Leftover Takeover: Seed Bars Round 2

I love this shot. It is a baker’s kaleidoscope, and the focus is prime.

This recipe is essentially all the leftover seeds I had in my cupboards + more overripe bananas. They are an extremely easy and healthy snackfast.

All the kinds of things you need in the middle of November what with the weather and the family and the crazy. For another easy snackfast, see Seed Bars Round 1, which blew my mind this summer. You don’t even have to bake them. Also the first seed bars posts included better quality writing than you have seen out of me for like, the past two months.

Haha better quality writing, as if. Maybe just more writing. We all know that when all else fails, just keep saying more and more words, because that will fix everything, amirite?

Bye now,

Lauren

Seed Bars

Adapted from Eat Your Greens

1/2 cup whole flax seeds
1 cup shelled sunflower seeds
1/2 cup millet
1/4 cup almonds, roughly chopped
1/4 cup pitted dates, chopped
3 small ripe bananas
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9-by-9-inch square pan with parchment.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, seeds, nuts and dried fruit. Place the bananas, vanilla, salt and cinnamon in a bowl and mash until smooth. Pour the banana puree over the oat mixture and stir until all the dry ingredients are evenly moist. Press mixture evenly into the bottom of the pan.

Bake for 30 minutes, until firm and lightly browned on the edges. Let cool completely and cut into 6 bars.

Leftover Takeover: Banana Poppyseed Muffins

A little reminder of what miniature green things look like for your Monday.

When life gives you overripe bananas that you can’t finish because you’re busy eating all the Thanksgiving leftovers, it’s time to get to mixing.

Huckleberry THEREFORE SYMBOL sunken muffins. Decent flavor.

Post-holiday hanging,

Lauren

Banana Poppyseed Muffins

Adapted from Huckleberry

Pipe Dream #344: To Be a Bad Moon Rising – Pear Whole-Wheat Crumb Cake

I see the bad moon arising.
I see trouble on the way.
I see earthquakes and lightnin’.
I see those bad times today.

I don’t know why this cake brought CCR lyrics about the moon to mind.

Maybe it is because is is perfectly circular.

Maybe it is because its surface was pitted like the moon.

Maybe it is because it rose to my expectations.

It will cause earthquakes and lightning in your heart. It won’t signal trouble on the way.

Only good times can come of this. Provided you include orange zest or some other spices in the crumble. It wasn’t flavorless, per se, and the interesting ingredients gave this cake a lot of depth, but I thought it could have used a little something more.

Good times,

Lauren

Pear Whole-Wheat Crumb Cake

Adapted from Huckleberry

For the crumb:

1/2 cup/110 g unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons/55 g almond flour

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons/20 g rolled oats

1/4 cup/50 g granulated sugar

1/4 cup/30 g whole-wheat flour

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons oat flour

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup/20 g sliced almonds

For the cake:

3/4 cup/170 g unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature

1 cup/200 g granulated sugar

2 tablespoons brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 1/4 cups/160 g all-purpose flour

3/4 cup/55 g oat flour

1/4 cup/25 g almond flour

3 tablespoons rye flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup/240 ml whole Greek yogurt

3 pears, peeled and thickly sliced

To make the topping: In a bowl, combine the butter, almond flour, oats, granulated sugar, whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, oat flour, brown sugar, salt, and sliced almonds and blend with your fingertips until homogenous. Refrigerate until needed.

To make the cake: Position a rack in the middle of your oven and preheat to 350°F/180°C. Grease a 10-in/25-cm round springform pan.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and salt on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Incorporate the vanilla and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl well. Pause mixing and add the all-purpose flour, wheat germ, almond flour, rye flour, baking powder, baking soda, yogurt, and orange zest. Mix cautiously, just until incorporated. Do not overmix.

Scoop the batter into the prepared pan and cover evenly with the pears. Top with the crumble, allowing a little fruit to poke through. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Do not overbake! Allow to cool for about 15 minutes in the pan.

Run a knife around the cake in the springform, then remove the outer portion of the pan. Gently slide the cake onto a serving plate, being careful not to break the cake. This tasted even better second day.