Orange You Going to Make this Bread?

If you don't have a big sweet tooth, I'm going to apologize in advance because things are about to get pretty sugary here for the next couple of weeks ahead of the holidays. First up: Cranberry Orange Bread with Whisky Glaze.

I associate the holidays with sugar cookies, gingerbread animals, fluffy scones, traditional Polish cakes, etc. This is partly because I adore desserts and would eat them non-stop if that weren't frowned upon by polite company and medical professionals, but it's also due to the fact that baking, especially around the holidays, feels so communal. This bread is a perfect example! The scents of cranberries and orange will make your kitchen smell warm and cozy, and the recipe is super simple so it's easy to make together with a friend or while chatting with family.

Obviously the eating part of the process is also very much a group activity. You can whip this easy bread up for a holiday brunch, or take it to your office party, or serve with tea after an evening with friends. Don't skimp on the whisky glaze!

Cranberry Orange Bread with Whisky Glaze
Adapted from Doron Petersan's Sticky Fingers' Sweets

Makes 1 loaf

1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons Earth Balance
1/2 cup almond milk
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup and 1 teaspooon coconut oil
2 tablespoons water
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups flour
3/4 cup fresh cranberries

2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon whisky

Preheat your oven to 350 F and line a bread pan with aluminum foil. In a medium bowl, use a mixer to cream the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and Earth Balance. Then, in a separate small bowl, whisk together the almond milk, orange juice, vanilla, and 1/3 cup coconut oil. Pour this delicious-smelling mixture into the butter-sugar bowl and mix again until it's more or less combined. It's going to look a little gross, but don't worry!

Told you so. 

In a cup or yet another small bowl, combine the remaining 1 teaspoon coconut oil with 2 teaspoons baking powder and the water. Whisk it up really well - this is your egg substitute! Pour it into your batter and give it another whirl with the mixer.

In a large bowl, mix up the remaining 1 teaspoon baking powder with the cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt, and 2 cups of the flour. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and mix only until everything is blended together. Leave some lumps! Don't overmix!

Nice and lumpy. 

Chop up those cranberries - make sure they bounce first! Dump these suckers into a small bowl with the remaining 1/4 cup flour and stir to coat. I have no idea why and for once in my life the Google didn't yield any useful answers. Anyone know what the point of this is? Anyway.

Flour berries!

Once the berries are nice and floury, fold them into your batter then pour the whole mess into your bread pan. Bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when you poke it into the loaf. Wait until your creation is totally cool, then make your whisky glaze - just whisk the powdered sugar, orange juice, and whisky together until smooth - and drizzle it generously over your bread. Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Whip It Real Good

Apologies for the radio silence! Between running the Marine Corps Marathon and officially entering my late 20s, it's been a busy couple of weeks. Now that life has calmed down again, I want to make it up to you all with homemade hummus!

Can I tell you how long I've wanted to make my own hummus? My mom has been doing this for years and it's unfair how delicious it is - my family can inhale an entire bowl within minutes. The key to super smooth hummus, however, is having a food processor that can whip your tahini and chickpeas up to a light, fluffy cream. This critical kitchen gadget has finally entered my life, courtesy of a birthday gift from my lovely parents, and this is how I felt:

You said it, Ellen Page, you beautiful Canadian. The first thing I made was this amazing batch of hummus to have with our Saturday morning bagels, and I can safely say I will never need to buy pre-made hummus again. Check out the photos below, assemble your food processor, and head over to Inspired Taste for the recipe!

Tahini and lemon juice... 

...plus chickpeas... 

...equal a beautiful brunch. 

Beans a Make Her Dance

Confession: I have a deep and unapologetic obsession with chickpeas. Aside from being delicious and full of protein, chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans) are also ridiculously versatile. You can puree them for hummus, throw them into a curry, or use chickpea flour to make falafel. This week, we’re going to make one of my favorite foods: garbanzo bean scramble.

Brunch can be tricky when you’re avoiding eggs and dairy, which is why I was so excited when a friend shared this recipe with me. Chickpea scramble is basically the vegan answer to an omelet – the chickpea batter just replace eggs as a vehicle for transferring various tasty ingredients from your plate to your mouth.

I made my scramble with red onion, broccoli, eggplant, and artichoke hearts (the lady friend’s favorite combo), but you can basically use whatever vegetables you have in your fridge. Bell peppers, spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, etc. are all fair game. You do you, friends. 

A word on finding garbanzo bean flour: the only grocery store that consistently has it seems to be Whole Foods. Look for Bob’s Red Mill brand (usually in the baking section), which only costs $3 per bag. If anyone sees it elsewhere, let me know in the comments!

Garbanzo Bean Scramble

(courtesy of Heather, a vegan magician)

Serves 2

¾ cup garbanzo bean flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

¾ cup water

your choice of veggies

olive oil to coat your pan

your preferred hot sauce, to taste (optional, of course – if you’re not a spice freak like me, add a pinch of salt instead)

In a small bowl, combine the garbanzo bean flour, baking soda, and water, then whisk the mixture with a fork until it’s smooth. The consistency should be sort of like yogurt at this point. Set that aside and chop up your vegetables into bite-sized pieces.

Let's do this.

Pour a little olive oil into a large pan and begin to sauté your veggies over medium-high heat. Start with things that take longer to cook – onions, broccoli, bell peppers, etc – and then add the ingredients that only need a minute to soften up, like tomatoes and leafy greens.

Sizzle.

Once your vegetables have reached an optimal level of sautéed-ness, pour the chickpea batter into the pan. It’ll seem a little thicker than it did 10 minutes ago – don’t freak out, that’s good! Add your hot sauce (or salt) and stir until everything is evenly distributed. Let your scramble cook, stirring occasionally so that the bottom doesn’t burn.  

Nearly ready!

When your scramble is nicely browned and has a consistency similar to scrambled eggs, you’re done! Slide that baby onto two plates and chow down. You can top your scramble mountain with avocado to dress it up, or roll it up in a tortilla for a breakfast burrito if you’re on the go.