Fig Muffins

Ciao everyone!

Do you know what season it is??

No, I'm not talking about the answer related to why I feel like I'm dying all the time by heat exhaustion

I'm talking about....FIG SEASON!!

And let me tell you, the fig trees know it full well.

There are four pretty mature trees growing at my parent's house, and they are GOING CRAZY.

And it's fantastic:)

For one thing, I am happy to report that my taste buds, that at one time reviled raw figs, now love love love them:) Which is good, because every single day it's like it rained figs into the tree branches. Like whole buckets of em.

Another thing to tell you about the trees is where they came from... Originally, they were my Nana's. She was born in Italy. Very cool:) Then, my uncle and dad took clippings from her trees and have completely grown entirely beautiful, big, bountiful trees now in remembrance of her<3

Also, as far as the harvesting, my mom and I have been trying to figure out ways to utilize the greatness before they all go bad... so we made a muffin recipe!!!!! After a bit of tweaking, we have greatness for the recipe books:) Also, we tried making them gluten free, which also came out fantastically!

Here is the recipe... enjoy:)

Fresh Fig Muffins

(adapted from foodandcheerandsong.blogspot.com)

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour (or GF all-purpose)

1 cup old fashioned oats

2 tablespoons flax meal

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup coconut milk (carton, unsweetened)

2/3 cup sucanat

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup chopped fresh figs (about 6 medium)

Directions:

  1)      Combine flour, oats, flax, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon in a bowl. Set aside.

  2)      Combine milk, sucanat, oil, vinegar, and vanilla in a separate bowl and mix until most of the sucanat has dissolved.

  3)      Stir wet into dry and mix until combined.

  4)     Mash about half of the chopped figs, and then stir in. Let batter rest about 7 minutes while oven heats to 375 and you prepare a 12-cup muffin tin with liners.

  5)      Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until done.

Ciao for now!
-TheRedLady-

P.S. after making them, I ran the recipe through an online calculator to get the nutrition facts.. here are the basic numbers on what was found:)

Per muffin

Cal: 150  Fat: 2.5  Carb: 29.9  Fiber: 3.3  Sug: 15.5  Protein: 3.4  Calcium: 6.9%  Iron: 4.3%

Amazing Muffins

Ciao everyone!


Do you know what I love??

A good, hearty bran muffin.

The ones that are just so stinkin' delicious that you want to gobble it up super fast, but at the same time you want to savor it for as long as possible because it is just SO GOOD.

Of course, when a person realizes they have such affection for a type of food item, the logical conclusion is to figure out how to make your own variety!!

So I did:) And they were a big hit!!!

Here's the funny part though... We don't have any wheat bran in my house.

We do have wheat germ though! And that was good enough for me to get goin' on recipe configurin'!

ENJOY<3

 Amazing Health Muffins!!!

makes-12

Ingredients:

2/3 cup wheat germ

1/3 cup oat flour

1/3 cup whole wheat flour

1/3 cup buckwheat flour

2 tablespoons milled flax seed

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

Good pinch salt

1 cup + 1 tablespoon applesauce

1/3 cup agave nectar

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Few drops vanilla extract

Good 1/3 cup raisins 

Optional: chocolate chips, nuts, craisins

Directions:

   1)     Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 12 cup muffin tin with cupcake liners

   2)     Combine dry ingredients

   3)     Combine wet ingredients separately

   4)     Add wet to dry

   5)     Stir in raisins

   7)     Let batter rest for 5 minutes

   8)     Bake for 25 minutes

   Ciao for now!

   -TheRedLady-

Socca

Ciao Everyone!

So...it's been a while.

So I realized it is probably about time to get back to blogging!

I hope your thanksgiving holiday time was beautiful...

We are now into the next crazy holiday season!

Christmas is 22 days away....

22 DAYS!!

Oh my goodness!

I don't know about you, but I am DEFINITELY already feeling the business of the season!

Two things on that note:

1) Please please PLEASE do not let the craziness of scheduling and the list of 5 million and 4 things to do throw you off and distract you. This season is all about celebrating the Savior of the world... The God and King of glory who came down as a baby, in the humblest of circumstances, to save unworthy sinners. It is a beautiful and awe-some thing.

2) I will try to keep you updated with a list of joyous stress-relieving posts and fun to think about recipe posts to keep you moving!

This post is a recipe post:) (I promise...we're getting there. Haha)

It may be the easiest thing I have ever made...

Like it's crazy...

It's also extremely versatile, making it a great tool to keep in your mind's recipe tool box!

It is like a Mediterranean flat-bread type of idea...

It hails from the South of France, which makes it sound even cooler in my opinion;)

I'll list the basic recipe first, but be sure to check out the pics and ideas at the bottom!

 SOCCA

(ingredients listed are for 1-2 servings, but it lends beautifully to altering amounts!)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup chickpea flour (which you can easily make homemade by grinding dry garbanzo beans in

                                        a good food processor)

1/4 cup water

Salt (about 1/4 teaspoon)

Optional: whatever spices you like! I love adding rosemary, black pepper, and garlic powder

Directions:

1) Mix together in a bowl; Let sit for about 15-20 minutes (to give the flour time to soak up a lot of the water...if making a larger amount, you may want to let it sit for an extra 10 minutes or so)

2) Spray a cooking pan with non-stick spray (or coat with olive oil)

3) Set pan on stove on high heat. When hot, pour batter in and cook like a tortilla or pancake

4) Enjoy!

Ways to enjoy socca:

- By itself or alongside soup or salad

- Toasted and then enjoyed like a pita bread, flatbread, or (if you toast it for longer) chips!

- With cheese like a yummy grilled cheese sandwich (*personal favorite! For a classic, use american cheese..but mozzarella, tomato, and fresh basil make a lovely dish as well)

 Another way I have yet to try is to use it like a tortilla, and make a burrito and/or wrap.


I would like to note that for the sandwiches, I used a slightly smaller pan so it stayed a bit thicker; if you use a larger pan and help the batter spread, it would lend better to the flatbread/wrap idea.

Have fun with your creative mind! If you try any of these variations or your own, let me know! I would love to hear about it:)

Ciao for now:)

-The Red Lady-

Buckwheat Biscuits

Ciao everyone!

Do you know what today is?

Monday

But not just any Monday.

It is the MONDAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING!

So, as hard as you may've tried, there is no hiding from it now.

Time to pull out all your best recipes and call the relatives and make plans:)

Here is a recipe for biscuits if you're up for something new!

The primary ingredient is buckwheat flour, which has a very distinct taste. It's really one of those love it or hate it flavors.. Sooo my advise is, if you like buckwheat, GO MAKE THESE RIGHT NOW. Because they are fluffy and amazing. But if you don't know how your guests feel about buckwheat... have a plan b ;)

 Buckwheat Biscuits

(original recipe)

makes: 10-12 

Ingredients:

3/4 cup buckwheat flour

1/4 cup homemade oat flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon stevia (baker's bag)

3/4 cup water

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Directions:

1) Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. 

2) Stir in water and vinegar.

3) Let batter rest for 20 minutes, while oven heats to 350 degrees. Prepare baking sheet by lining with tin foil. Spray tin foil with non-stick spray.

4) Scoop batter onto tin foil in round-ish shapes. Bake for 15 minutes.

5) Enjoy!

Ciao for now

-The Red Lady-