Tag: ginger

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Stone Fruit Season

I’ve decided that it’s very hard to not enjoy peak stone fruit season.

It’s literally all we want to eat (okay not true, I’m never NOT in the mood for thai food, ha) but for everything else right now… bring on the stone fruit!

This weekend was full of pluots, courtesy of my imperfect produce box – these were slightly scarred but so perfect, taste-wise. I wanted a crumble since I hadn’t done one in awhile; I love that they keep the focus on the fruit. It’s basically fruit and nuts, at least the way I make them! They end up making great breakfast the next day – not shocking to anyone who’s read this blog for awhile :)

The color of these lil beauties is amazing! Just look at it:

This is riff number approximately 10000 of fruit crumbles… I’ve probably made this exact version at some point in the past and just didn’t write it down. Regardless, it’s a much-loved favorite with the two of us! Super simple, very adaptable and quickly made.

Let’s see, what else! Had a little al fresco drawing adventure with a friend today, super fun as I haven’t drawn from life in a loooong time. I was still drawing buildings but hey, usually it’s from a photo! The wind proved challenging but it wouldn’t be the SF that I love without excessive wind, so we just made it work.

Lots of swimming for me lately of course – without a wetsuit! It’s the “warm” bay water season so I’ve been taking advantage of it. It’s maybe a strange choice of things to get you out of bed in the morning but I love my 6am swims, wetsuited or not! I find them extremely satisfying.

I suggest seizing the stone fruit moment while it’s still peak season! The closer we get to autumn, the less perfect they are. Get on it!

Pluot, Blueberry & Ginger Crumble

A Wait are those Cookies original. Yield: 1 9″ crumble, serves 4-6. Refined sugar free, dairy free, gluten free and vegan with a grain free option. Lightly sweet, nutty and fruit-forward.

For the crumble

1 c almond flour, packed
1/4 tsp sea salt, heaping
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 c chopped walnuts
1/3 c oats* (Omit for grain free)
1/4 c unsweetened coconut
1/4 c crystalized ginger
1 tbsp vanilla
1 tbsp maple
1/4 c melted coconut oil

~6-7 pluots (they’re usually on the small side)*, chopped into slices or chunks
~1.5 c wild blueberries (mine were frozen)
1 tbsp tapioca starch + 1/4 c water
1 tbsp maple
zest and juice of one lemon

*since pluots are usually on the small side, I recommend using 6-7 of them; the flavor balance is perfect when it’s about half pluot, half blueberry

Preheat the oven to 350 and grab some kind of 8″ or 9” baking dish – this is the least fussy recipe ever, so square, round, etc – whatever you have is fine! I used a deep 9″ pie plate. In your baking dish of choice, toss together pluots, blueberries, lemon juice and zest. In a smaller bowl, whisk together tapioca starch & water, add maple, then pour over the prepared fruit. Bake for 20 minutes.

While the fruit is baking, make the crumble. In a large bowl, stir everything together: almond flour, salt, cinnamon, oats (if using), chopped walnuts and coconut, maple, vanilla, and coconut oil together, then stir in crystallized ginger.

Remove the fruit from the oven, and toss a bit to redistribute. Drop the topping over the fruit, and bake for another 25 minutes until the top is lightly golden brown and the fruit is bubbly. Remove and let cool completely before serving. Excellent with ice cream! It’s also fabulous cold after being 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 ;)

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Fog & Fennel

It’s a foggy, mellow weekend in the city today – I LOVE days like this, where I wake up to the fog curling up against my windows, and then by noon it starts to clear but only kind of, so if you look up, you see it moving fast overhead, and obscuring bits and pieces of the city.

Then by midafternoon it starts coming in again, and by evening things are covered again. Arguably, I think one of my favorite things about living in the city is the fog – I find it magical and beautiful.

It’s also insanely windy today – I took a long, rambly walk down to Fort Mason & along the water, and the bay is verrrryyy whitecappy today.

fog!
for reference, this is where I swim! it’s protected by a pier but even so, there were some major swells in there today

In other news, made a crumble! I had some fresh fennel in my produce drawer that I’d been ignoring, and I really couldn’t figure out how I was going to get around to slotting it into meals. Instead, I used it here!

Fennel + apple + walnut is a match made in heaven, and I love the addition of ginger to anything. This crumble is also very dietary-choice friendly; it’s gluten, dairy & refined sugar free with an easy grain-free alternative. Yay! It also comes together in a snap and requires minimal effort, a yay for those lazy weekends.

I felt like I spent most of today doing house tasks… I kind of love days like this though, since they make me feel accomplished. Spent a ton of time troubleshooting & descaling my moka pot today too… I love good coffee and it’s so sad that my bialetti has suddenly decided to not work properly. I THINK it needed a good descaling, so ran it through two cycles of that… let’s see how this goes. Fingers crossed it starts behaving. It’s been giving me trouble for at least a week, and I’m over it.

Happy weekend! I hope yours is equal parts fun and relaxing.

Fennel, Apple & Blueberry Crumble

Gluten, dairy & refined sugar free + vegan. Easily grain free if needed/wanted – just omit the oats (it’s just as good that way, promise!). Earthy fennel, fresh apples + blueberries & a nutty crumble topping. Yield: 1 8 or 9″ crumble, serves several. A Wait are those Cookies original.

For the crumble

1 c almond flour, packed
1 tbsp vanilla
1/4 tsp sea salt, heaping
1 tbsp maple
1/4 c melted coconut oil
1/2 c chopped walnuts
1/3 c oats* (Omit for grain free)
1/4 c unsweetened coconut
1/4 c crystalized ginger
2 tsp fennel seeds, very finely chopped (or ground in a mortar)

1 bulb of fresh fennel, finely diced
2 granny smith apples, peeled & chopped into small cubes
~1 c wild blueberries (mine were frozen)
1 tbsp tapioca starch + 1/4 c water
1 tbsp maple
zest and juice of two lemons

Preheat the oven to 350 and grab some kind of 8″ or 9” baking dish – this is the least fussy recipe ever, so square, round, etc – whatever you have is fine! I used a deep 9″ pie dish. In your baking dish of choice, toss together fennel, apples, blueberries, lemon juice and zest. In a smaller bowl, whisk together tapioca starch & water, add maple, then pour over the prepared fruit. Bake for 20 minutes.

While the fruit is baking, make the crumble. In a large bowl, stir everything together: almond flour, vanilla, salt, oats (if using), maple, chopped walnuts and coconut, fennel seeds, and coconut oil together, then stir in crystallized ginger.

Remove the fruit from the oven, and toss a bit to redistribute. Drop the topping over the fruit, and bake for another 25 minutes until the top is lightly golden brown and the fruit is bubbly. Remove and let cool completely before serving. Excellent with ice cream! It’s also fabulous cold after being 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 ;)

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I just want all the rhubarb

I found more rhubarb! Muahaa.

It’s been surprisingly difficult for me to source this year but maybe that’s just my local market. Either way, I absolutely love rhubarb so I’m happy to find it. It pairs so well with apples and raspberries… and obviously I use any excuse to put ginger in things.

This is also one of those that I love cold – refrigerating it makes the crisp topping chewy and SO good. Also highly recommend is a large scoop of vanilla over everything.

The poppies are so pretty right now! They’re all over the city.

Actually, ALL the flowers are so pretty right now:

Low key weekend over here for me, just mostly chilling and being mellow.

Happy weekending!

Rhubarb, Apple and Raspberry Crisp with Ginger

Gluten free, refined sugar free, dairy free and vegan. Springy and fresh! A Wait are Those Cookies original. Yield: 1 8 or 9″ crisp; serves several.

1 granny smith apples, chopped into cubes
3 stalks of fresh rhubarb
2 c frozen/fresh raspberries
juice of two limes
1 tbsp tapioca starch
1 tbsp maple
1/4 c water

1 cup old-fashioned oats (use certified gluten-free oats for a gluten-free crisp)
½ cup firmly packed almond flour
½ cup chopped walnuts
1/4 c unsweetened shredded coconut
2 tbsp maple syrup
heaping ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 c coconut oil, melted
1/3 c dried ginger, chopped (mine isn’t crystalized; if yours is, thats fine!)

Preheat the oven to 350.
Toss apple, rhubarb and raspberries 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 lime juice, tapioca starch, maple, water until combined. 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 flour, chopped walnuts, shredded coconut, and salt. Mix in the maple, vanilla, and coconut oil, followed by the chopped ginger. Stir until everything is mixed thoroughly.

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 2-3 days (yeah right – would take some major feat to make it last more than overnight..)

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I’m just in a crisp-y kind of mood

Hey look, made another crisp!

Slight nod to the weekend’s Hallmark holiday down there in the lower right… couldn’t help it, but also had no inclination to make something overly themed. I had apples, wanted crisp. Easy!

Ever since I made that last one two weeks ago, all I can think about is the way coconut oil is SO GOOD in the crisp topping. I love how solid it gets when refrigerated… but maybe I’m just weird that way; it would seem that like love cold things (bay water, anyone?)

Regardless, this is another variation on a pretty stellar crisp. Excellent for using up a glut of tiny, rather blemished apples – they don’t have to be pretty to be tasty! This version has a bit of dark chocolate – the Manperson requested that I do something with chocolate this weekend, so here it is! Chocolate and ginger are a fave, and pecans just make things that much better.

It’s excellent for breakfast; since there is hardly any added sweetener, it’s basically just fruit / nuts / oats – C and I have compared it to muesli in the past. Not quite, but close! Or granola, either way. Of course it’s also great for dessert with a scoop of ice cream too – no complaints if someone plunks a bowl down in front of me.

Let’s see… in life news, I swam in the bay a bunch more last week because I seemingly can’t get enough, hiked on the beach, saw some pretty blooming trees (the cherry blossoms are out in my neighborhood!) and enjoyed the rain.

It was bath day for the plants today – thinking maybe Kuzco needs a bit of a haircut. It would help him fill out a bit up top so I really should but I love how trailing his vines have gotten and I’m really loath to trim them. Ah well, sometime soon.

I hope your weekend is full of outside time! Happy Saturday :)

Razapple Crisp with Ginger, Dark Chocolate & Pecan

Gluten free, refined sugar free, vegan, dairy free & whole grain. Yay! Fruity, nutty & not too sweet – perfect for breakfast. A Wait are those Cookies original. Yield: 1 9″ crisp, serves several.

4-5 small granny smith apples, chopped into cubes
1 c fresh raspberries (mine were frozen)
1 tbsp tapioca starch
1 tbsp maple
1/4 c water
juice of 1 lemon

1 cup old-fashioned oats (use certified gluten-free oats for a gluten-free crisp)
½ cup firmly packed almond flour
½ cup chopped pecans
1/4 c unsweetened shredded coconut
2 tbsp maple syrup
heaping ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 c coconut oil, melted
1/3 c dried ginger, chopped (mine isn’t crystalized; if yours is, thats fine!)
1/4 c dark chocolate, roughly chopped

Preheat the oven to 350.
Toss apples and raspberries 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 tapioca starch, maple, water and lemon juice until combined. 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 flour, chopped pecans, shredded coconut, and salt. Mix in the maple, vanilla, and coconut oil, followed by the chopped ginger. Stir until everything is mixed thoroughly. Stir in 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 2-3 days (yeah right – would take some major feat to make it last more than overnight..)

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RELIEF! and galettes. but mostly relief.

Such unbelievable RELIEF.

This galette was fresh out of the oven yesterday when I heard shouting outside – I refreshed the front page of the NYT for what felt like the umpteenth time that day even though it was only 830am and saw the incredible news on the front page. SO GLAD it was eaten in celebration. Major, major healing and work to be done, but for now just…. relief. An exhale that felt like it went on for an uncountable length of time, making up for four years of metaphorically held breath. Finally.

Now that I’ve cried some tears of joy at finally seeing one of the last major glass ceilings shattered into tiny little shards, I can get back to doing what I do here: talking about food!

I actually made two galettes: one was for an auction donation from the Lamplighter’s gala, that was dropped off post-Biden/Harris speech and happy tears; the other was eaten at what turned into an elated celebration of relief with C and our fam pod.

The two are essentially the same galette but with one big difference – one is made with apricot jam (a fave of mine, and a common galette ingredient around here); the other is filled with an apple blueberry compote that I made earlier this week. I’m including recipes for both. The compote was the happy outcome of getting suckered into a pint of subpar, out of season blueberries at whole foods…. I KNOW they aren’t that good right now, but they were on sale so I bought them anyway and then discovered they were basically crap to eat out of hand. However…. they were perfect for making into jammy compote, along with a couple apples just past their prime. I ate this on toast or in yogurt for a few days, and then added the rest of it to the galette – superb use of it, highly recommend. If you’re going to go this route, just plan accordingly and make the compote a few hours or the day before so it has time to thicken and cool.

that dark purple jammy goodness is the compote, and I swear there’s actually toast under there somewhere

In other news, it’s gotten COLD in the city the last few days. Lost my game of chicken with myself earlier this year – I finally turned the radiator on tonight (much earlier than in previous years where I’ve made it to December, ha) – it’s happily clanking and hissing away in the corner. Relatedly, it’s excellent at keeping food warm!

On that note, I’m going to go relax next to the radiator with my book, a significantly reduced load of existential angst about the fate of the country, and a HUGELY increased level of excitement for the first ever Madame Vice President. Happy Sunday!

Apple, Blueberry and Ginger Galette

Whole wheat, refined sugar free. A Wait are those Cookies original. Yield: 1 galette, serves several (in this case, 6 slices + 2 for breakfast leftovers)

for the crust:
1 c whole wheat flour
1/2 c cornmeal
1/2 tsp sea salt
4oz/1 stick of unsalted butter, cubed
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla
2-3 tbsp ice water

In a food processor, pulse together whole wheat flour, cornmeal, and sea salt. Add in cubed butter and pulse until it resembled coarse sand. Add vanilla and almond extract, followed by the fice water 1 tbsp at a time until the dough starts to come together. Turn it out onto a board and knead it into a ball. I like to roll it immediately since it’s most pliable (see below for tips) – typically I haven’t had trouble with this dough sticking. I roll it between two sheets of parchment paper and use the bottom one to bake the galette on; makes an easy transferral method between cookie sheet & cooling rack. If you’re not rolling immediately, stuck it in the fridge on a plate. Can be made ahead the night before if need be.

For the fruit:

apples, sliced (I used roughly 4 small ones – a mix of lady alice & granny smith)
1/4 c apple blueberry compote* OR 2 tbsp apricot jam
1 egg, beaten, for egg wash
sprinkle of coconut sugar
dabs of butter for finishing

*if using the compote – make it ahead & let cool before using; recipe below

Preheat the oven to 425. Roll out the dough between two pieces of parchment paper until it’s about 1/4″ thick. Spread the compote or jam in a thin layer over the middle of the dough. Pile the fruit in the center, leaving a border of about 3″. Fold up the sides of the dough over the fruit. Brush the dough with an egg wash and sprinkle with a little coconut sugar. Dot fruit with butter if you like, though it’s not strictly necessary. Pop in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, until the crust is lightly browned. Remove to a cooling rack and let cool completely before slicing and serving. Store leftovers in the fridge overnight – it’s great for breakfast :)

Apple & Blueberry Compote

1-2 c blueberries (no need to be exact)
2 small apples, diced
1″ piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely minced)
2 tsp tapioca starch

Simmer blueberries, apples and fresh ginger together until bubbling – the apples will soften, and the berries will pop. Stir in tapioca and cook at a low boil for a minute or two more, then remove from heat and let cool completely before using. Leftovers keep well in the fridge, and are excellent on toast or in yogurt.

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Fall things

It’s fall! Hooray! I love fall, and fall produce. It’s finally been cooler and not smoky here in SF so I’m trying to seize the moment and roast/bake all the things before it gets warm again. Allegedly it’s supposed to next week and I’m not super thrilled… I’m ready for solid fall weather.

In the meantime, I’m just over here with all the fall produce. Today’s crisp is all things apple, cranberry, ginger and pomegranate – plus chocolate, since why had I never thought about doing a chocolate crisp before now?! It’s not in-your-face chocolatey but definitely enough to satisfy.

it’s been drizzly and foggy in SF and I LOOOOVE it

In other news, thought I lost my drivers license this week, but a kind soul contacted me on linked in later that day saying she’d found it! Proof that common decency hasn’t gone the way of the dodo quite yet.

I’ve also taken to eating extremely extra toast for a lunchsnack (see exhibit A, below). Seems to be an experiment in “how many things can I cram on here and still legitimately call it toast?”

Highly recommend this crisp for a weekend dessert – or weeknight, it’s super fast so no worries there. Delicious as is for a snack or breakfast, or with ice cream for dessert. Not too sweet, with plenty of textural fun. It’s also refined sugar free, gluten free, and whole grain! Is also easily dairy free/vegan; swap coconut oil for the butter and dairy free yogurt for the whole milk variety; or omit yogurt entirely and go all coconut oil. The whole thing is super adaptable.

C calls it granola, hahhaa… it essentially is, when it comes down to it – fruit / oats / nuts. Balanced breakfast, in my book ;)

Happy weekending! Hopefully yours was enjoyable and full of good food.

Apple, Cranberry & Ginger Chocolate Crisp

A Wait are those Cookies original – an endless riff on the crisp that I make ALL the time. Gluten free, refined sugar free, whole grain. Yield: 1 9″ crisp, serves several.

3 apples, chopped into cubes
1.5 c fresh cranberries (or frozen)
1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely chopped
2 tsp tapioca starch
1 tbsp maple
1/4 c water
Juice of two limes

1 cup old-fashioned oats (use certified gluten-free oats for a gluten-free crisp)
½ cup firmly packed almond flour
½ cup chopped pecans
1/4 c unsweetened shredded coconut
1.5 tbsp cacao powder
2 tbsp maple syrup
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
4 tbsp plain whole milk yogurt
1/4 c chopped dark chocolate

Preheat the oven to 350.
Toss apples, cranberries and ginger 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, water and lime juice 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 flour, chopped pecans, shredded coconut, cacao powder and salt. Mix in the maple, vanilla, melted butter and yogurt. Stir until everything is mixed thoroughly. Stir in 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 2-3 days (yeah right – would take some major feat to make it last more than overnight..)

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All galettes, all the time

Hi blog friends!

Wow, a crazy ton has happened since I posted last… I had a birthday (wooo the big 3-0! time for a new decade), spent it in Connecticut having a fabulous time with the fave human & his fam on the beach (giant YAY), and a lot of other crap in the news happened but let’s not talk about that.

Here are a few fun pictures from the CT+30 trip! It was beautiful, I ate a real lobster roll for the first time, and spent a gazillion hours on the water.

Then I came home, the air got smoky and hot again, and everything felt icky. But it’s also October officially, which is a YAY for fall produce! This galette was born of the California shoulder season, where the apples are starting to be excellent but the berries aren’t done yet. Besides, apples + berries are a great match.

Not to mention, I made two galettes and many cookies while on vacation, so I’m just sort of continually in galette mode. Side note: when lacking a rolling pin, a wine bottle will do nicely.

It was SUPER fun using fresh east coasty apples for baking, plus some fresh ginger (not like the stuff you can get in the markets here – this was much softer and pink on the outside!)

Let’s see, what else. Anxiously awaiting cooler weather so I can get on with even more fall baking, but it’s still pretty warm in SF so that may have to wait a bit, we shall see.

Happy baking! I hope all is mostly as right as can be in your world.

Apple, Blackberry & Ginger Galette

Whole wheat & refined sugar free. A Wait are those Cookies original. Perfect for the California shoulder season where apples are starting to come in, but blackberries still look good in the market. Yield: 1 galette, serves several.

for the crust:
1 c whole wheat flour
1/2 c cornmeal
1/2 tsp sea salt
4oz/1 stick of unsalted butter, cubed
1 tsp vanilla
2-3 tbsp ice water

In a food processor, pulse together whole wheat flour, cornmeal & sea salt. Add in cubed butter and pulse until it resembled coarse sand. Add ice water 1 tbsp at a time until the dough starts to come together. Turn it out onto a board and knead it into a ball. I like to roll it immediately since it’s most pliable (see below for tips) – typically I haven’t had trouble with this dough sticking. I roll it between two sheets of parchment paper and use the bottom one to bake the galette on; makes an easy transferral method between cookie sheet & cooling rack. If you’re not rolling immediately, stuck it in the fridge on a plate. Can be made ahead the night before if need be.

For the fruit:

Apples, sliced (I used roughly 4 small ones)
heaping 1c blackberries
2 tsp tapioca starch
1 tbsp maple
zest & juice of one lemon
1″ piece of ginger, finely diced

1/4 c apricot jam (preferably homemade by a friend ;)

In a large bowl, toss together sliced apples, blackberries, tapioca, lemon juice/zest, maple and ginger.

Preheat the oven to 425. Roll out the dough between two pieces of parchment paper until it’s about 1/4″ thick. Spread the jam in a thin layer over the middle of the dough. Pile the fruit in the center, leaving a border of about 3″. Fold up the sides of the dough over the fruit. Brush the dough with an egg wash and sprinkle with a little coconut sugar. Dot fruit with butter if you like, though it’s not strictly necessary. Pop in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, until the crust is lightly browned. Remove to a cooling rack and let cool completely before slicing and serving. Store leftovers in the fridge overnight – it’s great for breakfast :)

before.
after!
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Camp + Pie

Hi friends :)

More pie! Told ya I’d be on the pie train for awhile…. this is a little camp love in pie form. The place that holds a not insignificant piece of my heart in its high Sierra beauty and the faces of my camp family.

Spent a great weekend up at camp with C awhile back but I don’t think I ever shared pictures – here are a few faves. Replacing the siding on one of our original buildings (they date to 1936 when the camp was built) plus some of Mother Nature’s most gorgeous looks.

I decided last night it was high time to make a camp-themed pie, and it turns out intricate pie crusts are the perfect activity for a smoky Saturday morning. Unlike some of my other fancy pie crusts, I did this one without drawing a template first – proof positive that pie dough is more forgiving than you think!

But back to pie. This one is full of late summer peaches and wild blueberries, plus a hefty dose of fresh ginger for a spicy kick. I added dark rye flour to the crust for a twist on my standard whole wheat crust – I love rye, and so does C, so this is a nice spin on the usual. Not overwhelming, but a subtle little somethin’ somethin’.

I do find that the straight whole wheat pastry flour crust is slightly easier to handle, so if you’re new to pie crust or maybe just not feeling it, using all whole wheat is awesome too.

As per usual, I’m 100% sure this is going to be eaten tonight with ice cream – I’m an a la mode girl, for SURE – and tomorrow morning for breakfast, because is it even worth making pie if you don’t eat it for breakfast?! Nope, I think is the answer you’re looking for.

I hope everyone is staying safe, what with everything going on in the world right now. Sending pielove from my corner of the internet straight into your kitchens :)

Gingery Peach and Wild Blueberry Pie on a Rye Crust

Nothing like late summer pie. Wild blueberries, peaches, and fresh ginger in a dark rye and whole wheat crust. A Wait are those Cookies original. Yield: 1 9″ pie; serves several.

for the crust

1.5 c whole wheat pastry flour
1 c dark rye flour
1 scant tsp fine sea salt
8oz unsalted butter (2 sticks), cubed & cold
2 tsp vanilla extract
4-6 tbsp ice water

for the filling

4-5 peaches, sliced
2 c wild blueberries
2 tsp fresh ginger, finely minced
2 tbsp maple
1/4 c whole wheat flour
1 tbsp tapioca starch
zest & juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp vanilla

In a large bowl, stir together all the filling ingredients. Let sit while you make the dough.

In a food processor (or by hand, but I actually love using the food processor for this dough; it comes together in a snap and keeps it from getting overworked), pulse together flours and salt. Add in cubed butter, and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse sand. Add in ice water – I start usually with four tbsp, then add a tbsp at a time until the dough comes together in a ball.

Turn it out onto a floured surface, divide it in half and and roll it out – I prefer to roll and then chill, since the dough is easier to work with that way. You’ll roll out a circle that’s slightly larger than the top of your pie plate, to make for crimping excess. Lay the dough into the dish, tucking the edge underneath and crimping it as desired. Do whatever you want with the top crust! Shapes, traditional top crust, lattice, whatever. Once the bottom crust is in, stick the whole dish into the freezer for 5-10 minutes while you roll out the top (helps prevent shrinking). No need to cover since it’s not in there very long.

Preheat the oven to 425, and bring out the chilled bottom crust. Pile in the fruit, lay on the top crust, and dot the fruit with butter. Brush the top crust with an egg wash and sprinkle with a little coconut sugar if you like (I like the color). Bake for 10 minute at 425, then lower the temp to 350 and bake another 35-40 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the fruit is bubbly. Remove from the oven and let cool before slicing and serving.

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Bluebs for Fogust

Hi blog friends –

Full transparency: I’ve been hit by a case of the covid/state of the country blues lately, and am not in the best headspace ever, at the moment. That being said, I’m going to keep this short, focus on pretty, delicious things, and then go clean the crap out of my apartment to make myself feel a bit better.

These bars are really good though. Perfect for a late summer dessert, or even for the times when you have blueberries that are just past perfect – maybe you don’t want to eat them out of hand, but they’re still perfectly good? Yep. These bars are a great vehicle for that. I love them for their simplicity, dietary restriction friendliness, and overall ease. Not to mention you can use whatever you have on hand, which is always a winner.

They’re gluten & grain free, refined sugar free, dairy free, vegan & paleo, making them suitable for just about everyone (sorry to my nut free friends out there; next time!)

C and I ofc ate them for dessert last night with ice cream – definitely recommend. Equally good for breakfast by themselves though, so keep some leftovers!

Fogust is definitely in full swing, and the dahlias are still gorgeous – I checked on them last Thursday, just to see… I just can’t stay away.

Sending love from my kitchen to yours! Happy baking :)

Sesame Ginger Blueberry Crumble Bars

Gluten and grain free, refined sugar free, dairy free, vegan & paleo. Something for everyone! Excellent alone or with ice cream, perfect for a late summer dessert. Nutty, slightly spicy, and naturally sweet. A Wait are Those Cookies original. Yield: 1 8 or 9″ pan of bars; serves several.

For the berry filling

1/2 bag (~1 c) frozen wild blueberries
1/2 pint fresh blueberries
zest & juice of one lime
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 tsp tapioca flour
1/4 c chia seeds
1 tbsp vanilla

In a small saucepan, heat berries, lime 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
1/2 c chopped pecans
1/4 c unsweetened coconut
3 tbsp black sesame or toasted sesame seeds
3 tbsp crystalized ginger, chopped

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, chopped walnuts and coconut oil together. Reserve a heaping half cup and stir in the sesame, coconut and ginger (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 blueberry 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 ;)

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fuss-free summer crumble

Hello! Happy weekend!

This might be the easiest, least fussy dessert ever. It’s incredibly adaptable to whatever is in your pantry, and it can accommodate any fruit. C and I decided (post-hike, of course) that this is basically like a really fruit-heavy museli. It feels more indulgent though, even though it really isn’t…. it’s just nuts & seeds, oats and fruit! Perfectly balanced weekend breakfast, if you ask me. Or brunch, as the case may be.

It’s also excellent alongside coffee, I might add. Turns out I actually prefer it cold – straight out of the fridge, the topping is nice chewy, as opposed to softer when you leave it out. That’s coconut oil working its magic for you!

I had some nectarines and cherries that I’d frozen about a month ago at peak perfection – really easy to bake straight from frozen for this, but be warned it will be super juicy.

Nothing too crazy to report around here – lots of hiking, mask-wearing, and nerdy jokes. My plants are going gangbusters though, which is always fun to see.

baby leaf!

Hard to believe it’s almost August. Since I didn’t go up to camp for a full session this year, my normal summer-touchstone isn’t there, which is making the months do weird things. Happily, stone fruit season goes for awhile, so there is lots of fruit dessert still waiting in the wings. I have a feeling it might be another galette upcoming – I have rye flour and I’m dying to use it in the crust.

I hope you had a relaxing/productive/enjoyable weekend! Sending love from my corner of the internet.

Nectarine & Cherry Crumble

Lightly sweet – more like a really fruit-forward muesli than anything else. Basically just nuts + seeds, oats & fruit! Makes a great summer breakfast straight out of the fridge, with coffee. Gluten free, easily grain free. Dairy free, refined sugar free & vegan. Yield: 1 crumble, serves several. A Wait are those Cookies original.

For the crumble:

1 c almond flour, packed
1 tbsp vanilla
1/4 tsp sea salt, heaping
1 tbsp maple
5 tbsp melted coconut oil
1/2 c chopped walnuts
1/3 c oats* (Omit for grain free)
1/4 c unsweetened coconut
3 tbsp black sesame
1/4 c crystalized ginger

For the filing:

5 nectarines, sliced (I leave the skin on, but you do you)
~1 c bing cherries, pitted
2 tsp tapioca starch + 1/4 c water
1 tbsp maple
zest and juice of two limes

Preheat the oven to 350 and grab some kind of 8″ or 9” baking dish – this is the least fussy recipe ever, so square, round, etc – whatever you have is fine! I used an 8×8” deep baking dish that has a 2 quart capacity. In your baking dish of choice, toss together nectarines, cherries, lime juice and zest. In a smaller bowl, whisk together tapioca starch & water, add maple, then pour over the prepared fruit. Bake for 20 minutes.

While the fruit is baking, make the crumble. In a large bowl, stir everything together: almond flour, vanilla, salt, maple, oats, chopped walnuts and coconut, black sesame, and coconut oil together, then stir in crystallized ginger.

Remove the fruit from the oven, and toss a bit to redistribute. Drop the topping over the fruit, and bake for another 20 minutes until the top is lightly golden brown and the fruit is bubbly. Remove and let cool completely before serving. Excellent with ice cream! It’s also fabulous cold after being 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 ;)