autumn

Chai Spiced Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies

October 27, 2014 By Courtney West 1 Comment

I’ve been trying to be more mindful about reading, or rather remembering to read. I know that sounds silly, but it is so easy to get caught up in other things and simply forget to pick up one of several books I have on my nightstand. My “to read” queue currently consists of a mixture of yoga books and food writing. I suppose that tells you all you need to know about my interests or perhaps what kind of person I am. Or perhaps not.

My current read is MFK Fisher’s An Alphabet for Gourmets (originally published in 1949). I’ve been taking it outside on the patio with my breakfast and tea to enjoy the cool weather before it dissipates for the day, being replaced by uncomfortably warm sunshine and an absence of clouds.
I’ve been underlining various passages or sentences that speak to me in one way or another and wanted to share one from the chapter “J is Juvenile Dining”. She is comparing our relationship with food to that of our forefathers through a description of how different our bread is from that of our ancestors in terms of both quality and our the attitude towards it:

“And I have thought sadly how far we have come from our forefathers in Latvia or Sicily or Cornwall who once so honored bread that if they dropped a piece of it on the floor they begged its pardon. In our country today it is in a sorry waxbound servitude, so weak that it must be reinforced with chemicals, so tricked-out that a hungry dog or cat will not eat the puffy stuff unless it is actually starving.”

After I initially read that passage, I re-read it, underlined it, then re-read it again. In just those two sentences she made a statement that was just as true in 1949 as it is today. Generally speaking, our relationship with food has changed immensely through time. As humans we tend to have a “go, go, go” mentality, always in a hurry to get somewhere or get something done. This carries over into meal times and the decisions we make concerning food. We grab for pre-made convenience items without really thinking about what is in them and where they have come from. Without delving too far into this topic (I could go on for hours about this issue in particular), I think the take-away from this statement is to be mindful of what you buy and what you eat. Your body won’t thrive on chemicals, stabilizers, and preservatives.

Due to my dietary restrictions, I’ve taken to making more things at home. You’ve seen a bit of that on the blog recently with these waffles, this cashew macadamia milk and now with these delicious cookies. Yes it does involve more time than plucking something off the shelf at the store, but my body will thank me for it in the long run. I’ve only got one body and to borrow a cliche, I’ve come to treat it like a temple

So, the cookies! I’m sure you thought I was never going to get around to talking about these in this wordy post. With Halloween coming up, I thought it would be a good time to post a healthier treat to indulge in instead of all of the nasty and tempting candy out there. They are gluten free, grain free, and vegan but you would hardly notice at all. They are full of dark chocolate chunks, chai spices, and a good dose of vanilla. They are easy to make, easy to store, and easy to pop into your mouth. And, they are perfect for Halloween! The next time you are craving cookies, perhaps you can forego buying a package of pre-made ones and try these instead. I promise you won’t be disappointed 🙂

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Turmeric Pumpkin Waffle For One

October 14, 2014 By Courtney West 1 Comment

One of my favorite school day breakfasts as a kid was waffles topped with applesauce. I don’t really remember when or how it started but I couldn’t get enough of that combo. Sure I liked apple cinnamon cheerios and berry berry kix, but put a waffle topped with applesauce in front of me and I was completely content. I actually still like this combo, though now it’s with a gluten free waffle and some silky homemade applesauce. Until recently I didn’t have access to a waffle maker so I would buy a frozen gluten free variety. They weren’t as bad as an eggo, but they weren’t exactly awesome either. Since having the proper equipment, I’ve probably made waffles at least 4 or 5 times. I guess I’m making up for the time I didn’t have one.

The idea for this waffle popped into my head last week after messing around with Ashlae’s buckwheat waffle recipe. Since my adoration for all things pumpkin is not a secret, and since it IS fall now, I wanted to do a pumpkin waffle. I also wanted to spike it with a bit of turmeric in addition to the usual cinnamon and cardamom that I use a lot. Why turmeric? Used in Ayurvedic medicine, this golden hued herb aids in digestion and treats fevers, inflammation, and infections. It’s most commonly available in dried and ground form, but if you’re lucky, you can sometimes find fresh turmeric root at well stocked grocery stores.

So, at this point I ask you why not turmeric?! If you’re like me you’ll start finding yourself using it a lot more. I reach for it in the mornings when I want to help my digestive system along, or when I might be feeling under the weather. In this case it pairs well with the cinnamon and cardamom without dominating the flavor of the waffle. I tend to be heavy handed with it so I used a half teaspoon but if you don’t want the flavor quite as strong you can scale it back to a quarter teaspoon. Since I was feeling generous, I’ve provided both volume and weight measurements below. This makes one large waffle, but you can easily multiply up to suit the number of waffles you want to make. They freeze well and can be reheated in the toaster. I enjoyed mine with some maple syrup, sliced seckel pears, and toasted hazelnuts so that is reflected below in the recipe. Happy Fall!

Turmeric Pumpkin Waffle for One
notes: I’ve been messing around with different flour combinations and am confident you can use a half a cup of your favorite gluten free blend here if you prefer. I also tested it with 7 tbsp buckwheat flour and 1 tbsp arrowroot and it worked just as well. And, if you don’t like pumpkin, you can use more almond milk or unsweetened applesauce in its place.

50g (5 tbsp) millet flour
15g (1 tbsp) arrowroot
20g (2 tbsp) almond meal
2 tsp coconut sugar
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 to 1/2 tsp turmeric (this depends on your tastes)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
60g (3 tbsp) pumpkin puree
90g (6 tbsp) almond milk (or other milk of your choice)

toasted hazelnuts, sliced pear, & maple syrup to serve

Combine all of the dry ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Make a well in the center and add the vanilla, pumpkin, and almond milk. Mix until a thick batter forms. Prepare and heat up your waffle maker (I tend to put mine at a higher setting and spray a bit of coconut oil on it). Add the batter to the waffle maker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. When the waffle is ready, carefully remove it and add the toppings as you like. Makes 1 large waffle. Enjoy! 🙂