Buckwheat Pancakes with Blueberry Cinnamon Syrup

Alas it has been too long since I last posted a recipe. Between a 2 week European vacation, and 2 weekends back in Minnesota, I have relied on a lot of convenient and simple eats rather than taking the time to invent, perfect or experiment with edibles. Simple bean and grain salads, pastas, steamed veggies, sandwiches, you know the drill. It’s like eating out of a lunchbox meal after meal without the time to sit down and dream up a masterpiece...or distaster. The fall is only going to get busier with weddings, visitors, more races, and holidays. So now is the time to squeeze in a post to help me feel like the creative juices are still simmering amidst the autumnal bluster.


My first experience with buckwheat pancakes was one of the most delightful eating experience one could have: after a morning that consisted of a road trip to Cleveland, TX (yes in Texas), an hour or so picking 17 pounds of organic blueberries and hopelessly scrubbing purple fingers, my sister, her other half and me with my partner in crime set out to make a dent in our fruitful berry booty. Our first blueberry blunder: buckwheat pancakes. We had them for lunch and ate so many I pretty much counted the meal as dinner too. I suppose it was actually dessert as well considering we put dark chocolate chips in half of the batch. There will always be a warm fuzzy memory of hunching over the counter, tearing apart the pancakes fresh off the griddle with our fingers and dipping them in a bowl of maple cinnamon syrup. Something about eating and standing while licking sticky pancake fingers makes the soul feel good.


So back home in Phoenix after a blustery, cold IronGirl race over the weekend that resulted in both a huge accomplishment and a huge cold, I had that kind of appetite that can only be satisfied by a certain soulful kind of grub and asked my breakfast-loving beau if he wanted me to make something before work. What shall it be? Oatmeal, scrambled tofu, pancakes? Buckwheat pancakes most definitely got the greatest, most enthusiastic response. Luckily I had a stray bag of frozen wild blueberries in the freezer. As I perused the cupboards to hunt down the maple syrup however, we of course had none. Never fear, a culinary solution is always near.


I looked up a few pancake recipes to use as a base and then (you know me) created my own. Most buckwheat pancake recipes call for regular flour in addition to buckwheat, but I was adverse for two reasons: 1) I wanted my pancakes to be gluten free, and 2) there are tiny wheat flour-loving bugs that lurk in the cupboard shadows, impervious to flour bags and even sealed jars. They don’t like gluten-free flours so I am finding myself increasingly reluctant to open up a cupboard bug crackhouse when they are not attracted by wheat alternatives. Some of the gluten free recipes called for rice flour instead of wheat, but chickpea flour is tastier and has more protein and fiber...and I had some in my flour stash. I don’t know if the xanthum gum was necessary or not, but the batter was nice and thick, holding together extremely well. If you have it, use it. If you don’t, try the recipe anyway. The syrup alone is worth it! Quick and delicious, just throw is on while your cakes are on the griddle.

Buckwheat Pancakes with Blueberry Cinnamon Syrup
Makes about 8 pancakes
Total prep/cook time: 20 minutes


Ingredients


For the Pancakes
1 c. Almond or soy milk
1 T. Cider vinegar
1 T. Agave
1 T. Coconut oil (or other mild tasting oil)
1/2 c. Buckwheat flour
1/2 c. Chickpea flour
1 T. Baking powder
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp. Xantham gum (optional)
1 c. Blueberries, frozen or fresh (thaw and rinse if using frozen)


For the Blueberry Cinnamon Syrup
1/4 c. Raw cane sugar
1/4 c. Water
3/4 c. Blueberries, fresh or frozen
1 Cinnamon stick or 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Toppings options: Brown sugar, walnuts, flax seeds, fresh bananas


Directions


For the Pancakes: In a small bowl, mix the milk and cider vinegar and set aside to curdle while preparing the rest of the mix. In a medium bowl, combine all dry ingredients and whisk together. Add coconut oil and agave to milk mixture and stir into dry mix. Be careful not to overmix! That way you’ll have fluffy pancakes. Heat griddle or pan over medium-high heat. When ready to cook pancakes, reduce heat slightly. Using a 1/4 cup measuring scoop, ladle the batter onto the pan. When pancakes start to bubble slightly flip and cook on the other side until golden brown.


For the Syrup: Heat sugar, water and blueberries in a small sauce pan over high heat. When bubbling reduce heat to medium and let cook until liquid has thickened and reduced to 2/3 cup, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer syrup to a small bowl and grate 1/4 of the cinnamon stick over mixutre or mix ground cinnamon into the syrup. Add a touch of agave to taste if there is not enough liquid or if you would like a sweeter syrup.


To assemble: Top 2-3 pancakes with 1/4 cup of syrup, 1-2 T. chopped walnuts or flax seeds, and a pinch of brown sugar if desired. Add fresh bananas if preferred.

Lemon Caper Alfredo with Asparagus and Leeks

July and August came quickly and whizzed by without leaving much of a trace. Starting a new job, albeit with the same company, that is much more demanding than roles of my past meant reallocating resources and benching hobbies for a short time. Hardly a memorable meal or truly ingenious recipe, barely enough time to muster over what to make, and small energy reserves for adventurous kitchen experiments. I’ve been a lame mock duck this summer. I can hardly crack out a batch of mac n’ cheez these days. So many hummus wraps and Whole Foods salad bar Wednesdays ($2 off!). Eating out, however health I try to be, has not encouraged or stimulated my creative cooking juices. By now it’s the end of August and prior to this delightful dish, I had yet to make something to write home about.

Now that I’m settled in my new department and have adjusted to my responsibilities, I’ve found it easier to bring back the aimless recipe wandering, thorough audience-preference analysis, and food analogue objective that inevitably lead to the crazy concoctions featured here. Another daily life feature lost in the buss was the intimate nightly dinner with my dearest recipe reviewer. It seems so long ago that we used to wine and dine chez nous a better part of the week, testing my edible innovations and having chatting about everything under the sun and moon. With both of our careers pressing us like a fine French roast, we lost that table time. Finally, as I’ve found a way to adjust my career time with home time, I’m rectifying all sorts of situations.

To reignite our dinner ritual and satisfy my gourmet thirst for challenge, I set out to make something my token Omni would thoroughly enjoy. He has a surprising love for capers –though he is a salt fiend, I am hard pressed to find something brined that he actually likes. No pickles, no Kalamata olives, negative on artichokes. Capers for some reason are the exception. And for someone who has had an even busier summer than I’ve had at work, he deserved something deliciously invented for him. I gathered all the ingredients of his kind of meal: bread and tomatoes (we started with bruschetta), pasta, a hearty sauce, and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc. Arguably, neither lemon cream sauce nor lemon caper sauce is original. But the mild lemon flavor in this thick, “creamy” sauce combine with a salty pinch and fresh asparagus gave this dish exquisite character.

The leeks could probably be optional, but they were from a 2 week old produce share from the farm and had to go. They were a nice touch with a texture that coincides with asparagus beautifully - but not necessary. The lemon level and caper capacity are of course totally up to you. For you non-veg heads that read the blog: please not that by using silken tofu instead of cream, you cut the fat (and subsequent guilt + next day laziness) by about 85%. Using cooking spray as I did of course reduces the fat content even further, though you could use traditional olive oil instead.

Lemon Caper Alfredo with Asparagus and Leeks
Makes: 2 servings
Cook time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

For the Sauce
1 tsp. Olive oil
½ Small onion, chopped
2 tsp. Garlic, chopped
1-2 T. Dried mushrooms
1 ¾ c. Vegetable broth, from bouillon, divided
½ pkg. Silken tofu (6-7 oz)
½ c. Almond milk
¼ c. Capers, drained
1 T. Lemon juice
1 tsp. Lemon zest, divided
White pepper & nutmeg

For the Pasta
4-5 oz Gluten free spaghetti
Cooking spray
½ c. Leeks, white & green parts chopped
12-15 Asparagus spears, chopped
Fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a sauce pan. Cook onions until golden brown, about 7-8 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 additional minute. Add mushrooms and 1 ½ c. vegetable. Bring to a boil and reduce liquid to ½ cup, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. In a food processor combine onion broth with tofu and almond milk. Blend until completely smooth (about 2-3 minutes), scraping down sides periodically. Return sauce to pan and cook over a steady low heat. Stir in lemon juice, ½ tsp lemon zest, and capers. When ready to serve, stir in a tiny pinch of white pepper and nutmeg.

While the sauce is heating on low, bring a pot of water to boil. Cook pasta according to directions on package. Strain and set aside.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and coat with cooking spray. Add leeks and cook 3-4 minutes until starting to brown. Add asparagus, remaining lemon zest and use broth to deglaze pan when vegetables start to dry. Cook until asparagus is al dente, about 3-4 minutes.

To assemble: Combine pasta with asparagus/leek mixture. Pour sauce over top and mix. Garnish with parsley, lemon slices and freshly ground black pepper.

Arugula Tomato Pesto

There really isn’t a whole lot of story behind this recipe other than it being the first time I’ve successfully made something delicious out of this highly regarded leaf. Each time I have made a classic or creative attempt at cooking with arugula, I’ve always ended up with a puckered face from the pungent and peppery flavor that is signature to arugula. This is perhaps because my arugula comes from a farm that waits to harvest until its vegetables are fully developed…meaning I’m workin’ with some real, busty, adult arugula, not the mild baby kind you get from a nice fluffy bag at Whole Foods. The sturdy, mature lettuce is much more robust, if not abrasive, than it’s younger self. Aren’t we all.

Last year when arugula appeared in my produce bag from the farm, no lingering memories came to surface on my taste buds. I had certainly eaten it before, but my only prominent thought of arugula was, “Ah yes, that high class green that jeopardized Obama’s election.” This is the benefit of getting a weekly bag of surprise produce – you get the chance to not only cook with but become familiar with items knocked my Fox News. Cooking with new items I’ve only heard of is a true thrill and pleasure. Yet…sauce after sauce, salad after salad, and sauté after sauté….blatt! I could not get this crap to taste good! How does it have such an elite reputation? Bitter from the first to last bite and a spicy bitter at that. I like bitter and I like spicy, but they hardly appear together in my cuisine.

As expected, when my first bag of arugula surfaced this season, I fell into a sad little salad slump. So many enticing recipes – pear and arugula salad with walnut and pomegranate seeds, arugula orange salad with rose water dressing, blah blah blah. That’s for the baby stuff. I had to figure out a way to tone this bad boy down…tomatoes worked perfectly. After whipping it up with some garlic, tomatoes, and a generous pinch of NY the magic really happened when I added that drizzle of walnut oil. Instead of adding pine nuts as I would in a traditional pesto (mainly because I didn’t have any), I used a nut oil to replace olive oil. Holy walnut yum yum, this was fabulous. If you haven’t invested in a good bottle of walnut oil, you should seriously consider splurging the $10. That way when you have to explain to carnivores how you get your Omega-3s if you don’t eat fish, you have a suitable answer.

Arugula Tomato Pesto

Makes about 1 ½ cups
Prep time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

3 c. Arugula
1 c. Yellow and/or red tomatoes, chopped
2 T. Nutritional yeast
½ T. Garlic, chopped
1 tsp. Walnut oil
½ tsp. Salt

Directions

Puree all ingredients in a food processor and adjust salt to taste. Serve over pasta or toasted baguette.

Five Spice Tofu Spinach Salad with Miso Dressing

It’s not often that I write a recipe for one, but the odds of me cooking for one are high. Now the odds of me making a ginormous, delicious salad....those are odds you don’t wanna mess with. While I say over and over how undervalued and underestimated good salads are, I really do think they are the bees knees and next to perfect. I don’t have that heat obsession that most people have - where any food that isn’t served hot isn’t perceived as filling. Learn a thing or two about fiber and you’ll learn your lesson about salads being filling. What I like most is that they are a hodgepodge of wonderful ingredients in a creation that at best is a reflection of your persona or at worst a compilation of stragglers in the fridge when you’re too lazy to hit up the food store. Sometimes it’s not one or the other, but both.

This recipe is written a little differently than others. Most ingredients lack measurements, because it’s totally up to you. In fact, I almost feel silly putting this up since you could substitute half of this for something else. But if this recipe gets your vegan juices flowing, my goal is accomplished. I typically choose a themed salad when making it as a main course, in this case - Asian. Sauteed tofu is all the protein you’ll need and if you add some cooked brown rice on top, this fill you further than a gritty burger. If you’ve never cooked with 5 spice, it’s a wonderful tool in the kitchen that encompasses all five flavor regimes: sweet, sour, astringent, bitter and salty. If you like Pho, you’ll definitely like the 5 spice blend. If you’ve never heard of Pho before now, quite reading and find a Vietnamese noodle shop.

I’d like to throw a tofu tip to the non-veg heads or novice cooks out there: be smart about flavor and don’t under cook the cubes. Once you’ve seasoned tofu, cook it at medium-high heat and WAIT until it’s brown. So many people tell me they can’t get tofu to taste like anything. Those are somehow the same people who enjoy moo muscle marinated in jungle juice for 4 hours. Tofu needs the same TLC, the same flavor saver - soak tofu in something saucy and spicy for an hour. In a pinch, a quick marinade (like this recipe here) can be very effective. Just make absolutely sure you cook it relatively slowly until golden brown. No white patches. No soggy spots. Tofu doesn’t have to be flavorless flab

5 Spice Tofu Spinach Salad with Miso Dressing

Serves: 1
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 5-10 minutes


Ingredients

For the Tofu
2-3 oz Tofu
1 tsp Soy sauce
1 T. Rice vinegar
1/4 tsp. Chinese 5 spice
1/4 tsp. White pepper
1/4 tsp. Chili or sesame oil
2 T. Leeks
Cooking spray


For the Dressing

1 T. Warm water
1 tsp. Miso
2 tsp. Rice Vinegar
1/4 tsp. Sriracha
1/4 tsp. Agave

For the Salad

Large handful of spinach
Small handful arugula (optional)
Bit of cilantro, chopped
Couple of basil leaves, chopped
Carrot, thinly sliced
Cucumber, thinly sliced
Pickled Radish, thinly sliced
Broccoli, lightly steamed
Roasted Cashews


Directions

Slice tofu into 1/4-12 inch thick slices, about 2. Place on paper towel and pat dry. Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl and throw in tofu. Stir to completely coat with marinade. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Coat with cooking spray and add tofu to pan, reserving any remaining marinade. Saute stirring frequently until all sides are golden brown. At the last minute pour any leftover marinade in pan and remove from heat. Or just remove tofu from pan into leftover marinade.


Combine all dressing ingredients together in a small bowl.


Combine all salad ingredients on a large plate or in a large bowl. Top with tofu and drizzle miso dressing over the top. Enjoy!