Apple Cider Pound Cake

It's been a while since we've featured a recipe from the Richard Simmons Collection of Dazzling Desserts. So far, we've made a vegan coconut-carob pie, a purple sticky rice tart, a pomegranate-dream bundt cake, fortune cookies (though, they didn't turn out so well), and a strawberry-pear faux pie.


Today's recipe comes from page 60. It's actually for a lime pound cake ("It's a Fine-Lime Pound Cake," as he calls it), but as I mentioned in my last post, all the fall ingredients were bursting out of the aisles in Wegmans this weekend. So, I had to use apple cider instead of lime. Cinnamon instead of lime zest.

And vanilla instead of lemon extract. And though I used Greek yogurt in my cake, it's the only non-vegan ingredient in the mix. Just substitute your favorite vegan yogurt (I imagine the coconut varieties would work incredibly well!).


Here's what Richard has to say about this recipe:

When you eat a regular pound cake, you're walking a fine line, because you're starting with a pound of butter, a pound of sugar, a pound of . . . a pound of . . . But with my cake, you're just eating fine limes, and you'll be divine.

APPLE CIDER POUND CAKE

What you'll need . . .

• 1-3/4 cups wheat pastry flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup Greek yogurt (or non-dairy, I just didn't have any on hand)
• 3/4 cups sugar (I used Sugar in the Raw pulsed a couple times in my food processor)
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (I used Earth Balance, non-soy kind and omitted salt)
• 1 large egg (I used 1 tablespoon Bob's Red Mill egg replacer plus 3 tablespoons wateR)
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1-1/2 tablespoon apple cider

Method . . .

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat an 8x8x2-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt (or replacement), sugar, oil, butter (or replacement), egg (or replacement), and apple cider.
4. Stir flour mixture into the wet mixture. Stir until just moistened.
5. Spoon into the prepared pan. (I was worried that the batter seemed to stiff -- but it won't pour. And it's OK. It turns out beautifully!)
6. Bake until golden -- just around 30 to 35 minutes. Cool cake completely on a wire rack.

If you'd like to make the glaze (but it's seriously not necessary), just whisk together 1/2 cup of confectioners' sugar, 2 teaspoons Greek yogurt (or substitute), 3 teaspoons of apple cider, and a dash of cinnamon. We stored ours in a little dish and spooned it out as desired.


Don't forget to check out our other Richard-inspired recipes!

• Coconut-Carob Pie
• Purple Sticky Rice Tart
• Pomegranate-Dream Bundt Cake
• Fortune Cookies (though, they didn't turn out so well)
• Pear-Strawberry Faux-Pie

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Green Smoothies, Friends, and Fridays

I try to consume chocolate for breakfast in some way, shape, or form each and every Friday. I've been slacking on my greens lately, so -- I thought a smoothie packed with spinach might be just the thing to start my day today. What's in this baby is surely well concealed -- there's a heaping serving of peanut butter AND cocoa powder. Almond milk. Banana. Honestly, it all sounds awful when you think of it together. Like the waste you'd throw in a garbage disposal after finishing a full meal.

But it works. Just hear me out!

The spinach flavor is pretty much not there at all. Seriously. It just boosts the whole thing with nutrition. Even Stephen, who is always, ALWAYS skeptical of my green monster creations, enjoyed this quick and easy breakfast. I promise you will, too!


Just blend together the following ingredients until well combined . . .

• 1 frozen banana
• 2 to 3 heaping handfuls of spinach
• 2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 to 1-1/2 cups almond (or soy or regular) milk

As easy as that! To keep with the greens trend, I crafted a crispy kale salad for lunch. Stephen looked a little puzzled when I threw in some blueberries -- but who says you can have fruit in salad? Tomatoes are fruit, too . . . so, I'm just doing a variation on the theme.


Make crispy kale (we taught you how in this post), then add half a sliced heirloom (or regular) tomato, a handful of blueberries, and a handful of raw almonds. Put in a covered container and shake to mix well.


Now, here's a sneak peek of Monday's feature recipe -- Savory Cornmeal Pancakes (with brie and raspberry jam, if you like) and Pan-Browned Brussels Sprouts.


So good, we each ate every last bite!


Last night wasn't only exciting because we created that amazing recipe. Nope, I finally got to have my video chat date with Ashley from Edible Perspective. You may remember Ashley because I won her fabulous giveaway a few months ago. She send the most amazing care package EVER (check it out!) -- filled with homemade goodies galore.


I can't say enough about how awesome it was to finally "meet" her -- I just wish we lived closer! I've been enjoying her blog, her photography, her recipes, and her inspiration for months now. She even put up with my gchat cluelessness. What a gal!

Alright, now some end-of-the-week stuff.

• Next week is our Healthy Living Celebration! We're super excited because we've received TONS of stories from readers about what inspired them to get up off the couch and live the healthy life. Check back for some major inspiration starting Monday.
• If you haven't yet, enter our SHUTTERBUG GIVEAWAY for your chance to win a pretty trivet.
• Yesterday we posted our vacation photos from last week's stint in NJ. We're still trying to get back to "real" life, but it's difficult after such a beautiful time!
• Foodie Book Club members have until the end of the day today to add their reviews to June and July's post. There are some great reviews on there already!
• And we're also looking for blog authors to host future months of the club -- we love the idea, but think it'd be cool to spread the love around. Email us if you're interested in hosting!

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Foodie Book Club: June and July Posting

Good afternoon, everyone! It's been a long time since I posted ANYTHING about the Foodie Book Club. As much as I preach that bloggers must never apologize for taking a break every now and again, I've let some of you down, so I sincerely do apologize for skipping an entire month, including posting. The club is certainly still on, and I can't wait until I have more time to devote to reading.


The Butcher and the Vegetarian
by Tara Austen Weaver


The Kind Diet: A Simple Guide to Feeling Great, Losing Weight, and Saving the Planet
by Alicia Silverstone

The good news? HERE's the post where you can share a permalink to your Foodie Book Club review/recipe/photo essay/or whatever else you've come up with to discuss Weaver's The Butcher and the Vegetarian (from June) and Silverstone's The Kind Diet (for July).

And here's how you share your creation: Simply enter your information in the following format in the list below -- something like Ashley M. [at] (never home)maker: The Kind Diet (but use your own info, of course). Again, please provide the specific link to the writeup/etc. about Weaver's and/or Silverstone's book so we can all easily find it. If you plan to submit links for BOTH books, please do so separately.

And since I was such a slacker, you have until August 6th -- that's two whole weeks! -- to post to this list.


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No-Knead Chocolate-Walnut Bread

I like cooking and baking pretty much equally. There's just something about baking, though. I mean, it's almost magical. It certainly requires some attention to detail and patience. And, unlike with most of what I cook, I can't as easily substitute ingredients and expect fantastic results. Not without practice, at least.

However, I decided to put the substitution thing to the test this weekend. And what I made didn't just turn out -- it quickly became a new family favorite. I hope you'll like it, too.


This chocolate-walnut bread isn't sweet. In fact, it goes well with just about anything (including the balsamic-drizzled heirloom tomato and mozzarella salad we paired it with -- recipe below). The walnuts get this fantastic roasted flavor . . . and the crust is bakery quality, for sure! It's a modified version of the recipe I posted a while back for the No-Knead Tuscan Garlic Loaf.

And If you've been reading (never home)maker long enough, you'll remember that to make this recipe -- you'll patience. It isn't for those of you who need instant gratification. The dough rises for 18 to 24 hours. Then a quick punch-down. Rise again another 2 hours. Then bake 30 minutes. Then another 15 to 30 minutes.


NO-KNEAD CHOCOLATE-WALNUT BREAD

What you'll need . . .

• 3 cups unbleached white bread flour (I used King Arthur)
• 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon natural sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon instant or other active dry yeast
• 1 cup cool (55 to 65 degrees) water
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• Handfull (or two) raw walnuts
• Cornmeal or additional flour for dusting

Method . . . (lots of steps, none of them difficult)

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the flours, salt, cocoa powder, sugar, and yeast. Make an impression in the middle of the dry ingredients, almost like a little bowl.
2. Pour the water and canola oil into the impression you just made. Using a wooden spoon or your hands, mix until you have a wet, sticky dough, adding a bit more water if necessary.
3. Gently fold the walnuts into the dough.
4. Cover the bowl with lightly oiled plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature until the surface is dotted with bubbles and the dough is more than doubled in size, 18 to 24 hours.
5. When the first rise is complete, generously dust a work surface with flour. Use a bowl scraper or rubber spatula to scrape the dough out of the bowl in one piece.
6. Using lightly floured hands or a bowl scraper or spatula, lift the edges of the dough in toward the center. Tuck the edges of the dough under to make it round.
7. Dust a cookie sheet with cornmeal. Gently place the dough on the cookie sheet, seam side down.
8. Dust the top lightly with cornmeal. Place another lightly oiled piece of plastic wrap over the loaf-in-progress. Then let rest in a warm, draft-free spot for just about 2 hours.
9. Position one of your oven racks so that your dutch oven will be centered in the oven, and preheat it to 475 degrees F.
10. Place a covered 4-1/2 to 5-1/2 quart cast-iron dutch oven in the center of the rack. Let fully preheat.
11. Carefully remove the preheated pot from the oven and uncover it. Gently invert the dough into the pot, seam side up. Cover the pot and bake for 30 minutes.
12. Remove the lid and continue baking until the loaf is a deep chestnut color -- but not burned -- 15 to 30 minutes. Use a heatproof spatula to carefully lift the loaf out of the pot and place it on a rack to cool thoroughly before slicing.

TOMATO-MOZZ SALAD

To make the heirloom and mozzarella salad (for two), simply slice an heirloom tomato and a ball of fresh mozzarella. Pile them like you see in the photo. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Add a pinch of salt and garlic powder. This recipe is perfect for summer. And it looks fancy, too!



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Our Version of Pinkberry Frozen Yogurt

Neither of us have ever had Pinkberry frozen yogurt. We live nowhere near a franchise, unfortunately. But the whole concept -- a frozen yogurt treat that remains tangy and not over-sweetened sounds absolutely delicious to us. Especially mixed with tasty and healthy fruit fillings like watermelon or pomegranate. And though this recipe yields only a lumpy cousin (the texture of Pinkberry looks almost too smooth to be true!) to the real celebrity, I imagine the taste is similar.

Even if not, it's a healthy frozen treat to help get you through those hot summer days -- made with the goodness of Greek yogurt. If that doesn't keep you cool, just go outside and spray yourself with a hose. That's what we do.


So here's our version of the Pinkberry summer favorite with watermelon -- no ice cream maker required (though you may use one if you have one). Until we can get ourselves to "civilization," I think it's a good substitute! Also, for all you lactose-free or vegan eaters out there, you should try this recipe with your favorite non-dairy yogurt. Let us know how it turns out!


FROZEN WATERMELON-RASPBERRY GREEK YOGURT
(makes enough for 2 big or 3 modest servings)

What you'll need . . .

• 1 cup watermelon (preferably drained a bit using a paper towel -- no need to de-seed necessarily)
• 2/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
• Handful or two of frozen raspberries
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut (optional)
• Ice cream maker OR muffin tin (mini works best)
• Food processor

Method . . .

1. Use a food processor to blend together the yogurt, watermelon, and coconut flakes.
2. Plop in the frozen raspberries and stir.
3. Then put the mixture in your ice cream maker and follow the directions. Then enjoy right away!
4. OR if you don't have a machine (like us) -- simply pour the mixture into a muffin tin (mini works best) and let freeze overnight.
5. When you're ready to eat the frozen yogurt, cup the muffin tin bottom (the metal part) with a warm cloth. Use a knife to get the frozen mixture out.
6. Then throw some chunks into your food processor and blend until smooth. Enjoy immediately!

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Day 1 in the Life of My Stomach

Day one of my online food diary. Actually, this has been an eye-opening experience because even when I'm "eating well," I seem to be eating less "well" than I actually think. Not that I'm eating tons of junk -- but it certainly appears I'm eating a lot of carbohydrates. Of course, athletes need carbs for fuel, etc. But I definitely need to work on getting more greens and fruits/veggies into my day after looking at today's spread. Along with breads/etc., I also tend to eat a lot of nuts.

Not much more to say right now. So, here's the day's eats in pictures . . .

• BREAKFAST: Apple-peanut butter-honey bagel sandwich. (Much like the apple and cheese sandwich we posted the recipe for earlier.)
• SNACK: 4 large carrots. Chopped.
• LUNCH: Trail mix oatmeal (rolled oats with 1/4 cup all natural trail mix plus 2 tablespoons cacao nibs).
• SNACK: Almond-coconut bar (KIND Fruit + Nut).
• DINNER: (Too many) Pumpkin garlic knots and 1 cup of homemade vegetable stew (recipe soon!). 
• DESSERT: 1 sunflower butter cookie (recipe soon!).

I would estimate my calorie intake today at around 2,600. And, I don't normally measure calories, so it was an interesting experiment. Though I don't think I'll regularly count . . . I'm not too thrilled with my discovery, so I may keep track for a couple days to see where I land on average. I did bike to and from work today and run a recovery mile; however, that amount of activity hardly requires 2,600 calories of fuel. I'm overeating. But without paying attention, I've likely been overeating for a while.

I learned a lot today . . . and it's only day 1! I didn't mean to sound critical of myself (above). Let me rephrase, because I actually AM being critical, but in a healthy way. I want to eat what best gives me energy and power. Right now, I think I'm just eating what I like the best. What's most convenient. I'm also completely stuffed right now -- beyond my comfort. I tend to do that, too :) Guess I love food.

So, have a great evening and check back tomorrow to see how Day 2 goes!

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Foodie Book Club: Next Four Months . . .

Hey, everyone! I've received several emails/comments asking about our next Foodie Book Club books. This month is flying by fast, I didn't even realize we needed to pick them. Yikes! I looked at the last time we all voted, and there were four books tied for 4th place. Instead of re-voting, I thought we'd just go with these selections to take us through September (woah -- are we really that far along 2010?).

As a reminder about our new membership "rules" . . . You don't need to be "officially" signed up. Simply choose to read the book in any particular month . . . and feel free to post about it when the call for posts goes out (which will be the last Friday of each month -- from that date, you get an entire week to post your review/recipe/etc.). That way, we're not exclusive. You need not read every book every month (in fact, I may need to duck out this month myself). I want to keep it loose. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment or email us at neverhomemaker@gmail.com.

(Pssst: Click on the book title for more information and to order via Amazon.com)

JUNE:


The Butcher and the Vegetarian
by Tara Austen Weaver

JULY:


The Kind Diet: A Simple Guide to Feeling Great, Losing Weight, and Saving the Planet
by Alicia Silverstone

AUGUST:


Julie & Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously
by Julie Powell

SEPTEMBER:


The Omnivore's Dilemma
by Michael Pollan

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