Strawberry-Peach Crisp with Hazelnut-Pepita Crumble

This gluten-free strawberry-peach crisp is lightly sweetened with maple syrup 

and topped with a rich crumble made with hazelnut flour and pumpkin seeds.

Hello from Chattanooga, our new home! Ben and I packed everything up and drove from Boston to Tennessee across two days, arriving last night a little after midnight. I'm in love with my new city, which is Ben's hometown, already. So far we've driven around a bit looking at houses, and had amazing burgers at Main Street Meats (see my bunless burger on Insta!). We're also dogsitting for Ben's sister, so I get to spend time with this guy.

I spent a while editing the photos of this fabulous strawberry-peach crisp with hazelnut-pepita crumble today. The photographs make me a little sad, because this was the last photo shoot I did in our apartment in Boston, where I've taken all the photos for the blog so far and all the photos for my cookbook, Paleo Planet. I hope our next apartment has light that I like just as much!

Anyway, enough wistful reminiscing about the natural light at my old apartment. We're talking crisp today! I had some good-looking strawberries and peaches, but wanted to do more than just eat them. In part because I was trying to avoid packing, I decided to bake. (Yes, when I'm feeling stressed, I avoid whatever I'm worried about and bake instead. No, my fiancé has never complained!)

I put the freshly cut fruit right into the greased baking dish and added a little maple syrup, a tiny bit of tapioca flour to keep the juices under control, and a pinch of salt and the seeds of half a vanilla bean to bring out the natural sweetness of the fruit. I mixed it all together right in the dish to avoid having to wash an extra bowl. (I did have to wash the bowl I made the crumble in, but that's it for this recipe: one bowl + the baking dish).

Golden Cake with Strawberries and Whipped Cream

How were your Easter and/or Passover celebrations? Ben and I had a few people over on Saturday and then went to another Easter dinner on Sunday. I won a pork crown roast from Snake River Farms over at Rhubarbarians, and it was pretty great. I also made this cake--we enjoyed one of the layers on Saturday, and brought the other one, pictured here, to the party on Sunday.

So, yes, I've been sitting on this cake recipe for an entire week. I apologize! I had one of those very busy weeks that I should have seen coming, but instead somehow managed to take me completely by surprise. Am I the only one that happens to? Between papers and evaluation reports and trying to get at least a little shuteye, it took me all week just to edit these photos.

Easy Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting {Secret Recipe Club}

Sometimes you just need a cupcake.  Or a few cupcakes.  I feel that I need cupcakes often, but it's rare that I actually need a dozen, full-size cupcakes.  Unless I have a party to take them to, making a whole batch of cupcakes can often end in disaster, with me deciding that a cupcake with coffee is a great breakfast, a cupcake with a side of fruit is a perfect lunch, and dinner is best concluded by eating another two cupcakes, and so on for the next few days.

That's why I love small-batch baking.

This delicious recipe for a small batch of easy vanilla cupcakes with chocolate frosting comes from Asiya at Chocolate and Chillies.  I was assigned her blog for my first month participating in the Secret Recipe Club, and had so much fun perusing her recipe index and deciding what to cook (if you haven't heard of the SRC, it's basically a club where each month you're assigned a blog to cook from, and someone else is assigned your blog, and it's a fun surprise on the reveal day to see who had your blog and what they decided to make).

Vanilla Bean Buttercream Brownies

The large amount of frosting on these brownies represents the large amount of love I have for you!  It constantly makes my day that people actually read my blog, and I'm even more thrilled when I get a comment or get to connect with you on FB, Twitter, or IG.  You are the best, and that is why I made you the best brownies.

I've been wanting to make frosted brownies for a while now.  They just seem fabulously over the top--because once you've baked a rich and fudgy brownie, you totally need a big pile of buttercream on top, right?  (Hint: the answer is yes!)

Vanilla Chai Spiced Ghee + Chai Ghee "Latte" (Whole30 Day 26)

I am so obsessed with ghee.  Ever since I followed Nom Nom Paleo's instructions and made my first batch, it's been a staple in my kitchen.  First of all, it smells amazing.  Second, it's easy to make.  Third, it has a high smoke point, which means it won't burn like butter does during high-heat cooking.  Fourth, it tastes great with everything.  And bonus--it's lactose and casein free.

I've even been putting a teaspoon or so of ghee and coconut oil in my morning coffee (inspired by Stupid Easy Paleo).  After a short blitz with the immersion blender, it's foamy like a latte.  Delicious.  Basically, ghee is saving my Whole30 life.

Lemon Sugar Cookies (Vegan, Nut-free)

I was invited to a Hanukah party last night, and needed to bring a dessert that was nut-free and vegan.  I wanted to bring a traditional Hanukah dessert, but soon realized I didn't know of any.  I guess I never really made it past the mountains of latkes at my family's Hanukah celebrations.  A quick search revealed that oily, fried foods like jelly-filled doughnuts are often eaten at Hanukah, but I wasn't about to fry up a big pile of donuts to be eaten hours later.  I also don't really like jelly-filled desserts; I feel that jelly belongs at breakfast.  Since I had dreidel and Star of David cookie cutters, I decided Hanukah sugar cookies would have to be traditional enough.  I also got out my snowman and snowflake cookie cutters, since winter is almost here.

My next task was to find a great vegan cookie recipe.  Since the cookies had to be nut-free, I soon realized it would be very hard to make them gluten-free as well.  So, these cookies are a total gluten bomb.  I promise to be back with more gluten-free eats very soon!

Homemade Vanilla Sugar & Vanilla Salt (Great Gift Idea!)

Do you agree with me and the Barenaked Ladies that vanilla is the finest of the flavors?  If you do, and/or if you remember that song, you should definitely make some vanilla-infused gifts this holiday season.

Vanilla sugar can be used anywhere you would use granulated sugar, but it's especially wonderful as a finishing sugar, sprinkled on top of cakes, cupcakes, creme brulee, homemade caramels, or ice cream.  You can also put it in your coffee or tea for a delicious touch of creamy sweetness.  Are you sold on vanilla sugar yet?  If not, I'm not sure what to do with you!  You can even make it with coconut sugar for a paleo-friendly vanilla treat.  You know you want to!

If you love sweet and salty flavors together, you will love this vanilla sea salt.  I made mine with Celtic gray coarse sea salt, and it's strikingly beautiful, fragrant, and complex.  You can sprinkle it on top of any dessert that needs a salty finish (like these cupcakes or these bars), or even try adding it to savory dishes.  I used a bunch in a batch of chocolate bark I made last night, and it was amazing (recipe coming soon)!  Once you make this, you'll realize that salt and vanilla are meant to be together.  You'll start wishing all your vanilla were salted, and all your salt vanilla-ed.

I made a bunch of little jars of vanilla sugar to give out as favors to all my friends and family who are coming for Thanksgiving.  I love the idea of giving guests something delicious that they can take home and use for a long time.  Both of these would also make great stocking stuffers, hostess gifts, and wedding favors.  The best part is that they only take about five minutes to make!

Mocha Mexicano & A Giveaway (Paleo, Gluten-free, Vegan)

This mocha mexicano is full of warm spices, and packs a subtle punch thanks to a little cayenne pepper.  It's inspired by ingredients from Rodelle Vanilla and Taza's Fire Puncher chocolate.

This summer, my vegan & paleo strawberry ice cream was a runner-up in Rodelle Vanilla's Great American Ice Cream Contest, and the prize was a basket of Rodelle Baking Goodies.  I asked the wonderful folks at Rodelle if they would include a few extra goodies for you all, and they said yes!  I picked up a couple of other treats over at Taza Chocolate yesterday, and am beyond excited to bring you a vanilla and chocolate giveaway.

Prize basket

One winner will receive a prize basket including:

• Two whole Madagascar Vanilla Beans from Rodelle
• A 6-ounce bottle of Rodelle Pure Madagascar Vanilla Extract
• A 2-ounce bottle of Rodelle Organic Chocolate Extract
• A 2-ounce bottle of Rodelle Anise Extract
• Two discs of Taza Chocolate's Organic Fire Puncher 70% Dark Chocolate Mexicano (2.7 ounces)
• A bag of Taza's Organic 55% Dark Chocolate Covered Cacao Nibs (2 ounces)
• A recipe card for Molten Spiced Chocolate cake and a Direct Trade pamphlet from Taza

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes with Mocha Buttercream (Paleo, Gluten-free)

I really enjoyed the spiced honey & corn cupcakes I made the other day, but they also left me craving a more classic cupcake.  To me, vanilla beans are the epitome of classic elegance in dessert flavor form.  I ordered half a pound of vanilla beans online months ago, used half of them to make a bunch of little bottles of vanilla extract, and still have a bunch left.  I highly recommend ordering beans online in bulk, since it's much more economical and they're likely to be much fresher than overpriced grocery store beans.

These cupcakes are light and fluffy, because they're made with coconut flour instead of almond flour.  Of all the paleo & gluten-free treats I've made, these may be the closest in taste and texture to their gluten-laden cousins.  I highly recommend them!  They're also perfect for people with nut allergies or for bringing to birthday celebrations in nut-free classrooms.  This recipe makes a very small batch (good for people like me with no restraint), but can easily be doubled.

Cherry Garcia Frozen Yogurt

When I was a kid and we were getting ice cream, my mom ALWAYS wanted Cherry Garcia.  And I was always like, well, we could get that, OR WE COULD GET OREO!!  I wasn't really a fruit-in-your-ice-cream kind of kid.

Times have changed!  As evidenced by the strawberry ice cream I made last week, I now willingly put fruit into my own ice cream.

So, I've been brainstorming all things chocolate and cherry to get ready for this month's chocolate party.  I wanted to make something fancy.  I was thinking about making a chocolate panna cotta and topping it with a layer of cherry curd and some whipped cream.

But, it's too hot!  I can't even heat up a pot of cream.  Instead I whipped up this super delicious frozen yogurt, which has the benefit of being sort of guilt-free since there's no sugar added.  I'll have to save some for my mom!  I think it's even better than the original.

Ingredients (makes about a quart):

3 cups Greek yogurt (I used Fage Total, but you could try lowfat, too)
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup cream (or use more milk)
4 tablespoons Agave nectar, or to taste
2 teaspoons stevia, or to taste
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and chopped
3.5 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

Mix the milk and cream in a large bowl, and stir in the stevia until dissolved.  Add the yogurt and vanilla.  Check to see how sweet it is and add agave nectar until it's sweetened to your liking (you could try all agave or all stevia, but stevia sometimes has a funny aftertaste if you use too much of it).

Freeze the mixture in an ice cream maker.  When it's almost done, add the chocolate and cherries and let the machine swirl them in.  Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for 2 hours before serving.

Want to participate in this month's chocolate party by sharing a treat with chocolate and cherries?  Here's how to participate:

1.) Blog about your chocolate treat. Your recipe must include the two ingredients we choose (chocolate and cherries for June). It can be a simple no bake treat or a sophisticated layer cake, the complexity level of the recipe is totally up to you.

2.) Include a link back to a monthly round-up or the Chocolate party page. Optional, add the Chocolate Party logo in your blog post or on your sidebar. 

3.) Your recipe must be published during the current month. Please do not link old recipes, they will be deleted.

4.)  Add your link below! 

Strawberry Creamsicle Sherbet

I loved creamsicles when I was a kid.  Whenever the ice cream truck rolled around, I got a creamsicle or a chocolate malt cup (I'll try my hand at recreating that one soon, too).  Yesterday I wanted a frozen treat, but was starting to feel like the blog and I needed to go on a bit of a diet.

I use a vanilla whey protein powder in my smoothies, and I really like it.  It's sweetened with Stevia, and adds a good vanilla flavor to things.  I decided to try using it in a sherbet, and the results were great!  I think the strawberry curd is what takes this from good to great, but you could also make a pure orange version.

This is so good and healthy that I had it for breakfast this morning and didn't even feel guilty!

Ingredients (makes about 3 cups or 6 servings):

1 1/3 cups milk (I used 2%)
1 1/3 cups orange juice
1/4 cup vanilla whey protein powder (I use Jay Robb)
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons vodka (optional--this keeps the sherbet from freezing too hard)
Pinch of salt
1/3 cup strawberry curd or strawberry puree (toss chopped berries & a teaspoon sugar, let sit 30 minutes, blend until smooth)

Combine all ingredients and stir until the protein powder is dissolved.  Freeze in an ice cream maker.  Add the strawberry curd or puree at the very end, and continue to mix just until it's swirled in.  Transfer to an airtight container and chill in the freezer for at least two hours before serving.

Honey Vanilla Cookies to Kickstart Jesi's Art

Have you heard of colony collapse disorder?  My friend Jesi, an artist based in Vermont, is working on a participatory project with a large installation about colony collapse disorder and the plight of the honeybee.  The coolest part is that she's creating a canvas for each person who sponsors her project, in different sizes depending on the amount you donate, and sending them out to her supporters after the show!  Her art is amazing and I can't wait to see what she creates for this show.

Jesi asked me to post a honey cookie recipe that she could bake to show her thanks to supporters who pledge $25 or more.  Her project only has one more day left on Kickstarter!  You can read about the project and donate here.  You should consider giving!  Even if you don't have $25 to give, give any amount and then make yourself these cookies!  Jesi and the honeybees will thank you.

Note: I hadn't used my honey in a while and it was totally crystallized!  Don't worry if that happens to you.  Just spoon out your honey into a glass jar and heat it in a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until it's clear and liquefied.  If you do this, let the honey cool down a little before you add it to the dough.



Ingredients (makes one dozen; adapted from this recipe on Lulu the Baker):

1 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
6 tablespoons cold salted butter, cubed (or use unsalted and add 1/2 teaspoon salt)
1/2 vanilla bean
2 tablespoons honey, plus extra for brushing
Flaky sea salt (I use Maldon), optional

In a food processor, blend the flour, sugar, and butter until it looks like coarse breadcrumbs.

Add the honey and vanilla bean seeds and pulse just until combined.  Use your hands to pat the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for half an hour or so.  Try not to eat all the dough at this point.  It's delicious!

Preheat the oven to 325.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to about 1/4 inch thick.  Using a cookie cutter or round jar, cut out cookies about 2 inches across.  Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for about 10-12 minutes, until the cookies are starting to brown around the edges.

Brush the cookies with honey while they're still warm, and sprinkle with a little flaky sea salt if desired. I love the salty and sweet combo, so I highly recommend it!

Make Your Own Vanilla Extract

Vanilla is such an important ingredient.  It goes into pretty much every dessert I make, and lately I've started putting a capful in my morning coffee, too.  Sometimes when I'm baking, the worst thing happens.  I suddenly realize there are only three drops of vanilla left in my little bottle.  This has been happening all too frequently since I developed my vanilla cafe au lait habit, so I decided to put an end to my vanilla extract shortages for good.  I got the idea to make my own vanilla extract from this post on Sunday Morning Banana Pancakes.

All you need are some cute little bottles (I used these), vanilla beans (I got these Madagascar beans), and some vodka.  It doesn't have to be high quality vodka--the quality of the beans is much more important.  Vanilla beans are expensive, but more reasonable if you buy a bunch of them.  Also, vanilla extract is expensive, so I think if you use enough of it you'll definitely save money by making your own.  If you don't want to make all the beans you buy into extract, you can store some in an airtight container to use in baking or custards.  A lot of desserts call for vanilla bean seeds instead of extract, so it's great to have some around.  As soon as I get my ice cream maker, I am going to use my leftover beans to make vanilla bean ice cream with those great little specks of vanilla seeds in it.

Guess what?  This vanilla extract would make a great gift, and is a gift that keeps on giving.  If you start running low, just top off the vodka and let it sit for a few weeks before using it again.  After doing this a couple of times, you will probably want to add some new beans.  Ina Garten says she's been doing this to refresh the same bottle of vanilla that's been in her pantry for twenty years!

Ingredients:

Vanilla beans (6 beans per cup of vodka)
Vodka

Make sure your bottles are really clean.  I sterilized mine by boiling them in water for ten minutes.  Let them dry completely (I put mine in the dishwasher top rack to dry).

Cut each vanilla bean in half lengthwise, and then crosswise to fit in your bottles if you're using small ones like me.  I used three beans for each of my four-ounce bottles.  Pour in vodka, leaving a little bit of space at the top (if you can find a funnel, you won't make as much of a mess as I did).  Store in a cool, dark place, and shake every day or so.  The extract will be ready after two months, but continues to develop a more pronounced flavor if aged longer.

I made my labels in Microsoft Word, printed them on regular paper, and stuck them on with a permanent glue stick.  I can't figure out how to post the document up here for you to download, but if you want these labels, drop me a note with your email address and I'll send them to you.