Apple Carrot Bread

 

This is a bread....not a cake! It's very moist due to the apples, but not heavy. It's great with a cup of your favorite tea or coffee. It also freezes well. I have tried to keep the sugar and oil levels well below that used in many other recipes on the internet! The batter will be very thick but that's because it's a bread, not a cake. Goes well with orange marmalade spread on top!

3/4 cup coarsely shredded carrots

3/4 cup coarsely shredded apple (peeled or unpeeled, your choice)

1/2 cup Brown sugar, lightly packed

1/3 cup vegetable oil

¼ cup milk

2 eggs

1/3 cup dried fruit of your choice

¾  cup all-purpose flour

¾ cup whole wheat flour

¼ cup coarsely chopped nuts

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon allspice

½ teaspoon nutmeg

Juice of 1 small lemon

1 teaspoon finely grated ginger

1 teaspoon orange extract OR Vanilla (your preference)

2 tablespoons old fashioned oats

DIRECTIONS

1.     Heat oven to 350°F. Line bottom only of loaf pan with parchment paper, grease and flour sides.

2.      Mix carrots, dried fruit, apple, and ginger, in a bowl. Add the lemon juice to the mixture.

3.     Mix flours and spices, Baking powder, nuts, soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside.

4.     Whisk the eggs, milk, vanilla (or orange extract),  sugar and oil together until pale in color. Stir in shredded apple/carrot mixture then add all dry ingredients at one time. Mix until just combined and pour into pan. Sprinkle the oats on top of the batter, and lightly press the flakes into the batter

5.     Bake 40-45 minutes or until a tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Loosen sides of loaf from pan; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely.

Christmas Scones

 

 

 

At this time of the year I doubt that there's anyone who would object to their homes smelling of apples, cinnamon and brown sugar! These breakfast scones are perfectly suited for that. Yes, they also have oats and maple syrup. They are easy to make (the dough is a bit messy and means you do have to get your hands dirty) but the end result is worth it! 

1 cup all purpose flour + 1-2 tablespoons

1/2 cup of whole wheat flour

½ cup old fashioned oats + 1-2 tablespoons

½ cup oat bran

1/3 cup of brown sugar + 1 tablespoon

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon allspice

½ teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon salt

1/2 cup of cold butter

1 cup of shredded apple

1/2 cup of milk or Kefir

1 tablespoon maple syrup

Juice from 1 lemon

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup finely chopped pecans

 Instructions

 1.     Pre-heat your oven to 425 degrees. Combine all of your dry ingredients (including spices)and mix them together well.

2.     Rub in the 1/2 cup butter with the dry ingredients until crumbly.

3.     Add the vanilla and maple syrup to the milk

4.     Shred your apple (peeled or unpeeled). Mix with the lemon juice and nuts. Add the shredded apple, then the milk and mix until they form a soft dough. Turn out on to a floured surface and knead, adding flour (1-2 tablespoons) as necessary until the dough no longer feels sticky.

5.     Place the dough on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Flatten the dough to make an 10” round. Pat 1-2 tablespoons oats extra on the surface then sprinkle with a little extra cinnamon and 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Cut into 8 wedges by scoring the dough but not cutting all the way through.

6.     Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until they are golden brown. Remove and cool. Cut through the wedges when completely cool.

Pumpkin Oat Breakfast Wedges

 

I'm always looking around for a quick breakfast that's reasonably healthy. The one proviso I have is that it must have oats! With the Fall season in full swing, these breakfast wedges are the perfect "breakfast on the go" with morning coffee. They are not sweet but that allows for those who wish to slather on their favorite jelly or jam, to do so guilt free! 

8 ozs whole wheat flour

2 ozs Old Fashioned Oats

¼ cup oat bran

2 tablespoons flax meal

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

2 ozs dried fruit (I like to use cranberries)

½ teaspoon allspice

½ teaspoon Nutmeg

1 teaspoon grated ginger

1/2 cup butter, cubed

3 ozs brown sugar

2 tablespoons Maple Syrup

1 cup finely grated Pumpkin (not shredded)

Juice from 1 lemon

4 fl ozs milk or Kefir (1/2 cup)

 

1.      Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit

2.      Line a baking sheet with parchment paper

3.      Finely grater the Pumpkin and mix it with the Brown sugar, maple syrup, and lemon juice. Add the cranberries to this mixture.

4.      Mix the flour, oats, salt, Oat bran, flax meal, baking powder, baking soda, and spices in a bowl. Rub in the diced butter until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs.

5.      Add the milk (or Kefir) to the pumpkin mixture then add the wet to the dry ingredients and mix with hands to make a dough. Knead on a lightly floured surface, sprinkled with oats, until the dough comes together (The mixture can sometimes be a bit sticky so you may have to add some more flour, but do so 1 tablespoon at a time to help bring the dough together). Place the dough on the parchment paper and shape into an 8” round and sprinkle oats on top, pressing into the mixture with your hands. Score deeply (cut almost through the round) to cut round into 8 wedges.

6.      Bake 20-25 minutes until lightly risen and brown. Remove from oven and cool on a rack. Serve warm or cold. They may also be wrapped and frozen.