The Rogue Baker

Pumpkin Butter

I admit that the photo for this recipe doesn’t readily scream, “Make this right now!” Perhaps the numerous pumpkin-related posts left me uninspired when it came time to snap the image. But I digress. This is a simple butter to throw together and would put any leftover canned pumpkin to good use after the Thanksgiving holiday.

PUMPKIN BUTTER 12, 2-tablespoon servings

INGREDIENTS

1 can pumpkin purée (15oz)

3 T coconut sugar

2 T maple syrup

1 T unfiltered apple cider vinegar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp sea salt

DIRECTIONS

In a medium sauce pan, stir together all the ingredients except the lemon juice, ensuring everything is incorporated. Set the heat to medium, and stir occasionally.

Once the pumpkin butter begins to sputter, put a lid on the sauce pan, turn the heat to low, and cook for about 30 minutes or so. Continue to stir occasionally. The butter will turn darker and become thicker the longer it cooks.

When you achieve a thicker, spreadable consistency, remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice.

Store the pumpkin butter in an airtight container or glass jar in the fridge for up to two weeks, otherwise feel free to store in the freezer for longer.

GO ROGUE

If you want more sweetness, swap out the apple cider vinegar for a larger amount of unsweetened apple juice, starting with a couple of tablespoons at a time. If you choose this substitution, you’ll need to cook the mixture for a bit longer to concentrate the flavors and to thicken up the butter.

I don’t have many recommendations for changing up this recipe, but I will say don’t restrict yourself to using this simply as a spread on toast. I plopped a couple of tablespoons into hot water, added some gelatin, then took an immersion blender to the mix, resulting in a frothy pumpkin latte to start my morning.

Another way to utilize this butter is to mix it in with a bunch of seeds, nuts, and coconut before popping into the oven to make homemade granola.

Oh, yeah. Freshly roasted pumpkin would probably be a marvelous substitution for the canned pumpkin. Just sayin'. As I've said many times before.

NUTRITIONAL INFO

Fermented Curry Sunchokes

We were set to embark upon a short trip, which translates in our household to Operation: Eat Everything Perishable. These sunchokes were the last thing in our fridge that didn’t make the menu before we left for our road trip. So what’s a neo-homesteader to do? Perhaps channel the olden days when refrigeration was nonexistent—use fermentation as a form of preservation.

Admittedly, I had an ulterior motive to lactofermenting these veggies. The week prior we had steamed a batch of sunchokes in our Instant Pot, which we’ve done before many times. They’re quite delicious this way, with nothing but a bit of salt and pepper to season. That particular time, however, and pardon the candor here, my husband and I had the worst case of flatulence. (I can’t recall if we had similar experiences in the past and just ignored it or what.) Our emissions rivaled that of our 11-year-old Boxer, and that speaks volumes.

This incident certainly won’t prevent me from eating these tasty prebiotic tubers again, but it did lead me to discover that sunchokes, also known as Jerusalem artichokes, are often referred to as “fartichokes”. This rabbit hole then led me to a recipe that allegedly cuts down on the gas factor, and my version is an adaptation.

FERMENTED CURRY SUNCHOKES

INGREDIENTS

12oz sunchokes, cut into 1/2- to 1-inch pieces

1 1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp cumin seeds

3–5 garlic cloves, minced

Couple cracks of black pepper

Brine = 2 cups filtered water : 2 tsp sea salt

DIRECTIONS

Combine the sea salt and filtered water, and stir to allow salt to dissolve. Set aside.

Add the ginger, turmeric, cumin seeds, garlic, and black pepper to a wide-mouth quart-size jar.

Briefly rinse your sunchokes, and add to the jar. I left my sunchokes unpeeled. You can read my previous note on how (not) carefully I wash my produce here in the “Notes From the Baker” section.

Pour the salt water into the jar, and take a chopstick or knife to stir all the contents together. The spices will probably settle to the bottom anyway. The brine should completely cover the sunchokes. It is critical that the veggies remain submerged below the liquid.

Set the lid loosely on top of the jar, but don’t seal it. You can also secure a coffee filter with a rubber band on the mouth of the jar. The goal here is simply to keep pests away.

Let the jar sit undisturbed at room temperature. Fermentation has begun when bubbles rise to the top of the jar and the water becomes cloudy. A thin layer of white scum may develop on the surface of the water, but this is harmless and can be scooped away with a clean spoon. However, always trust your nose. If the sunchokes smell bad while fermenting, throw out the ferment.

It can take anywhere from 3–10 days before the sunchokes are finished. I called mine done at 4 or 5 days. Feel free to taste at any point during this timeframe to see if the texture and flavor are to your liking. This is the only sure sign that the fermentation is complete. The sunchokes should still have a bit of crunch, similar to an al dente potato; you don’t want mush. Well, unless that’s your thing.

Once you’ve decided it’s done, tighten the lid and store in the refrigerator. I’ve left mine in the fridge for several weeks without issues, but use your best judgment if they start to look or smell bad.

NOTES FROM THE BAKER

Though I list the steps on how to ferment without a fermentation lid, I actually used a Kraut Source device. I highly recommend this item if you do a lot of lactofermentation in your home.

The jury is still out on whether or not fermentation minimizes “windiness” because I only consume a few bites at a time. But, I haven’t had any issues with those small bites.

GO ROGUE

Fermentation is all about experimentation. I certainly don’t know all the science behind brine—I know too little salt will not kill off bad bacteria, and your ferment may grow mold. But too much salt and it won’t ferment correctly because the good bacteria won’t develop.

Other seasonings that make appearances in my ferments are mustard seeds, peppercorns, ginger, cumin seeds, caraway seeds, celery seeds, etc. The options and combos are left to whatever your taste buds have a hankering for. Also, feel free to use fresh ginger and turmeric; I was just too lazy to grate the respective roots.

NUTRITIONAL INFO

Calories 240; Fat 0g; Carbs 60g; Protein 12g

Modified Adventure Bread

I cannot truly call this Adventure Bread, Josey Baker’s awesome and hearty gluten-free loaf loaded with seeds, nuts, and oats. But I still need to pay homage to this wonder, so Modified is all I can muster to add to the name. I’ve seen similar loaves labeled as “life-changing”, and even that had an adaptation. Take note: There is a reason this bread has so many versions. It’s highly adaptable and delicious no matter which route you take.

This is hands down my favorite baking recipe. It’s simple to toss together, freezes beautifully if presliced, is quite filling and healthy, and is a great vehicle for either savory or sweet toppings. What more could you ask for? The biggest downside—for my version, at least—is probably the number of ingredients. But these are all bulk ingredients that you can keep stashed away for whenever the mood strikes for some adventure.

MODIFIED ADVENTURE BREAD 12 slices

DRY INGREDIENTS

1 cup sprouted sunflower seeds (125g)

3/4 cup sprouted pepitas (95g)

3/4 cup shredded coconut (65g)

1/2 cup almond flour (55g)

1/2 cup coconut flour (45g)

1/2 cup chopped sprouted walnuts (55g)

1/4 cup flax seeds (35g)

3 T psyllium husk powder (20g)

3 T chia seeds (30g)

2 T sesame seeds (15g)

2 T hemp seeds (in shell) (15g)

1 1/2 tsp sea salt

WET INGREDIENTS

2 T honey

1/4 cup melted coconut oil

1 3/4 cups filtered water (may need to adjust for consistency)

1 egg, whisked (for egg wash, optional)

DIRECTIONS

The most time-consuming part of this recipe is measuring the ingredients. After that, it’s literally getting your hands messy.

In a big bowl, toss together the dry ingredients, then add the wet ingredients. Really get in there and work the ingredients with your hands because that’s all the contact you’ll have with this dough.

Grease an 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" bread pan, and scoop the mixture in, smoothing out the top. Put the loaf pan into the refrigerator for at least a few hours. Overnight or even all day is acceptable as well. Like I said, this is a forgiving and malleable recipe.

Once the dough has set and you’re ready to bake, remove the pan from the fridge, allowing it to come to room temperature.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400ºF, and place a rack in the middle position.

At this point, you can leave the raw dough in the pan, or do what I do and dump it out onto a cookie sheet covered with a silicone mat. I then smooth out the sides and reshape a bit to make it freeform. Some seeds may fall loose, but the loaf should be primarily intact.

Brush the dough liberally with the egg wash, and don't forget to cut a slit down the middle. The slit is only necessary if you choose to make your loaf freeform. It helps to cook the middle as well as to prevent the bread from forming cracks of its own in undesirable places while baking—I speak from experience.

Bake for an hour. Because of the egg wash, the bread will become quite dark and crusty in appearance, which is what you want. Do not bake to the point of burning, though. After baking, remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. This is extremely important. Do not prematurely cut into the bread, or it will crumble. Again, I have first-hand knowledge as my impatience got the better of me.

Eat as is, slather with grass-fed butter or favorite nut butter, or drizzle with honey.

Store any remaining slices in the fridge for a few days, or secure in aluminum foil or parchment paper for long-term storage in the freezer.

NOTES FROM THE BAKER

Be warned: This is not a low-calorie food. But being chock-full of good fats and a fair amount of protein, you will remain satiated for quite some time, especially if you slather a slice with coconut butter or grass-fed butter.

My version clearly doesn’t have oats, which I typically avoid in my diet. Since that was the primary ingredient in the other versions I mentioned, I had to get creative to make up the bulk of the bread. Enter in a bigger variety of seeds, coconut flour, and even shredded coconut.

Instead of using a full 1/4 cup of coconut oil, I used 2 tablespoons of melted coconut oil with 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Butter is just too good and rich not to incorporate in some way.

I really like using the optional egg wash. The first time I baked my version of this bread, I didn’t use it and the top just didn’t crisp up or darken. If you’re looking for the characteristics reminiscent of rustic loaves, the egg wash will give you browning and crunch in spades.

I use sprouted sunflower seeds, pepitas, and walnuts because I’m able to purchase them in bulk. However, because this dough sits for up to a full day to fully absorb the water, the seeds are already getting a good, healthy soaking. Therefore, using raw seeds and nuts is perfectly fine. (I won’t extol all the virtues of soaking nuts and seeds, but just know your digestion will thank you for it.)

GO ROGUE

There are so many ways to go rogue with this recipe, and frankly, Sarah Britton of My New Roots already did a bang-up job of how to customize to your heart’s content. Scroll down a bit to see her recommendations on substitutions. Just heed her suggestion to keep the proportions the same and use somewhat similar ingredients. For the sake of comparison, my version uses almost 5 cups of combined dry ingredients; Sarah’s uses about 4 cups; Josey’s is a whopping 6 cups. The key when adding water to the mix is to follow the Goldilocks principle—too much water and the mix is soggy; too little water and the mix is too dry. Find the sweet spot to ensure the dry ingredients bind together well.

The second time I ever baked this bread, I added a healthy helping of cinnamon (1 tablespoon), and it was lovely. Fragrant, smokey, savory, and sweet. If you choose to go that route, you won’t be disappointed. You certainly could add some vanilla extract as well and more sweetener if you’re prone to taking that path.

Coconut oil doesn’t have to be used here; Josey actually uses olive oil. Feel free to use any high-quality liquid fat. Other options include macadamia nut oil, avocado oil, walnut oil, or melted ghee. Just stay away from the nasty industrial seed oils.

NUTRITIONAL INFO

Olive Oil Pumpkin Bread

I’ve attempted making pumpkin bread in the past, but with mixed results. Oh, hell, I won’t sugarcoat it—it was mush. Despite baking for an hour, the batter simply did nothing in the oven. No rise (which admittedly doesn’t happen much anyway without the gluten component), no crusty top. And every poke with a toothpick only presented wet, clingy goo.

Turning lemons into lemonade, the results of that experiment led to a solid foundation for bread pudding. So all was not lost.

In my experience, pumpkin purée isn’t the most forgiving of ingredients in baked goods. Somehow, though, I managed to pull myself up, dust myself off, and generate a pretty decent savory-but-barely-sweet quick bread.

OLIVE OIL PUMPKIN BREAD 10 slices

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ cups almond flour (150g)

½ cup tapioca flour (50g)

¼ cup coconut flour (loosely scooped, 20g)

1 cup pumpkin purée (260g)

2 eggs

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (48g)

6 pitted dates, soaked (45g before soaking)

1 T unfiltered apple cider vinegar

1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

¾ tsp sea salt

½ tsp ground nutmeg

½ tsp ground ginger

2 T pepitas (15g)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350ºF, and grease an 8 ½" x 4 ½" bread pan. Set baking pan aside.

In a food processor, blend together the pumpkin, eggs, olive oil, dates, and apple cider vinegar. Make sure the dates are really soft or else the batter may explode a bit within the bowl of the food processor—not that I would know from first-hand experience. You could also make a quick date paste with the softened dates and some of the soaking water. Whatever method you choose, just make sure the dates get fully integrated in the batter, but it’s no big deal if this batter has some sweet little date bits.

Once the wet ingredients are blended, add in the flours, spices, baking soda, and salt. Process again until fully combined. Let the batter sit for a few minutes to ensure the coconut flour absorbs all the liquid.

Scoop the batter into the prepared pan, and sprinkle the pepitas on the top, pushing a bit into the batter. Bake for 40–50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs. My loaf baked for 45 minutes.

Place the loaf pan onto a cooling rack for 5–10 minutes before inverting the bread onto the rack. For best results, cool completely before slicing. Eat as is, slather with grass-fed butter or favorite nut butter, or drizzle with honey.

Store any remaining slices in the fridge for a few days, or secure in aluminum foil or parchment paper for long-term storage in the freezer.

NOTES FROM THE BAKER

As I’ve said a few times before in my previous pumpkin posts, make sure you use pumpkin purée and not pumpkin pie mix. Or, use freshly roasted pumpkin.

GO ROGUE

I liked the simplicity of adding pepitas to the top of this bread, but if you’re up for making a crumble topping, knock yourself out.

Any number of ingredients would be welcome add-ins: chopped nuts, chocolate chips, or chopped dried fruit.

This bread is meant to be more savory than sweet, hence the small number of dates and no other sugars. But I’m sure no harm would be done if some coconut sugar was added to the batter or even sprinkled on the top. A liquid sweetener of choice could work, but I cannot vouch for the consistency of the batter. If you don’t want to mess with the batter too much, but still want to give in to your sweet tooth, give stevia a whirl.

NUTRITIONAL INFO

Eggplant and Purple Potato Masala

I was always under the impression that Indian dishes took hours of stewing and braising in order to bring out the intense flavor. While that may be the case for some curries, this particular recipe benefits from layering the components during the cooking process. Despite the multiple steps, it still comes together pretty quickly.

Thanks to my incessant KQED watching, this recipe was inspired by Healthful Indian Flavors with Alamelu.

EGGPLANT AND PURPLE POTATO MASALA 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 can diced tomatoes, no salt added (14.5oz)

10oz eggplant, cut into 2-inch chunks

10oz purple sweet potato, cut into 2-inch chunks

½ yellow onion, sliced thin (50g)

1–2 T extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil

2 T unsweetened shredded coconut (10g)

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp cumin seeds

¾ tsp ground turmeric

½ tsp ground cayenne

¼ tsp garam masala

Black ground pepper, optional and to taste

DIRECTIONS

Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and add the oil. Once the pan is hot, add the cinnamon and cumin seeds. Cook until fragrant, just a couple of minutes until the cumin seeds are golden brown.

Add the sliced onions, and cook until translucent. Pour in the can of diced tomatoes, and stir-fry for a couple of minutes.

Add the potatoes and ground turmeric. Mix well and cook over medium heat, stirring often, for 3 to 5 minutes until potatoes are slightly cooked. Toss in the eggplant and continue to stir.

Add the cayenne, salt, and garam masala. The amount of salt may seem high, but eggplant and potatoes require a fair amount of salt to be seasoned properly as well as to aid in cooking. If at this stage the mixture seems a bit dry, feel free to add a bit of water.

Cover and turn the heat to low. Simmer until the vegetables are fully cooked and are fork tender.

Finally, sprinkle the unsweetened shredded coconut on top of all the vegetables and add a few cracks of fresh black pepper (if using), and give a final stir. Serve immediately. This dish will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days. In fact, it’s better the second time around since the spices and flavors have developed further.

GO ROGUE

The original recipe called for regular white potatoes, which are just fine. We just happened to have these awesome purple potatoes on hand. I’m sure sweet potatoes would be fabulous as well. In fact, any combination of root veg, tuber, or squash could work with varying flavor components—carrots, parsnips, butternut squash, zucchini.

We served this dish alongside some curry-braised short ribs, but it certainly could be served on top of the tried-and-true cauliflower rice. And though we don’t cook it at home (it’s saved for sushi nights out), white rice would taste so much better with this piled on top.

NUTRITIONAL INFO

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars

I’m back with more pumpkin. And chocolate. Because that’s how November rolls around here.

PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP BARS 16 squares

DRY INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup coconut flour (loosely scooped, 45g)

⅛ cup coconut sugar (16g)

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (80g)

WET INGREDIENTS

1 cup coconut milk

3/4 cup pumpkin purée

3 eggs, whisked, room temperature

⅛ cup honey

1 tsp vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350ºF, and grease an 8" x 8" brownie pan and line with parchment paper. Set baking pan aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients, minus the chocolate chips.

In a separate bowl, combine all the wet ingredients, and using a hand mixer, mix until fully incorporated.

Add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients, and use the hand mixer again to combine completely. Fold in the chocolate chips by hand.

Pour mixture into the prepared brownie pan, and bake for at least 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

As I recommend for all my baked goods, any uneaten portions should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days. For long-term storage, freezing is the best option.

NOTES FROM THE BAKER

Make sure you use pumpkin purée and not pumpkin pie mix. Alternately, if dissecting a pumpkin is your thing, feel free to use freshly roasted pumpkin purée. But like I mentioned previously, I can’t be bothered with extra steps, no matter how tasty the result may be.

Admittedly, I cannot remember how long I baked these bars for. My notes say 45–60 minutes. Depending on your oven’s temperature, I recommend starting at 35–40 minutes and checking every few minutes thereafter. Because there’s a fair amount of pumpkin purée, coupled with the coconut milk, this recipe contains a sizable amount of moisture. Underbaking will result in mushy bars, so really ensure the tops get a bit crusty before removing from the oven.

GO ROGUE

For this recipe, I used my homemade coconut milk, but an equivalent amount of store-bought coconut milk should work. Or, any alternative milk (almond, cashew, hemp) could sub out the coconut milk altogether.

I’m pretty sure no harm would be done if more cinnamon or other pumpkin spices were added to this recipe. Or chocolate chips. Load ’em up if you want extra gooey-ness.

And, yep, as always, feel free to add more sugar. This one is pretty lean in that department.

NUTRITIONAL INFO

Savory Coconut Chips

If it hasn’t become evident by now, coconut products are pervasive in our household. And to think, for a long, long time, I couldn’t stomach the stuff. Honestly, I can’t recall the exact turning point—perhaps a sugar-laden German chocolate cake? I’m happy to report that I no longer need added sugar to enjoy coconut; I find it inherently sweet as is.

In this particular recipe, sweet is abandoned altogether, and a savory profile is applied. In fact, it’s got a bit of heat to it—berbere is the primary spice used in Ethiopian cuisine. Earthy, spicy, warm, comforting. I purchase berbere spice in bulk from my grocery co-op, but chances are you have the main ingredients already in your pantry to make the blend yourself.

Move over, popcorn and potato chips. There’s a new snack in town.

SAVORY COCONUT CHIPS 8, 1/4-cup servings

INGREDIENTS

2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes (100g)

2 T fresh lime juice (1 lime)

1 T berbere spice

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Zest from one lime

Dash of garlic powder, optional

Dash of onion powder, optional

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 300ºF, and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

Add the coconut flakes to a large bowl, and zest the lime directly onto the coconut. After zesting, slice the lime in half and juice both halves into the bowl. Toss the flakes briefly to coat with the zest and juice.

Sprinkle all the seasonings on top of the mix, and toss the flakes again, more thoroughly this time to ensure the spices are evenly distributed on the coconut.

Spread the mixture out evenly on a cookie sheet, and bake for about 10 minutes. About halfway through, stir the coconut flakes to ensure even baking. As a word of caution, you want the coconut chips crispy, but not burnt, so keep a close eye. Burning can happen quickly, speaking from experience. (I’ve had to get creative with blackened coconut chips since I don’t believe in wasting food.)

Once the coconut is crispy, remove from the oven and allow to cool. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. This mix will keep for several days, if it lasts that long.

NOTES FROM THE BAKER

Sometimes it’s difficult to gauge if the flavor suits your palette before baking, so I typically taste a few chips right out of the oven and adjust accordingly. Usually, it’s the addition of a bit more salt—toasted coconut, in my opinion, could always use more to further enhance the flavor. If you choose to add more seasonings of any kind, do so immediately out of the oven while the chips are still warm.

I highly recommend smuggling these into the movie theater instead of being tempted by the not-good-for-you offerings at the concession stand.

GO ROGUE

Plain ol’ taco seasoning is a great substitute for berbere spice; it’s actually what I used when I first started making these chips.

Though I haven’t attempt it yet, for fear that I’d gobble them up even faster, making a sweet version would be awesome. I’d probably thin out a tablespoon of honey or maple syrup with a tablespoon of water (to replace the 2 T of lime juice), and replace the tablespoon of spice with some coconut sugar. A dash of cinnamon would round out the sweetness with a layer of warmth.

NUTRITIONAL INFO

Apple Ginger Cake

Just a couple of weeks ago, San Francisco’s weather could be considered balmy. Now it’s quite fall-ish outside, which is fueling my spice cravings. Plus, apples and pears are in full swing around here, and I can’t seem to get enough of their crisp, tart goodness. So a cake that combined earthy, warm spice with tart and sweet fruit seemed in order.

APPLE GINGER CAKE 12 slices

DRY INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups almond flour (150g)

1/2 cup tapioca flour (50g)

scant 1/4 cup coconut flour (20g)

1 T ground ginger

1–2 T grated fresh ginger

3/4 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cardamom

⅛ tsp ground cloves

Pinch of fresh ground black pepper

WET INGREDIENTS

4 large eggs, whisked, room temperature

1/2 cup coconut oil, softened

1/4 cup honey

⅛ cup blackstrap molasses

1 T unfiltered apple cider vinegar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and grated (115g)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350ºF, and liberally grease a bundt pan. Set pan aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients.

In a separate bowl, combine all the wet ingredients, minus the apple, and mix until fully incorporated. A hand mixer would be best for this step to ensure the coconut oil is evenly distributed.

Add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients, and use the hand mixer again to combine completely. Stir in the grated apple by hand. As a side note, I didn’t peel and grate my apple until this final step—I didn’t want the apple to brown or oxidize too much beforehand.

Pour mixture into the greased bundt pan, and bake for 25–35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Remove the pan from the oven, and allow to cool on a wire rack before inverting the cake onto a serving platter.

Garnish as desired (see the Go Rogue section), or slice and serve as is. Due to the moisture content of this cake, it’s best to store uneaten slices in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days. For long-term storage, wrap individual slices in parchment paper or aluminum foil, and store in the freezer.

NOTES FROM THE BAKER

When using a bundt pan, you will not get a tall, impressive cake—I just like the decorative indentations it provides. Perhaps you could double the recipe to use the bundt pan to its full capacity, but obviously, I have no idea how that will change the baking times and all that jazz. Alternately, a normal 9-inch round cake pan or an 8" x 8" brownie pan would suffice for the recipe as written.

GO ROGUE

Feel free to choose a sweeter variety of apple, or go with a nice pear. ’Tis the season.

I did contemplate using chunks of apple instead of grating it; I liked the idea of biting into the cake and getting a soft, juicy piece to sink my teeth into. In the end, I opted for grating the fruit since it incorporates more into the batter, adding flavor without so much texture. It resembles a zucchini bread or carrot cake in that regard.

Admittedly, I’m not a big fan of glazes, toppings, or frostings—extra steps, extra dishes! For me, this cake works really well on its own or with a simple slather of coconut butter or slight drizzle of honey. But if you need a little something extra, a paleo-friendly caramel glaze, some kind of light frosting, or even coconut whipped cream would be a nice touch.

NUTRITIONAL INFO

Tea Gummies

I’ll admit it. I’m addicted to gelatin. Twice a week I have one big-ass smoothie bowl, where I toss in a couple of tablespoons of gelatin. Homemade hot chocolate? In goes some gelatin for creaminess. When making raw desserts, gelatin is a vital component to ensure layers set up properly or otherwise crumbly concoctions stick together. Plenty of folks have already heralded the goodness that is gelatin, so I’ll refrain here. But think gut health, hair and nail quality, and joint maintenance. My one caveat is to use high-quality gelatin from grass-fed cows. Vital Proteins and Great Lakes are both great brands.

These gummies are easy to make and a quick little guilt-free snack with some added health benefits.

TEA GUMMIES 30 pieces

INGREDIENTS

1 ⅓ cup hot water

1–3 tea bags of your choice

2 T gelatin

DIRECTIONS

Heat up water in a tea kettle, and pour 1 ⅓ cup water into a glass measuring cup. I highly recommend Pyrex’s 1-quart (4-cup) measuring cup since I use it for so many of my kitchen endeavors.

Steep the tea bags for several minutes until flavor and strength is reached. I typically use 2–3 tea bags and steep for ten minutes or so. I like my tea strong, especially when making these gummies. The flavor used in the photo is a honey lavender rooibos I bought in bulk from my local grocery co-op.

Remove the tea bags, and sprinkle 1 T of gelatin on the surface of the tea. Once it’s mostly dissolved, briefly whisk the mixture to incorporate fully, but do so gently to prevent any bubbles or foam from forming. Repeat for the second tablespoon of gelatin.

Pour mixture into candy molds, silicone cupcake molds, or even a simple nonstick brownie pan or bread loaf. If using some kind of pan, the contents would later be removed and cut into pieces.

Place molds or pan into the refrigerator, and allow to set for at least two hours. Once firm, unmold the gummies and store in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days. After more than a few days, the gummies may start to deteoriate and become slimy. They should still be OK to eat, but do look out for the presence of surface mold before popping into your mouth.

NOTES FROM THE BAKER

I specifically use the measurement of 1 ⅓ cup because it nearly perfectly fills two trays of the candy molds, equal to 30 pieces. You could probably use more liquid, perhaps up to 2 cups, but anything more than that and you’ll need to increase the amount of gelatin to ensure the treats gel properly.

GO ROGUE

If tea isn’t up your alley or you’re making these treats for kids, I’ve seen loads of recipes that employ natural fruit juices, so feel free to substitute.

I once did a creamy horchata-esque version, where I used coconut milk and cinnamon. I don’t know why I haven’t made those since… Probably because tea is easier.

This is meant to be a sugar-free snack, but a pinch of coconut sugar or a drizzle of honey in the mixture would be fine and shouldn’t affect the final texture of the gummies.

NUTRITIONAL INFO

Chocolate Pumpkin Brownies

Of course I would hop on the bandwagon that is all things pumpkin. It is fall, after all, and the holiday season is upon us. Naturally, though, I had to incorporate chocolate somehow. Because everything is better with chocolate.

CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN BROWNIES 16 squares

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup pumpkin purée (140g)

1/2 cup almond butter (I failed to weigh it)

1/2 cup raw cacao powder or cocoa powder (35g)

⅓ cup melted chocolate (80g baking squares)

1/4 cup melted coconut oil

1/4 cup coconut sugar (32g)

3 eggs, room temperature

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 T coconut sugar, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350ºF, and line an 8" x 8" brownie pan with parchment paper. Set baking pan aside.

Add all ingredients (save for 1 T coconut sugar) to a food processor, and process until smooth.

Spread the batter into the prepared baking pan. Please note that the batter will be quite thick.

Bake for about 20 minutes. If you really want to retain the fudginess of this brownie, do not overbake. Use a toothpick to check for doneness; it’s OK and preferred if some moist crumbs are attached.

Let cool for a couple of minutes in the pan. Then use the parchment paper to lift the brownies out of the pan, and place on a wire rack to cool.

Garnish with some coconut sugar before slicing.

Because these brownies have a fair amount of moisture due to the pumpkin, refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for a few days. If longer storage is necessary, these guys freeze beautifully. A quick 15-second pop in the microwave (if you use one) or a slow (overnight) defrost in the fridge will get them back to a good fudgy state.

NOTES FROM THE BAKER

Make sure you use pumpkin purée and not pumpkin pie mix.

I personally always choose to use canned pumpkin purée because I can’t be bothered with the extra steps of dissecting a pumpkin and roasting its innards. Plus, if you have a hankering for something pumpkin-y in the spring, you can still whip it up. But, I’m sure dealing with fresh pumpkin would be worth the trouble, taste wise.

Though I’ve linked to various almond butter offerings above, this recipe uses my homemade almond butter, which may be a bit thicker than commercial varieties.

I honestly had a few squares stored in the freezer for a couple of months, and their integrity was intact. After reheating in the microwave, I added to the indulgence by throwing some banana soft serve on top.

GO ROGUE

I like my chocolate dark. In fact, 85% seems too sweet to me at times. If you can’t handle the bitter notes of 100% cacao content, feel free to use any preferred chocolate.

I refrained from adding any of the traditional accompanying pumpkin spices (cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, clove, etc.) because I wanted the cocoa to shine through in this fudgy brownie. I’d be interested to see how the flavor profile changes if a smidge of any of those spices were added.

Having baked with other nut and seed butters, I’m pretty sure you could sub out the almond butter with sunbutter or cashew butter. But don’t take my word for it.

Some folks like a bit of crunch in their brownies, me included. Because I incorporated almond butter in the batter, though, I refrained from adding extra chopped nuts. But don’t let me stop you from throwing in some walnuts, pecans, or pepitas. Any of those would be divine, methinks.

NUTRITIONAL INFO

Apple Fennel Slaw

Apples are in season, and fennel always seems to be around—and fortunately, they pair well together. I’m a big cheerleader of recipes that aren’t really recipes, but rather a simple composition of easy components. This salad is just that, and if you need something to accompany it, a nice pork dish fits the bill.

APPLE FENNEL SLAW 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 fennel bulb, sliced thin (13oz)

1 Granny Smith apple, sliced thin (6oz)

1/4 cup unsalted walnuts, chopped (30g)

1–2 T fennel fronds, diced

1–2 T lemon juice

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

The biggest part of this recipe is prep. Either whip out a mandoline slicer, or get cozy with your knife skills for the cutting of the fennel and the apple. My knife skills are lacking, so my cuts are uneven. But whatever. Just make sure everything is around the same size.

Chop up some walnuts, or use prechopped pieces if you have them on hand. Finely dice some of the fennel fronds.

Throw the fennel, apple, walnuts, and fronds into a bowl. Now work on the seasonings. Start with 1 T of lemon juice, and work toward the taste level you desire. That goes for the salt and pepper as well. Mix well.

Serve immediately, or allow to cool a bit in the fridge. This will keep in an airtight container for a couple of days in the refrigerator.

NOTES FROM THE BAKER

I cut the apple last and get lemon juice on the mix as soon as possible to keep the apple from oxidizing too much before serving.

I am not a big fan of waste, so I actually keep some of the unused fennel stalks in the freezer for the next time I want to make bone broth.

GO ROGUE

If you want a creamier texture, I bet a bit of Dijon mustard would be a nice addition.

Obviously, don’t feel restricted to use Granny Smith apples. I personally love their tart crispness, but if another variety tickles your fancy, go for it.

The walnuts can be swapped out for sliced almonds, pine nuts, chopped hazelnuts, pepitas, etc. You get the gist.

NUTRITIONAL INFO

Spicy Lactofermented Okra

I’m a big fan of okra and get excited when it shows up at the farmers’ market. Admittedly, though, I’m not adept at cooking with it. We’ve sliced and baked it with so-so results; mainly they get too crispy and lose the effect that makes it okra. I’ve also thrown it into stews, but with so many other veggies in my stews, the okra gets lost. For me, fermenting is my favorite way of eating it. The bonus is that I can preserve some for the fall and winter.

SPICY LACTOFERMENTED OKRA

INGREDIENTS

8oz okra (20 or so pods, enough to fill a quart jar)

1/2 T dried dill

2–4 garlic cloves, smashed

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Brine = 1 1/2 cup filtered water : 3/4 T sea salt

DIRECTIONS

Combine the sea salt and filtered water, and stir to allow salt to dissolve. Set aside.

Add the dill, garlic, and red pepper flakes to a wide-mouth quart-size jar.

Wash and rinse your okra. (See my note below.)

Tightly pack the okra vertically into the jar. Use one or more pods of okra to lay horizontally across the rest of the pods. This ensures that the okra doesn’t float above the water level. Pour the salt water into the jar. It should completely cover the okra.

It is critical that the veggies remain submerged below the brine.

Set the lid loosely on top of the jar, but don’t seal it. You can also secure a coffee filter with a rubber band on the mouth of the jar. The goal here is simply to keep pests away.

Let the jar sit undisturbed at room temperature. Fermentation has begun when bubbles rise to the top of the jar and the water becomes cloudy. A thin layer of white scum may develop on the surface of the water, but this is harmless and can be scooped away with a clean spoon. However, always trust your nose. If the okra smells bad while fermenting, throw it out.

It can take anywhere from 3–10 days before the okra is done. Feel free to taste at any point during this timeframe to see if the texture and flavor are to your liking. This is the only sure sign that the fermentation is complete. Once you’ve decided it’s done, tighten the lid and store in the refrigerator. I’ve left mine in the fridge for a few months without issues, but use your best judgment if they start to look or smell bad.

If using a Kraut Source fermentation lid as featured in my photo, the mechanism will hold the veggies below the brine level automatically, and it isn’t really necessary to lay any pods horizontally.

NOTES FROM THE BAKER

Here’s my dirty little secret, literally: I don’t often wash my produce. A quick rinse at most, unless it’s blatantly dirty (I’m looking at you, leeks), but I’m not afraid of dirt. Most of my produce is either certified organic, or it’s simply pesticide-free (because some farmers cannot afford nor want to go through the hassles of USDA certification). Besides, California is still in a drought, and I don’t want to waste water. I also hold the firm belief that soil-based organisms are probably good for you. And, yeah, I’m that lazy to wash my fruits and veggies.

The jar used in the photo isn’t a quart jar; it’s Ball’s newer pint-and-a-half jar, which I like for saving space in my mini fridges. I’ve done this recipe with a quart jar, and it’s just fine.

The Kraut Source lid is highly recommended if fermentation will happen on a regular basis. If you want to geek out on fermentation processes, feel free to research aerobic versus anaerobic. Sandor Katz has a quick post on the topic, and he comes to the conclusion that it doesn’t really matter. The only crucial factor is keeping the vegetables under the brine.

GO ROGUE

Fermentation is all about experimentation. I certainly don’t know all the science behind brine—I know too little salt will not kill off bad bacteria, and your ferment may grow mold. But too much salt and it won’t ferment correctly because the good bacteria won’t develop.

This recipe isn't crazy spicy, so feel free to add more red pepper flakes. Other seasonings that make appearances in my ferments are mustard seeds, peppercorns, ginger, cumin seeds, caraway seeds, celery seeds, etc. The options and combos are left to whatever your taste buds have a hankering for.

NUTRITIONAL INFO

Calories 75; Fat 0.5g; Carbs 15.9g; Protein 4.3g

Mexican Chocolate Cashew Ice Cream

Unfortunately, we had to give up ice cream around here. One, because of the dairy content. My husband gets sinus issues within minutes of consuming dairy—no joke. And two, because of the sugar content. Even the nondairy ice creams are loaded with sugar. Sure, this recipe isn't low in sugar by any means, but I rest easy knowing that it’s still less than store-bought varieties.

MEXICAN CHOCOLATE CASHEW ICE CREAM 4, 1/2-cup servings

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup cashew pieces (4oz), soaked for 4 hours or longer

1/2 cup filtered water (this is not the soaking water)

1/4 cup raw cacao powder (20g)

1/4 cup maple syrup, grade B

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp sea salt

⅛–¼ tsp cayenne, depending on your spice tolerance

DIRECTIONS

Drain and rinse the soaked cashews.

Put the rinsed cashews, filtered water, maple syrup, cinnamon, salt, and cayenne into a food processor, and blend until creamy.

Pour mixture into a freezer-safe container, and freeze for 30 minutes to an hour. Take out and stir contents. Continue this method every half hour to hour to ensure creaminess.

Before serving, remove from the freezer to thaw a bit.

NOTES FROM THE BAKER

My food processor did a pretty good job, though there was still a bit of grit from the cashews. I did not try the Vitamix, though my guess is that using a high-speed blender may warrant a creamier result. I was just too lazy to get out another appliance since I was already using my food processor that day.

I do not own an ice cream maker. I wish I could add it to my small appliance repertoire, but I have a good reason not to: the bowl won’t fit in the freezer. We don’t have a full-size fridge, just two bar-size fridges, so freezer space is at a premium. If you’re lucky to own and actually use an ice cream maker (let’s face it, most people don’t regularly use theirs), follow the manufacturer’s instructions when making this recipe.

GO ROGUE

As always, feel free to add more sweetener if you want to amp it up. Maple syrup can be replaced with honey or other liquid sweetener, but I’m not sure about granulated sugars.

Don’t want it spicy? The cayenne and cinnamon can easily be left out, and the integrity of the chocolate is left intact.

Want some caffeine kick instead? Throw in a couple of teaspoons of ground espresso to make it mocha flavored.

NUTRITIONAL INFO

Granola Balls

Sometimes you can't be bothered with sitting down to consume a bowl of granola with yogurt or milk. Grab a couple of these as you walk out the door.

GRANOLA BALLS 17 balls

INGREDIENTS

1 cup sprouted pumpkin and sunflower seed blend (135g)

1/2 cup shredded coconut (40g)

1/2 cup almond flour (50g)

1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts (75g)

2 T raw cacao powder (10g)

1/4 cup dried goji berries (25g)

1/4 cup raw cacao nibs (30g)

1/4 cup honey

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp maca powder, optional

1 egg, whisked

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350ºF, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Set baking sheet aside.

In a food processor, combine the seeds, shredded coconut, almond flour, and macadamia nuts. Pulse for 10 one-second pulses to form a course meal.

Quickly pulse in the cacao powder, cinnamon, salt, maca powder (if using), goji berries, and cacao nibs. Transfer mix to a separate bowl.

To the mix, add the honey, vanilla, and egg. The dough will be thick and stiff.

Using wet fingers, form dough into tightly packed balls about 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter. If weighing the balls, they should average about 28 grams each. Place each formed ball on your baking sheet.

Bake for 18–20 minutes on the middle rack until golden brown. The granola balls will be soft to the touch, but they'll firm up as they cool. Store in airtight container at room temperature, or freeze for longer storage.

NOTES FROM THE BAKER

The seed blend I use is a different brand than the item linked to in the ingredient list, but for the life of me, I cannot find it either at Amazon or even their own site. Huh. But a few of the Whole Foods in the Bay Area carry it in 16-ounce bags, located in the raw foods section. It's a sprouted mix of sunflower, pumpkin, watermelon, and apricot seeds put out by Go Hunza. I love this mix and always have it on hand.

If using salted nuts or seeds, either lessen the amount of salt in the recipe or eliminate it altogether—to be safe, use salt as the last ingredient, and taste a small bit of the mix to see if it needs additional seasoning. All the seeds and nuts I use are unsalted.

I baked my balls for 20 minutes, and they were a bit crispy. Not burnt, just nice and toasty as seen in the photo. The egg probably caused the extra browning.

GO ROGUE

Have an aversion to pumpkin or sunflower seeds? Swap out with any combo of flax, sesame, hemp, or squash seeds. Or, use more chopped nuts if that's your jam.

Any dried fruit would work here, as long as it's finely diced. Raid the bulk bins for figs, dates, mulberries, peaches, plums, nectarines, whatever.

NUTRITIONAL INFO

Cashew Cheese

I do love cheese, but cheese doesn't always love me. Craving homemade Philly cheesesteaks, I turned to some soaked cashews and spices. Sure, it's not real cheese, but the flavor comes remarkably close.

CASHEW CHEESE 4, 1/4-cup servings

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup raw cashew pieces (135g)

1 T nutritional yeast flakes

2 tsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp garlic powder

¼–½ tsp sea salt, or to taste

1/4 tsp ground black pepper, or to taste

⅛–¼ cup filtered water, or to reach desired consistency

DIRECTIONS

Soak the cashews in filtered water for at least an hour and up to overnight.

After soaking, drain and rinse the cashews. Place the cashews, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, and pepper into a small food processor. Pulse to initially combine ingredients, then add water slowly until a creamy texture is achieved.

And that's all. Really. Store any unused portions in the fridge. I suspect long-term storage in the freezer would be A-OK.

NOTES FROM THE BAKER

This is definitely more of a spread and is perfect to accompany raw veggies.

When using for something like Philly cheesesteaks, we actually cook the meat, then add the cashew cheese to the meat to fully infuse the flavors. I have not tried putting globs of this cheese on a pizza and then baking, but I'm not certain it'll translate well.

GO ROGUE

Feel free to add other flavorings or change up the flavor profile altogether. Any combo of chopped chives, bacon bits, paprika, or red pepper flakes are certain to be tasty.

NUTRITIONAL INFO

Fig Galette

Figs. The sign of summer's end. So simple, not too sweet with a nice, earthy tone. Perfect for a rustic tart.

FIG GALETTE 6 slices

DOUGH INGREDIENTS

1 cup tapioca flour (120g)

1/4 cup coconut flour (15g) + 2 T for dusting the dough and baking sheet (7g)

5 T unsalted butter, very cold and cut into small cubes (70g)

1 egg, whisked

2 T cold filtered water

Zest of one lime or lemon

1/4 tsp sea salt

FILLING INGREDIENTS

12oz fresh figs

1 T honey

1 T filtered water

DIRECTIONS

For the crust, whisk together the tapioca flour, the 1/4 cup of coconut flour, and salt. Add the butter cubes, and using your fingers, rub in the butter until you have a nice crumbly/sandy mixture. Stir in the egg and lime/lemon zest, and add 1 T of water at a time until the dough comes together. Additional water may be necessary. Gather the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for an hour. This dough is extremely sticky at this point, but refrigerating it will make it less so.

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

For the filling, remove the stems from the figs and quarter them. In a small bowl, stir together the honey and water, and set aside.

On a large sheet of parchment paper, roll out the dough into a 12-inch circle about ⅛-inch thick. Carefully transfer the parchment paper with the dough to a baking sheet. Top with the sliced figs in any manner you choose, but leave a 2-inch border. Fold edges of dough up over the figs. This dough is delicate, so it may not "fold" properly. Simply repair any tears or holes as needed.

Bake about 35 minutes or until crust is lightly golden and the figs have released their juices. Remove from the oven and brush figs and crust with the honey-water mixture.

Let cool 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store any remaining slices in the fridge.

NOTES FROM THE BAKER

The crust didn't get as brown as I would have liked. I either should have left it in the oven longer or gone for a higher baking temperature. I've seen 375 or even 400 for galette/tart recipes. Also, an egg wash on the crust would have generated that nice golden appearance.

GO ROGUE

Next time, I'd probably cook down the figs to bring out the caramelized goodness, then spread out the mixture onto the dough before baking.

As shown in the photo, drizzle with melted chocolate and additional honey to amp up the sweetness.

Not into figs? I think stone fruits, berries, or apples would be lovely.

NUTRITIONAL INFO