spelt scones with baked stone fruit /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

these stone fruits were some of the last i had in my kitchen.  and while i could have easily eaten them as is, i decided to bake them up, and toss them into some simple scones.  stone fruits this summer, especially peaches, did not disappoint.  while i was out east on long island for our wedding, my family and i were fortunate enough to stay in a rental house that sat between a beautiful creek and a peach orchard (!) for the entire week my mom and i would jog through the path that lead through the peach orchard, past a growing corn field, up to what was called a "button tree", down a path lined with plum trees, nectarine trees and wildflowers.  on our way back we would point out the beautiful peaches, and help each other from not picking the superb fruit before us.  every other day or so, we would drive down the street to the farm stand, and buy our peaches that we had longed for that morning.  i'm never ready to say "see you next year" to such delicious fruit, but i've been lucky enough to have had so much this summer.

i really wanted the fruit to be super present in these scones so i cut them in rather large chunks, and paired them with a scone recipe that lets them shine.  i've had my fair share of baking-with-fruit experiences where the batter surrounding the fruit never cooks, and i was left with gooey, uncooked sections, so i pre-baked the fruit to let some of their juices out..  although this recipe is vegan, it is not gluten free.  i have been experimenting with spelt flour, as i know it's more nutritious than many other grain flours.  flours with gluten have a very limited presence in my diet, as their glycemic index is can be high.  therefore, i frequently bake with grain flours/meals such as almond flour, buckwheat, and oat flour as their glycemic index is way lower than that of grain flours. however, i look forward to mixing in spelt whenever i can with my grain free flours.  

the original scone recipe called for a mix of unbleached flour and spelt; i used 100% whole grain spelt flour here.  feel free to substitute any grain flours, i would think substituting half the spelt with rye flour would taste pretty rad here.  (i'm not sure how grain free flours and meals would work.  i'm still working on the perfect grain free scone, definitely haven't found it yet!) i also substituted butter and heavy cream, with coconut oil and coconut cream, and both lent a sweet subtle scent.  these scones are delicious in their right; hearty but light, nutty but also slightly sweet, all with a delightful crumb.  

spelt scones with baked stone  

| makes 8 large or 16 small scones | 

| vegan | 

adapted from Kim Boyce's Good to the Grain and also inspired from  here  and  here 

ingredients

for the scones

  • 2 1/4 cups whole spelt flour
  • 2 tablespoons raw turbinado sugar or coconut palm sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil, solid
  • 1 cup chilled, unsweetened coconut cream (i like Native Forest Organic)

for the fruit

  • 1 cup mixed stone fruits (roughly 1/2 pound)
  • 1 teaspoon coconut oil, melted 
  • 2 teaspoons raw turbinado sugar (alternatively, you can use any sugar, agave nectar, maple syrup, or honey) 

instructions

preheat oven to 350°.  line a small rimmed baking sheet with parchment

make the baked fruit

  • slice and remove the stones from your fruit.  cut all fruit the same size and place in a medium sized bowl (i cut mine into about 1 inch cubes).  pour melted oil over fruit, and toss in the sugar.  gently, toss the fruit so that each piece is coated with oil and sugar
  • place in the middle of your oven and bake for 15 minutes - you want your fruit tender, but not mushy.  (this also depends on the ripeness of your fruit pre-bake.  if they are very ripe check after 10 minutes, if less ripe you may need to bake longer than 15 minutes.  you know they're finished when a sharp knife is inserted easily to the fruit.)
  • remove from the oven and let cool completely

make the scones

turn the oven temperature up to 400°  and line a baking sheet with parchment paper

  • place flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times to mix.  (if using a liquid sweetener do not add yet.) next, add the hardened coconut oil and pulse until the mixture resembles fine cornmeal
  • turn out scone mixture into a large bowl and add the cooled fruit.  use a spatula to gently mix.  add the coconut cream a half cup at a time until the dough comes together 
  • place your parchment lined baking sheet on a work surface.  dust the parchment with some flour, and turn dough out onto the sheet.  using your hands, shape the the dough into a 1" inch thick, 9" circular disk.  using a sharp knife, cut in quarters and then in quarters again until you have 8 pieces
  • sprinkle tops of scones with a hint of sugar (optional)
  • bake in the middle of your oven for 17-20 minutes, rotating halfway through.  you know they are finished baking when the tops and bottoms are golden brown

enjoy! 

 

hummus + pesto veggie wraps, + parting with summer /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

the last few weeks of summer seem to be slowing encroaching in.  and while it's not over yet, i am already missing summer's colorful produce and its sweet smelling berries at the farmers' market.  i know i'm totally jumping the gun, and that we have many more days of vibrant fresh greens, and bounties of plums and apples, but to think that these beautiful summer days and beach weekends are numbered makes me a little sad.  on the other hand, i'm super excited at the thought of cool fall days, my mind perks up about apple picking, the start of a looong squash season (!), scarves, and snuggling up to my mister on the couch. nature is full of many beauties, and some exciting surprises in the fall season.  it's just letting go of summer is what's difficult; of its warmth, sunshine, its edible gifts, and the way that it never lets you down.

most summer weekends are reserved for at least one day at the beach.  me and the husband have our little routine of making our lunch, packing our beach bag with the paper or a book, and a big towel to share.  we usually head out first thing in the morning after grabbing iced coffee to go, and then we're on our way.  our usual spot at the end of the beach will be all ready for us, and sometimes, if we're lucky, it's low-tide and we get to walk out onto the sand-bar.  it's usually a perfectly simple day, just me and my love, with sunshine on our faces, wind blowing, and the sound of the tides coming in and out.  these are the days i live for.   

i made the wraps here with these last few beach weekends in mind.  they're simple to make ahead, wrap up, and throw in a container.  they're vegan/dairy free, so even if you don't have a cooler they will stay nice and fresh.  if you want, cut the time in half and buy your favorite hummus and pesto. if not, i provide a recipe for both below.  the pesto recipe was inspired by this beautiful blog post, and my new affinity for cilantro since returning from Costa RIca.  i hope you all are enjoying these last few weeks of the summer season! 

hummus + pesto veggie wraps 

| gluten free + vegan | 

| makes 6 wraps | 

ingredients

  • 6 large brown rice tortillas (or tortillas of your choice)
  • 1 bunch swiss chard, de-stemmed and chopped (about 4-5 leaves)
  • 1 large cucumber, julienned 
  • 1 small red onion, sliced
  • 1 ripe mango, thinly sliced
  • 8 ounces roasted garlic hummus 
  • 1/4 cup sunflower cilantro pesto (recipe below)

| sunflower cilantro pesto |

  • 1/2 cup cilantro, packed (1 bunch)
  • 1 garlic clove, chopped
  • 1/4 olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sunflower seeds
  • salt to taste ~1/8 teaspoon
  • cayenne pepper to taste (optional) 

instructions

make the pesto

  • in a small food processor, combine cilantro, chopped garlic, olive oil, lime juice, toasted sunflower seeds, salt, and cayenne.  blend, scraping down the sides.  transfer to an airtight container and place in the refrigerator until ready to use (i like making my pesto the day before, or early in the day to let the flavors really come together.)

assemble the wraps

  • one at a time, warm the tortillas between a damp cloth, or 2 damp paper towels, in the microwave for a few seconds (this helps the tortillas not break when rolling them.)
  • place the tortilla on a clean work surface.  using a spoon or small spatula, add the hummus - i used about 2 tablespoons worth.  then, add about 2 teaspoons of pesto - use more or less depending on your preference
  • next, add the mango strips and chopped chard.  top with cucumber and red onion
  • fold the bottom and top of the tortilla in towards the filling, then fold the sides in.  tightly roll one side to the other.  with the folded side down, use a sharp knife to cut in half.  repeat with remaining tortillas

grab a napkin, chow down, and enjoy! 

toasted oat + baby zucchini muffins /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

while these may not look the prettiest, they pack a tasty punch of flavor.  the baked goods i make often incorporate some combination of almond flour, oat flour, and coconut oil.  and while i'm not totally disappointed by the results, they usually end up having the same texture and density.  this is where arrowroot powder/starch comes into play.  as i have come to find out, arrowroot powder, an alternative to corn starch, is usually used as a thickener for puddings or soups.  however, it can be used for baking as well.  and after doing quite a bit of research i took to experimenting with this odorless, white, starchy powder.  the first time i baked with it, i used too much and was left with a gummy gooey muffin.  i kept adjusting and readjusting the ratio of dry to wet ingredients until i was happy with both the consistency and crumb.  arrowroot powder is a finicky ingredient, it absorbs more liquid than other starches, but if met with too much liquid, it will never bake off and you will be left with something too heavy.  another thing i came across while researching was that arrowroot powder has a longer bake time, as it allows the some of the starch to dry out.  do you have any experience baking with arrowroot powder?  i would love to hear any feedback you may have :)

toasted oat + baby zucchini muffins

| makes 12 minis | 

ingredients

| dry | 

  • 1 cup almond flour (Honeyville brand)
  • 3/4 cup gluten free rolled oats, toasted
  • 1/4 cup arrowroot powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/3 cup coconut palm sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

| wet | 

  • 2 tablespoons ground flax + 6 tablespoons water (or 2 eggs)
  • 1/2 cup grated zucchini (1 medium zucchini)
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil, softened

| streusel |  - optional

  • 1/4 cup oat flour (any flour just about works here)
  • 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
  • 2 tablespoons coconut palm sugar
  • pinch of fine grain sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons virgin coconut oil, hard

 

instructions

preheat the oven to 375°

oil a mini muffin pan, or use paper liners

 

| make the streusel |

  • in a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, ginger, and seeds.  with a fork, combine the coconut oil until the mix is crumbly.  let it harden in the refrigerator while you prepare the muffin batter

| make the batter |

 

  • spread rolled oats on a baking sheet, bake for 5-7 minutes, until they are fragrant and browned in spots.  remove from oven and let cool
  • prepare your flax eggs; combine the ground flax with 6 tablespoons of water.  let the mixture sit until it is absorbed - about 10 minutes.  *if using eggs, skip this step
  • in a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients with a whisk, making sure to break up any lumps - set aside
  • in a medium bowl, combine your flax eggs with the shredded zucchini, vanilla extract, and coconut oil.  using a spoon or spatula, combine the wet ingredients into the dry.  mix until combined - the batter will be quite thick, that's ok
  • remove the streusel from the refrigerator.  divide the batter into the muffin pan, filling it up to the top.  using your hands or a fork, break up the streusel and sprinkle on each muffin.  (if you have leftovers, they can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer.)
  • bake in the oven for 35-37 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.  let them cool a bit.  serve and enjoy!