The Smiling Onion

Vegetarian and Gluten-free Cooking

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Salty Oat Coffeeshop Cookies

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Have you ever been to Teaism? Whenever I find myself in DC, I normally make it a priority to stop in at one of their three locations. It’s a cute, exceedingly popular tea house with an extensive tea menu and Asian small bites. I don’t often eat there – just chill and drink tea – but on my last visit, I noticed an enticing menu item: salty oat cookies! Sadly, they were not gluten-free, so I had to content myself with buying one for my husband and asking him detailed questions about it.

Fast forward a few months and a late-night cookie craving hits. When this happens, I’m often torn: do I measure so I have a potential blog recipe in the making or do I just throw stuff in a bowl and try to recreate it later? I opted for the throw-stuff-in-a-bowl option, since I knew that measuring would surely increase the amount of waiting time until my my cookie craving – which was increasing in urgency – was quenched.

As is often the case when I forgo measuring altogether, the cookies came out amazing. Like mind-blowingly good. They were soft and chewy when they first came out, filled with hearty oats, creamy peanut butter, and quinoa flakes with just the right amount of flour to hold them together. They were also the perfect sweet and salty combo, buttery and delicious. And as they cooled down, they got even better: developing a lovely crunch on the outside. I couldn’t stop eating them!

Now, when I tried to recreate these cookies a few days later – using actual measuring devices – they weren’t quite the same. They were, however, quite delicious. And coincidentally, they were also very reminiscent of how my husband had described the salty oat cookie at Teaism, potentially minus the peanut butter. In short, these taste like the perfect coffeeshop cookie: hearty and delicious, lovely with or without a cup of tea or coffee. They are packed with oats and quinoa flakes, salted butter, creamy peanut butter, toasted coconut, and chocolate chips. And they seem to get even better as the days go by – keep them at room temperature in a ziplock bag and enjoy having the perfect snack on hand whenever a craving strikes. I even made an ice-cream cookie sandwich with them using homemade ginger ice-cream (recipe coming soon!) which was absolutely divine.  If anyone has actually had the salty oat cookie at Teaism, I’d be very interested to hear whether this is, in fact, similar. Please let me know in the comments!

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Maple Teff Muffins (and a Review of Tenera Grains Teff Flour!)

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As the rain pours down in New York City and gusts of wind slam against our windows, I’m drinking a nice, hot cup of earl grey tea and enjoying a basket of fresh-from-the-oven teff muffins, slathered with grass-fed salted butter. I haven’t felt this peaceful in a while.

Later today, things will get done. The state of the bedroom matches the weather – it’s a tornado of papers and clothes that need to be sorted and folded. And laundry awaits, too. But right now, sitting at the table watching the cat admire the rain, muffins, tea, and butter are all-consuming.

I can thank the kind people at Tenera Grains for making these muffins happen. Seeing that I use teff quite frequently in my recipes (check out more teff flour recipes here), they offered a bag of their freshly milled flour in exchange for an honest review. It’s been sitting in the cabinet for a while now, urging me to make injera, or waffles, or pizza crust, or … the call that finally got through to me … muffins! I absolutely love teff flour in muffins because it’s high in protein (which gives you a nice boost in the morning, helps cut the sweetness, and adds moisture to gluten-free baked goods) and has a hearty, nutty flavor that reminds me of bran. In fact, these muffins are quite similar to my Mystical Applesauce “Bran” Muffins which also use teff, with a few notable changes:  banana instead of applesauce, maple syrup instead of agave, and more teff flour. Just like that recipe, however, I’ve used the same baking powder/baking soda combo (see why here) and remained true to my tradition of making a “mystical” dozen (11 muffins instead of 12).

Well, Tenera teff flour did not disappoint! The muffins came out moist and delicious – with a lovely, nutty maple flavor and a light and airy texture.

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Grain-Free Lokshen Kugel for Passover

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Noodle Kugel for Passover? Am I meshugana? Nope. This kugel is completely Passover-appropriate. It also happens to be grain-free, gluten-free, nut-free, lactose-free, and low FODMAP. (Sorry vegans – I’m working on it.)  Don’t be scared by that long list of “frees” either; this kugel is the opposite of deprivation. Carrot noodles take the place of traditional noodles, which means more flavor. And holding them together? It’s that traditional sweet cream cheese custard we all know and love. In fact, when I first made this, I was almost disappointed by how much it tasted like your standard deli kugel – should I have added some ginger? Orange zest? Something to make it a bit more unique?

Then I realized grain-free noodle kugel was unique, and the fact that it tasted remarkably similar to traditional kugel was probably a selling point. Spiralized carrots are baked with sour cream, eggs, cream cheese, brown sugar, cinnamon, and a few (optional) raisins. Then the whole thing is chilled overnight, cut into squares, and …voila! It’s that traditional, sweet, Jewish dessert so quintessential to special occasions. And Kosher for passover to boot.

So if you want to experiment with some ground ginger, or orange zest, or cardamom, or whatever sounds good to you – by all means, do it! And please let me know how it turns out. But if you are a traditionalist – look no further. This is your kugel.

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Irish Whiskey Banana Bread

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What better way to celebrate St. Paddy’s day (which is in just 2 days!) than with a loaf of whiskey-infused banana bread?  This sumptuous treat will fill your home with the most incredible, cozy, delicious aromas — aromas that (fair warning) may prompt you to cancel your night out, wrap yourself in a Shamrock blanket, and call some friends to help you make a dent in the conveniently already-open whiskey bottle until it’s time to devour that warm loaf of banana-y goodness.

What’s that? Your friends aren’t gluten-free? No worries. I gave this to my husband and he swore he couldn’t tell it was sans gluten. The loaf rises and browns beautifully. It has a crusty outside and a warm, cakey inside. And the flavor? Don’t get me started. This banana bread is the perfect sweetness. It’s just banana-y enough with a salty, buttery undertone (yay for salted butter in baking!) and an almost caramel or deep vanilla-like note from the whiskey infusion that will leave you licking up the crumbs like there’s no tomorrow.

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Hipster Hamantaschen Fillings

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Purim is around the corner which means it’s hamantaschen time! Last Purim, I created a 15-minute hamantaschen recipe that happens to be raw, vegan, grain-free, and sugar-free (sweetened with dates), so be sure to check out that recipe if you haven’t yet.  It’s super easy and really delicious!

This year, I decided to focus on fillings, because I feel like there is just so much wasted potential there. I mean, donut fillings have gone way beyond your standard cream or chocolate at this point (dulce de leche, passion fruit….there are a ton of donut shops in NYC that really understand the opportunity that comes with the word “filling”). But hamantaschen? Every year,  I walk past bakeries and see hamantaschen filled with your typical jam and poppy seed. It’s  nothing to complain about of course — those fillings are traditional and delicious — but can we get some creative ones too? Let’s enter the world of “artisan” hamantaschen fillings already!

I’ve attempted to do that here, with three fillings that would probably be on the docket if your favorite hipster joint started selling hamantaschen. (Disclaimer: I don’t consider myself a hipster, so I could be wrong about this.) They are Mexican-Chocolate Chestnut, Salted-Maple Peanut,  and Poppy-Seed Cream Cheese (the least hipster and most Jewish of the lot). They are all low FODMAP as long as you don’t overdo it; the Mexican Chocolate-Chestnut is vegan, and the Poppy-Seed Cream Cheese is nut-free. Last year’s 3-ingredient chocolate filling (vegan and raw) is also worth revisiting if FODMAPs aren’t a concern.

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Matcha Custard

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I didn’t realize until recently how fitting it would be to make custard for Valentine’s Day. Not because it’s insanely delicious (though there’s definitely that) or because you can serve it in cute little dishes (though there’s that too.) But because, to make custard properly, you really need to exhibit some of your best relationship skills.

So, in the spirit of Valentine’s Day, here are three relationship skills/lessons told through the experience of making custard. (Okay, I may have a bit of Dear Abby envy. This was way too much fun!)

Skill 1: Patience

Traditional custard is a mixture of milk and eggs, slowly thickened over a low flame. And the key word here is slow. If you get sick of waiting for it to thicken and raise the heat too high, your eggs will start to curdle, which means you’ll get chunks of cooked egg in your custard. The same thing will happen if you add the hot milk to your beaten eggs too aggressively. The trick is patience: add just a little at first; then once the egg has grown accustomed to the presence of the milk, you’ll start to drizzle in the rest. You then get to warm up the mixture – again, gradually and patiently on the stove, making sure to give it lots of love and attention (aka stirring) so nothing curdles.

Relationship Lesson:If you try to make an abrupt change without making sure your partner is on board, the relationship is likely to curdle. Best practice is to make changes and suggest improvements gradually, making sure your partner feels loved and supported (keep stirring that egg mixture!) throughout the process.

Skill 2: Trust

There is usually a point in the custard making process where I’m positive something has gone wrong. Custard sometimes takes its sweet time to thicken, and gives almost zero indication that it will thicken until it does. During those painful minutes when it looks like nothing is going to happen and I’m going to be left with a pot of liquid, remembering that I’ve been in this boat before and  always come out on top is key. Otherwise, I might be tempted to self-destructively turn up the heat or just drink the liquid then and there. I have to remember that the custard has always thickened in the end – no matter how much it looks like it won’t – and trust that this time won’t be any different.

Relationship Lesson: In a relationship built on trust, you always give your partner the benefit of the doubt. There will be times when you’ll question whether or not he/she has your back. When this happens, avoid getting worked up before you have all the information, since turning up the heat too fast could trigger exactly what you’re trying to avoid. Instead, trust your partner and give him/her time to explain before losing your cool. 

Skill 3: Experimentation

Maybe things do go awry in your custard-making process. The first time I made this matcha custard, it tasted great but had a drab, very unappealing color that just didn’t cut it. I normally outright refuse to put color in anything, but it occurred to me that maybe I could find a natural green food coloring that would work. I ended up finding this recipe, which suggested boiling spinach and then blending until completely smooth. I was a little bit nervous: Would it be too subtle? Too bright? Would it taste spinachy? (The recipe promised it wouldn’t, but I had my doubts.) Thankfully, I took the plunge, and it came out perfectly. No spinach remained after blending – it was completely liquid – and a couple tablespoons yielded the perfect muted green color. Oh, and there was no spinachy taste, whatsoever.

Relationship Lesson: It can be scary to try new things, especially if your relationship is already on the rocks. But sometimes breaking routine can be just what you need to lift you out of the doldrums and into the light. Don’t be afraid to give your relationship that little pop of color it was missing: you’ll be glad you did. 

Now that we’ve all learned soooo much, I think we deserve some custard, no?

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Apple-Ricotta Tart with Pumpkin Seed Crust

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Tuesdays must be lucky because I have an incredible Fall dessert to share with you today. Imagine a light and creamy maple-ricotta mousse tucked inside a rich, buttery grain-free shortbread crust. Can you taste it? Okay. Now add some fresh apple slices and a couple honey hazelnuts to the mix. All good? Great. So just focus on the crust for a second – can you taste the freshly ground pumpkin seeds in there? They’ll be the rich, nutty savory hint that pops through. Now don’t forget to let that note intermingle with the fresh, brightness of the apple slices and the creamy ricotta mousse…

Having trouble holding all those flavors together in your mind? No worries. Let me take you through how to make this beauty so you can taste it for real. But first, a quick note about what inspired this dessert: Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.

For me, Rosh Hashanah signals the beginning of Fall, the beginning of apple season, the beginning of the long, bountiful “time-to-eat-all-the-time-especially-sweets” season that continues with Thanksgiving and doesn’t end until after Valentine’s Day. I’ll be going home to Massachusetts soon for my family’s annual Rosh Hashanah walk on the Mount Holyoke Range and apple picking in Ashfield. We’ll each take some time to think about the year that’s passed and the one to come, and then we’ll have a delicious meal and dip apples in honey to symbolize our hope that it’s a sweet one.

Hence this apple tart. It screams Fall – apples, pumpkin seeds, hazelnuts – short of sprinkling on some colorful leaves, I’m not sure how it could honor the season more. And of course, the Rosh Hashanah elements of apples and honey are represented. But what’s more, while there’s an elegance about it, there is also a homey, comforting quality that seemed appropriate for the holiday.

After all, what do most of us want when entering a new year? Sure, there are always things to change: new beginnings remind us to be creative, daring, unafraid to take risks. That’s your pumpkin seed crust right there. But there is also something to be said for holding on to some familiarity –– to comfort, to home. We tend to feel better about starting anew when we have some sense of security and grounding: for this, Fall, baking, and apple slices seemed like a good place to start.

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Peach & Berry Fruit Soup with Amarula

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You wouldn’t know it from the weather in New York, but Fall is coming. Pumpkin muffin recipes are already starting to pop up on blogs and social media, and Starbucks has rolled out their pumpkin flavored “seasonal” drinks. But guys, it’s still summer! Why are the trends always so ahead of the season? I don’t know about you, but if I start indulging in all-things-pumpkin now, I’m going to be damn sick of the stuff by the time Fall actually rolls around. I mean … it was 90 degrees yesterday. Do you really want to sip on a hot pumpkin latte?

I know I didn’t. But what I did want to do was enjoy a nice, cold, refreshing bowl of summer fruit soup. Because summer is ending soon, and the window for finding local, in-season peaches and berries is rapidly closing.

Hence this recipe. Raspberries and blueberries are blended with peaches, sour cream, just a bit of sugar, and an incredible South African fruit liqueur that you can sub out with your liqueur of choice if you can’t get your hands on it. Then, you stir in some whole berries – which have been tossed with a bit of vanilla and nutmeg – to really kick it up a notch.  Easy, refreshing, and delicious!

Oh – but dare I forget to mention the crispy mint leaves on top? Yes – once you learn how to make these, you’ll be putting them on everything. Trust me.

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Sweet & Spicy Black Sesame Snack Balls

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Have you ever noticed that each judge on Chopped  has at least one pet peeve – feedback that they seem to give over and over? Maneet Chauhan’s is raw cayenne. I feel like I’ve seen at least 8 episodes where she criticizes a chef for not cooking the spices properly, or for adding cayenne right before the buzzer. She hates the taste of raw cayenne!

I totally see where she’s coming from, but I have a dirty secret: I happen to really, really enjoy raw cayenne. Okay, maybe not in curries…you definitely gotta bloom your spices there. But sprinkled on fruit, gluten-free flatbread, fries, plantains … I have to say I really like the intensity you get when it’s raw!

Especially when it’s coating these black sesame – date balls. They were born when I decided to attempt a no-bake black and white cookie (made from black and white sesame seeds!) and then got distracted after my first attempt at the black half because I started thinking how delicious my dough would be rolled in a spice mixture. The cookie idea got shelved, and instead I went for some fiery snacks.

I’m glad I did – the black sesame, date, and raisin mixture is interesting on its own, but after being rolled in cinnamon, cayenne, and crunchy black and white sesame seeds, it really pops! Plus the snack balls are so pretty … and a cinch to put together! They are also nice and healthy – cinnamon and cayenne have a load of health benefits I won’t get into here (because the list is long – google it if you are interested!) and the balls are sweetened only with dates and raisins.

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Mascarpone and Berry Parfait with Balsamic, Basil, and Mint (4th of July, Here We Come!)

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My brother and I have always been very attached to traditions. Most people have to do something at least twice for it to be considered a “tradition” that should be repeated; for us, it only takes once. As soon as we do something to commemorate a special occasion or event, if it goes well, it’s a tradition. And we better repeat it, or face the consequences!

My parents were frequently frustrated with us growing up – “But mom, we can’t celebrate Rosh Hashanah on the day itself – we ALWAYS celebrate it one day early!” – or “Dad, we HAVE to go to the store right now and get chocolate covered espresso beans to put in the cookies – it’s a tradition!” I’ve cut vacations short just so that I could be home for a certain occasion I’m always home for and I once took a “birthday walk” in the pouring rain (complete with thunder and lightening) because … well… it was the birthday walk. Tradition! You can’t mess with it.

Anyway, I have two 4th of July traditions that I try to repeat every year. I’m not going to tell you about the first one, because it will probably make me sound even crazier than I already do. But I will tell you about the second: vanilla ice-cream with strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries. Red-white-and-blue deliciousness.

So, for my 4th of July blog post, I wanted to create something in the spirit of that tradition. I definitely did not want to make ice-cream this week (I’m a little ice-creamed out from the Ben and Jerry’s fiasco I wrote about last week) but berries and cream … this I could do. And boy could I eat it! Because this parfait is a mascarpone cream interspersed with balsamic-basil strawberries, blueberries infused with mint and red wine, and salted-maple raspberries. Need I say more? At the risk of sounding super cheesy, it’s fireworks in your mouth.

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