Pace Setter : October 2020

Autumn Delights

by Anouk Booneman

Leaves are falling and autumn has arrived. Autumn is my favorite season in New York, especially when we have a true Indian summer. New York State is well known for its delicious apples. I am always reminded how much New Yorkers like their tradition of apple picking when I end up, accidentally, in the long line that forms every week near my house in front of Riverview Orchard or Bowman. 

The following recipe is for gluten free (easily veganized) baked apple doughnuts. I have used the recipes for baked doughnuts from the book Baked Doughnuts for Everyone by Ashley Mc Laughlin for years, and they have always been well received. She uses a lot of different flours that might require extra purchases. These flours are very versatile though, easy to find in a regular supermarket, and can be continued to be used to make more doughnuts, pancakes, muffins, or mixed in with regular flour when baking. I prefer to use a silicone mold for my baked doughnuts. I find them easy to use, the content is easy to remove, and they can handle high temperatures.

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Classic Fall Doughnuts

Ingredients needed:
1/2 cup (60g) oat flour (If gluten is an issue, make sure to get oat flour from a gluten free facility. Oats are gluten free but there could be contamination during production)
1/2 cup (70g) sweet rice flour
1/4 cup (28g) almond meal
1/4 cup (50 g) pure cane sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ginger
2 large eggs (For a vegan variation use flaxseed eggs. For one flaxseed egg mix one Tbsp of ground flaxseed with 3 Tbsp of water. Let stand for 5 min.)
1/3 cup apple cider
3 Tbsp unsweetened apple sauce
3 Tbsp no sugar added apple butter
2 Tbsp oil
1.5 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup peeled and grated apple
 

For the glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp (30g) apple butter
1 to 3 Tbsp no sugar added apple cider
 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F and grease a doughnut pan.

Combine the oat flour, sweet rice flour, almond meal, cane sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and ginger in a large bowl. In another bowl whisk the eggs together. Then add the apple cider, applesauce, apple butter, oil and vanilla extract. Whisk until well combined.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir with a large wooden spoon until just combined, being careful to not overmix (stop when you no longer see dry flour). Fold the grated apples into the batter.

Spoon the batter into the doughnut molds to just below the top of each mold. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes until light golden brown around the edges. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Slide a thin spatula round the edges of a doughnut to loosen them. (If you have a silicone mold this is usually not needed.) Allow to cool before topping.opping is optional and I usually skip it. If you want to glaze your doughnuts, mix the ingredients together until smooth. Add more apple cider if a thinner consistency is desired. Dunk the inverted doughnut into the glaze, letting the excess drip off or drizzle over the doughnuts. Let set until glaze has hardened.

               Spaghetti squash strands with vegan meatballs

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Winter Squash

Winter squash time is definitely on its way. So far, I have had a few spaghetti squashes in my CSA shares. Nestled inside this yellow squash are hundreds of noodle-like strands that resemble spaghetti. I was never a fan until this year when I started to make salads with them. The following salad is from Cook’s Vegetables Illustrated. The cheese can be easily swapped for a vegan cheese. A decent quality of vegan parmesan can be found in most supermarkets. 

Spaghetti Squash Salad with Tomatoes and Pecorino

Ingredients

1 spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded

6 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 tsp grated lemon zest plus 3 tablespoon juice

one cup halved grape tomatoes

1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves

1 shallot sliced thin

2 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted

Spritz of pecorino (or any vegan variation)

1. Adjust rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees F. Brush cut sides of the squash with 2 Tbsp oil and season with salt and pepper. Place squash cut side down and roast until squash is tender when pierced with tip of paring knife. This can take 40 to 50 minutes.  Let squash cool until completely cool.
2. Combine lemon zest and juice, 1/4 cup of oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 tsp pepper in large bowl. Holding squash over bowl, use fork to scrape flesh from skin into strands discarding skin
3. Add tomatoes to bowl with squash and toss gently to coat. Transfer to serving platter and sprinkle with pecorino (or any vegan variation), basil shallots and pine nuts.

Variations are very easy with this salad. Substitute chickpeas for the tomato, add a different cheese, add different herbs (parsley, cilantro, and mint work really well). Add sunflower seeds or pitas. Add more vegetables. There are many possibilities.

Summer squash salad made using whatever I had in my CSA box

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Anouk’s Archive

Delight in the Bounties of Summer While You Can!
Midsummer Fruit & Vegetable Paradise
Cold Soups Add Zest to Summer Eating
Salad Days of Summer
Food Shopping and Cooking During COVID-19
Cooking During the Time of COVID-19: Chickpea Scramble
The Making of Buddha Bowls with Delightful Dishes Added
Super Healthy Granola (Inspired by Rouxbe)
January Recipe – Socca Muffins
Great Cookbooks as Holiday Gifts
Butternut Squash Soup
Healthy Plant-Based Eating
Healthy Eating
Perfect Seasonal Vegan Recipes

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