Recipes: Desserts « ForkBytes

Easier-Than-Pie Fruit Crisp

Note: this piece first appeared as the December 2008 ClarkWellness.net Recipe of the Month.

Serves 6

This simple, rustic dessert is perfect for surprise guests and impromptu holiday gatherings. The recipe is easy to prepare and creates a delicious aroma in your kitchen as it bakes! It’s also flexible — feel free to substitute your fruit, nuts, and spices of choice.

For the fruit filling:
4 cups sliced apples
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup (or to taste)
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (optional)
pinch sea salt

For the topping:
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry or spelt flour
1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
3 tablespoons no-taste oil, such as safflower, sunflower, or canola
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly oil an 8″ x 8″ baking dish.

To make the filling: In a medium bowl, combine the apples, maple syrup, lemon juice, cinnamon, fresh ginger (if using), and sea salt. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed; if the mixture tastes very tart, add more maple syrup. Place the apple mixture in the prepared pan.

To make the topping, combine the rolled oats, flour, pecans, cinnamon, ginger, maple syrup, oil, and sea salt in a small bowl and mix until crumbly. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the apple mixture.

Bake until golden and bubbly, about 30 minutes, and allow to cool briefly before serving warm.

Sautéed Cinnamon Apples

Note: this piece first appeared in the October 2008 issue of Clark Wellness ForkBytes.

Serves 2

1 apple, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon safflower or sunflower oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch sea salt

Combine the apple slices with the lemon juice and maple syrup. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the apple slices along with any extra liquid, cinnamon, and sea salt. Sauté until lightly browned. Serve immediately.

Gluten-Free Lemon Scones

Note: this piece first appeared in the June 2008 issue of Clark Wellness ForkBytes.

by Chef Andrea Boje (please read Andrea’s explanation of gluten-free flours)

Makes 6 to 8 scones

1 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1/2 cup millet flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/3 cup almond milk
orange juice
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, combine brown rice flour, sorghum flour, tapioca flour, millet flour, baking powder, and xanthan gum. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until dough forms coarse crumbs.

In a separate bowl, whip eggs and then stir in honey, lemon zest, lemon juice, and almond milk. Pour mixture into the dry ingredients and stir to mix.

Knead dough with hands. Sprinkle with additional flour if dough is too wet to handle. Form dough into a round shape about 1 inch thick. Cut into 6 or 8 wedges and place on baking sheet. Brush each wedge with orange or lemon juice and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake for 20 minutes, turning halfway through baking time.

Scones will store in the refrigerator or in an airtight container for 1 week.

Red Wine Poached Pears

Note: this piece first appeared as the November 2007 ClarkWellness.net Recipe of the Month.

Serves 2 to 4

This easy, delightful recipe makes a fabulous dessert; it’s also a delicious breakfast or snack. The pears will fill your kitchen with a wonderful holiday smell! This is a great way to use up leftover red wine.

2 cups apple juice
2 cups red wine
2 pears, peeled and halved (seeds removed)
2 whole cinnamon sticks
4 whole cloves
1 teaspoon salt
mint leaves for garnish

Combine the juice and wine in a small sauce pot over medium high heat. Heat until the liquid is just starting to bubble. Add the pears, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and salt. Place a circle of parchment paper directly on top of the pears to keep them submerged. Cook, turning occasionally, until pears are tender, about 20 minutes.

Remove pears and set aside. Strain the poaching liquid and return to the pan over high heat. Boil 30 minutes or until slightly syrupy (sauce will reduce about 75%). Pour the sauce over the pears, garnish with mint leaves, and serve immediately.

Sweet Coconut Cream

Note: this piece first appeared as the July 2007 ClarkWellness.net Recipe of the Month.

This versatile and delicious delight is completely dairy free. Enjoy it in a fruit parfait, spoon it over fresh pineapple slices, or dollop it onto warm fruit compote. Chilling ahead of time is optional; this step makes for a creamier, thicker product.

1 15-ounce can organic coconut milk
2 tablespoons agave nectar (or to taste)

Shake the coconut milk can and place in the refrigerator to chill several hours or overnight, if desired. Remove milk from the can and combine with agave nectar to taste.

Thumbprint Cookies

Note: this piece first appeared as the June 2007 ClarkWellness.net Recipe of the Month.

This cookie is adapted from a classic natural foods recipe by Mary Estella. Be careful when grinding the nuts for the dough so you don’t accidentally make nut butter. Feel free to vary the type of nuts and jelly you use — you can even fill the cookies with melted dark chocolate! You can also use whole wheat pastry flour if you don’t have spelt on hand.

1 cup spelt flour
1 cup rolled oats, lightly ground in a food processor or blender
1 cup almonds or pecans, lightly ground in a food processor or blender
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup safflower oil
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
4 ounces fruit-sweetened jelly or whole pecans

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Combine flour, ground oats, ground nuts, and cinnamon in a large bowl. In a separate, smaller bowl, combine syrup, extracts, and sea salt, and whisk to emulsify. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix well.

Roll dough into walnut-sized balls and place on lightly oiled or parchment-lined cookie sheet. Make an indentation with your thumb in each cookie. Fill the indentations with jelly or a whole pecan.

Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned.

Melon-Lime Smoothie

Note: this piece first appeared as the May 2007 ClarkWellness.net Recipe of the Month.

Serves 1 to 2

This cool, refreshing, cleansing smoothie is a perfect quick and easy breakfast. It also makes a great 3pm pick-me-up — especially on warm afternoons!

2 cups frozen watermelon, cantaloupe, and/or honeydew melon chunks
juice of 1 lime
1/2 teaspoon lime zest
2 teaspoons agave nectar
15 to 20 ice cubes

Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until completely smooth. Serve immediately.

Recipe of the Month: Cinnamon Cake

Note: this piece first appeared in the November 2006 issue of Clark Wellness ForkBytes.

This fragrant and delicious cake could not be simpler to make. Spelt flour is made from whole spelt grains and is available in natural foods markets. (Though spelt is related to wheat, it can often be tolerated by people who have difficulty digesting wheat.) If you prefer, you may substitute whole-wheat pastry flour.

Serves 6

2 cups spelt flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup pure maple syrup
2/3 cup water
1/3 cup safflower or sunflower oil
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil and flour a 8- or 9-inch springform or regular cake pan.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, and cinnamon. In a separate small bowl, combine maple syrup, water, oil, and vinegar, and whisk to emulsify. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Set the cake pan on a rack to cool.

Sauteéd Cinnamon Apples

Note: this piece first appeared as the October 2006 ClarkWellness.net Recipe of the Month.

Serves 2

This quick recipe is a charming weeknight alternative to apple pie. It makes a wonderful filling for a fruit crisp, or use it to top a whole-grain cake or muffin. Sauteéd apple slices also make a delightful autumn breakfast!

1 apple, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon safflower or sunflower oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch sea salt

Fresh Pineapple with Sweet Coconut Cream

Note: this piece first appeared in the August 2006 issue of Clark Wellness ForkBytes.

Pineapple is a cooling fruit with a high water content, making it an ideal treat on steamy summer days. The coconut cream recipe is simple and unbelievably delicious (and it can be made in advance). This dish makes an elegant dessert with minimal effort! Agave nectar is a natural, low–glycemic index sweetener available in natural foods stores.

Serves 2 to 4

1 fresh pineapple
1/2 cup coconut milk
agave nectar to taste
shredded coconut and whole mint leaves for garnish

Slice the pineapple into chunks and set aside. In a separate small bowl, combine the coconut milk and agave nectar to taste. Whisk to combine and chill, if desired, before spooning over the pineapple. Top with shredded coconut and whole mint leaves.

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