The other day before physical therapy, I headed up to the top of Queen Anne in search of an amazing, eggless pastry treat. I am not big into sweets much anymore, not sure when that happened. I use to be such a sweet fiend, but now I rarely crave anything sweeter than a scone or a not sweet muffin, I am satisfied with the sweetness of a ripened mango and a table cool bottle of grape kombucha. I find it humorous. It was not always the case. Despite being aware of my own low tolerance for wheat and the addition of the egg allergy, I still tend to be desirous of a morning muffin, biscuit or bready bite on occasion. On this particular day, I had my laser set on going to Macrina Bakery on Queen Anne. I had had one muffin EVER in life there and it stuck with me. It was the only vegan selection they had that day, so my only option. It was a good option: a Banana Ginger Muffin. The faint whispers of flavor that teemed in my memory sent me back that morning and I was not disappointed. The muffin was not super sweet, but kept a similar beat to a slice of gingerbread, but with the levity of a light muffin. In a word: amazing. After trying to savor the taste, but doing something more resembling devouring it, I became determined to recreate the muffins in my own kitchen and even kick up the health quotient and do it with a combination of spelt and whole wheat flour. I was pleased with the recipe I came up with, it truly did not disappoint. Maybe, instead of running all over town, I will have you running straight into your kitchen to make these. Speaking of which, my batch mysterious disappeared at Orcas Island and I think I need to make another batch.

The perfect balance of sweet and spice, oh so nice.

Banana Ginger Muffin

Ingredients:

5 small bananas, mashed
¼ cup margarine
½ cup light brown sugar
½ cup dark brown sugar
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup spelt flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp. ginger zest
2 tsp. crystallized ginger, minced
1.5 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
pinch fresh nutmeg

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 and grease 2 muffin pans (9-12 muffins). In a medium bowl, mix together the mashed bananas and margarine. Mix in the two types of brown sugar and cream. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients including the 3 types of ginger until incorporated. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir to combine.

Scoop about 1/4 cup of muffin mix into the muffin pans, making 9-12 muffins. Sprinkle the muffins with dark brown sugar and bake until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted, about 20-25 minutes.

Fig Jam Roll Ready for the oven

After getting back on the fig bandwagon on Christmas Eve, due to an amazing Fig Onion Compote that I served with some Mary’s Crackers and a selection of artisan cheeses, I decided that I wanted, no I needed more figgy goodness. I wanted something in a roll or pastry form that wasn’t sweet and not too bready. What came of those desires was the most amazing Fig Onion Jam Roll. While this particular roll is not gluten free, I am thinking that it would be an easy enough transition to gluten free. I will experiment for my gluten free friends. This recipe is kind of indicative of how inspired I am already this year. I just feel like there is so much that I am invigorated and inspired about. From food and cooking, to running and writing. From business to personal, I am hitting my stride and already I feel like the arbitrary turning of the year has become a symbolic representation of the changes that have been brewing. Yes, yes the jam roll was that inspiring. It took everything in my power to not scarf down the whole roll. If this is a sign of the things to come this year, than I can hardly wait.

Fig Jam Roll

Ingredients:
½ cup butter, unsalted
½ cup whole grain spelt flour
½ cup buckwheat flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
½ cup fig jam
¼ cup onion confit
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:
Cut butter into the combine flours in a large bowl until butter (or margarine to make non-dairy) pieces are the size of peas. Make a space in the center of the dough and add in the soy milk, stirring with a fork to combine. Knead gently until formed into a ball, do not over knead.

Roll dough out on a flour covered surface or board to 1/2 inch thickness. Fold into thirds and roll out into a rectangle 1/4 inch thick. Leaving a 1/2 inch border at the top and bottom, spread fig jam over the lower 1/2 of the dough and the onion confit over the top half. Use enough jam to cover. Sprinkle cheese over top (omit for vegan). Roll into a log gently and not to tight. Cut into 10 pieces and place on a parchment paper covered baking sheet.

Makes 10.

Fig Jam Roll, fresh out of the oven