Tag: almond

Breakfast, Lifestyle

Breakfast Du Jour

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I eat oatmeal everyday and if you read my blog, you will see that I am constantly trying to come up with creative ways of eating oatmeal for breakfast.  Usually I bake my oatmeal with fruits and nuts;  sometimes in a large baking dish like my Baked Oatmeal with Walnuts and Figs recipe, or in muffin tins/ mini bundt pans like Marmalade Muffins, Blueberry-almond oatmeal muffins or Lemon, rosemary and olive-oil cakes.  It is all about fooling the mind and making it appear as if I were eating dessert for breakfast.  However, when I don’t have time to “bake” my oatmeal ahead of time, I will eat it in its traditional porridge form.  Even then, I try to jazz it up, just to cheer myself and start the day off right.  After all,  Mom was right, breakfast is the most important meal of the day!

Featured here is my Cherry Almond Oatmeal.  Cook the oatmeal as directed and thin it out with almond milk and honey.  Add sliced almonds and chopped cherries, and enjoy ! Make your Monday morning a little more exciting!

Cake, Sweet

Almond Pistachio Cake with orange chocolate ganache and orange cream cheese frosting

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This is a very special cake.  Not for the flavors, not for its looks, but for whom it was made.  My mother is visiting from India and my Dad drove in from MI, and, for the first time in decades, we celebrated my Mommy’s birthday with this cake.  I make cakes for pretty much everyone who is near and dear to me, but to make a cake for my mother…….well it has by far been the greatest joy of my life thusfar !

Breakfast, Brunch

Blueberry-Almond Oatmeal Muffins

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I like some variation in the morning.  Normally it is oatmeal with honey, almond milk and black pepper–yes, black pepper–try it, it tastes great! But I digress.  This is about fresh blueberries in your oatmeal muffin.  Good Morning never tasted so good.  I have tried several oatmeal muffin recipes and I have settled on this one–moist, yet a little crumbly for the almond meal.  I hope you like it, as much I did.

Yields about 12 muffins

Ingredients:

1.5 cups of almond meal

0.5 cups of quick cooking oatmeal

0.25 cups of AP flour

1 tbsp of baking soda

1tbsp of baking powder

2 eggs

0.5 cups of oil

0.5 cups of almond milk

0.5 water

0.25 cups of honey

zest of 1 lemon or 1tsp of lemon extract (optional)

1 pint of blueberries

sliced almonds for topping the muffins

Method:

Preheat oven to 350F

Mix all the dry ingredients in one bowl

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Mix all the wet ingredients in another bowls or large measuring cup

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Slowly incorporate wet into dry.  The batter will be runny

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Fold in the blueberries

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Portion into a lined muffin pan.  There might be some extra batter, I put it in a ramekin and bake it off.  (serve this one with vanilla ice cream for a late night treat).

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Garnish the tops with sliced almonds.

Bake for 30-35 mins, till a toothpick comes out clean.

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Dessert, Pastry, Sweet

Fig and Raspberry Tart

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I made this decadent tart a few weeks ago for a party at my boss’ house.  It is divine ! Rich, buttery, sweet ! Simply lovely.  For gluten-free readers, skip the crust and bake the filling with the sliced figs in ramekins !
Crust
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup ice water
Filling
2 cups almond meal
1 cup sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1/4 cup raspberry jam
3 or 4 figs, cut into 12 (1/4-inch thick) slices
For the crust
Combine flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor. Add butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal. With the food processor running, slowly add ice water until the dough just holds together. Flatten the dough into a disc, wrap tightly, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. (Can make ahead and freeze for up to 1 month.)
Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a tart pan with a removable bottom
On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-inch thick. and place them into the tin. Prick the bottoms with a fork and chill for 10 minutes.
Fill the crust with beans or weights and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and remove beans or weights.

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For the filling
Combine almond meal and sugar in a food processor. Add butter and process until smooth. Add eggs and lemon zest and process into a uniform, smooth paste.

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Spread the raspberry jam at the bottom of the crust.
Fill to the top with the almond mixture and smooth it with the back of a spoon. Gently press a fig slices into the top.

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Bake for 60 minutes until set and golden.
Cool completely before serving.

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