ruby red.

It is often said that a picture is worth a thousand words.  I think the pictures of this broiled grapefruit are a perfect example.  This treat is simple, healthy and most of all, beautiful.  The pictures say that better than any of my typed words can. Finding good ruby red grapefruit can be a difficult, if not a nearly impossible task in the summertime but if you can manage to find a good grapefruit, this is the perfect summer snack or dessert. Simply cut a grapefruit in half, and slice around each section.  Sprinkle each half with a pinch of brown sugar, place in a glass pan on the top rack of your oven and broil until the fruit begins to caramelize, about 6-7 minutes. That's it. Well, other than enjoying one, or if you are me, both halves, preferably outside on your deck, porch or balcony.  And then make this again the next day, because chances are you won't be able to get enough of this broiled summer treat.

 

A Sunday story

Yesterday I moved.  Although I could write a long story about yesterday's activities, I am going to spare you.  Consider yourself lucky.  At least we all made it out alive.  After a long day like yesterday, I am reminded of why I like to stay in the same place and how much moving kinda really stinks.  Instead of unpacking boxes and getting organized today, I had the most fantastic day with a dear friend, who will be my neighbor for a few short days before she moves back home. I could not have had a better Sunday.  To start the day, R and I went for a 22 mile ride that started up Bliss Road, the road leading up Granddad's Bluff.  

We road out to a small town of Barre Mills and along the way, saw a deer and a beautiful blue heron.  We made it home just before it started to rain.  As we pulled into the driveway, we looked at each other and said how hungry we were.  Our Sunday lunch of salad and wine was enjoyed on my new balcony during the thunderstorm.  Yes, you read that correctly. Wine on a Sunday for lunch, just because we could.

Sunday lunch on my new balcony

Sticker that was on R's fridge

And then, because a day with a best friend would be incomplete without a little baking, we made cookies.  I thought I was low on food last week when I tried to bake the apple quinoa cake. HA.  I was stocked then in comparison to what I have at my new apartment now.  The afternoon was saved when I remembered that T had given me a box of Arthur chocolate chip cookie mix for graduation.  He said it screamed Laura at him while he was in the all natural grocery aisle and he just had to buy it for me.  There was even a story about Arthur and his friend Binky on the box that R read to me while I mixed the dough.   Thank you T.  There are some days when making cookies from your favorite childhood cartoon show while it thunderstorms is completely acceptable and today was one of those days. I wish R was going to live next door to me forever. The cookies were pretty darn good...and will serve as great nourishment as I tackle this pile of boxes.  Happy Sunday.

Everything's changing

The last few days have been a whirlwind with graduation, moving, saying goodbyes to friends and a roommate, parting with two dear friends (one of them being my boyfriend) as they left to hike the Appalachian Trail for 5 months, and of course, celebrating recent accomplishments.  Many things are ending while so many new things are beginning. Today I went to my new (and quite empty) apartment and found myself sitting on the floor, taking in the last few days and thinking about the future.  I completed my undergraduate degree and will start the next school year as a graduate student.  I have a new apartment that is situated away from campus and I will live alone for the first time in my life.  Despite all of these major changes, one constant in my life is my desire to spend time in the kitchen.  Getting out my measuring spoons and turning on the oven is soothing.  And so, in between washing the cupboards and windows at my new apartment and taking the pictures off the walls at my old place, I baked a cake. Surprise? not really...

I made a pledge to myself that I would NOT go to the grocery store for anything other than fresh produce this week in an attempt to use up the neglected food in my cabinet before I head home for the summer.  I wanted to try something new: a recipe for an all natural cake that was relatively healthy as far as cakes go.  I found the recipe on a blog that I have been exploring lately, the author is vegan and emphasizes the use of natural, unrefined ingredients. This apple cake is filled with spices and has quinoa in it, my new favorite grain.  For those of you unfamiliar with quiona (as I was just a few months ago), it it a grain grown primarily in South America.  It is gluten free and is praised for it's high protein content of 12-18%.  With its outstanding protein, iron, fiber and magnesium content, quinoa has been making its way onto my dinner plate often. Its delicious with wilted spinach, cranberries or served with fish; its role in a cake is slightly unusual.

As I looked through my cupboards, I realized I did not have the exact ingredients that this recipe called for.  So, in the spirit of adjusting, I made some substitutions.  I looked up substitutions for palm sugar and soon discovered that brown sugar mixed with maple syrup works well; that is, if you have brown sugar.  I then discovered that you can make your own brown sugar with white sugar and molasses and decided to use raw cane sugar and molasses to keep this cake on the 'unrefined' track in which it was intended.  I did not have enough raisins, so I added in some dried cranberries.  I also added in a handful of chopped walnuts and extra cinnamon, for good measures. Not only does this cake have a few unusual ingredients, it is baked in a loaf pan making it the perfect size.  You aren't left with 26 servings of cake calling your name...

Making my own brown sugar with raw cane sugar and mollases

Quinoa

Cake before baking

Apple Quinoa Cake (www.anjasfood4thought.com)

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

1 large apple, cored and coarsely grated
1/4 cup palm sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup cooked quinoa (1/3 cup uncooked quinoa)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons sunflower seeds
1/4 cup raisins

Cinnamon Oat Topping
1/4 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon palm sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease or line a loaf tin with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, sift together flour, palm sugar, baking powder, soda, ginger, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix the grated apple, oil, quinoa, vanilla, sunflower seeds and raisins. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until combined.

Pour into prepared pan and smooth the top. Combine all ingredients for the topping and sprinkle them on top of the cake batter. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until cake tester comes out clean. Let cool before cutting into slices.

sunshine & a slice of cheesecake

The past few weeks have not resembled spring in the least. Just yesterday (May 3rd) I wore mittens as I biked to class.  Yes, mittens in May.  I don't normally complain too much about the weather, but I am longing for sunshine and blue skies so I can wear dresses and feel the warm rays on my skin. As I type this post, the sun is shinning brightly in the blue sky for the first time in a long time and it is lovely.  Maybe the weather knew I wasn't speaking so kindly of it and decided to cooperate.  Imagine that!

Despite the absence of spring weather, I have been doing springtime-like-things such as baking a lemon cheesecake. Typically, I am a chocolate chip or chocolate truffle cheesecake-type-of-girl, which is right on track with my chocoholic tendencies. But something about lemon just screams spring, so I gave this new recipe a try.  It couldn't have turned out better; no cracks in the cake and it wasn't dried out (two common cheesecake problems-see below for tips).  The actual cake had a subtle lemon flavor and the two ingredient topping made with Trader Joe's lemon curd and sour cream adds just the right amount of lemon zing. Maybe, if I bake a few more lemon recipes, the sun will be forced to shine around here. 

        

Luscious Lemon Cheesecake 
Crust:

Approx. 1½ cups lemon shortbread or sandwich cookies, crushed              

3 TBS. melted butter

Mix together and press into bottom of 9-inch springform pan.

Cake:

3-8 oz. pkgs. cream cheese-softened (can substitute 1 of the regular   cream cheeses with 1 Neufchatel.)

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 large or two small lemons---will need the grated rind and the   freshly squeezed juice

2 eggs

Preheat oven to 300°. Beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add sweetened condensed milk and beat until smooth. Add lemon rind and juice and eggs; beat until mixture is smooth and creamy. Pour over crust. Bake 65-75 minutes or until internal temperature of cheesecake measures 145°-155°. Turn off oven and open the door, but do not remove cheesecake. Let cheesecake remain in oven for about an hour, so that it can cool slowly. After removing from oven, place on cooling rack until cooled completely. 
*Tip-place a casserole dish of water on lower oven rack during baking of cheesecake to provide added humidity and help prevent cracks from developing.

Topping

Lemon curd (I prefer Trader Joes Brand)

Low fat sour cream

Mix 1 cup sour cream with a few tablespoons lemon curd until smooth. Adjust amount of ingredients to achieve desired amount of zing. Spread on top of cooled cheesecake. Refrigerate.