please explain to me why this keeps happening?).

Most inevitable of all (inevitable-est) is the fact that I am posting a borscht recipe straight from my babushka’s top-secret old Russian woman vault.

Before I left for Russia I made my own borscht, which I liked but knew was far from authentic. My heart skipped a beet (punzzz) the day I came to the kitchen table and my Bab set a bowl of steamy hot borscht down at my place. Cabbage, beets, and the possibility of pink pee? Nothing better. Besides, her borscht is absolutely delicious. Can’t be beet. Alright, I’m done.

I finally got her to spill the juicy details of how to make this soup so damn good. I offered (begged) to help prepare it once but she promptly declined and demoted me to photographer/kitchen stalker while she sliced and diced her way to the masterpiece. My babushka believes her kitchen is her kingdom and my trying to help will cramp her style. We talk a lot about the importance of food as a means of bringing people together and how sitting around enjoying a meal is a tradition which we need to fiercely protect. I still haven’t gotten her to agree to let me help her but her resistance is futile. We will be the greatest cooking team there ever was. It’s inevitable.

My Babushka’s Borscht 

The taste of Russia in your mouth. 

• 1/2 head large cabbage, sliced thinly
• 1 large carrot, grated
• 1 small onion, chopped more finely than you think possible
• 3 potatoes, boiled, peeled, and sliced more finely than you think possible
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 5-6 cups water or vegetable stock
• 3 beets, boiled and shredded (pickled work best!)
• 3 teaspoons salt, or to taste
• 1 Tablespoon fresh dill
• 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley
• chopped green onion to garnish

1. Do all of the chopping. Combine cabbage, carrot, onion, potatoes, garlic, salt and water in a large pot. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for 25-30 minutes. Note: use pre-boiled potatoes and beets or the time will be a bunch longer and much redder.

2. About halfway through add the fresh herbs and shredded beets. Salt to taste. If not using pickled beets and want it to be bitter (the Russian way!), add the juice of 1/2 a lemon.

3. Garnish with green onion and fresh dill. Enjoy the feeling of real Russianness.

Of All the Banana Breads in the World, You’re the Banana Breadiest

Sunday morning is great.

If I could put a ring on it I probably would.

Since finals started every day has felt a little bit like Sunday. I’m starting to lose track of time and spew strings of four letter words when I realize the bus is on its weekend schedule. Things in our apartment are slow and lazy and having anything less than 600 cups of Bengal Spice is altogether unheard of.

This morning I walked out of my bedroom and my roommates gasped in shock/horror/fear as I smiled and wished them a good morning. I guess you could say I’m not usually much of a morning person but today, man, today! Today I was rip roarin’ and revvin’ to go. I had big plans to finish my Russian essay on the Hermitage and maybe even study some finance. I was going to be so productive. I coulda been a contenda. Then Grace turned on A Charlie Brown Christmas and those plans went straight out the door with impressive speed. I am a serious student but I know a choice banana bread baking opportunity when I see one.

I can tell you right now that of all the Banana Breads, this is the Banana Breadiest

Cinnamon Banana Bread

• 3 ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 2 cups flour (I used 1 AP + WW)
• 3/4 cup brown sugar (or Sucanat)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla
• 1-2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon orange zest

1. Preheat oven to 350º

2. Mash the bananas with a fork. Add the applesauce and stir. In a separate bowl combine flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and spices. Mix the wet with the dry and add vanilla and orange zest. Pour into a loaf pan and bake for 20-25 minutes at 350º or until something long and pointy poked in the middle comes out clean (I used a sprig of rosemary. It happens).

Smear with some peanut butter.