Autumn Slaw with Fennel, Apple, & Cider Dressing

Happy Friday, everyone!

I'm short on words today: my in-laws are en route for a short visit, I have a cook-off in Houston tomorrow, this weekend is Kevin's birthday, and I am behind in my work. It's the perfect equation for writer's block. And grumpiness. And panic. It's particularly frustrating, as I do have a recipe I'm excited to share. I was tempted to quip little more than "here it is; back to vacuuming," but the star of the recipe--cabbage--deserves better.

In fact, that's the point of this recipe: give cabbage its due. The sweet, crunchy, cruciferous vegetable endures all manner of injustices, ranging from overcooking to the point of stinky slime, to near-death by drowning in slaws. BBQ joints in my adopted state of Texas are notably guilty of the latter malfeasance. At the risk of being tarred, feathered, and run out of town, I contend such slaws are more appropriately named slops.

So here's a slaw worthy of it's gorgeous star. Quick, easy, gorgeous, and loaded with (my) favorite fall flavors: fennel, cranberries, apple, and more apple in the form of an easy cider dressing. Oh, and, ahem, bacon and blue cheese. You can leave these out (why?) and it's still very delicious. It's a perfect side dish to, well...just about everything, in my humble opinion (a certain husband might argue for more restraint). Narrowing the field, it's particularly good with pork or grilled tofu, or in a solo heap for lunch the next day, thank you very much.

The dust bunnies beckon. Cheerio!

Autumn Slaw with Fennel, Apple, and Cider Dressing

This is easily, and deliciously vegan-ized: simply leave out the bacon and blue cheese. There are plenty of bold flavors, so you won't be missing out :)

Makes 6-8 servings

Dressing:
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp apple cider or apple juice
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp salt
black pepper to taste

Slaw:
4 green onions, chopped
1 medium fennel bub, trimmed, thinly sliced (reserve fennel fronds)
1 medium Granny Smith apple, cored, thinly sliced or julienned
6 cups shredded red/purple cabbage
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/4 cup cooked bacon pieces
2-3 tbsp chopped reserved fennel fronds

Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar, olive oil, apple juice, mustard, salt, and pepper to taste.

Slaw: In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, fennel, apple and cranberries. Add the dressing, tossing to coat. If serving right away, stir in the blue cheese, bacon, and fennel fronds. Otherwise, chill for 1-2 hours and add the cheese bacon and fronds just before serving.

Vegan Option: leave out the blue cheese and bacon. If desired, add 1/3 cup chopped toasted pecans, almonds, or walnuts.

Chocolate Black Bean Power Bars (No-Bake, Vegan, & Easy--Allergy Free Option)

Meet your new favorite homemade chocolate power bars! Here's why you will want to make these:

*Chocolate! (real cocoa powder and (optional) bittersweet chocolate!)
*Cheap!
*Yummy!
*Good amount of protein (hard to accomplish in homemade bars without adding fake-o powders)
*No added sugar
*No nuts or soy
*Extremely fast to make
*Extremely easy to make
*Vegan
*Super-Nutritious (omega-3 fatty acids, high in antioxidants, high fiber, good source of protein)
*Allergy-free/Gluten-free option!

Do I have your attention?

It's no secret that I like to dabble in the making of homemade protein and energy bars. Given that I workout like a maniac and am always hungry makes power bars an indispensable part of my daily diet. Additionally, my weight-lifting, English professing husband likes to eat them post-workout or pre-class, and Nick-Nack thinks Lara Bars are almost as good as candy. But the high cost and/or whack-o ingredients of so many ready-made bars makes me crazy.

I've tackled homemade versions of Lara Bars and Clif Bars with success, but protein bars are tricky. How to get a decent amount of protein without the high cost and artificial of flavored protein powders?

The answer was in my pantry: Black Beans. I know, I know, you've likely seen one of the many black bean brownie recipes floating around the web. You may have tried them. The experience was likely followed by disappointment, nausea, and a walk to the garbage disposal. I've made one or two edible versions, but they were not worth making again: they looked great, but tasted dreadful. The texture is particularly off, and I think the problem is the baking of the beans, which yields a leaden consistency reminiscent of modeling clay.

With that in mind, the solution presented itself: nix the baking. My favorite homemade energy bars are Lara bars, which are simply molded from fruits and nuts. Why not do the same with the black bean mixture. I grabbed the food processor and beans and set to work.

Unsweetened cocoa powder was a must; in went 1/2 cup Next up sweetness: I considered honey or agave, but went instead with some very ripe banana, raisins (any dried fruit will work), and stevia-based sweetener (e.g. PureVia or Truvia). The banana also adds moisture to the recipe.

To give the bars texture, I turned to two of my favorite "fillers": ground flaxseeds and toasted wheat germ. Each adds some protein as well as fiber and toasty flavor. I opted against nuts, since they are pricey, and also to make these bars accessible to those with nut allergies (such as my sister). If you anted to add more protein and texture, though, you could knead in some chopped ones to the finished "dough".

Finally, added flavor: a hefty dose of vanilla and an optional topping of bittersweet chocolate. You can certainly skip the chocolate, but it's only a teeny tiny bit and it elevates the bars from very, very good to great in one fell swoop.



Making a gluten-free version of the bars was simple: I used finely ground gluten-free oats in place of the wheat germ. By replacing the wheat germ with oats, these bars become allergy free. Whoo-hoo! Bob's Red Mill makes gluten -free oats (these are the easiest to find in stores and via mail-order).

Simply grind about 1/2 cup whole GF oats in the food processor before you add the other ingredients. Second, check on the label to make sure your vanilla is GF (McCormick's Vanilla, for example, is easy to find and gluten free--labeled so on all of their packaging). Finally, if adding the chocolate, use GF chocolate chips. Enjoy Life makes some very tasty chips, but also check the packaging of other brands: More and more brands are labeling their products to indicate that they are gluten-free, so check the packaging.

A few notes about the ingredients:
(1) Unseasoned Black Beans: by "unseasoned" beans, I simply mean avoid beans seasoned with chili powder, jalapenos, etc. I don't mean salt-free. You'll rinse away most of the salt when you rinse the beans, and the little bit of salt is need to bring out the flavor of the chocolate

(2) Wheat Germ: You can use raw wheat germ, but I would toast it in the oven for a few minutes. The toasted flavor adds a lot to the bars

(3) Ground Flaxseeds: If you are new to flaxseeds, you can easily find the pre-ground ones in most grocery stores these days, so no need to grind them yourself!

(4) Banana: The riper your banana, the sweeter it will be, so save those almost black ones for these bars! (see my note in recipe below about using pumpkin in place of banana)

(5) Vegan Chocolate Chips: if you are interested in keeping these completely vegan, double check the ingredients list of your chips: most bittersweet (not semisweet) chocolate chips are dairy free, or you can also find vegan chocolate chips (e.g., Sunspire) in the health food section of the supermarket

(6) Stevia-Based Sweetener: I don't like the taste of pure stevia; I prefer the stevia-xylitol blends, such as Truvia (i know, they sound artificial, but they are not). But if you like pure stevia, you can certainly use it here.

Chocolate Black Bean Power Bars (No-Bake)

Nutrition: Using Nutrition Data calculator, 1/8th of the recipe (1 bar) has 161 calories, 8.5 grams protein, 8.3 grams fiber, an 6.8 grams of sugar.

1 15-oz can unseasoned black beans, drained and rinsed
2/3 cup mashed, very ripe banana (about 1 medium) (see note below about using pumpkin--even better!)
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
1/3 cup (packed) raisins
2 tsp vanilla extract
9 packets stevia-blend powder packets (e.g. TruVia or PureVia)
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ (e.g., Kretschmer brand) (see my Gluten-Free Option below!)
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
Optional: 2 tbsp bittersweet chocolate chips

Process the beans, banana, cocoa powder, raisins, vanilla, and stevia in a food processor until very smooth. Add the wheat germ and flaxseed. Pulse until mixture is well-blended and comes together to form a dough. Transfer mixture to a cutting board. Shape into a log and cut into 8 equal pieces.

Variation: Pumpkin Dried Cranberry
Ok, this is an update (adding a day after my original post). I was suddenly inspired to try one of my very favorite ingredients, pumpkin, in place of the banana in the recipe. I also used dried cranberries in place of the raisins. This is now my favorite version! You'll love it, it's even better than the original, the pumpkin is perfect.

Variation: Gluten-Free/ Allergy-Free Chocolate Black Bean Power Bars
Prepare recipe as directed, but replace the wheat germ with 1/2 cup finely ground oats. To make the oats, grind about 1/2 cup GF rolled oats in the food processor before adding the other ingredients. Use gluten-free vanilla and gluten-free chocolate chips.

Storage: Individually wrap bars in wax paper, then place in zipper top plastic bag. Store in refrigerator 3 days, or ffreeze up to 1 month (I prefer the freezer; they defrost in about 30 minutes t room temperature).

Make Power Truffles: Prepare as directed. Cut one (or more) bar into 8 equal pieces; rollinto balls. Leave plan or dollop with a bit of melted chocolate.

Optional Chocolate Topping:
If desired, place the chocolate chips in a sandwich size plastic bag (do not seal). Microwave on HIGH 1-2 minutes, stopping to squeeze occasionally, until melted. Push melted chocolate towards one corner of bag. Snip off small tip at the corner and pipe chocolate over bars. Chill about 15 minutes to set chocolate. Wrap in plastic wrap and store in a sealed plastic storage bag. Makes 8 bars.

Goat Cheese-Stuffed Dates (1 minute, 2-ingredient dessert perfection--vegan option)

I'm mad for cheesecake. Mad. I catered cheesecakes for several years back in my twenties. It was merely a ruse to sample a lot of cheesecakes.

But cheesecake fiends need to consider their physical health as much as their mental health, which is why I am thrilled to share my modern take on the perfect cheesecake dessert: goat-cheese stuffed dates. Two ingredients. No added sugar. 1 minute of prep. Bliss.

You have no excuse not to make these at once. Here's what you need:

*1 handful soft Medjool dates
*1 log mild, creamy goat cheese

Check and check.

Once home, remove three or four dates from the bag or package. Gently push out the pit (if not pitted) and open the date like a book. Now, open the goat cheese and spoon a heaping mound of goat cheese (a tablespoon-ish, depending on the size of the date and/or your love of goat cheese)
into the open date. To finish, press the date closed, allowing the goat cheese to peak through.

Now, I know my friend Chrissy, and other vegan friends, are reading this and thinking, "Hey, vegans like cheesecake, too!" I feel your pain.. And so they shall have their cheesecake and eat it too: stuff the dates with non-dairy cream cheese (e.g., Tofutti Better than Cream Cheese).

Admire your work, then eat. Resist the buckling of your knees. Repeat. Did I mention these are good for you, too? Repeat again.

Recipe: Bowl of Oatmeal Muffins

More than a month ago, I mentioned my forthcoming book, 750 Best Muffin Recipes. It was due to come out at the end of August, but there was a mishap with a printer, and the date has been pushed back, and back, and back.

But at long last, it really is coming this Friday. Really and truly. All of the hard work is a distant blur of sleep deprivation and hair pulling...but also delectable muffin-making. It will be sweet relief to hold the book in my hands this Friday.

In the meantime, I'm holding one of my bowl-of-oatmeal muffins. It's from my breakfast muffins chapter, but oatmeal is too good to save for breakfast alone. Which explains (at least, in part) why I'm nibbling one at 9 o'clock at night as I type with my free hand. In case it needs mentioning, even persnickety eaters think they are tops. You may want to leave out the raisins for anti-raisineers (or capricious diners in your circle of friends and family--I'm not naming names).

Here's to fruition. And muffins. And oatmeal.

Bowl of Oatmeal Muffins

I love a warm bowl of oatmeal (preferably with ample amounts of brown sugar), but when I’m on the run, I like to have a batch of these muffins ready for packing into my bag. They require minimal mixing and cleanup, call for ingredients usually stocked in my pantry and are tasty yet healthful.

Makes 12 muffins

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C)
12-cup muffin tin, lined with paper liners

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour (or white whole wheat flour)
3/4 cup large-flake (old-fashioned) rolled oats (e.g., Quaker Oats)
1 cup packed dark brown sugar, divided
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2/3 cup raisins (or any dried fruit you like--I actually used dried cranberries and snipped prunes this time)
2 eggs
1 cup plain yogurt
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, oats, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup (175 mL) of the brown sugar, eggs, yogurt, milk and oil until well blended.
3. Add the yogurt mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just blended. Gently fold in raisins.
4. Divide batter equally among prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle with the remaining brown sugar.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in tin on a wire rack for 3 minutes, then transfer to the rack to cool.

Tip
• Use any variety of dried fruit here, in place of the raisins. Dried cherries and dried blueberries are two of my favorites.

© Camilla Saulsbury, 750 Best Muffin Recipes. All Rights Reserved.

O & Co Giveaway--Winner!

Hi all!

I used random.org to generate a winner and it's....Helena!

Helena, send me an email with your name and address so I can have O & Co send you your great prize.

More giveaways coming this month, everyone :)

Traditional Pumpkin Whoopies & Vegan Pumpkin Whoopies

Happy Monday, everyone! I can hardly believe it's already day four of October, but I am savoring the changing leaves, cooler weather, and Nick's growing (and gleeful) anticipation of Halloween. His choice of costume keeps changing, but "scary dragon" is the choice du jour. However, when I told him, "No, we cannot make the costume breathe fire," he sighed and declared that he might have to be a rainbow instead.

I've spent most of the day editing, editing, editing, which was a happy state of mind and work today. I alluded to an upcoming book project a few posts back, and, because I'm terrible at keeping secrets, I can think of no reason to hold back on the subject.

It's a cake book. An easy cake book filled with delectable, easy-to-make, from-scratch (no mixes) cakes. Specifically, One Bowl Cakes. All of the recipes can be made with ease in ONE bowl, including pound cakes, single-layer cakes and loaves, Bundt cakes, layer cakes, and 9x13 sheet cakes. I'm really excited, but honestly, I'm getting tired of eating cake. I know, boo-hoo.I wish I could give each of you some cake. Seriously. In fact, if you are reading this in Nacogdoches, call me: I have cake for you.

So what is a husband to think when, in light a plethora of assorted cakes in the freezer, he comes home to find his wife making cookies? Not just cookies, mind you, but soft, CAKE-like cookies. I cannot tell you, as he said nothing, grabbed the New Yorker, and wandered off to read in the back yard. He's pretty great.

The cookies in question are pumpkin whoopies. Nick loved these last year and asked if we (he) could have them again. Yes and yes, doodle.

Besides, I wanted to test my vegan adaptation this time around, using flax eggs (fleggs) in place of the eggs and Tofutti Better than Cream Cheese in the filling. Let's face it, everyone should have access to pumpkin whoopies. The fleggs and tofutti worked beautifully; I could not tell the difference at all, they were every bit as scrumptious as my traditional version.

As you gobble these up, pat yourself on the back, as they are loaded with superfoods (pumpkin, whole grains, eggs or flax...alas, cream cheese filling does not qualify). Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Whoopies--Traditional or Vegan

3 cups white whole wheat flour (or 1-1/2 cups a-p flour + 1-1/2 cups regular whole wheat flour)
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 15-oz can solid pack pumpkin puree
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract

Filling:
2 8-oz packages 1/3-less fat cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners sugar
1 tbsp maple syrup or honey
Optional: 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly spray 2 cookie sheets with cooking spray, or line with parchment.

2. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. In a medium bowl, whisk the brown sugar, oil, pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla until blended. Add the pumpkin mixture to the flour mixture, stirring until just blended and smooth.

3. Drop dough by heaping teaspoons ( a small cookie scoop works perfectly) onto the prepared cookie sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until just set. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

4. Filling: In a medium bowl, blend the cream cheese, confectioner's sugar, maple syrup (and optional cinnamon) with an electric mixer on medium speed until blended and smooth.

5. Let cookies cool, then make sandwiches from two cookies filled with the filling.


Vegan Whole Wheat Pumpkin Whoopies

Prepare as directed, but
(1) Use flax eggs (see below) in place of the 2 eggs

(2) Use 2 8-oz tubs non-dairy cream cheese (such as Tofutti better than cream cheese) in place of the cream cheese

(3) Use maple syrup or agave nectar in the filling.

Flax Eggs: In blender, process 3 tbsp ground flax seeds (flaxseed meal) and 1/2 cup water for 1 minute or until thickened and frothy.

Black Bean Chili-Topped Sweet Potatoes (vegan option)

I have come to the conclusion that everyone wants easy recipes for dinner. Come six o'clock on a Tuesday night, even those who proclaim steadfast allegiance to the slow food movement long for a delicious meal made with 4 to 6 familiar ingredients (give or take), even fewer steps (ideally while doing something else at the same time), and minimal fuss and muss. If it's nutritious to boot, it's the modern home cook's golden fleece.

Since my singlehood days in graduate school, I have come up with some reliable standbys that fit the above requirements, all of which are delectable and have (since) been extensively husband-tested.

For example, my black bean chili-topped sweet potatoes. They are grand for lunch, fabulous for dinner, and a hit with meat & potato-people, vegan folks and friends, and everyone in between. The whole shebang is ridiculously easy to make, and very good for you, too. My 3-ingredient chili topping is baffling: how can anything so easy taste so good? The key is to use a good quality salsa, but honestly, even as I type that, I know it isn't true: I've made it with many a jar of cheap-o salsa and it still rocks.But if you can swing a good chipotle salsa, do.

I suggest the simplest of toppings-- a dollop of Greek yogurt (or non-dairy sour cream, to make it vegan) and some cilantro at its most minimal, but consider this an opportunity to use up stray herbs (chives, oregano, arugula) and crumbles of cheeses (e.g., goat cheese--holy cow! or more aptly, holy goat!--and smoked Gouda are equally palate-dazzling).

Make it and love it! I gobbled it up for lunch today--and what a gorgeous day it has been-- and will sleep better tonight knowing that my Monday lunch will be the same.




Black Bean Chili-Topped Sweet Potatoes

Makes 2 hearty, main-dish servings

2 medium sweet potatoes
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
1-1/2 cups good quality, chunky bottled salsa (preferably chipotle)
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt (or dairy-free sour cream, if vegan)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Optional: Additional toppings, e.g., crumbled cheese (queso fresco or goat cheese), fresh herbs

Prick sweet potatoes with a fork in several places.., Place in a baking dish and bake at 425F about 1 hour.) (Alternatively , microwave on High until tender all the way to the center, 12 to 15 minutes

Meanwhile, combine salsa, cumin & beans in a saucepan over medium heat (or medium microwave-safe bowl; microwave on High until just heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.

Cool potatoes 5 minutes, then slit each lengthwise, pressing open, then spoon the chili into the center of each. Top each with a dollop of the yogurt (or non-dairy sour cream) , a sprinkle of cilantro, and (optional) other toppings.

Fregola with Sauteed Cherry Tomatoes & Basil...& Grilled Porterhouse

It's been a hectic Friday, one that began at 2 am when Nick screamed "MOMMY!!!"

It was indeed an emergency: Ducky (the lovey of his life) was lost. Or more precisely, on the floor. A few more hours of fitful sleep (me, not Nick), then it was off to teach step class at 6am, and a full morning and early afternoon of filming cooking videos for GalTime. Nick and I whopped it up at the park for the rest of the afternoon, and by 6:30 pm, I was utterly pooped. I could think of few things more comforting than a glass of wine and big bowl of pasta.

"Let's have steak," Kevin announced.

Curses!

But it all worked out.

I appreciate Kevin for so many things, including broadening my eating habits. When we met in graduate school, my mealtimes were more sporadic, and I did not eat anywhere near enough protein (except excessive amounts of peanut butter). This was mostly due to the expense of meat (and my meager funds), but also because I am, apparently, part rabbit. Vegetables, fruits, salads, yogurt, and pasta are my default comfort foods (ok, sweets, too), whereas Kevin is a meat-first man. He firmly believes that steak, for instance, is brain food, and that anyone denied an occasional Friday-night steak is surely suffering from some gross form of neglect.

And now, after a few years of mealtime tug-of-war, that's ok with me. I've come to appreciate the occasional grilled steak, and Kevin is not so much conceding to vegetables and pasta as he is savoring them. So it was both grilled porterhouse and fregola with tomatoes and basil for dinner. And it was exactly what we both wanted and needed. Here's to happy marriages of all kinds.

Fregola with Sauteed Cherry Tomatoes & Basil

Fregola sarda is a small, bead-like pasta made from semolina; sometimes it’s called Italian or Sardinian couscous. If you live in a more urban area than mine, you may be able to find it in your supermarket. Central Market in Texas carries it, as does Whole Foods. I’ve also ordered it from my second favorite grocer, Amazon. If you cannot find it, you can substitute any small pasta or Israeli couscous, which is quite similar.

1 cup fregola sarda (or Israeli Couscous, Orzo, or other small pasta)
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the fregola until al dente, 10 minutes. Drain.

2. While pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tomatoes and garlic. Cook and stir 5-6 minutes until tomatoes burst and begin to break down. Add the drained fregola, basil, lemon juice, and cheese., tossing to combine. Makes 4 to 6 servings.