Recipe: Kyra's Almond Flour Citrus-Ginger Breakfast Cake

When Kyra (this Kyra!) sent me this recipe I immediately panicked and scanned the ingredients for obscure flours, gums, meals, etc. 'Oh great', I thought. This girl romps around on Food Network and bakes fricking gluten free cinnamon rolls for a living. There's no WAY she's going to make this easy on me.

But. But! There it was. Just one flour: almond flour. Could almond flour alone seriously make for a fluffy, spongy cake? Guys, it can! I was shocked. Kyra, I should've known you wouldn't steer me wrong. Bareburger's on me next time you're in in New York.

I've always been a fan of an easy cake recipe. Pulling a cake out of the oven makes me feel accomplished like no cupcake ever could. (And omg do I hate cleaning out cupcake tins they are the devil.) This one comes together pretty quickly, and doesn't require too many ingredients considering it is, you know, a cake. The sweetness is juuuust right to be called a breakfast cake, and you won't believe how light and moist (sorry!) it turns out. 

This would be PERFECT for, dare I say, Mother's Day brunch? Breakfast cake sounds like something moms would be totally into. Citrus and ginger, too. Just generalizing here. My mom would probably only like this more if there were wine and bacon-wrapped dates involved. But that just sounds like a tad too much? Maybe.. 

In addition to sharing this recipe which I probably butchered somehow, Kyra has gifted us all a FREE SHIPPING code for her Portland-based Bake Shop. Which is a kind of a big deal since shipping is usually in the ballpark of 40 bucks. (Dude, I know!) Also a big deal because her gluten free cinnamon rolls will conjure up all kinds of weepy emotions that you didn't think were possible in a post-gluten world. I teased them on my Instagram, and you guys all freaked the F out. Well, go order some for yourself and freak the F out for REAL this time.

Click Here to order from Kyra's Bake Shop

Enter code gfreeblondie4ever for Free Shipping

(code is good through 5/21/15)

P.S. if you don't like cinnamon rolls a) why are we friends and b) there is something called a 'chocolate caramel ecstasy' which sounds like something I told myself I would never ever do but might make an exception. 

Recipe: Almond Flour Citrus-Ginger Breakfast Cake 

[original recipe via Kyra Bussanich]

Notes
- For my citrus, I ended up using 1 large navel orange and 2 lemons. Feel free to play around with what citrus fruits you use! Next time I think I'll try grapefruit. 
- Don't be afraid of the ginger! It's a surprisingly subtle flavor once incorporated into the cake.

Ingredients
For the Cake:
5 large eggs, separated into whites and yolks
1.5 cups almond meal/flour
1/2 cup sugar, divided into two 1/4 cups 
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt 
2 tbsp finely chopped or grated ginger 
1/4 cup citrus juice (combo of lemon + orange)
1.5 tbsp citrus zest (combo of lemon + orange)

For the Topping:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 to 1.5 tbsp citrus juice
1/4 cup slivered almonds 

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of a 9-inch baking pan with a circle of parchment, and spray the entire pan with cooking spray. 

In a clean, dry bowl, whip the egg whites on medium-high speed until foamy (about 1 minute). Slowly add 1/4 cup of the sugar, and whip on high until medium-stiff peaks form (about 1.5 minutes longer). 

In another bowl, whisk together the yolks, ginger, citrus juice and zest. Add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, salt, and baking powder and whisk to combine. Add the almond flour, and whisk until the batter is evenly mixed. 

Gently fold 1/3 of the whipped egg whites into the batter until mostly incorporated. Repeat with another 1/3 of the egg whites. Finally, add the remaining 1/3 of the egg whites until the batter is mostly uniform. (OK if there are some white patches.)

Pour the batter into the greased pan and gently smooth the top. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the cake is set and the top is golden brown. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan, and cool completely before adding the glaze. 

To make the glaze, whisk the powdered sugar with 1 tbsp of citrus juice until smooth. It should be the consistency of a smooth, flowing caramel. If needed, add another 1/2 tbsp juice. 

Transfer the glaze to a ziplock bag and snip of a tiny bit of one corner. Squeeze the glaze back and forth over the cake. Immediately sprinkle with the slivered almonds. 

If not eating that day, store the cake in the fridge. 

How to Make Poached Eggs without Cursing // i.e. How to Make Oven-Poached Eggs

Every time I try to make poached eggs at home I remember why I don't make poached eggs at home. 

Like, it's fine, I'm not that hungry or anything - it's totally cool that 3/4 of my egg floated off into whispy oblivion. 

JK NOT FINE AT ALL. Especially since making eggs means I've already been hungry for at least 2.5 hours, and have since transitioned into the hangry phase. (hungry + angry = hangry.)

Well ch-ch-check this out: you can make poached eggs in THE OVEN. At the same time as other eggs! 

The first time I saw this I thought, oh hell no not another Pinterest ploy. But then The Kitchn tried it. And then I tried it. And now here I am having eaten oven-poached eggs about every day for the past week. 

Eric coined them 'fancy eggs'. Which is like, the PERFECT name and so much fun to say. "What are we having for breakfast this morning?" "How about fancy eggs?"

This past Saturday we had open-faced fancy egg sandwiches with melted cheddar-gruyere cheese, crispy pork roll, avocado, and generous douses of Frank's. I used Canyon gluten free hamburger buns as the bread which ended up being kind of perfect. Messy, but perfect. 

That Sunday (a mere 24 hours later), we had fancy eggs over a sweet-potato and red pepper hash with pea-shoot pesto (photo here). 

Is there anything that pesto isn't good on? Am I a super hippie for buying pea-shoots at a farmer's market? MAYBS. (I used this pesto recipe with 2 cups basil and 2 cups pea-shoots.)

How to Make Easy Oven-Baked 

Poached Eggs in a Muffin Tin

[technique posted by The Kitchn, and probably a lot of other people]

You'll Need
1 standard size muffin tin
Eggs (I used large each time)
Water (make sure you use 'good' water - JUST KIDDING)

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

Add 1 tablespoon of water to each muffin cup, for however many eggs you're going to make. Then, crack an egg into each muffin cup. (If you're nervous about shells, you can crack the egg into a small bowl then pour it in. But be brave!)

Bake the eggs for 12 minutes. This will give you set whites, and pretty runny yolks. Try 13 to 15 minutes for firmer yolks. (FYI the longer they sit in the water/muffin tin they'll continue to cook a bit.)

Once cooked, run a small rubber spatula (or knife) around each egg. It should then easily pop out of the muffin cup, leaving the water behind. 

Recipe: Peach-Basil Smoothie with Cucumber and Lime

Listen up, New York. If I have to shave my legs in October I'm at the very least going to cheer myself up with a smoothie that has summer written ALL. OVER IT. 

And there are plenty of peaches and bunches of basil at the Union Square Greenmarket, so I've gotta believe I'm in good company. 

I've literally been thinking about this smoothie for months (MONTHS!) after hearing about it from one of the neighborhood Moms at home in NJ. You see, I super-love herbs in just about anything: rosemary shortbread cookies? Sure! Herb-flecked ice cream? Uh, yes. Infused cocktails? Even better. Give me the whole freaking thyme sprig while you're at it.

So I'm obviously 110% okay with tossing some basil into a smoothie. Basil and peaches are pretty much lovers, and the cucumber and lime are ridiculously refreshing. If it hadn't been 3 in the afternoon I might have glugged in a little liquor - but I'll leave the experimenting to you party animals.

  

Hi-fives all around for October peaches!

Recipe: Peach-Basil Smoothie with Cucumber and Lime

[original recipe via Diane Whitman & It's All Good]

Ingredients (serves ~2)

2 ripe peaches, unpeeled and pit removed 

1 small handful fresh basil leaves

1 cucumber, peeled 

Juice and zest of 1 lime

10-12 ice cubes (standard size)

Instructions

Blend all of the ingredients. Add more ice as needed.

Recipe: Flourless Blender Pancakes with Blueberries

Blender pancakes are my JAM. 

One of my most favoritest perks of working from home is being able to cook up something delicious for lunch. (Secondary only to not having to shower/look like a presentable human/change out of sweats/etc.) 

If you don't work from  home, you a) are more qualified as a functioning member of society, and b) can totally make these pancakes for breakfast or dinner. After all, blender pancakes are, as Rachael Ray would coin them, a BLD (breakfast, lunch or dinner). 

Essentially you just throw a handful of ingredients in the blender to make the batter, then create one giant pancake in a skillet and add whatever toppings/mix-ins your little heart desires. Though lately I'm extremely partial to fresh blueberries or chocolate chips. 

Best part? These face-sized flapjacks are naturally gluten free and require a total of zero obscure flours. Hip hip hooray! 

Recipe: Gluten Free, Flourless Blender Pancakes 

with Blueberries

Notes

-I don't even measure any more when I make these, except for the oats. After you make them once you can pretty much eyeball all the other ingredients. 

-Topping/Mix-In Ideas: fresh fruit (blueberries, sliced strawberries), nuts (walnuts, almonds, pecans), chocolate chips 

Ingredients (serves 1)

1 ripe banana 

2 egg whites (or 1 whole egg, 1 egg white if you'd like)

1/3 cup gluten free, quick-cooking oats (I use Bob's Red Mill)

1 tbsp apple sauce (sweetened or plain, whatever you have)

1 tsp ground flax seed (optional)

splash of vanilla

1/2 tsp cinnamon

dash of nutmeg 

fresh blueberries (or other mix-ins) 

Instructions

Add banana and egg whites to the blender and blend for about 15 seconds, until they're completely combined and a little frothy. 

Add the rest of the ingredients, except for the blueberries. This includes: oats, apple sauce, flax seed, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Blend for another 10 seconds or so until the ingredients form a consistent batter, and the oats are broken up a bit. (You may need to jostle the blender a few times to make sure nothing gets stuck at the bottom.)

Place a small, non-stick skillet over medium heat and coat with cooking spray. Once skillet is hot, pour in the pancake batter and, if necessary, evenly spread out the batter with a rubber spatula. Immediately add blueberries and/or any other mix-ins (see suggestions above). 

Immediately reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and cook for 5 minutes. Once the bottom of the pancake is nicely browned and the top is set, carefully flip the pancake and cook for an additional 30 seconds or so. 

Slide the pancake onto a plate, add your favorite toppings (I go for a light drizzle of pure maple syrup), and dig in!   

Recipe: Dad's Soft Boiled Eggs

My dad is many things – The JK in JK Design, an uncanny hybrid of Steve Carrel and Phil from Modern Family, and the kind of housework-addict that gets hyped up over a new pair of lawn shears.

More than that though, and honestly it was difficult to keep that list to 3, he’s bestowed upon me some, well, awkward quirks.

He’s the reason I’d rather pre-game (can we say that after college?) to The Marshall Tucker Band, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Eagles and Jackson Browne than whatever pop-tart is on the iTunes Top 10. (Okay, I have to partially credit Mom for Jackson Browne. There’s a rumor he was the artist-of-choice while I was a mere fetus.)

It’s also his fault I can’t look at an ad without hyper-focusing on why the agency used that font or landed on that slogan. Ditto for my annoying knack for subconsciously memorizing commercials – Luckily, the sister was blessed with that one also. (FreeCreditReport.com, I’m ready to record my commercial debut when you are.)

Lastly, and most, embarrassingly, it’s from him that I inherited my paralyzing fear of touching newspaper and paper shopping bag handles. You know that fingernails-on-a-chalkboard feeling? Yeah. That’s what I’m talking about. Only, as I’m sure you can image, it’s far more difficult to avoid newspapers and shopping bags than it is to avoid chalkboards.

So Dad – while I may never master stick shift or produce frame-worthy art after 15 minutes with watercolors and a canvas, I think I’ve damn near perfected soft-boiled eggs. Happy Father's Day! 

Ingredients

Large eggs (2 per person)

Instructions

-Fill a pot with enough water to cover however many eggs you’ll be cooking, and set it over high heat.

-Once at a rapid boil, use a spoon to carefully lower each egg into the water one at a time. Turn heat down to medium, or a slow boil.

-Cook uncovered for 6 ½ minutes for medium, or 6 minutes for soft-boiled.

-Use the spoon to remove all of the eggs from the water. Set in a bowl or on paper towel so they don’t roll.

-Hold the first egg under cold running water for about 15 seconds until it’s cool enough to handle. Place the egg on a paper towel and use a knife to make a few cracks down the middle of the egg. Then, use your hands to carefully peel away all of the shell. (Make sure you get the layer of membrane too.) Repeat with all of the eggs, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and eat!

Recipe: Microwave Baked Apple

File this under: Recipes too Simple to Qualify as Recipes. Also in this category: guacamole, banana ice cream, and microwave popcorn.

I’m not the type of person who needs to cap off every meal with something sweet. In fact, I’d rather scour the cheese menu than the dessert menu, and a plate of nachos holds much more appeal than a plate of cookies. (Swear this is not a defense mechanism for coping with going gluten free. I think.)

But this revelation – the microwave baked apple – has me pretending to have a sweet tooth. Soup and salad for lunch? It would be wrong not to follow that with a baked apple. Roast chicken for dinner? Yup. Baked apple for dessert. 3 PM? Well, if I write a blog post I’ll just have to make a baked apple to photograph. And then I’ll have to eat it in the middle of the afternoon in between meal times.

I included measurements here, but don’t ruin the simplicity of this recipe by pulling out the measuring cups and spoons. Eyeball it. If you put in too much cinnamon or too little oats, it’ll still be good. Trust me.

Note: Olive oil may sound weird in something sweet, but you won’t taste it. It just adds some moisture for the oats without all the bad-for-you things in butter.

Ingredients (all measurements are approximate)

1 apple, cored and diced (skin on)

1/3 cup quick cooking oats (gluten free)

1 tbsp pure maple syrup

2 tsp olive oil

2 tsp brown sugar

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

pinch of nutmeg (fresh or pre-ground)

Recipe

Toss all ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 1 ½ minutes, stir, and then microwave for 1 ½ more minutes. Serve hot.

Recipe: Sweet Potato Hash with Apple Cider Caramelized Onions

This dish stemmed from an intense craving for a bi-weekly brunch special at Friedman’s Lunch in Chelsea Market – short rib and sweet potato hash topped with poached eggs and hollandaise sauce. Just typing it out has me drooling (not literally, ew), even though I just devoured the plateful you see above.

After much deliberation over what to replace the short rib with – Bacon? Pancetta? Shredded chicken? – I decided to abandon the protein component entirely. If you want a perfectly succulent meat-studded hash, go to Friedman’s. If you’re cool with a just as flavor packed vegetarian hash, get in the kitchen and make this.

The apple cider and vinegar absorbed by the caramelized onions isn’t overpowering, but instead imparts a subtly sweet tang. This and the fresh thyme pair wonderfully with the earthy sweet potatoes. Top it with two poached eggs, and oh hey, you’ve got breakfast for dinner. Or I guess you could go all conventional and enjoy it for a savory weekend breakfast.      

Tip: To poach an egg, bring a small pot of water + 1 tbsp vinegar (helps egg whites stay together) to a boil. When the water is at a rolling boil, turn it down so it barely simmers. Crack 1 egg into a small, shallow bowl. Swirl a spoon around the water in circles to create a whirlpool, and carefully slide the egg into the center of the water. The swirling ‘tornado’ effect of the water will help wrap the whites around the yolk. After about 3 minutes, use a slotted spoon to transfer egg to a paper towel to drain. This will give you set whites and a runny yolk. For a firmer yolk, increase cooking time.

Ingredients (Serves 2-3)

1 large white onion, cut in half then sliced lengthwise

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 tsp chopped fresh thyme

3 tbsp apple cider

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes

1/3 cup sliced scallions
Poached eggs (optional)

Recipe

Place a large, heavy bottomed skillet (preferably cast-iron) over medium heat, and drizzle with enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. When oil is shimmering, add onions, thyme, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and a pinch of pepper. Use a wooden spoon to break up the slivers of onion and distribute the seasonings.

Cook the onions for about a half hour, stirring occasionally and keeping a close eye so they don’t burn. If they start to look dry, drizzle with a little more olive oil. After 30 minutes if the onions look like they’re getting too brown, turn the heat down to low. Cook for another 10 minutes.

Add the apple cider and vinegar, then turn the heat back up to medium and use the spoon to scrape up any brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Cook until most of the moisture is absorbed, 1-2 minutes. Transfer the onions to a bowl and set aside.

Place the pan back over medium heat and drizzle with more olive oil. Add the potatoes, and season with ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally so all of the sides brown evenly.

Once a fork can be inserted into one of the cubes, turn the heat down to low. Add the caramelized onions and scallions to the pan, and toss to combine with the potatoes. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the hash is warmed through.

Serve the sweet potato hash warm, and top with poached eggs if you’d like.

Recipe: Chewy Granola Bars

Recipes with multiple paragraphs of ingredient substitutions often do not bode well for self-proclaimed decision-making-phobes. But lingering indecisively at the Whole Foods bulk bins for 20 minutes was so worth it.

This recipe is an absolute, will be referencing it weekly, keeper. Having depended on Special K bars throughout college, granola bars were one of the first staples I sought a gluten free replacement for after being diagnosed with Celiac. The hunt didn’t go so well. There are no less than 35 overly processed, overly sweetened, and/or overly nutty granola bars hogging precious real estate in my kitchen cabinets right now. And those are only the ones that were slightly above average enough to be spared a trip to the trashcan.

Thanks to Deb of Smitten Kitchen, I’ve had delicious, chewy granola bars for breakfast, a snack, and dinner. And that’s just today. Arm yourself with the base recipe below, and run with it. For anyone else who can’t make up their mind, ever, I command you follow the ingredients list to a T. You’re welcome. 

In similar news, anyone interested in 35 free, possibly expired, gluten free granola bars? Don’t all jump at once.

[Original recipe from Smitten Kitchen] 

Ingredients (Makes 9 large bars or 16 smaller bars)

1/3 cup sugar

1 2/3 cup quick cooking gluten free oats

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp cinnamon

½ cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

¼ cup chopped walnuts

¼ cup sliced almonds

½ cup dried cranberries

½ cup chopped dried apricots

1/3 cup peanut flour

6 tbsp olive oil

¼ cup + 2 tbsp honey

1 tbsp water

1 tsp vanilla

1/3 cup peanut butter

Possible Substitutions

Sugar – light or dark brown sugar

Nuts and Fruit – 2-3 cups of any combination of nuts, dried fruit and other dry add-ins (pecans, sunflower seeds, toasted coconut, dried cherries, dried apples, chocolate chips, puffed rice cereal, flax seeds, etc.)

Flour – oat flour (oats finely ground in a food processor), chickpea flour, rice flour, almond flour, etc.

Olive oil – melted butter (or a combination of the two)

Honey – any combination of honey, molasses, maple syrup or corn syrup

Peanut butter – any other nut butter (i.e. almond butter)

Recipe

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper so that the paper hangs over two of the edges. Coat the entire pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, mix together all of the dry ingredients – this includes the sugar, oats, salt, cinnamon, nuts, dried fruit, and flour.

In a smaller bowl, whisk together the olive oil, honey, water and vanilla.

Pour the wet ingredients into the larger bowl with the dry ingredients. Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to work the wet ingredients into the dry ones, until everything is evenly mixed and moist. Add the peanut butter, and mix once more.

Pour the granola into the greased pan, and spread out the mixture with the spatula or spoon. Spray one side of plastic bag or a piece of parchment paper with cooking spray, and use the oiled surface to pack down the bars as firmly as possible.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until the edges turn a deep, golden brown. Remove pan from the oven to cool. (You can place the pan in the fridge to speed up this process.) Once the granola bars are completely cool, use the parchment paper ‘handles’ to remove it from the pan. Peel off the parchment, and use a serrated knife to cut the square into 9 large or 16 smaller granola bars.

Store in an airtight container, preferably in the fridge. Will also freeze well.