Apple Pie Muffins - FIVE YEAR Blog Birthday!

Hey! My blog's birthday has come and gone. Once again I was too busy to post. But I feel sad seeing that it was the FIVE YEAR anniversary of when I started this blog.

 

Every year for my blog birthday post I write a recap of what's different in my life. Usually nothing much has changed and it's the same thing year in and year out. But guess what! Times, they have changed!

 

1. I'm still singing a fair amount and booking more gigs than usual.

2. I quit my office job back in May and starting temping around a couple of months ago. It's been fun if not a little unstable.

3. I'm back to running when I'm not super busy or feeling injured.

4. I have a boyfriend! Yes! It's been awhile, but I have one! It's new, so keep following my blog to see how the relationship grows (and maybe even catch a few pictures of us!)

 

Some of my favorite recipes from the last year are:

Pomegranate and Orange Sangria - This recipe is SO GOOD. Must bring to all holiday parties.

Caramel Rolls - I was so happy to ace my mom's recipe!

Dark Chocolate Ganache Crepe Cake and the version I created for July 4th: Crepe Cake with Almond Whip Cream and Cherries

Matcha Tea Cakes - It was the first time I used matcha. Expensive but fun!

 

As for this post, well, I went apple picking again and therefore needed to use up apples!

I found a nice muffin recipe and quickly put some of my prized apples in the batter. These muffins hit the spot on a dreary fall morning. If you have extra apples around, consider using this Apple Pie Muffin recipe. 

Apple Pie Muffin

recipe found here: Sally's Baking Addiction

Bake well and prosper!

Chocolate Cherry Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

Are you like me? Do you get excited when it is cherry season and grab a huge bag  of them? Then you realize that it actually takes awhile to get through that bag? And then you start to worry about how you'll finish them before they go bad?

 

If you aren't like me, well, I guess I applaud you. If you ARE like me, then put your worries aside. Cherries go great in desserts. This is a universal truth. Like ketchup makes everything taste better. Except Ketchup.

Well, here in Pittsburgh I finally got into a kitchen with an oven. (THREE ovens actually!) It was so nice to be back in a kitchen and creating delicious creations like these cookies. I found a recipe and added some things and took out others and the results were magic. Using cherries in their raw form (not dried) brings a pop of freshness and juice when you bite into these. The mixture of coconut, chocolate, and oatmeal makes for a wonderful base to deliver the tart/sweetness of the cherry. All the folks in my Summerfest program here in Pittsburgh agreed that these were amazing.

 

So, if you have cherries that need to be used, try this great recipe!

Chocolate Cherry Coconut Oatmeal Cookies (adapted from What's Gaby Cooking)

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 cup shredded coconut

1 cups old-fashioned oats

2 Tablespoons chocolate powder (hot chocolate mix works)

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup diced cherries

In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugars via stirring or electric mixer.. Mix together for 2 minutes until the sugars are incorporated. Add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract. Add the flour, baking soda, sea salt and baking powder and slowly combine, making sure not to over-mix the batter. Add the coconut, oats, chocolate powder, chocolate chips, and cherries. Gently fold them into the dough. Refrigerate batter while oven is heating.

 

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Place small scoops of dough spread out 12 times onto each parchment lined baking sheet. Transfer sheets into over and bake for 14-16 minutes until the cookies slightly turn golden brown on the edges but are still soft and chewy in the middle. Remove from oven, transfer to cooling rack. Repeat process for remaining dough. Cool for a little bit and then enjoy!

Bake well and prosper

Raw Dessert: Chocolate Mousse Tarts with Cashew Cream

Happy New Year! Did you make a resolution? I had figured out one of my resolutions in the middle of December. I wanted to eat raw foods for all of Jan. But then I realized that I'll be visiting New Orleans in January, so I was a little behooved since I knew I'd be enjoying the traditional NOLA food (which is far from raw).

 

But then I realized that I could view every day as the start of a new year! Thus, on Dec 26, I started eating my raw foods diet and have been on it every day since (minus one dinner.)

 

It's been so helpful within the past couple of cold days to be eating raw foods. My skin usually gets really dry in the winter, but if I eat my raw foods diet of mainly greens, nuts, and fruits, my skin has no problem (even in this 5 degree weather). Yay!

 

A couple of months ago I discovered a wonderful raw food blog: This Rawesome Vegan Life. You guys should check it out. It contains tons of beautiful food and photography.

 

Anyway, I visited it again this past weekend to find a dessert and voila! I made this tart. I really like its creamy and sweet filling surrounded by a firm crust. Next time I think I would double the crust and mousse recipe and then put it all in a springform pan.

Chocolate Mousse Tarts with Cashew Cream (adapted from This Rawesome Vegan Life)Crust: (Erika's Extras: I would double this and put in a springform pan.)

3/4 cup oats, buckwheat groats or nuts

3/4 cup raisins

1 heaping tablespoon cacao powder

1 tablespoon of raw honey

1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

Lemon cashew cream:

1 cup soaked cashews

Juice from 1 lemon

1/4 of a banana, sliced

pinch of Himalayan pink salt

Chocolate mousse: (Erika's Extras: I would double this as well.):

1 avocado

1 cup dates

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1-2 tablespoons cacao powder

1/2 cup water, more or less as needed

1 tablespoon melted coconut oil

 

To make the crust: pulse the oats, buckwheat groats or nuts in a food processor until they turn into crumbs. Add the rest of the ingredients and pulse until it all sticks together. Press into two lined tart tins and put in the fridge.

To make the cashew cream: blend all the ingredients until smooth. Set in the fridge.

To make the mousse: blend all the ingredients until smooth. Spread into the bottom of your tart crusts and cover with the cashew cream. Put back in the fridge overnight or for at least a couple hours. Dust with cacao and serve!

 

Erika's Extras: Make sure you have soaked cashews (which takes a couple of hours) before you start assembling. Recipe takes about 20 minutes to make and then a couple of hours to set.

Bake well and prosper!

Gluten-free Apricot Pistachio and Dark Chocolate Bars

Wow. I have writer's block. I feel as if I have nothing to talk about for this post. Do you ever get writer's block?

 

I would write about fall coming to NYC, but maybe it's springtime where you live. I would write about the opera I was in last week, but it seems like it ended months ago and doesn't seem as important a subject any more..

Maybe one of the reasons I have writer's block is because I have a song stuck in my head. I don't think it's leaving any room in my brain for much else...

 

In which case, let me just skip to writing about this dessert. I decided that since I had gluten-fee oatmeal, I would buy some gluten-free all purpose flour and make these bars gluten-free.

 

Now, dear readers, gluten-free doesn't mean it's super healthy. It just means people with aversion to wheat gluten can have these (and maybe non-celiacs would find these easier to digest as well.) Either way, these bars are a heavenly mix of tart apricots with buttery, crumbly granola-esque crust. The addition of the occasional chunk of dark chocolate had me going back for seconds...and thirds...

Gluten-free Apricot Pistachio and Dark Chocolate Bars (adapted from One Perfect Bite)

Ingredients:

2 cups gluten-free all purpose flour (I used Bob's Red Mill)
1-1/4 cups gluten-free old-fashioned oats (I used Bob's Red Mill)
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 sticks (8 ounces) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup chopped, shelled natural pistachios
1/2 cup dried apricots, diced
1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks
1 jar (~15 ounces) apricot preserves

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Using an electric mixer, combine flour, oats, sugar, cinnamon, and salt; mix on low speed until well combined. Add butter and mix on medium until butter is mostly blended and mixture appears moist and begins to pull together, about 3 minutes. The mixture will still be slightly chunky. Stir in pistachios. Transfer 1-1/2 cups of crumb mixture to another bowl, then stir dried apricots and chocolate chunks into it and refrigerate.
2) Firmly press remaining mixture into the bottom of a13x9-inch baking pan (not greased). Bake in middle of oven for 25 minutes. Let cool for about 20 minutes. Make sure oven is at 325 degrees and spread apricot preserves evenly on top, leaving a 1/8-inch border around the edge of the crust.
3) Crumble reserved crumb mixture over apricot preserves. Return to oven and bake until lightly browned and fruit filling is bubbling all over, including the center of the pan, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely before slicing into bars.

Bake well and prosper! 

Raw and Gluten Free Magic Bars & Blog Birthday!

"Happy birthday to my blog! Happy birthday to...oh wow. FOUR years?!" Those were the thoughts that coursed through my mind while getting ready for this post. I cannot believe I have been blogging about my baked goods (and sometimes my life) for four years. It doesn't seem like four years. It seems like two and a half. It's been so fun and cathartic and, well, delicious!

 

I must admit that I was a little saddened to read last year's blogiversary post...and the year before's post...and the blogiversary post from 2009. Besides travelling more (yay!), it seems like not much has changed in my life over four years except for the apartments I live in and my hair. (Which is nice and "long" now compared to when I had a pixie cut.)

(Yes, that IS me eating a fried oreo in Little Italy.)

 

Besides these two things I'm still working the same day job, I still sing operatically, I still run (well, I did until my injury last week), and I still love hanging out with my friends whenever possible. (And sometimes I do more than one of these things at a time!)

It's not that I was expecting some drastic change in my life within the last fours years, and quite frankly I can be very thankful that nothing drastic HAS happened. Whew!

 

But then I realized that one thing has changed (besides me joining pinterest...). It doesn't seem like that big of a deal to me so maybe that's why I didn't think of it right away, but, in the grand scheme of my blog, it IS rather important:

 

I enjoy eating healthy!

 

Yes, ever since Feb, 2012, I've incorporated more fruits, veggies, and nuts in my diet. There are also many weeks when I do a raw foods diet.

 

Don't worry. I still love desserts and still completely believe that life IS too short to skip dessert. But my taste buds have become a little more picky and I prefer artisnal, lightly crafted desserts more than the heavy, super processed, and preservative heavy desserts. The fact that there is an abundance of blogs out there with posts on those kind of desserts makes me feel ok about the lack of them on my blog. (Mind you, I'll still bake them from time to time...especially around Christmas time.)

 

I've actually been enjoying baking vegan, gluten-free, raw,  or just healthy desserts recently (which I'm sure that you, my awesome readers, have noticed.) It's so fun to make up my own recipes as well, like the recipe for this post. I loved my raw and gluten free magic bars so much that I've been making single serving parfaits for myself each day this week.

Besides this "hits the spot" recipe, some of the other recipes I loved/am proud of that I made this last year are:

•Overnight Coffee Loaves I was so proud of myself for making these. They were perfect, just perfect (and even more so when eaten right after they came out of the oven.) I hope to make them again when I have more time to take better photos of them.

•Homemade Donuts This recipe pushed me out of my baking comfort zone which resulted in amazing donuts. Once again, I was very proud of myself for the success of these donuts.

•No Bake Peanut Butter Cup Granola Cookies  These were an instant hit and it's hard to eat just one. I'm currently wishing I had one to eat right now...maybe I'll make a healthier version of them soon...

•Raw & Gluten Free Honey Bunches of Oats Bars I made up this recipe after making my own almond butter for the first time. I was proud of my own recipe and happy with the yumminess of the bars.

•Heart Shaped Italian Macarons This recipe required a lot of attention and I'm happy to report that both times I made macarons in the last year they all turned out to be scrumptious. These heart shaped ones were so cute! Next time I'll try to make some without splits on top.

•Cherry Poppyseed Cake I'll just reiterate what I wrote about this cake back in summer: This cake is so lovely, especially for summer seeing it's somewhat light in consistency and uses cherries. I added a nice whipped cream that helped bring out the flavors of the poppy seeds and the cherries. I highly recommend making this cake.

•"Almazing" Almond Bars I am dead serious about these bars being amazing. I'm craving one right now just thinking about them!

•Cherry Lemonade Bars with Lavender Frosting Thankfully I decided to enter a baking contest this year. While I didn't win, this is hands down my favorite recipe of the year. I made it three times within a week since it was so amazing. (And part of the recipe is mine!)

 

There are plenty more recipes I loved this past year, but these are the ones that stick out in my mind the most.

 

Hopefully my next year of blogging will be just as successful when it comes to baking. I can't wait for another delicious year! 

Raw and Gluten Free Magic Bars (an Erika Beth original recipe)

1 cup raw & pitted dates (I used medjool dates)

2 Tablespoons of nut milk (I used a mixed nut milk)

1 Tablespoon of raw honey

1 cup pecan butter (I made my own - feel free to substitute a different nut butter)

1/2 cup of gluten free dried oats

1/4 cup of unsweetened, dried, and shredded coconut

2 Tablespoons of cacao nibs

 

In a medium bowl, stir the honey into the nut milk and then soak the dates in the mixture for an hour. Then put the dates and the milk into a food processor and process until the mixture becomes sticky and like caramel. Mix the pecan butter with the oats and spread evenly on the bottom of a small square container (about 4x4 inches. *see photo below). Once an even layer is on the bottom of the container, spread the date "caramel" evenly on top of that layer. Then sprinkle the coconut on top of the caramel layer. Then sprinkle the cacao nibs on top of the coconut. Refrigerate for at least an hour and then cut into small squares and enjoy.

Bake well and prosper!

Raw & Gluten Free Honey Bunches of Oats Bars

You know when it's just too hot out to turn on the oven? You know, so hot that you're sweating when you're just standing in your kitchen, let alone moving in your kitchen?  Yeah, well, NYC is going through an end of summer heat wave right now and I just couldn't bear to turn on the oven. (Sometimes I do, mind you...but I just couldn't do it this time seeing the weather's been so nice recently.) (Oh, and no, I don't have an AC unit in my kitchen.)

 

So, I decided to use my new 12 cup food processor and make almond butter for the first time. After I made that, I decided to see what kind of bar I could make with some of the almond butter. 

 

Sometimes making up your own recipe creates an incredibly scrumptious, "hit-the spot" dessert. This one contains a strong honey flavor while also packing in protein awesomeness with the almonds. I highly suggest that you, too, go have some fun in your kitchen by making up your own recipes (if you haven't already...) Just make sure to stay cool when you do!

Raw & Gluten Free Honey Bunches of Oats Bars

           (an Erika Beth, the Messy Chef recipe)

3/4 C Almond Butter

4 Medjool dates, finely chopped with a knife or ground down in a food processor

1/2 C+ gluten free rolled oats (I used Bob's Red Mill Brand)

1 Tablespoon+ honey

 

Mix almond butter and chopped dates in a bowl. Once well combined, add oats. Mix until well combined. Feel free to add more oats until texture is to your liking. Once well combined, stir in the honey. Add more honey to liking. When completely combined, mixture should stick together and be close to a ball shape. Grab some of the dough and make it into a bar shape. Place in container or on a plate and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight. Serve slightly chilled.

Bake well and prosper!

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Coconut Cookies

Have you been seeing as many zucchini recipes online as I have this summer? It seems like everyone with a garden has had an influx of zucchinis this year.

 

Well, personal gardens are a little hard to come by in NYC, but I asked the one person I know with one in Astoria and he said that he planted late and is hoping to see some in a couple of weeks.

 

This meant that last night I had to buy some from the grocery store. No biggie. But then I couldn't find any and started getting frustrated in the produce section. So I finally settled for the green squash that was near a gourd and figured it was close enough.

 

When I went to the self-check out aisle and scanned in the green squash, it said, "zucchini" as the item.

 

Well I learn something new each day...

This recipe also called for chocolate chips and I wanted to use some organic chocolate. I love sweetriot and was happy to discover that they had a dark chocolate bar with coconut in it. Since this recipe called for coconut already, I figured this was a win-win!

While this recipe has many components which needed many bowls, it was relatively easy to put together.

These bars are rather hearty with all the oatmeal that's called for. You would probably associate them with granola bars more than cookies (like I did.) They are nice and moist with subtle flavors. I think next time I make them I'd add a kick of some spice. Now what spice goes well with zucchini?

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Coconut Cookies (adapted from Two Peas & Their Pods)

1 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons coconut oil, melted and cooled to room temperature
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup shredded zucchini
2 cups old fashioned oats (Erika's Extra: I used gluten free oats bc I had them on hand)
1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes (Erika's Extra: I used desiccated semi-sweet coconut. I suggest using the sweetened flakes)
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips (Erika's Extra: I used the chocolate bar mentioned above and chopped it up in my food processor)

 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine coconut oil and sugars, mix until smooth. (Erika's Extras: I did this with my hand and not via a blender. It worked fine.) Add egg and vanilla extract. Next, add the shredded zucchini. Mix until combined.
4. Add flour mixture until combined. Stir in oats, coconut, and chocolate chips.
5. Drop cookie dough by heaping tablespoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or cookies are slightly golden around the edges and set. Remove cookies from pans; cool completely on wire racks.

Bake well and prosper!

Oatmeal Whoopie Pies (again!)

This past weekend I was in AZ visiting my brother and his family. My brother mentioned that he had a craving for one of those Little Debbie oatmeal creme pies that were given out to him after he played soccer when he was younger.

 

I immediately said, "Oh, I can make those!" I remembered one of my favorite recipes from 3 years ago and decided to make it again (and to take better photos this time around!)

Also, for this time around, I had a helper! One of my nephews!

He actually was very helpful for a 3 (about to be 4) year old! He even posed with his messy hands!

While we made the first batch I kept thinking about how I didn't remember the dough being so liquid-y. So, while the first batch was in the oven I re-read the ingredients list.

 

Sure enough! I had forgotten 1/2 a cup of flour. Wonder how I could have possibly done that while also supervising a kid! Imagine! ;)

 

Thankfully, both batches came out well. (Oh, and they were just as good as 3 years ago!)

Oatmeal Whoopie Pies (from http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Oatmeal-Whoopie-Pies/Detail.aspx)

Ingredients
2 cups packed brown sugar
3/4 cup butter
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons boiling water
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups quick cooking oats
1 egg white
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup shortening

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease baking sheets.
2.Cream butter or margarine with the brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and mix well. Stir in the salt, cinnamon, baking powder, boiling water, baking soda and flour. Mix to combine. Stir in the oats.
3.Drop cookies onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 10 to 12 minutes. Let cookies cool then make sandwiches from two cookies filled with Whoopie Pie Filling.
4.To Make Filling: Beat egg white. Mix in the milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 cup confectioners' sugar. Beat in the shortening and remaining 1 cup confectioners' sugar. Beat until light.

Bake well and prosper!

Raw & Vegan "Cookie Dough" Treats

Oh man. I have been slacking off in the kitchen. This is my first recipe post for April. (Yeah...I know...it's already April 24.) I could make a lot of excuses, but I'm just going to make one: this long winter in NYC is zapping my want to do much of anything. It's kind of sad.

Wearing a coat at the end of April is not my idea of stimulating.

Trying to make my own raw food recipe, however, DID stimulate my mind. Yesterday I started thinking of ways to make my own dessert recipe with almond butter. And can I just say, "Ohmygoodness! Thisissogood! Wanttoeatall! Nom nom nom."

I knew I wanted to make something with raw almond butter so I went to the local organic bodega in my neighborhood and bought some. (Please note: you can make your own almond butter, but my food processor is in need of an upgrade.) While I was in the store I also grabbed some raw chocolate sauce.

In my kitchen I grabbed some oatmeal and agave nectar and started to blend all four ingredients together. The "dough" came together beautifully. But I felt like it was missing something...

Ah! Cacao nibs! Yes! I rolled the dough in the nibs and thus created a lovely snack that I plan to make all week long. (Or until my ingredients run out.)

So, if you would like an easy treat to make that's also fairly good for you, try this recipe. It really does taste like cookie dough!

Raw & Vegan "Cookie Dough" Treats (by me!)
3/4 cup of dried oatmeal (I used quick oats)
2+ Tablespoons of raw almond butter
1+ Tablespoon of raw chocolate sauce
1 teaspoon of agave nectar (or use raw honey, maple syrup, or a food processed date)
cacao nibs for rolling the dough in

Stir the oatmeal, almond butter, and chocolate sauce together. Add more almond butter/chocolate sauce as needed to get the desired consistency. Stir in the agave nectar. This will help solidify the dough. Roll small amounts of dough in palm of hand and then roll in cacao nibs. Eat room temperature or place in fridge for 30 minutes.

Makes around 15.
Store in air tight container in fridge.

Bake well and prosper!