Sunbutter coffee cake

I know, I know. I already have a sunbutter coffee cake recipe. But this one is pure, unadulterated sunbutter love. No sharing the stage with happy bananas. And not from a mix. From scratch goodness. In a way that only homemade can be.

When making this recipe, my goal was to produce a texture that was completely lacking the ultra moist crumb that my recipes generally have. The texture that always strikes my husband as 'gummy'. Focus on texture.

OK. One more thing. I wanted to lower the sugar content. Most of the recipes online call for one or more cups of sugar. That's a lot of sugar to start the day. And now that I'm trying to switch to organic sugar... using a whole cup of that sandy gold in one recipe...wow. You know what I'm talking about. Cut the sugar, for your health and that of your bank account.

As sunbutter is a natural humectant, I decided to use less starch in the recipe. I chose flax eggs and hemp milk because they both have a slightly nutty flavor that I thought would compliment the sunbutter.

The result? Big success. This was by far the best texture I have yet created. Not a hint of gluten free here. No gum, no grit, no give away gluten free tip offs. It was fantastic.

Of course, it also led my husband to discover that while he likes sunbutter raw, he does not like it cooked. Go figure.

But I would be happy to share my happy success with you, and you can in turn share it with your family. My kiddos cut their coffee cake open and spread it with jelly for a classic flavor combination that they devoured.

Sunbutter Coffee Cake

1/2 c sunbutter
1/4 c spectrum organic shortening, softened (or your butter substitute of choice)
3/4 c brown sugar
2 flax eggs (2 Tbsp flax meal mixed with 4 Tbsp warm water)
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 c sorghum flour
1/2 c buckwheat
1/2 c millet flour (plus 1Tbsp. I accidentally added 1/4 c extra, but scooped most of it out!)
1/4 c potato starch
1 tsp xanthan
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
1 c hemp milk (or your milk of choice)
3 Tbsp raw sugar (for decoration- optional)

Preheat oven to 375. Mix the flax eggs in a small bowl and set aside to gel. Combine sunbutter and specturm in a large bowl and mix well. Add sugar and beat well. Add flax eggs and vanilla and beat until fluffy. In a separate bowl whisk together dry ingredients. Add to sunbutter mixture alternately with milk. Pour into prepared 9x13 and sprinkle with raw sugar. Bake 35 minutes. Enjoy.

Homemade Maple Syrup

If you have toddlers in your house, you know that syrup is so much more than a mere condiment. It is a valuable resource than magically transforms many foods from frumpy to fabulous delivery system. That's right. It's not just for pancakes at our house. We drizzle it on oatmeal, cooked carrots, sweet potatoes, pork chops, salmon....you name it. It's amazing what a little maple glaze can do for a toddler's willingness to eat.

Of course, I try to use pure organic maple syrup as often as possible. Both because I prefer natural sugars over corn syrup laden treats, and because real maple syrup is a good source of zinc, manganese, and just a whisper of calcium. Everyone knows that when feeding finicky eaters every extra milligram of nutritional content is valuable!

Given my tendency to run out of pantry staples though, I occasionally find myself with a plate of naked pancakes. What's a mom to do? My first preference is to whip up some berry syrup, but that middle kiddo is suspicious of it. Anything that color, with that many lumps...well. That can't be good.

Instead I whip up a small batch of homemade maple syrup. It's not the real thing, but it's sweet, it's the right color, and all three muchkins will eat it. It's so quick and simple that you may never buy Aunt Jemima again.

Homemade Maple Syrup

1 c. white sugar
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. water
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp maple flavor

Combine sugars and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to help sugar dissolve completely. Once it reaches a boil, remove from heat and add flavoring. Serve. That's it.

You can easily make as much or as little as you need, just use equal parts of each sugar and water, and adjust the flavoring accordingly. You can add a pat of butter if you like it with butter flavor. A dash of cinnamon to tease your tastebuds. Cook it for an extra minute if you want to thicken it up, or add a splash of corn syrup if you must. (This is a rather thin syrup.) Mix it with the rest of your real maple syrup to stretch it out for one more day. You can even let it cool and refill your favorite syrup bottle for easy pouring.

More lunch box thoughts

I know that a lot of you mamas out there are getting ready to send the allergic munchkin off to school. And that means packing lunch. We just completed our first year of packing lunches, and I learned so many things! Let me share the knowledge, so that you can go into your school year feeling like a seasoned pro.

First, lunchtime is finite. This is new to kindergarten kids if they have previously stayed home with mom. Up until now they have had as long as they need to finish eating. No more. Lunchtime is brief. Often even more so for kindergarten because they are so new to cleaning up the classroom and lining up to go to lunch, and that means it takes them longer to get ready. Which, in turn, means they are sometimes late to lunch. And they don't get extra time. For those of you with dawdlers, start practicing now. Set a timer. See how your slowpoke does. And don't forget to account for the friends factor. As in, my kiddo is sometimes so busy chatting with her friends that she forgets to eat. Or only takes a few bites. Ay-yi-yi!

Second, those handy little packaged fruit cups? Not so handy. They are wonderful in that you can send them to school several days in a row. Waiting for your child to have time to eat it. And it won't go bad while traveling back and forth all week. Of course, if it is traveling back and forth only because it is too hard for little fingers to open...well. My allergic kiddo was too shy to ask for help. At the end of the week I asked if maybe she didn't like the peaches and would like Mom to find another choice. No, she answered, she likes peaches. She just couldn't get them open. So, moms, please make sure your kiddo has the moxie to ask for help opening packaged snacks, or open them ahead of time and put them into a container that is easier to use.

Personally, I don't like packaged food. It is more expensive, and usually not in the right portion size for my little darling. What to do? When I am making dinner, or lunch, or whatever....I scoop out a portion before serving it. Really. I know the mandarin oranges are going to be inhaled. There won't be any left. There may be injuries suffered trying to decide who will eat the last one in the bowl. If I wait for leftovers, they may not come. So, get out your itty bitty container and put in a portion that is perfect for lunch tomorrow. Fruits, veggies, main dishes. Whatever. Save it, then serve it. And now you have at least part of tomorrow's lunch packed. Save money, save time.

Now for an unavoidable truth: school lunch tables are covered with unknown variables. The bus students may sit there in the morning. Breakfast may be served there. The cafeteria may double as an art room. Lunch might come in two shifts, with the kindergarten eating second shift. Who knows who was sitting there and what lovely residue they left behind. Sticky syrup, paste, peanut butter slime, maybe even a little 'I'll just wipe it here since I don't have a tissue.' Nice. You can pack a wipe so your kiddo can wipe the table first. We all know how thorough those kiddos can be. You can pack a placemat to unfold and eat on. You can teach your kiddo to eat over their lunchbox. Whatever fits your comfort level. Please establish, though, that food that touches the table should be treated as if it magically turns into brussel sprout pudding. That is to say don't eat it. Ever. Because you just never know.

One more thought for now: bring it all home. That's right. Even the trash. Those first few weeks your new student is learning the routine and how to use time wisely. You will be learning how much food actually goes into that body. If all of the trash, the half-eaten and the not-even-touched food comes home it helps the learning curve. What is the right portion size? How many types of food should you pack? What foods seem like a good idea but don't get eaten? Once you get a feel for what actually is consumed, certainly encourage your kiddo to find out where the trash can is. Because lunch boxes don't take long to get smelly.

Hope that helps a little bit. I'll try for a few more morsels of wisdom as the summer moves on. Stay tuned!

Cool Summer Treats!

The thermometer is creeping up and up. Every summer the craving for fresh fruit right out of the fridge hits me. Nothing is more refreshing. What says summer more clearly than a thick slice of cold watermelon?

Unless you're a kid. Then fruit is good. But popsicles and ice cream are better. C'mon now. It's a summer tradition bred into us through the generations.

How to balance the two so the kiddos get their frozen treat, but still get the healthy benefits of fruit? Frozen fruit. You knew that. And I just whipped up a batch of frozen fruity goodness from one of my kids' favorites: cantaloupe. They were drawn in by the promise of creamy frozen deliciousness in a bowl. And pleasantly surprised by how much it really tastes like fresh cantaloupe.

Pick your favorite melon and try it today. You won't regret it.

Simply Fruity Sorbet

2 c frozen melon
2 Tbsp oil (I used safflower)
1/4 c sugar, or to taste (we used a bit less)

Cube melon and place in baggie or freezable container. Freeze solid. Remove from freezer and place in food processor. Pour oil and sugar over frozen melon. Pulse until melon breaks into large chunks. Once uniform pieces are achieved, turn on processor and allow to blend for 1-2 minutes, until smooth and creamy looking. Enjoy immediately or put it back in the freezer for later. The oil keeps it from freezing solid, so it will still be ready to enjoy!

You could also puree this mixture with fresh melon, and then freeze for enjoyment. Either way, it is tasty. Use about one tablespoon of oil per cup of melon (or fruit), and adjust the sugar depending on the sweetness of the fruit you are using. Enjoy!

(OK, I admit, it got a little soft while posing for pictures. And I licked the bowl, because melted ice cream has no calories, right? A word of caution: the texture is kind of strange if you wait until it's soup to eat it. Frozen is recommended.)

Banana Bread

In my pre-allergy baking days, my banana bread was legendary. Really. It was often requested for gatherings, and I never had leftovers to take home. Family get togethers, work pot-lucks, teachers lounge treats, you name it. I have given out the recipe many many times. It is that good.

It is also totally not mine. It is from a cookbook that I inherited when I got married. 'Cincinnati Reds Home Plate Favorites'. From Buddy Bell we have Base-Hit Banana Nut Bread. And it scores every time I make it.

After our allergy diagnosis I adapted the recipe to be egg and dairy free, and we still enjoyed it. When we got rid of wheat I thought, naw. Too many adaptations, it couldn't possibly be good. I still make the original recipe to take out to different places. I trust that it is still good. It tastes funny to me now, having been off of such decadent baked goods for so long.

Anyway, after my daughter asked- again- why I always make banana bread for everyone else but not for us....I knew it was time. Time to stop searching for a good recipe and just try this one out. Adaptations and all.

And it worked! It was moist (what gluten free baked good isn't?), and flavorful, and gone by the end of the day. My kids had it for breakfast, and two snacks. Um, and me too. Baked goods are my weakness.

My husband? The ever picky baked goods critic? Not so much. He said the flavor is good, but it's still too gummy. So, feel free to tweak it. Let me know if you get a drier version. I'm OK letting him eat toast. He never has adapted to allergen free baked goods.

I'm good with that. More for me.


Beyond the Bases Banana Bread

1/2 c Earth Balance buttery spread- soy free version (or use Spectrum shortening)*
3/4 c packed organic brown sugar
3/4 c organic cane sugar
2 EnerG eggs, whisked until foamy with warm water
2 tsp bourbon vanilla
1 c mashed banana*
1/2 c sorghum flour
1/2 c millet flour
1/2 c brown rice flour
1/2 c tapioca starch
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp xanthan gum
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 c unsweetened coconut milk + 1/2 tsp white vinegar (for buttermilk)

Cream butter or shortening (or blend thereof) in mixer bowl. Add sugars gradually, beating until light and fluffy. Add EnerG eggs and vanilla and blend well. Fold in mashed bananas. Whisk together dry ingredients in separate bowl. Add alternately with coconut milk mixture, mixing well after each addition. Pour into greased bundt pan and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then remove to wire rack to finish cooling. Dust with powdered sugar (as you see above) or serve naked. Good both ways.

*Cook's notes:

• We have not had butter in the house until about a week ago when we found the soy free Earth Balance. My allergic kiddo doesn't like overwhelming butter flavor after being off it so long, so I used a combination of butter and Spectrum shortening. A little more than half butter.
• The banana is one of my secret ingredients. No slightly over ripe bananas here. The blacker the better. They should fall out of the peel when you open them up. Just shy of moldy. trust me, it gives a really intense flavor to your breads and muffins.
• If you can have nuts, toss in 1/2 tsp of almond flavoring in place of 1/2 tsp vanilla. It's the other secret ingredient in this recipe, but I always omit it since we are avoiding nuts. Makes a huge difference in the flavor though. While you're at it, throw in some pecans too! Yum.

Iced Green Tea Lemonade

After a day of working in the yard with the kiddos, we all needed something cold and refreshing to drink. I know that water is the best choice, and we drink our share. Sometimes though, you want something different, something with flavor. Not cloyingly sweet and syrupy, not sour. Light, cold, flavor that dances on your tongue. How 'bout good old fashioned iced tea? Something about summer just begs for iced tea. Sun tea, if you have time. No time today, we needed cold refreshment NOW!

Then I remembered that wonderful green tea lemonade I had at Starbucks a few weeks ago. That would be perfect. The crisp refreshment of lemonade and the light energy of green tea. Over a tall glass of ice. Perfect.

Iced Green Tea Lemonade

4 decaf green tea bags
2/3 c organic sugar (or to taste)
1 packet Kool aid lemonade
8 cups barely boiling water
3 cups crushed ice (or whole ice cubes)

Heat 8 cups of water until bubbles form along the bottom and sides of pan, but do not yet rise to the top. Just shy of boiling. Remove from heat and add 4 bags decaf green tea. Stir lightly to make sure tea bags are saturated. Allow to brew 4 minutes. Remove and discard tea bags. Add the lemonade mix and the sugar and stir to dissolve. Put 3 cups whole or crushed ice in a pitcher and pour hot tea mixture over ice. Add more ice if needed, you don't want to melt your pitcher. Serve over ice or chill and enjoy later.

All three of my kiddos downed two huge glasses. This may be our new summer indulgence.

Sausage Sweet Potato Burrito

I must have gotten in touch with my creative cooking muse. Inspired by weeks of rotating through the same basic foods, she came to free us from culinary complacency. Thank heavens!

Tonight I was staring into my cupboards, again, trying to figure out what to make for dinner. You know how that goes. Suddenly, images of Irish Cottage Pie flashed through my head. Wouldn't that be tasty? Except my kids were lukewarm on it, and I didn't have the time for that much effort.

Suddenly, it hit me. And I knew what to do. And it was fast. All very good things. (Dinner? Also very good. In fact, it would also make a great breakfast.)

I remembered a recipe for crafting your own sausage patties from the premiere issue of Cooking Light Magazine.* (Seeing as how we were out of actual sausage, this would be perfect, with modifications of course.) My six year old adores sausage. I had left over mashed sweet potatoes in the fridge. My 4 year old adores mashed sweet potatoes. And tortillas. I had those. Also a favorite of my 6 year old. The 2 year old? She'll eat anything that doesn't run.

If I combine them, surely they'll like them. Right?

Mommy liked them. A lot. The savory spice of the sausage seasonings combined with a touch of sweetness from the sweet potatoes wrapped in a crispy tortilla shell made a perfect combination for me. The kids? The oldest devoured hers. The middle one peeled off the tortilla and ate the filling. The youngest? She went to town on the broccoli.

Oh well, you can't win them all.


Sausage Sweet Potato Burrito

1 medium tart apple, peeled and shredded
2 Tbsp grated onion
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp rubbed sage
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp allspice
1 pound ground turkey
1 c mashed sweet potatoes*
tortillas

In a bowl combine all ingredients except the sweet potatoes. Mix well. Add to large skillet and brown ground turkey mixture. When cooked through, add mashed sweet potatoes and heat through. Heat separate skillet on medium heat. Toss a tortilla on just long enough to warm it slightly, they are more pliable that way. Spoon filling into center of tortilla, fold in ends and wrap to form a burrito. You decide how full to make your burrito. Place on skillet (no oil, just a naked but warm skillet) and brown. Remove from heat and repeat with another tortilla. You can brown as many as will fit on your skillet. The crispy outside that is achieved this way really adds to the appeal of the dish. This should comfortably fill 8-10 tortillas.

*Cook's notes:

• This is not an endorsement of the magazine. I had a subscription many years ago. It was good. It was pre-allergy living. I have no idea how many recipes would convert. I just figured, if I'm going to use their recipe, I should give them credit.
• I was lucky enough to have leftover mashed sweet poatoes in the fridge. They were made with coconut milk and brown sugar. You make them the way your family likes them. Or get crazy and just toss in some cooked cubed sweet potatoes. But I kinda liked the way the mashed ones helped hold it all together.