cranberry – Page 2 – Wait…are those…cookies?!

January 12, 2020

I love the number 2020

Hi friends!

How is 2020 treating you so far? I’ve been BUSY. So many deadlines this time of year have meant some very long workweeks that bleed into the weekends (ew). But! I am not working this weekend and for that I’m super grateful.

Had a great climb with C this morning – did a bunch of climbs at the top of my skill level, which always feels good. Finished and inhaled a plate of eggs & veg + a latte… working out on an empty stomach is great until I’m done, at which point I’m usually STARVING.

I made these on Thursday night for a Friday datenight – I think they get better overnight actually, so I like making them in advance. Plus, I needed to destress and baking is my favorite way to do that.

I’d had a bag of cranberries that I tossed in the freezer somewhere in the early part of December, and some rosemary hanging out that I didn’t want to waste (waste not, want not!). Besides that, I’d been thinking about the rosemary – cranberry combo for awhile and I’m happy report that it’s fully excellent.

These slice like beauties; are tart and “buttery”, despite being dairy free. Actually, they are free of all the things (gluten, grain, dairy, refined sugar & are vegan & paleo), so everyone can share the love. Not to mention, they come together in a snap, so no waiting around. Perfect for breakfast or brunch, or an anytime snak.

Happy weekend! Hopefully you’re finding time to bake something delicious and/or treat yourself right.

Cranberry Chia Bars with Rosemary Pecan Crumble

Fully sliceable, tart, breakfast or anytime snak bars! Free of all the things, so everyone can share the love. Gluten and grain free, dairy free, refined sugar free, vegan & paleo. A Wait are those Cookies original.

For the cranberry filling

1 bag (~2 c) fresh cranberries
zest & juice of one lemon
2 tbsp maple syrup
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 tsp tapioca flour
1/4 c chia seeds
1 tbsp vanilla

In a small saucepan, heat cranberries, lemon zest and juice, maple, sea salt, and tapioca until the berries have popped and the liquid is just barely boiling, 10ish minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in chia seeds & vanilla; let cool.

For the crust & crumble

2.5 c almond flour
1 tbsp vanilla
1/4 tsp sea salt, heaping
3 tbsp maple
5 tbsp melted coconut oil
~1tbsp finely chopped rosemary – I used about 1.5 large sprig’s worth
1/3 c chopped pecans
1/4 c unsweetened coconut

Preheat the oven to 350 and line some kind of 9” pan with parchment – this is the least fussy recipe ever, so square, round, tart pan, etc – whatever you have is fine! I used an 9” pie plate. In a large bowl, stir almond flour, vanilla, salt, maple, rosemary and coconut oil together. Reserve a heaping half cup and stir in the pecans & coconut (this will be the top bit) – set aside. Press the rest of the dough into the base of the pan, and bake for 12-15 minutes until set. Remove from the oven and top evenly with cranberry chia jam. Crumble the rest of the reserved topping on the berries, and bake for another 23-25 minutes, until the top is lightly golden brown and the berries are bubbly. Remove and let cool completely before serving. It’s also fabulous cold – I made mine the night before serving, refrigerated overnight and served straight out of the fridge – highly recommended. Leftovers keep well covered in the fridge for a day or two but I dare you to have any ;)

December 24, 2019December 30, 2019

Happy holidays from my kitchen to yours!

Hello internet friends! Happy Holidays!!

I have bonus things for you today – TWO recipes!

I’ve now made three desserts in 24 hours and am feeling quite pleased with myself. One for my fam (since there are only three of us) and two for C’s fam, since there are going to be considerably more than 3 at dinner, ha.

Besides, I made this crisp a few weeks ago for C and I and it was bit of a cluster because I lost power while it was in the oven, and then lost the daylight to photograph while waiting for the power to come back on…. so though I wanted to put it up here, I only had photos of half eaten crisp. Which has some kind of aesthetic (obviously I put them up, you’ve seen them) but I needed more than that for a legit post.

So! I made it again for Xmas Eve dessert with my parents, because it was delicious, and now I have a few more actual photos.

But, bonus – I also made this mint panna cotta tart with cacao coconut crust for tomorrow’s dessert, so why not feature that too! It turned out too pretty not to share. It’s actually the same as the one I made last year at this time – couldn’t resist the mint again, and it just looks so festive.

I hope your holidays are filled with all kinds of good things, delicious food, and loved ones. Happy holidays from my kitchen to yours! Merry and bright <3

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Mint Panna Cotta Tart on a Cacao Coconut Crust

Minty fresh and chocolatey, perfect for a holiday dinner. Yield: 1 9″ tart, serves several. A Wait are those Cookies original. Grain and gluten free, refined sugar free. For dairy free, swap out coconut milk & yogurt for the cream.

Recipe HERE.

Apple and Cranberry Pecan Crisp

I have successfully used both walnuts and pecans for this – both are delicious. I choose to chop up a chocolate bar in order to get the finer shards of chocolate, but chocolate chips would do if that’s all you have on hand. Totally adaptable to whatever is in your pantry! Yield: 1 9″ crisp (it was doubled for these photos); serves several. A Wait are Those Cookies original. Gluten free, refined sugar free & easily dairy free with a sub of coconut oil or vegan butter + coconut yogurt.

1 bag of fresh cranberries (fresh or frozen are both fine)
3 apples (I prefer Granny Smith and / or Lady Alice), chopped
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tap tapioca starch
1/4 c water
2 tsp vanilla

1 cup old-fashioned oats (use certified gluten-free oats for a gluten-free crisp)
½ cup firmly packed almond meal
½ cup chopped pecans
1/4 c unsweetened shredded coconut
1/8 c maple syrup
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 tbsp plain whole milk Greek yogurt
1/4 c dark chocolate, roughly chopped
a handful of crystalized ginger, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350.
Toss apples & cranberries into your baking dish of choice (my dish is 8×8, 2 qt capacity; 9″ square or 9″ deep pie dish would also be fine). In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the maple and water until combined. Add the tapioca starch, and whisk to combine. Pour the mixture over the fruit and toss to combine. Bake for 20 minutes.

While the filling is baking, make the crisp. In a mixing bowl, stir together the oats, almond meal, chopped pecans, shredded coconut, maple, and salt. Mix in the vanilla, melted butter and the yogurt. Stir until everything is mixed thoroughly, then stir in chopped ginger and chocolate.

Once the filling has baked for 20 minutes, stir it and and redistribute evenly in the dish. Plop spoonfuls of the crisp topping evenly over the filling – no need to pack it down. Return the dish to the oven and bake for 25 to 30 more minutes, until the filling is bubbling around the edges and the top is golden.
Let the crisp rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream, obviously! Keep leftovers, covered, in the fridge for about five days (yeah right. It would take some kind of major feat to make it last that long)

December 2, 2018

Tis the season for festive desserts

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Happy December!

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Time for the full-tilt holiday jungle madness to start. I do love this time of year though, even if it means that going to the store becomes an exercise in all kinds of patience. It’s so pretty though, with the cold weather, trees and lights everywhere, and the RAIN! We’ve been getting so much, and I just love it. Even the streetlights reflecting in the wet pavement look festive. Besides that, it’s the season for festive desserts and pretty baked goods! (not that I really need an excuse, but whatever)

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I just put up my tree! I am one of those “nothing Christmas-y before the first of December” people, but here we are – I happened to have time after seeing fave human yday to go grab a tiny tree, and it is currently brightening my living room.

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So! This tart!

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It immediately became a huge fave of C’s and mine; it is tart, but just lightly sweet enough – we both love cornmeal anyway so that part is an easy sell. For the filling, thinly sliced apples are layered over chunky cranberry compote and then everything is submerged in a really simple coconut custard before baking. It sounds complicated, but I promise it isn’t! As with almost everything I make, it is great for dessert with ice cream, and equally great for breakfast.

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As per usual, C and I ate this as part of a very late brunch after hitting the gym for several hours – I was SO ready for all kinds of food at that point (and shaky! We’ve gotten back into climbing, and though my muscle memory is pretty good, my forearms and fingers are going through some serious reconditioning!)

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Happy holiday season! Do yourself a favor and whip up a quick cranberry tart: your tastebuds and your loved ones will thank you :)

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Apple Cranberry Custard Tart on a Cornmeal Coconut Crust

Tart, lightly sweet, and perfect for the holiday season. Thinly sliced apples are layered on cranberry compote, and a simple coconut custard is poured over the whole thing before baking. Gluten free, dairy free, and refined sugar free. Yield: 1 9″ tart, serves somewhere around 6. A Wait are Those Cookies original.

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For the crust:

1.5 c almond flour
1/4 c unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 c cornmeal
heaping 1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
6 tbsp coconut oil, melted

In a large bowl, stir together almond flour, shredded coconut, cornmeal, sea salt, and baking soda. Add in vanilla, maple, and melted coconut oil, and stir until completely combined. The dough will look crumbly, but you’ll be able to press it together with your fingers.

Preheat the oven to 350, and lightly grease a tart pan with coconut oil. Press the crust into the plate and up the sides with a spoon or your fingers, creating a smooth edge (or not, your call!). Poke the bottom with a fork a few times, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove and let cool for a few minutes. Increase oven temp to 375.

For the filling:
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1 tbsp maple syrup
zest of 1 lemon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3 tsp vanilla extract, divided
1/4 tsp almond extract
2 eggs
1 teaspoon tapioca starch
1/2 cup full fat coconut milk
2 medium apples, peeled (optional), cored and thinly sliced*

* I used granny smith; pink lady or gala would be nice here too

Combine the cranberries, maple, lemon zest, and nutmeg in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes or until cranberries pop and sauce thickens slightly. Remove from heat and stir in the almond extract and 2 tsp of vanilla extract. Let cool slightly.

Whisk together the eggs, tapioca starch, coconut milk, and 1 tsp vanilla.

Spread the cranberry compote over the bottom of the tart crust. Arrange the apple slices over the top, and pour custard over everything. Sprinkle with a bit of coconut sugar if desired, but totally optional.

Bake at 375 for 30 to 35 minutes until custard sets and apples brown. Let the tart cool for at least 10 minutes before removing it from the ring and cutting into it. Refrigerate if not serving immediately; keeps well in the fridge overnight.

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November 30, 2017

Pears and cranberries: the perfect pair

So normally, I would tell you that this makes great dessert but you should save some and eat it for breakfast, blah blah…

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But really, this time, I’m going to throw that out the window and tell you to just straight up make this for breakfast. You really won’t be sorry – it’s mostly fruit anyway! Hiding under a whole grain, gluten free cream biscuit – what more do you want for breakfast?! I concede that we added eggs, kale, cholula & coffee, and it was a stellar combination, but you do you of course.

This is one of those homely-but-delicious desserts that doesn’t win any awards in the looks department but is undeniably amazing and should be made and loved immediately!

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I really love this for an autumn-winter breakfast-dessert: the cranberries and pears are a perfect pairing; the cornmeal cream biscuits are hands-down one of my favorite things on this planet (I am not alone in this, either); and the whole thing is just so seasonal!

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I leave the skins on the pears, both because I enjoy when my fruit desserts have more texture & body, but also because fiber is good for you! The cranberries soften but still retain their shape and eating them is quite fun, since they pop when you bite them!

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Let’s see. Besides eating this for a stellar breakfast, other things of note lately…

Beautiful skies!

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The worst opera we’ve both ever seen, but in the best company with some awesome seats so it was worth it… as an excellent learning experience and unforgettable evening ;)

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Can anyone else believe December starts tomorrow?! I can’t. Where did the fall months go?? Not that I’m particularly sorry, I do love festive holiday time and all the baking that goes along with it.

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I highly recommend you throw the rule book out the window and make this for breakfast. I am behind you 100% on the wisdom of this action. Happy eating!

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Pear and Cranberry Cobbler with Cornmeal Cream Biscuits and Ginger

Gluten free, whole grain and refined sugar free! The fruit makes an amazing complement to the cornmeal cream biscuits, which are personally one of my absolute favorite things. Easy to make, the most time consuming bit of this is chopping up the pears. But you don’t even have to peel them, so that bit is even easier! Very lightly sweetened, this is perfect for those who love seasonal, fruity desserts. Adapted from both of my earlier cream biscuit cobblers, here & here.

For the filling:

4-7 Bartlett & Anjou pears (about 2 pounds), peeled, cored and sliced into small bite-sized pieces*
1 cup fresh cranberries
1/4 c maple
2 tbsp port
2 tablespoons arrowroot starch
juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp vanilla
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon cinnamon

*I used about 6; shrinkage will happen to a point so don’t be afraid to use a little more than you would think

For the cobbler:

3/4 cup fine cornmeal
1/2 cup oat flour
1/3 cup brown rice flour, slightly heaping
1 tablespoons maple (or coconut) sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Crystalized ginger, chopped; for topping – optional but delicious

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a deep 9-inch square baking dish or deep 9-inch pie pan with butter (I prefer the deepness of the 9″ square – mine is a 2qt baker & it holds tons of fruit!). Cut up pears into large chunks and toss them into the buttered baking dish. Add cranberries and toss to combine. Whisk the maple, port, arrowroot, lemon juice, ginger, and cinnamon together, pour over the fruit, and toss to coat.

Combine cornmeal, oat flour, rice flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Pour in the cream and vanilla, stirring until just combined; the dough will be very wet. Scoop the dough into 8-ish blobs onto the fruit filling. Sprinkle with maple or coconut sugar if desired. Bake until the fruit bubbles and the juices thicken, and the topping is browned and cooked through, 45-55 minutes. Typically I test the biscuit done-ness by sticking a knife between two of them to see if the bottom is done – you’ll know if it isn’t, it will look raw. Stick it back in for about 10 minutes if you find that – mine is typically perfectly done at 55 minutes.

Serve with vanilla ice cream or more cream and chopped crystalized ginger; leftovers keep well, covered, in the fridge for a few days.

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