Turmeric Rice with Kale, Toasted Coconut and Cashews

Posted on January 14, 2016 by Emily Wasserman

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I know I said that I was making one recipe a week as my New Year’s resolution, but I decided to sneak another one in tonight.

Sometimes you just need a warm, home-cooked meal. You have leftovers sitting in the fridge, but they just don’t cut it. It’s a Wednesday but it feels like a Friday. You’re holding out for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, because being back at work is starting to grate on you…even though it’s only been a couple weeks. And let’s face it: It’s getting pretty cold outside.

Thus was my mental process as I walked home tonight. Then, I remembered that I had a recipe for turmeric rice with kale and toasted coconut in my back pocket. So as soon as I got home, I fired up the stove and oven and got to work.

This dish, while healthy, is the true definition of comfort food. Especially the turmeric rice…Maybe it’s the hearty vegetable stock, or the vibrant turmeric, but it just makes you FEEL good.

Add some steamed kale, sprinkle some toasted coconut and cashews on top and dig in.

Turmeric Rice with Kale, Toasted Coconut and Cashews (from Naturally Ella)

Ingredients

Turmeric Rice
2 teaspoons olive oil
¼ cup minced yellow onion
2 teaspoons minced ginger
1 cup short grain brown rice
1 teaspoon turmeric
1½ cups vegetable broth
¼ teaspoon salt, if needed

Kale
1 bunch kale
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup vegetable broth
¾ cup full-fat coconut milk
Salt
Toasted Cashews, for topping
Toasted Coconut Flakes, for topping

Directions

Heat a medium pot over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the onions are translucent and fragrant. Stir in the ginger, cooking for one minute. Next, add in the rice and turmeric, toasting for one more minute. Measure in the vegetable broth and bring mixture to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and let cook for 35 to 40 minutes, until the majority of liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat and allow to sit for 10 minutes.

Prepare the kale by removing the stems and cutting the leaves into ¼” strips. Towards the end of the rice being ready, heat the tablespoon of olive in a large, wide pot. Add in the garlic, cooking for roughly a minute. Add the chopped kale and stir to coat with the garlic. Add in the vegetable broth, cover, and let kale cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add in the coconut milk and continue to cook greens until tender, roughly another 3 to 5 minutes more. Taste and add salt as needed.

Serve greens over a heft scoop of turmeric rice and top with toasted cashews and coconut.

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Moroccan Carrot Salad with Almonds and Pomegranate Seeds

Posted on January 12, 2016 by Emily Wasserman

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Okay…So let me tell you about this Nutella Banana Toast. But first I’m going to tell you about Moroccan Carrot Salad. Just like dessert at the end of the meal, I have to save the best for last.

I made a New Year’s resolution that I was going to try a new recipe a week. So far, I’m two for two. Last week was Soba Noodles with Pomelo. It set a pretty high bar, but I was up for the challenge.

This week, I decided to make Moroccan Carrot Salad. Disclaimer: I’m not a huge fan of carrots. I feel the same way about them that I do about regular potatoes, which is that they taste infinitely better if they’re roasted and peppered. Luckily, this recipe called for both those things.

My favorite part of making the salad was creating the spice mix to put on top. It sort of feels like a science experiment, measuring out the coriander, cloves, cumin and a bunch of other spices that start with “c.” You put them in a bag or a little container, seal it up and give it a good shake. The resulting mixture is fragrant, intriguing…one might even say, other-worldly.

Now, for the grand finale: Nutella Banana Toast. This was the best thing I ate all weekend, bar-none. If you’re in the DC area, I highly recommending stopping by A Baked Joint, the sweet/savory offshoot of a famous bakery in Georgetown called Baked & Wired that specializes in cupcakes.

I almost cried tears of joy over this toast. If I’m being completely honest with myself, I probably did. First of all, nothing beats Nutella. Thin slices of banana and some flakes of Maldon sea salt, all spread across two warm pieces of sourdough bread, and you get something that should be illegal. But happily for me and everyone else, it’s not.

To see a pic, check out my Instagram.

Moroccan Carrot Salad with Almonds and Pomegranate Seeds (adapted ever-so-slightly from Naturally Ella)

Ingredients
½ pound carrots
½ cup sliced red onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons Moroccan spice blend (Ras El Hanout): Get the recipe here
½ cup cooked quinoa
¼ cup almond slices
¼ cup pomegranate seeds
¼ cup flat leaf minced parsley
2 tablespoons minced cilantro
Juice from one lemon
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 375˚. Cut carrots on the bias, about 1/16th of an inch thick. Place on a sheet tray covered with parchment paper and toss with onions, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and 2 tsp of spice blend. Roast carrots until browning and tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

While the carrots are roasting, cook the quinoa and remove seeds from pomegranate if needed.

In a bowl combine the roasted carrots, quinoa, almond slices, pomegranate seeds and herbs. Squeeze lemon juice over salad and sprinkle over 2 tablespoons olive oil, adding more as desired. Toss together, taste and adjust salt/pepper to taste.

 

 

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Soba Noodle Salad with Pomelo and Edamame

Posted on January 4, 2016 by Emily Wasserman

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Earlier today, I walked all the way to the grocery store and bought ingredients for the dinner I was planning on making tonight. Then I got home and saw the pomelo that I bought at Whole Foods on New Year’s Eve. I’ve been staring at it for a few days now, wondering what to do with it. I thought about eating it plain, but that seemed like a waste.

So I googled “pomelo recipes” and hit upon this gem. I love 101 Cookbooks–my friend Steph introduced me to the blog a couple years ago and I can always rely on it for good salad recipes. This one sounded like it wouldn’t disappoint: soba noodles, toasted peanuts, fresh micro greens, edamame and toasted sesame oil. Add some sweet, zesty pomelo and a dash of soy (or ponzu, if you desire) sauce, and you have the makings for a delicious meal.

I’m not really sure what the moral of this story is. Walk two miles out of your way to satisfy a whim? Take a chance on a lone pomelo? Whatever you take away from it, know this: It’s probably worth your while to give this recipe a try.

Soba Noodle Salad with Pomelo and Edamame (slightly adapted from 101 Cookbooks)

Ingredients

6 ounces dried somen, or soba noodles
8 ounces shelled edamame
2 big handfuls salad or micro greens
scant ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
a few tablespoons of soy or ponzu sauce, to taste
2/3 cup chopped toasted peanuts
½ a medium pomelo, segments

Topping: garlic or chive flowers, or chopped chives

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt well, and cook the noodles per package instructions. When the noodles are nearly cooked, add the edamame to the pot for a quick swim. Remove from heat, drain, rinse with cold water to stop the cooking, and shake off as much residual water as possible.

Transfer the noodles and edamame to a large serving bowl along with the salad greens, and toss well with the toasted sesame oil, and then the ponzu sauce. Be generous, but careful, the noodles really absorb the sauce. Finish with the peanuts and pomelo. Taste, and take a bit of time to really consider if any adjustments should be made – more sauce, more sesame oil, etc. Top with garlic or chive flower, or chopped chives.

Serves 4-6.

Prep time: 5 min – Cook time: 7 min

 

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Lemon Ricotta Poppy Seed Pancakes

Posted on December 29, 2015 by Emily Wasserman

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Calling all pancake lovers: These are something special.

I’ve been wanting to make lemon ricotta poppy seed pancakes for a while, but I keep falling back on my tried-and-true pancake recipe. This morning, though, I didn’t have to work, so I decided to finally take the plunge.

I was not disappointed. The pancakes were light, fluffy and had the perfect amount of lemon. The poppy seeds give the cakes a little crunch, and the slightly sour ricotta balances the sugar.

The most labor-intensive part of the recipe is beating the egg whites. I have an (unhealthy) obsession with eggs, so I didn’t mind separating the yolks from the whites. But my arm started to get tired whisking the whites and I gave up toward the end. The good news is, this didn’t ruin the end product. The recipe called for “soft peaks” in the whites, but if you stop a bit short, the pancakes will still turn out well.

I will definitely revisit this recipe in the future…whether it’s a lazy Sunday morning or a rare day off work.

Lemon Ricotta Poppy Seed Pancakes (slightly adapted from here)

Ingredients

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for coating the frying pan and serving
1 cup almond milk
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon fine salt
3 large eggs, yolks and whites separated
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon packed finely grated lemon zest (from about 2 to 3 medium lemons)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 tsp poppy seeds
3/4 cup part-skim milk ricotta cheese
Blueberries and maple syrup, for serving (optional)

Directions

Place butter and milk in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until butter has melted; remove from heat and let cool slightly.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt; set aside.

Place egg yolks, 1 tablespoon of the sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Whisk in a quarter of the milk-butter mixture (this will temper the eggs and prevent them from curdling), then whisk in the remaining milk-butter mixture until smooth.

Add the reserved flour mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined (do not over mix); set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk egg whites to soft peaks (they should bend like soft-serve ice cream; make sure the bowl and whisk are perfectly clean with no traces of grease, or the whites will not whip properly). Halfway through whisking them, sprinkle in the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Using the rubber spatula, fold the whites into the reserved batter until just combined.

Gently fold the ricotta into the batter, being careful not to break down the texture of the cheese (the batter will be lumpy and streaked with ricotta). Fold in the poppy seeds. Set aside.

Heat a large nonstick frying pan, griddle, or seasoned cast iron skillet over medium heat until hot, about 4 minutes. Test to see if the pan is hot enough by sprinkling a couple of drops of cold water in it: If the water bounces and sputters, the pan is ready to use.

Lightly coat the pan’s surface with butter, then use a 1/4-cup measure to scoop the batter into the pan. Cook until bubbles form on top of the pancakes, about 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until the bottoms are golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes more. Repeat with the remaining batter. Serve immediately with blueberries and maple syrup.

 

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Cocoa Almond Granola with Coconut

Posted on October 11, 2015 by Emily Wasserman

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Granola is the one thing I consistently let myself splurge on when I go to the grocery store. Maybe it comes from my cereal obsession; I still have dreams that I’ll be featured on that game show where they let you run down the aisles in the grocery store and fill up your cart with as many things as you can. If I was on the show, I’d probably spend about 70% of my time in the cereal aisle.

Or maybe it’s just because granola is so good. Unless you’re gluten-free, what’s not to love? It’s crunchy, slightly sweet, and super adaptable. It’s almost like a cake, cookie or ice cream cone, in that you can adapt it to you specifications or find your favorite flavor combination. Honestly, resistance is futile when I see the words: “Cherry Dark Chocolate Chip Almond Granola.”

But now and again, I like to remind myself that I can make some of my favorite splurges at home. And occasionally, they turn out pretty well. I’m not saying I’m anywhere near Michele’s Granola level. But this recipe comes pretty close.

It combines whole almonds, rolled oats, cocoa powder and shredded coconut, and is only slightly sweet. If you want it sweeter, I would suggest adding more honey or sugar. But I also think that it’s a good base, and you can always drizzle a little honey on later.

The other perk of this granola is how it smells while it’s baking. My whole apartment smelled like a fudge brownie, and I didn’t even have to do the prep work.

Cocoa Almond Granola with Coconut (adapted from Joy the Baker Cookbook)

Ingredients

4 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup raw whole almonds
1 cup shredded coconut (sweetened, if you prefer; I used unsweetened)
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 Tbsp butter
2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions

Place racks in the center and upper third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, toss together oats, almonds, coconut, cinnamon, cocoa powder and salt. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan combine sugar, honey, oil and coconut oil. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture begins to bubble. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Pour the warm sugar mixture over the oat mixture and toss with a wooden spoon. Toss until all of the oats and almond bits are at least moistened by the sugar mixture. Spoon mixture onto prepared baking sheets and place in the oven.

Bake granola for 30 minutes, removing from the oven to toss and stir 2 to 3 times during baking. Granola is done when it is toasted around the edges and fragrant.

Remove from the oven and cool completely. Store in an airtight container, at room temperature, for up to 2 weeks.

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Sweet Potato Soup with Coconut Milk and Lentils

Posted on October 6, 2015 by Emily Wasserman

IMG_2654Someone get me 50 ccs of knife sharpener, stat. There’s nothing worse than when you’re trying to cut into a sweet potato and the knife gets stuck in the middle. If there’s music playing while I’m cooking, I take the high road and slowly ease the knife the rest of the way through.

If there’s nothing to distract me, I throw out some choice expletives and take the lowest road possible, whacking the poor potato into smithereens all while wondering why I decided to make a complicated dinner. You like eggs, I repeat to myself. Why couldn’t you have settled for a nice omelette?

Because if we always settled for a nice omelette, we would never try things like this sweet potato and coconut milk soup. After the sweet potato-cutting fiasco, I told myself that this dish better be worth it.

It did not disappoint. I’m a big fan of turmeric and curry, and this soup combines them in the best possible way. They give the sweet potatoes a little kick but don’t overshadow the main attraction. And the lentils and brown rice add some texture, so you don’t feel like you’re drinking a smooth–albeit very tasty–sweet potato puree.

Sweet Potato Soup with Coconut Milk and Lentils (adapted from Katie at the Kitchen Door)

Ingredients

2-3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
2 TBS olive oil
sea salt and pepper to taste
3 TBS coconut oil, divided
1 large yellow onion, peeled and diced
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 TBS curry powder
2 TBS freshly grated ginger (from a 1 inch piece of ginger)
4 c. vegetable or chicken broth
1 c. coconut milk
1 1/2 c. cooked black lentils
3 c. cooked brown rice
yogurt, for serving
fresh minced cilantro, for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss the sweet potatoes with the olive oil, salt, and pepper and spread out on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast until tender when pierced with a fork, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Melt 2 TBS of the coconut oil over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the turmeric, curry powder, and ginger and saute until fragrant, 2 minutes more. Add the roasted sweet potato and broth and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 2o minutes, then remove from heat and carefully transfer to a blender. Add the coconut milk and blend until very smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set soup aside.

Scoop a 1/2 cup of brown rice into each bowl. Pour soup over the rice, then top with lentils, yogurt, and cilantro.

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Summer Squash Toast with Basil Pesto and Poached Egg

Posted on August 31, 2015 by Emily Wasserman

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Toast, toast, how I love thee most.

Sometimes all you need is summer squash, fresh pesto and a poached egg to make everything better. The original recipe called for grilling the squash, but my apartment building doesn’t have a grill so I improvised and roasted them in the oven.

While the squash was baking, I made some fresh pesto with Parmesan, basil leaves, Olive Oil, pine nuts and a little lemon juice (the lemon juice is not traditional, but it gives it a little kick).

Then, I poached an egg (a favorite pastime) and layered it on top of mountains of squash tossed in pesto.

I have Atwater’s to thank for the foundation of the sandwich. If you live in the D.C./Baltimore area and you haven’t tried their bread, I would highly recommend it. I bought a loaf of sunflower flax from the farmer’s market this morning and it was the perfect amount of chewy and crusty.

Here’s the original recipe, in case you want to try it out (from Naturally Ella):

Pesto Summer Squash Bruschetta with Poached Eggs

Serves: 2 servings

Squash
1 medium summer squash
¼ small red onion, minced
½ tablespoon olive oil
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Pesto
2 cloves garlic
1½ cups packed basil leaves, plus extra for topping
⅓ cup parmesan cheese (look for cheese that uses vegetarian rennet)
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
¼ cup olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 pieces of toast
2 large eggs, poached
1 to 2 ounces feta

To make the squash, light the grill to medium-light heat. Slice the squash into ½ slices. Brush the squash and onions with olive oil and sprinkle with pepper. Grill 2 to 3 minutes per side until charred. Remove from grill, let cool slightly, cut the squash into cubes, and dice onion.
To make pesto: In a food processor, pulse the garlic. Add the basil, Parmesan, pine nuts, olive oil, and lemon juice. Pulse until well combined, adding more liquid (olive oil/lemon juice) as needed to thin the consistency. Toss the grilled squash mixture with ¼ cup of the pesto.
Divide the squash mixture over the two pieces of toast. Finish with the poached egg, feta, and a sprinkle of basil.

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Oven Risotto with Kale Pesto

Posted on February 17, 2015 by Emily Wasserman

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Winter is a time of year when all I feel like doing is getting under my covers, drinking bottomless cups of tea, reading and watching Netflix on repeat. Even though this comprises about 75% of my winter routine, sometimes I’ll stray from the norm.

This past weekend I went to go visit my friend Julicia in Philadelphia. I love Philadelphia year-round, but the winters can be a little intense (to say the least). Bearing this in mind, I took the earliest bus up on Saturday in full winter garb, ready to handle whatever came my way.

It ended up snowing but it wasn’t too bad, and Julicia and I trekked out to West Chester, Pennsylvania on Sunday to visit a place called “Book Barn.” It’s a huge old farm house with more than four stories, and it’s covered wall-to-wall with old books, posters and postcards. Even though it was drafty and cold, I loved walking through the rows of books and seeing what caught my eye. It reminded me of being in college, when I used to wander through the library and browse new titles, sitting for hours in one row reading plays or novels. I ended up finding a 1908 edition of an Oscar Wilde play and a hardback book on California road trips.

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When I got back to D.C., they were forecasting more snow so I decided to make this Bon Appetit risotto for dinner. Nothing is better than risotto on a cold winter night (except maybe hot chocolate), and I was intrigued by the prospect of “oven risotto” because most recipes require endless amounts of stirring. Even though I was somewhat skeptical of how the dish would turn out without this step, I was not disappointed.

The rice was soft and slightly chewy, the Parmesan added some bite and the butter made the whole dish creamy and rich. I also recommend sprinkling some toasted walnuts and cheese on top before serving–it adds a whole other layer to the dish.

I told my roommate that it is one of the best things I’ve ever made, and I’d stand by that claim. I will definitely be adding this recipe to my winter repertoire, somewhere between the endless cups of tea and Netflix binges.

Oven Risotto with Kale Pesto (from Bon Appetit)

Serves 4

Ingredients

½ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped, divided
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 cup arborio rice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup dry white wine
1 small garlic clove
1 cup (packed) fresh parsley leaves
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 cups torn Tuscan kale leaves, divided
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 ounces Parmesan, finely grated (about 2 cups)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Toast walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing occasionally, until golden brown, 8–10 minutes. Let cool.

Meanwhile, heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large ovenproof saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened and translucent, 5–8 minutes. Stir in rice; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until some grains are translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add wine, bring to a simmer, and cook until pan is almost dry, about 3 minutes. Add 2 cups very hot water; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover, and bake in oven until liquid is mostly absorbed but rice is still starchy in the center, 15–18 minutes (it should be undercooked).

Meanwhile, pulse garlic and half of toasted walnuts in a food processor until very finely ground. Add parsley, chives, half of kale, remaining 2 Tbsp. oil, and ¼ cup cold water; process until smooth; season pesto with salt and pepper.

Set saucepan over medium heat. Add ¾ cup very hot water and cook rice, stirring constantly, until it is tender but still has some bite and sauce is creamy, about 3 minutes. Stir in pesto, butter, three-quarters of Parmesan, and remaining kale. Adjust consistency with water, if needed; season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with remaining walnuts and cheese.

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New Year, New Chili

Posted on January 8, 2015 by Emily Wasserman

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It has been a while since my last post. I could blame the holidays, a busy work schedule and bouts of traveling. But instead, I’ll start with a the year with a blank slate and share this delicious chili with you.

I think that everyone should have a good chili recipe in their back pocket. When the weather gets cold, life gets busy or you’re craving comfort food, chili will never fail you; it lasts forever in the fridge, fills you up, and takes you to a happy place. I like vegetarian and non-vegetarian varieties, but a recipe I just landed on from Real Simple tops my list. It includes all of my favorite things: sweet potatoes, black beans, cumin–and, as an added bonus, cocoa powder. I did a double-take when I saw that ingredient in the recipe, but don’t be alarmed; the chili doesn’t end up tasting like chocolate, and the cocoa just adds another level of flavor and creates something akin to mole sauce.

I made this recipe in a slow cooker and I ended up having enough servings for a couple lunches and dinners.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did, especially on a cold winter night when all you want to do is curl up with something warm and comforting.

Slow-Cooker Vegetarian Chili (from Real Simple)

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 medium red onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
kosher salt and black pepper
1 28-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 15.5-ounce can black beans, rinsed
1 15.5-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed
1 medium sweet potato (about 8 ounces), peeled and cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces
sour cream, sliced scallions, sliced radishes for serving

Directions

In a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the onion, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, cocoa, cinnamon, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Add the tomatoes (and their liquid), beans, sweet potato, and 1 cup water.

Cover and cook until the sweet potatoes are tender and the chili has thickened, on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours (this will shorten total recipe time).
Serve the chili with the sour cream, scallions, radishes, and tortilla chips.

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Maryland Apple Picking and Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Posted on October 11, 2014 by Emily Wasserman

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Last weekend, I went apple picking with my friend Carly, her boyfriend and her friend from college. It ended up being a day trip, because we had to take the train up to Baltimore and then drive an hour out into the country to get to the apple orchard.

But it was well worth the journey. The orchard sold apple cider doughnuts, and we got a bag to split. The doughnuts are made fresh throughout the day, so when we pulled one out of the bag, they were still warm and fluffy. They had a light dusting of cinnamon and sugar on top, and melted in your mouth after the first bite. I had a moment where I wanted to get back into the car alone with the doughnuts, and stay there for the rest of the trip. But I restrained myself.

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After we stuffed our faces with doughnuts and lunch, we made our way to the orchard. The head of the orchard told us that apple varieties change throughout the fall, but we had our pick between Jonagold, Golden Delicious and Red Delicious. I’ve never been a fan of red delicious apples (read this article for a compelling argument against them), so I mostly picked Jonagold and Golden Delicious. The head farmer also told us we could sample apples “as long as we didn’t make a meal of it,” so I tried one or two along the way.

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Somehow, I ended up with 10 pounds of apples to take home with me. So this week, I decided to make apple cinnamon muffins. The recipe is straightforward: Mix together all the standard baking ingredients with buttermilk and egg, chop up a couple apples and mix them in, and voila–I had a delicious breakfast that lasted throughout the week. And as an added bonus, my apartment smelled like apple cinnamon for a few days after they came out of the oven.

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Apple Cinnamon Muffins (from Smitten Kitchen)

Ingredients

1 cup (4 ounces) whole wheat flour
1 cup (4 1/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick, 4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed, divided
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup (8 ounces) buttermilk or yogurt
2 large apples, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Grease and flour 18 muffin cups and set aside.

Mix together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, and set aside. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and add the granulated sugar and 1/4 cup of the brown sugar. Beat until fluffy. Add the egg and mix well; stop once to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.Mix in the buttermilk gently. (If you over-mix, the buttermilk will cause the mixture to curdle.) Stir in the dry ingredients and fold in the apple chunks.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, sprinkling the remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar on top. Bake for 10 minutes, turn the heat down to 400°F, and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool the muffins for 5 minutes in the tin, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

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