Notes from a Lazy Urban Homesteader & Amateur Naturalist
Now that it’s getting warmer, bananas and avocados ripen a lot faster on the counter than they did in the winter. They over-ripen a lot faster, too. Over the weekend, I found myself with a glut of avocados and bananas that were too ripe for my taste, but still edible. How could I use them up fast? I decided to make … Read more
I had a bunch of odds and ends in my fridge: an overripe avocado, half a banana, a spot of applesauce, some leftover millet and a bit of whey from making Greek yogurt. What could I make that used all of them? Muffins, of course! Avocados are a great source of beneficial fats, including anti-inflammatory phytosterols and oleic acid, similar to the … Read more
I was feeling fancy this week, so decided to make iced muffins. I usually skip icing and frosting because they tend to be loaded with sugar. Plus, I’m a bit lazy! But I’ve been wondering lately if sugar substitutes could create the satisfying, crunchy-but-melty texture of a good icing. My curiosity finally won out over my laziness, and I started experimenting. … Read more
The recipe is an adaptation of a quiche I first tasted at a Master Gardeners potluck many years ago. It was the best quiche I’d tasted in ages, so of course I pestered the cook for the recipe. It turned out to be something she’d clipped from a supermarket circular The secret ingredient is cottage cheese, which gives it a … Read more
I’ve been continuing my experiments in vegan baking with coconut flour. This week, I decided to try a variation on the sweet potato muffins I posted a couple weeks ago. As with the vegan chocolate-orange muffins I made last week, psyllium is the not-so-secret ingredient for holding the muffins together and giving them a nice texture. If you like chai, you’ll love these … Read more
I finally found a way to cook with coconut flour that doesn’t require using a million eggs! The trick is to use psyllium husks – yup, the stuff in Metamucil. When you combine psyllium with a little liquid and allow it to sit, you get a thick goop. Including it in grain-free baked goods adds excellent structure and holding power to the final product. If … Read more
I’m still experimenting with coconut flour, but this week I wanted to try mixing it with another flour so I could use fewer wet ingredients and have a more traditional muffin texture. I loved how these turned out! Sweet potatoes and applesauce make them sweet with no added sugar. They’re moist and flavorful, and they keep well in the refrigerator if … Read more
I’ve got nothing against wheat, but it’s fun to mix things up a little. I found some coconut flour at Trader Joe’s and have been playing around with different recipes that use it. Coconut flour can’t be substituted one-to-one for wheat flour; it expands a lot when mixed with liquid, so you generally need to use less coconut flour than you … Read more
My friend Tania requested I do a wheat-free muffin recipe. I love corn muffins with sweet or savory add-ins, and lately my favorite edition has been blueberries. Juneberries (serviceberries), blueberry lookalikes that grow freely in many parts of the United States and Canada, can also be a nice addition. When I am making corn muffins for myself, I usually include some … Read more
I was in the mood for something made with buckwheat, and while racking my brain for flavors that would go well with it, I hit upon cranberries. I almost always have a bag or two of whole, unsweetened cranberries in my freezer – I tend to buy several pounds in autumn when they are cheap and toss them in the freezer. … Read more