Peach Shortcake

My fruit bowl went from the odd apple and lots of oranges to an overflow of peaches cause its summertime fruit time!

I might have gone a little overboard with the first purchase of peaches and bought like 12 lbs. (Yeah I did). But I knew I wanted to make these shortcakes for the mr and Barb so I figured there is a couple pounds right there that are not going into my mouth so It was like I bought 10 lbs and I can eat 10 lbs of peaches in a week no problem. Facts!

It was weird, I don’t usually plan to far in advances on what I am going to bake but for some reason I had it in my head that I needed to make shortcakes with peaches. Everyone is always making strawberry shortcakes but then stops it there and I don’t know, it just seems like the world needs to expand their fruit and shortcake minds and mix it up. Yes strawberries are fantastic but so is all the other fruit out there. Especially peaches. Peaches are a good fruit to start mixing it up with.

See, I got you. Now to the peach shortcake!

The stuff. Flour baking powder, salt, sugar, coconut oil, plant milk, a can of coconut milk, powder sugar, and ripe peaches.

Start by cutting up peaches. Remove pits and dice small. You can peel them but why?

Place diced peaches into a bowl and toss with a little sugar. Set aside.

Make the biscuits. Toss all the dry together then cut in the very cold coconut oil. You want to have grainy, small little chunks of oil. Next add in the very cold milk and gently fold in with a fork until is is absorbed be gentle to not over mix..

Dump the shaggy dough onto a lighhy scoured counter and gather together.

roll dough out into a shape that is about 1 1/2 inches thick (I went with rectangle) and cut into 6-8 equal sized pieces.

Place cut biscuits on a lined baking sheet, brush tops with a little milk, and sprinkle the tops with a bit of sugar.

Pop into the oven to bake. 20-25 minute unlit golden brown.

Pretty bakes biscuits.

And last buy not least, the coconut whipped cream. Take the can of coconut milk from fridge and scoop our the thick cream part. Place into a cold bowl and beat until thick and creamy. Beat in a teaspoon or so of powered sugar if you want a little sweetness.

And then you add it all together. Cut a biscuit in half. scoop on some juicy sweet peaches, then top with a plop of coconut cream.

Summertime in the mouth.

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Peach Shortcake

make 6-8 shortcakes

• 2 cups flour

• 1/2 cup very cold coconut oil

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 1 cup very cold plant based milk

• 5-6 fresh ripe peaches

• 1-2 tablespoon sugar for peaches (greater amount for sweeter peaches)

• 1 can full fat coconut milk chilled for 24 hours

• 1 teaspoon powdered sugar whipped coconut cream (optional)

Start buy cutting up peaches. Remove pits,(peel them if you must) ,and dice into small pieces. Place into a bowl and toss with a tablespoon or so of sugar. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 400

Now for the biscuits. Place flour, baking powder, 1 tablespoon sugar, and salt into a bowl. Mix until incorporated. Add in the very cold coconut oil and cut in with a fork or pastry cutter until the mixture is crumbly but the oil is NOT completely in mixed in. You want the little chunks of oil. Next dump in the very cold milk. Gently mix with a fork unil all the liquid is absorbed and a shaggy dough has formed. Dump dough onto a lightly floured surface and gather together. Pat flat with hands into a rectangle that is about 1 1/2 inches thick ten cut into 6-8 equal sized pieces. Place onto a line baking sheet, brush tops with a little milk and sprinkle with a bit of sugar. Pop into hot oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a nice golden brown on top and bottom. Remove form oven and let cool on a wire rack.

For coconut cream. Remove canned coconut milk from fridge, open it and scoop to the top layer of thick coconut cream. Place into a cold bowl and whip with a beater or by hand until thick. If you want to add a little sugar, beat in a teaspoon or so of powdered sugar.

To assemble. Grab a biscuit, cut in half and place on plate or in bowl. Scoop on some peaches and then add a plop of whipped coconut cream. Grab a eating utensil (spoon or fork, you do you) and eat.

Banana Oat Cookies

These are my cookies. I share yes, but mainly make them for my own personal pleasure. Just oats and banana, well cinnamon and salt, but basically just oats and banana. And what a fine fine cookie they make. Soft and a little chewy and taste just like banana bread and a just really freaking tasty. And what I really love to do with these cookies is make a batch and stick them in the freezer. Sometimes a little frozen cookie action is all a person can ask for , you know?

Anyways, these are the simplest of simple cookies that you really can make. And sure, some might argue that maybe they are not even really cookies but why do we care? They are frantic, easy to make, taste amazing and yes, are healthy and breakfast approved. A few cookies for breakfast? Yup, and we can be happy about it.

Now to the cookies!

The stuff. Oats, a ripe banana, some cinnamon, and a pinch of salt.

Place about a third of the oats into a bowl or food processor and blend for a few seconds until oats become a chunky flour texture. Add in the banana(peeled) and the cinnamon and blend until incorporated. Next add in the rest of the oats and just mix together with a spoon until completely the mixtures is completely incorporated.

Let the mixture sit for a few minutes will you preheat the oven.

Once oven is preheated scoop ball of dough onto a lined baking sheet . With your fingers or a fork, squish each one down a bit flat. Note. These cookies do not spread at all.

Pop cookie into oven and bake for 14-16 minutes or until golden brown.

Out of the oven and ready to go.

Cooling on a rake cause that what cookies need to do. And then you eat them cause that is what you need to do.

-C

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banana oat cookies

Makes about a dozen smaller cookies

• 1 very ripe bananas

• 1 1/3 cups oats

• a pinch of salt

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

Place about a third of the oats and the pinch of salt into a food processor or bowl (if using a hand blender) and blend until the oats have become a chunky flour texture. Add in the banana and blend until incorporated. Next add in the rest of the oats, and the cinnamon and mix together with a spoon unitl completely incorporated.

Let mixture sit while you preheat oven to 350

Once oven is preheated, scoop dough onto a parchment or splat mat lined baking sheet. Using your fingers or a fork, gently flatten each cookie (they will not spread). Place cookie into oven and bake for 14-16 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and place on wire rake to cool.

Eats for a snack, a dessert, breakfast, lunch or dinner. Great smeared with a little peanut butter or chocolate. Also I love to store them in freezer. Something about a frozen banana cookie…

Watermelon Radish Orange and Pistachios Salad

Have you ever seen a radish as pretty as a watermelon radish?

Is it weird that I got, what’s the word… giddy at the sight of watermelon radishes at my last farm share pick up? I legit did a little jig, yelled out to the farmers that I loved them and that that farm share pick up was the best on ever!

My farmers love me, but I am pretty sure they think I am crazy. (Maybe just a little bit)

Anyways I got me some of these super beauty radishes and have been munching away on them all week. Then I made this salad because sweet and juicy oranges and creamy pistachios go so well with peppery radishes. I added in some red onion for a little more bite and flavor, gave it a simple dressing of salt, pepper, and vinegar, and ate it all up. A big bowl of color and flavors. A bowl of happiness.

Now to the salad!

The stuff. A couple watermelon radishes, oranges (I used a navel and and blood orange) a small red onion, a handful of pistachios, red wine vinegar, and salt and pepper.

First slice up the radishes and onion very thinly. Use a mandolin if you have one.

Toss the radish and onion into a big bowl along with the vinegar and a pinch of slat.

Now cut peels from oranges and then cut oranges very thinly as well.

Add the oranges to the bowl with the radishes and onion.

Rough chop the pistachios.

Toast them into the salad. And then top with pepper.

Prettiest salad ever.

-C

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Watermelon Radish Orange and Pistachios Salad

• 2 medium sized watermelon radishes

• 2 small oranges (navel or blood)

• 1 small red onion

• a handful of unshelled pistachios

• 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

• salt and pepper

Start by slicing the rashishes and onion pretty thin. (use a mandolin if you have one) then place into a big shallow bowl. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and drizzle in the vinegar. Toss around

Grab oranges and cut away peels. Then cut the whole oranges as thinly as you can (You can see the segments who or cut into smaller pieces) then place into bowl with the radishes and onions. Toss around.

Grab pistachios and give the na little rough chop then toss them into the salad. Add a little black pepper to taste then give the whole salad a little toss.

Eat.

Roasted Cauliflower with Capers, Pomegranate, and Walnuts

We have been eating a lot of cauliflower the past couple weeks. Cauliflower because who doesn't love it? But also because I froze a shit ton of it and found the stash in the deep freezer.

This is just a little something something that I have thrown together a few times and really enjoy. Basically a roasted cauliflower salad with yummy things and those yummy things are pomegranate arils, capers, and walnuts. It is fast, simple, and super delicious. A very satisfying and healthy salad situation. Perfect for winter.

Now to the cauliflower and stuff.

The stuff. Cauliflower (use fresh or frozen) pomegranate arils, capers, walnuts, a lemon, a splash of olive oil, and salt and pepper. There should also be a clove of garlic…where did it go?

Chop cauliflower into bite sized pieces.

Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet and place into a preheated oven.

Rough chop walnuts and mince garlic while cauliflower is roasting.

Once the cauliflower is nice and roasted, pull pan out and toss on the garlic, walnuts, and capers, and pop the pan back into the oven for a few more minutes to slightly cook the garlic and toast up the walnuts.

And then you pull it out of the oven, dump it all into a big bowl, toss in the pomegranate arils, squeeze some lemon on top, and add pepper and a pinch of salt if you need it.

That is it. Now eat it.

-C

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Roasted Cauliflower with Capers, Pomegranate and Walnuts

• small head of cauliflower (or a lb of frozen)

• 1/2 cup pomegranate arils

• 2 tablespoons capers

• a handful of walnuts

• olive oil

• a clove of garlic

• salt and peper

• juice from half a lemon

Preheat oven to 450

Chop cauliflower into bit size pieces and place on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and then place in oven and roast until nice and brown, usually about 25 minutes.

While roasting, roughy chop walnuts and mince garlic.

Once cauliflower is roasted, remove pan form oven and toss in the minced garlic, chopped walnuts, and the capers. Pop back into oven for about 5 more minutes just to slightly cook the garlic and toast and warm up the walnuts and capers. After those 5 minutes, remove the baking sheet and transfer everything into a bowl. Add in the pomegranate arils, squeeze in the juice of the lemon , and season with salt and pepper.

Then eat it.

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies

Nothing validates a cookie more then a 13 year old girl (who knows her way around sweets) who eats a couple of the freshly baked cookies you made but doesn’t say much. Then asks to takes a couple home. Then texts you in the middle of the night to ask you to make more cookies because they are the best cookies that she has ever had. That is a true story and even though she woke me out of my well needed slumber, that girl is for sure going to get her own batch of these here, best cookies she has ever had. I guess I am a sucker for a baking complement.

These cookies, they are a chewy, cinnamon apple-y, oatmeal situation. Everything and more you could want out a cookie that just might taste a bit like apple pie. And who doesn’t want to eat apples right now? Especially if you are an apple picker (who isn’t?) Using fresh from the tree apples, they really are the perfect cookie for this time of year.

Ah, fall. It really is the best.

Now to the best cookies a 13 year old girl has ever had!

The stuff. White whole wheat flour, old fashion oats, brown sugar, baking soda and powder, salt, coconut oil, flax eggs, vanilla, a raw sugar and cinnamon mixture, and of course, apples.

Start by taking apples, cutting away seeds and core, and dicing into small little bits, like the size of a chocolate chip.

Now dough. Mix together the wet until combined then add in dry and mix until completely incorporated.

Fold in th apple chunks.

Scoop dough into balls and dip each ball into the raw sugar and cinnamon mixture. Place each cookie on baking sheet and smoosh down a little to help with the spreading. Once baking sheet is full with enough space for cookies to spread while they bake, place into oven.

Bake for 15-17 minutes or until tops look baked and not gooey and bottoms are nice deep golden brown.

Lovey baked cookies.

Get them onto a wire rack to cool and to free up the baking sheet for the next batch.

And then cookies. To eat at your very leisure.

Enjoy your apples and Happy FALL!

-C

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Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies

makes about 2 dozen

• 2 cups white whole wheat flour

• 2 cups old fashion rolled oats

• 2 tablespoons cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon each baking soda and baking powder

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

• 3/4 cups coconut oil melted but not hot

• 2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons ground flax seeds and 6 tablespoons warm water)

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/4 cup turbano (raw) or white sugar mixed with 2 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1 large or 2 small Macintosh apples (about 1 1/2 cups small diced)

Preheat oven to 350

In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, oil, flax eggs, and vanilla until completely incorporated and there are no big chunks of sugar. Dump in flour, oats, baking powder and soda, salt, and cinnamon and fold into wet until completely combined. Fold in apple chunks until evenly distributed.

Scoop dough into a ball and dip the top into the raw sugar and cinnamon mixture then place on a cookie sheet. Gently smoosh each dough ball down a bit. Once baking sheet is full, with enough room for spreading, place in the oven and bake for 15-17 minutes or until cookies look cooked on top and are golden brown on the bottoms. Once baked, remove from baking sheet (gently) and place on a wire rack to cool.

Then eat. And store left over cookies in a air tight container at room temp for up to a week (if they last that long). Also can be frozen.