lauren elizabeth's kitchen adventures

Oh my gosh... the recipe I've been waiting for: Caramel apple skillet cake

2011-07-13T16:55:00.000-07:00

I have been remiss. I have not updated in moths. The thing is, it's been a while since I made anything that totally knocked my socks off. Today, everything changed. This cake is life-changing-ly delicious. Don't trust me; make it for yourself. Also, I should warn you that I was in outright experimentation mode when I made this, and it turned out more like a cobbler because I used extra sugar and butter for the sauce and my skillet is much smaller than the one The Pioneer Woman used in the recipe I heavily adapted: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/09/apple-cake-in-an-iron-skillet/

I also used goat butter. It's been sitting in my fridge ever since I went off all dairy, and today I decided to live dangerously. We'll see how I feel later... right now I'm sugar high and fancy free.

I will definitely be making this again, and again, ... and again. Next time I will try the same method but with coconut oil instead of goat butter. And use a bit less sugar and butter/oil. I used a cup of each and the skillet overflowed in the oven and filled my kitchen with smoke. Really, though, excess caramel sauce is the kind of problem I'll gladly handle. The way this turned out I would definitely not invert it onto a platter. The sauce would run everywhere. Just scoop out a warm chunk, ladle out the sauce that collects in the skillet and pour over the cake, then add vanilla coconut milk ice cream. Best. Ever.

To begin:

Preheat your oven to 350F. Melt 3/4 cup goat butter (or coconut oil.... probably. No promises there yet) in a 9" skillet over low heat, then add 3/4 cup evaporated cane juice or brown sugar. I used ECJ. Stir to distribute the sugar evenly, and leave over low heat. If you do not have a skillet, buy one. It will change your life.

Peel and core 3 apples (I used fuji) and slice them into 1/8ths. Arrange all but 4 slices into the bottom of your skillet, rounded side down. Let them sit and get happy in the sugary buttery goodness while you make the cake batter.

The batter:

I used Gluten Free Goddess' coconut cake batter, omitting the oil and sugar and adding half an apple (those 4 slices that didn't go in the skillet) finely chopped and 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice mix. I wrote the cake recipe on a card some time ago, as this is my new favorite cake and cupcake recipe. For those of you who are anti-coconut, know that the flavor is very, very mild. Follow these instructions:

and remember to omit the 1/2c oil and the 1 1/2 c cane sugar. It will be sweet enough; don't worry. If the card is too tricky to read, look here: http://karinaskitchen.blogspot.com/2011/03/preheat-oven-to-350-degrees-f.html

It's the same recipe, minus a couple tweaks I've made. In case you were wondering, the frosting is also epically delicious. You should make that too, but not for this cake.

Moving on:

Your apples should have looked something like this when you started the batter -

- and now they should be softer, browner, and the sugar mixture should be syrupy and bubbly.

Spoon about 1/2 the batter over the hot apples in small dollops, covering the entire surface. Make a batter 'lid' for your apples, if you will. Smooth the dollops together with a wet spatula. Use an oven mitt to transfer the skillet into the oven and be sure to place a baking sheet on another rack beneath your skillet if you over-loaded it the way I did. Trust. I learned the hard way. Bake at 350F for about 20 minutes.

Remove when the cake appears golden and crisp, like this:

Use the remaining batter to make mini apple biscuits! I just scooped a few tablespoons of batter into 12 silicone muffin cups and baked them at 350F for about 12 minutes. They're perfect for breakfast with jam :)

I am feeling freshly inspired. More to come soon :)

big huge photo dump post

2011-02-10T10:57:00.000-08:00

I have been remiss. I know. A lot of things have been happening! This is just going to be pictures of things I've made these past three months, and the recipes will be added later. I figure it's a step.

Chocolate pumpkin macaroons:

Ingredients:

Brown rice bread with almond butter, pumpkin butter, and pumpkin pie spice:

so. good.

Gluten free vegan pizza with veggies and diya faux cheese:

My delicious and simple Thanksgiving dinner of apples with honey-almond butter dip and roasted delicata squash:

Pumpkin chai macaroons with spiced chocolate drizzle:

Roasted brussels sprouts with oodles of garlic and curry sweet potato fries:

Spicy Mayan hot chocolate:

Ingredients:

Gluten free vegan mac and cheese:

Ingredients:

Recipes coming asap!

more recipes coming soon!

2010-11-23T02:12:00.000-08:00

But in the meantime, here's what I've been pouring my creativity into of late: http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/profile?id=1299569

Sipping chocolate with coconut milk

2010-11-11T16:19:00.000-08:00

I LOVE hot cocoa. I think my pursuit of the perfect mug began shortly after seeing 'The Santa Claus' for the first time (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qG1BSj4g-1k&feature=related), and I finally found a good mix that is dairy and soy free! Trader Joe's sipping chocolate, available only seasonally, is rich and delicious even when made with just hot water. Today I made an extra decadent version.

3T sipping chocolate mix
1 c almost boiling water
3T light coconut milk
1 t bourbon vanilla extract

stir and enjoy :)

Oktoberfest dinner

2010-11-11T15:58:00.000-08:00

Wow, this post was really intense to write. Thank goodness I'm mostly caught up now :)

At my house we often have Sunday night dinner potlucks, and on the last Sunday in September we had an Oktoberfest dinner. I wore my dirndl and made gluten-free homemade pretzels and gluten-free german chocolate cupcakes! My housemates helped with the pretzels and made German potato salad and a lovely green salad. It was quite the gluten-free feast!

The pretzels were a bit of a challenge, but once we got the dough to the right consistency it was smooth sailing. We used Bob's Red Mill bread mix and followed the directions on the back, then formed the risen dough into long thin ropes - ideally about a foot long by an inch diameter, but the gluten-free dough is tricky to roll out. We then formed them into pretzel shapes on a sprayed cookie sheet and baked them in a 425 F oven for about 12 minutes until they were golden brown. I made a dipping sauce for them using 1/2 meadowfoam honey (agave or brown rice syrup could substitute!) and 1/2 mustard. So tasty!

Bretzeln!

Honig senf sauce!

For the German potato salad we used red potatoes. I believe my housemate followed this recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/chic-easy/german-potato-salad-recipe/index.html omitting the bacon and adding fresh rosemary from our garden.

Kartofellsalat!

German chocolate cupcakes are one of my favorite things in the whole wide world. The chocolate with the coconut and the caramel and the pecans... mmmmmmm.

I combined several recipes to make these, since I did not want to use eggs or garbanzo bean flour. I knew my vegan friends would want to enjoy them, and garbanzo bean flour always seems to lend a distinct flavor to baked goods that I have not yet come around to. I used the gluten free pancake and waffle mix from Trader Joe's as my base (which I recently discovered has been discontinued... du-oh!) and added cocoa.

For the cupcakes:

3 c TJ's GF pancake and waffle mix (which is mostly just rice flour, baking powder and baking soda)
1 t baking powder (probably 2 t when using just plain rice flour)
1t baking soda (Same as above)
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1 c organic evaporated cane juice
3 T ground flax meal + 9 T warm water
3/4 c rice milk + 3 T apple cider vinegar
3 T vanilla extract
1/4 c grapeseed oil
1/2 c coconut oil

I mixed all of these together, then filled about 24 cupcake liners 2/3 of the way full and placed in a pre-heated 325 F oven. I checked the cupcakes for done-ness after 25 minutes using a toothpick and found they needed a bit more time, but somewhere between 25 and 30 minutes should do the trick.

Let these cool before you frost them!

For the frosting:
1/2 c coconut oil
1/2 c toasted unsweetened coconut
3 c powdered sugar
1/2 c 'dulce de coco-leche' - recipe to follow
1/4 c toasted pecan pieces (optional)

Beat these ingredients together at room temperature, then chill until it firms up enough to frost - about an hour.

For dulce de coco-leche I used this recipe, but halved the ingredients since I only needed 1/2 a cup for my frosting:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Coconut-Dulce-de-Leche-240759

German chocolate cupcakes (are not authentically German; are delicious)

Glamour shot :) Happy baking!

Delicata squash with rainbow chard

2010-11-11T14:34:00.000-08:00

I went to the farmer's market in my neighborhood a few weeks ago and found my favorite squash for a really great price! I bought 3 delicatas and prepared them a couple different ways. First, I pan sauteed thin slices of it with delicious spices and rainbow chard. It was really pretty, but the squash's texture was not ideal. I would recommend roasting the squash, as I did with the other 2, and then adding slices of the roasted squash to the sauteed chard. Pictures!

The raw slices of squash, tossed in olive oil and in a pan with a 1/4 inch of water and lots o'spices.

Cracked pepper and rosemary and nutmeg, oh my! I covered the pan and cooked these over medium heat until they were almost done, then added chard.

Rainbow chard is so gorgeous!

Covered and steamed, then sauteed until the chard was tender.

All done :)

Really pretty, see?! But, as mentioned, the squash's texture was lacking. Next time I make this I will roast the squash like I did below:

For this version of the squash, I just Preheated the oven to 375 F, cut it in half, scraped the seeds out, and coated it in olive oil and spices. I placed the squash opens side down on a baking sheet and baked it until tender, for about 30 minutes. It is crazy delicious this way!

Happy autumn!

Ahhhh! It has been too long :/

2010-11-11T14:08:00.000-08:00

So sorry to all 3 of you who read this. School and life have been pretty crazy! I'm going to catch up today, if possible. Many mini-posts and recipes to follow!

mostly raw carob almond coconut truffles

2010-09-27T14:25:00.000-07:00

These are based on a recipe my friend Tati showed me. I don't know if she used the same proportions, but I've made them a few times since without a recipe and this is my favorite result so far. One of the other times I rolled the finished truffles in carob powder after chilling them. They really looked like truffles then! This time I didn't have the patience for that, but I did have a camera.

Ingredients:
1 c almond meal
1/2 c unrefined coconut oil
1/2 c coconut butter (I use Artisana brand)
1/2 c carob powder + more for finishing, if desired (I use Bob's red mill brand)
5 T honey (I use raw meadow foam honey)
1 T bourbon vanilla extract
3 t cinnamon
1 t fresh grated nutmeg
1 t ground ginger
1/2 t cardamom
1/2 t sea salt

Melt the coconut oil and butter together in a saucepan over low heat until completely liquid and combined. Remove from heat and add honey and vanilla. Allow to cool until it is just above room temperature (or just cool enough to handle).

In a medium bowl mix together the almond meal, carob powder, and dry spices.

Pour warm oil mixture over the dry ingredients and, with clean hands, mix in the oil thoroughly and knead the mixture until it will form a ball.

Wash your hands and coat with a dab of coconut oil. You can eyeball them if you don't need them to be exactly the same size, but I have a mini ice cream scoop that allows me to scoop out exactly a tablespoon at a time so I use that. Scoop out about a tablespoon at a time and roll into a ball with your hands. Set finished balls on a plate or cookie sheet that can fit in your fridge.

Once you've rolled all the dough, chill the truffles for about an hour. At this point they are firm enough to serve or roll in carob if you'd like, in which case you can dump about 1/4 c of carob powder in a small teacup or ramekin and coat them one-by-one by rolling them around in it. I've served them in mini cupcake liners in the past and they were super cute that way! Here they are sans liners or carob powder coating:

coconut zucchini chocolate chip vegan gluten free muffins

2010-09-19T19:56:00.000-07:00

I made these for a baking contest at work, and everyone who tried them loved them! A few people turned up their noses when they saw that they were vegan, but I decided to let the nay-sayers go without and leave more for me :) This recipe makes a large batch of 30-40 muffins, depending on how you fill the cups. I made 36 muffins and 12 mini muffins, and I definitely could have filled the big muffin cups more. Onward to the recipe!

Ingredients:
3 T ground flax meal
9 T warm water
2 c evaporated cane juice
1 T vanilla extract
1 c grape seed oil
3 c TJ's gluten-free pancake mix
2 t salt
1.5 t baking soda
1.5 t baking powder
3 t cinnamon
1 t ground ginger
1 t ground cardamom
1 t fresh grated nutmeg
1/2 t ground cloves
3 c grated zucchini, drained in a mesh strainer
1 c unsweetened shredded coconut
1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips or nuts (optional)
36 paper muffin cups
3 12-muffin pans

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Mix the flaxseed meal with the warm water and let set for a few minutes. Mix these flax 'eggs' with the sugar, vanilla and grape seed oil in a bowl. I like to use an electric mixer.

Combine the pancake mix, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and spices in a large bowl. Add the wet ingredients and beat them together with the electric mixer. Scrape down the sides, and beat again until well combined. Add the zucchini, coconut, and nuts and/or chocolate chips and fold together.

Prepare the muffin pans with the paper liners and fill the cups 2/3 of the way full with the batter. I like to use an ice cream scoop like this one to fill them evenly:

I even have a mini one for making mini muffins! So cute! Put the pans in the oven on 2-3 racks, depending on your oven's size, and be prepared to rotate them. Are you ready for that? Ok, good. Bake them for about 25 minutes, rotating the pans every 8 minutes or so for even baking. When a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, remove the pans from the oven and get ready for anyone within smelling distance to suddenly appear and beg for a taste! Let them cool and they will be much easier to handle.

They would certainly be delicious frosted, but once a muffin is frosted it is a cupcake, and I for one have trouble convincing myself that cupcakes are an acceptable breakfast food. They are scrumptious on their own.

Glamour shots!

cinnamon raisin mochi with honeyed almond butter

2010-09-12T11:16:00.000-07:00

This is a super tasty breakfast for those of us who cannot indulge in cinnamon rolls!

Ingredients:
1 package cinnamon raisin mochi (I buy this one at Whole Foods)

1/2 c raw crunchy almond butter
3 T honey (I used local raw meadowfoam honey from the PSU farmer's market. It tastes like marshmallows!)

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Cut the mochi into 1" pieces and place on a parchment-covered cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Place in the hot oven for about 10 minutes, until they look like this:

Let them sit until they are cool enough to handle, then cut a slit in the side of each one with a sharp knife. Mix the honey and almond butter, and fill each mochi with about 1 T of the mixture. I use a butter knife to get a little glob into each one. When finished they will look like this:

Gnnomz :) Bon appétit!

rosemary broccoli almond dip

2010-09-11T23:24:00.000-07:00

I was steaming some broccoli for lunch today, and let it go for a bit too long. It was too mushy to eat, so I blended it up into a tasty dip!

Ingredients:

1 lb over-steamed organic broccoli florets

1 c almond meal

1/2 c water

1/2 c olive oil

3 T dried rosemary

2 t sea salt

Put everything in the blender and have at it! You may need to push things around a bit with a spoon, but once you're through the clumps it will get smooth and creamy and delicious!

yummmmmmmmm!

quinoa with heirloom tomatoes and raspberry pear tart

2010-09-10T14:00:00.000-07:00

I seem to be having an ambitious day in the kitchen. Today I made some quinoa with heirloom tomatoes and spices, and a pear tart with raspberry jam. The quinoa is delicious, but I always love quinoa. The tart needs a bit more sweetness, and I think the chia seeds in the crust may have been a mistake. Oh well, that's why this blog is about 'kitchen adventures' after all. First the quinoa.

Ingredients:
2 c organic red quinoa, rinsed
4 c organic low sodium vegetable stock
1 T dried rosemary
1 T 21 seasoning salute spice blend (from Trader Joe's)
3 medium organic heirloom tomatoes, diced

Rinse the quinoa in a mesh strainer, then drain. Dump it into a 4 quart saucepan and add the vegetable stock, rosemary (crushing in your hands as you add it), and 21 seasoning salute. Stir and bring to a boil, then cover and turn the heat down to a low simmer for 15 minutes. Dice the tomatoes and fold them into the quinoa at the end of the 15 minutes. Allow to simmer, covered, for about 5 more minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed. Uncover, fluff, and serve! This quinoa would make a great addition to a wrap :)

Now for the pear tart -

Ingredients:
1 c almond meal
1/3 c chia seeds - (flax meal would probably work better)
1/2 c raw coconut butter
3 ripe organic pears
3 T organic raspberry jam
1 t cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

For the crust, measure the almond meal, flax meal or chia seeds, and coconut butter into a bowl. Crumble the coconut butter into small bits with your hands before kneading it in and you will get it spread throughout quickly. Knead these ingredients together until they will form a ball. You could probably add some maple syrup or honey at this point and mix that in for a bit more sweetness.

Dump the crust mixture into a 12" glass pie pan and press into the bottom, going no more than 1/2 an inch up the sides. Place in the oven for 5 minutes, then remove and add the pears.

Slice the pears into about 16 wedges per pear, and toss them with the jam in a bowl until they are all coated. Add the cinnamon and toss again. I used my hands, since they'll be getting jammy while arranging the slices anyhow. Arrange the slices in circles on the crust, being careful not to burn yourself on the pan.

Place back in the oven for 10-12 minutes, and remove when the pears are golden browned and the crust is golden on the edges. Voila!

sweet potato fries

2010-09-10T01:46:00.000-07:00

I made these for breakfast today. They may be more appropriate for lunch or dinner, but it was my day off and the sky was grey and all I wanted was some warm, salty, crispy comfort food.

Ingredients:
3 medium sweet potatoes
3 T Spanish olive oil
2 t sea salt
3 T fresh rosemary (or 1 dried)
1/2 t cayenne
1/2 t fresh grated nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Scrub the potatoes, then pat them dry. Julienne them into 1/4 inch sticks, and place them on a cookie sheet. If you're using fresh rosemary, chop it up roughly. If using dried, crush it in your hands as you sprinkle it over. Drizzle them with the olive oil, then toss with your hands to coat. Next, sprinkle the salt, rosemary, and cayenne over them and grate the nutmeg on top. Toss once more, then spread them out over the cookie sheet in a single layer. Place in the oven for 15 minutes, then take them out and check them for done-ness. Put them back in for a few more minutes if they are not yet browned on the ends or are too firm for your taste. I like them nice and dark on the tips so they taste a bit like burnt marshmallows :) Enjoy this savory sweet snack!

Edit: I made them recently using curry powder to season them and they were incredible!

crazy and delicious pancake concoction

2010-09-08T06:20:00.000-07:00

A few nights ago I came home from work exhausted and hungry, and all I had in my pantry was a package of Trader Joe's Gluten Free Pancake and Waffle Mix, chia seeds, dried coconut and ground flax meal. I decided to whip something up and by some miracle it was completely delicious.

Ingredients:
1 c TJ's GF Pancake and Waffle Mix
1/2 c organic dried coconut
3 T chia seeds
1/2 c organic rice milk (maybe more next time)
1 flax 'egg' (I'll explain below)
1/2 t sea salt
1/2 t cayenne pepper
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t cardamom
a dash of several other things... nutmeg and poppy seeds and maybe even some corriander? i was on a roll hahah
5 T Spanish olive oil

Crazy, right? I know. But seriously, delicious.

To make an 'egg' out of ground flax meal, simply measure one tablespoon of flax meal into a small cup, then add three tablespoons of hot water. Stir and let set for a few minutes, and it will get all gelatinous and goopy and egg-like.

So I whisked everything together, and kept whisking until there were no more clumps and the chia started to get sticky and bind everything together. Then I heated up my pan, added a dab of coconut oil, and dropped the first blob of batter in. I had to pat it down into a pancake so it would cook through, but next time I'll add more ricemilk. I peeked under and once it was browned I flipped it over to finish it off (in true pancake form) and then slid it onto my plate. I'm sure I will discover something delicious to top it with, but I enjoyed it all by itself this time. It's so satisfying when a spontaneous experiment turns out well!

EDIT! I made it again and took pictures, and I made a savory sweet syrup by mixing equal parts honey and mustard :)

pancake!

syrup!

spiced and spicy popcorn

2010-09-08T04:22:00.000-07:00

This is a tasty snack I often make for movie-watching or celebrity-playing. - Aside - If you have never played celebrity, look it up. It is bundles of fun.

Ingredients:

1/2 c organic popcorn kernels (I buy mine in bulk at Whole Foods)

2 T organic unrefined coconut oil

1 T spanish olive oil, plus a drizzle after popping

1 t sea salt

1/2 t cayenne pepper

1/2 t cinnamon

I like to use a big (6 quart) heavy-bottomed pot with a lid for nice even popping, and I've found that pots with handles on the sides - stock pots - allow for better 'shake it up' action in the popping process than long handled saucepans.

Put the coconut and olive oils in the pot, and turn the burner on medium-high. Throw a couple kernels in, cover them with the lid, and wait for them to sizzle. Once you hear the sizzle, add the rest of the 1/2 c of kernels, cover immediately, and get ready to shake - that means you'll need potholders handy. Shake the kernels around every few seconds until you hear the first pop, then shake continuously and vigorously (and hold the lid on as you do!) until the popping slows or stops. Once it's stopped, remove the pot from the heat immediately. It should only be about 20-30 seconds from the first pop to the last, so don't worry! - Your arms won't have to keep it up for long :)

Once off the burner, open the pot and take a deep breath. There's just nothing like stovetop popcorn to get you in the mood for a good movie. Next, drizzle about a tablespoon of olive oil over the popcorn. This is the 'glue' that will help the spices stick. Toss the popped corn around with the lid back on, then open it up and finish it off with the salt, cayenne, and cinnamon sprinkled over. Put the lid back on for a final toss, then dump into a big bowl or scoop out of the pot with smaller ones for a less communal experience.

Enjoy your delectable treat!

let's try this again...

2010-09-08T03:50:00.000-07:00

A year or so ago I decided to start a blog because, well, who hadn't really? But I failed to keep it up because I never had any focus and everything I wrote really belonged in a personal journal. Well, I'm back and I'm focused.

I have, for the past three months, been eating by a strictly dairy, soy, and gluten free diet at the counsel of my naturopathic doctor. This diet began following extensive allergy testing, which I underwent in a search for the root of the chronic fatigue and acne I was experiencing. In an effort to avoid all the allergens to which I tested sensitive, I have also cut peanuts and refined sugar, though there have been several 'falling off the wagon' episodes on those fronts. This very specialized diet has forced me to broaden my horizons and learn to make things in new ways with new and unfamiliar ingredients.

I am aware that there are hundreds of food blogs out there, but when it comes down to it I want a place for myself to keep track of what I've made - my successes and failures along the way. I am based in Portland, OR and have vague ideas (dreams?) of running an all allergen-free food cart some day. I have the good fortune to live with a fantastic photographer whom I hope to weasel into taking glamour shots of the successes in return for a portion of the delicious bounty, but until then you will have to do with my descriptions.

Recipes to follow. Bon appétit!