For starters, you could be baking. It’s dark out, it’s chilly, and it’s the perfect time to turn on the oven and make warm, spice-laden treats. Like this Apple Gingerbread, for instance. I whipped this up last night after devouring a bowl of hot, hearty chili and indulged in a warm slice while watching reruns of Gossip Girl. Cold fall nights are perfect for guilty pleasures.

Luckily, you don’t have to feel too guilty eating this gingerbread. It has all that warm, spicy comfort without being an enormous sugar bomb. I dare say this would even make a suitable breakfast. I plan on baking this gingerbread several more times this fall, maybe swapping out the apples for pears next time, or adding a couple handfuls of chopped pecans. Perhaps even some orange zest? Or bake the batter as muffins, or fill a loaf pan and use thick slices for French toast (uh oh, I’m getting crazy).

Apple Gingerbread

© Copyright 2012 Carly Sullivan, Tart to Heart

Yield: 8-10 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 cup almond flour/meal
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1 Tbsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup butter, melted (or replace with coconut oil for dairy free)
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 banana, mashed, or 1/3 cup applesauce
• 1 cup hot water
• 1 apple, peeled, cored and diced small

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch cake pan or loaf pan with parchment paper and grease well.
2. In a large mixing bowl, sift the almond flour, coconut flour, spices, baking soda and salt. Whisk to combine.
3. Add the eggs, melted butter, molasses, mashed banana and hot water. Whisk well until smooth. Stir in the diced apple.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean, with just a few tiny crumbs, about 35-40 minutes (if making muffins, check around the 15-20 minute mark).
5. Let cool in the pan at least ten minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen. Place your hand on top of the cake and tip upside down, set a plate on the bottom then gently flip over. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired. Serve as is or with a dollop of whipped cream. Enjoy!

It’s the time of year when the farmers markets are full of squashes and apples in dozens of varieties. It’s the time to sip warm drinks like cocoa and pumpkin lattes and mulled wine. At work we’re sneaking pumpkin into everything from doughnuts to cookies to ice cream. It’s the season for indulgences. And I’m participating in a 30-day diet for the entire month of October.

I didn’t think it was possible. I thought for sure that I would cheat. But I’ve done it. I haven’t eaten any sugar for two weeks. None. Zero. Zip. No honey, no maple syrup, no agave even. The only sweet treat I’ve eaten is fruit, and I’m going to keep it that way for another two weeks.

You probably don’t want to hear this. I’ve rolled my eyes at plenty of bloggers who have gone “healthy”. But I’ve long supported more nutritious versions of classic treats, substituting refined flour with whole-grain alternatives, using less sugar or choosing natural sweeteners. I love eating food, but I also want to treat myself well, and I’ve always believed the two could go hand in hand.

And so I bring you a delicious, nutritious treat fit for fall! If I’d known all this time that applesauce was this easy to make, I never would have bought it at the store. Peel, core and chop the apples, put them in a slow cooker, cover and turn it on. A few hours later: applesauce! It’s magical, and your house will smell amazing. Now add some spices and pumpkin to the mix and you have something truly special.

Pumpkin Pie Applesauce

© Copyright 2012 Carly Sullivan, Tart to Heart

Ingredients:

• 6-8 apples, peeled, cored and chopped (I used Gravenstein, but any crisp, sweet apple will do)
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• Pinch of salt
• 2 Tbsp coconut milk (or cream if you prefer)

Directions:

1. Place the apples in the crock of your slow cooker and cover with the lid. Cook on high for about 2 hours, stirring every 15-30 minutes. (Alternatively, this could be made on the stove top, but would probably needed to be tended more closely to make sure it doesn’t burn on the bottom).
2. Once the apples are mostly cooked down, stir in the pumpkin puree, spice and salt. Leave the slow cooker uncovered and cook another 30 minutes to thicken, stirring occasionally.
3. After everything has cooked down into a smooth sauce, turn off the heat and stir in the coconut milk.
4. Keep the applesauce in the refrigerator for up to two weeks (though it won’t last that long!) or freeze for longer storage. Serve warm or cold, plain or with some toasted nuts and seeds sprinkled on top (I like the crunchy contrast!). Enjoy!

Even so, that small bout of rain yesterday definitely roused my desire for cinnamon and apples and all things squash. Soon I’ll be opening cans of pumpkin and steeping pots of mulled wine on the stove. This could very well be my last berry-laden recipe of the year, so it’s a good thing it’s so scrumptious. I might even have to bake up a second loaf of this Lemon Lavender Blackberry Bread, cut it into thick slices and freeze it for when I’m in need of a taste of summer in the days of impending gloom.

This most certainly is a definitive summer recipe. A bite of this bread instantly reminds me of the warm summer evening I spent picking blackberries with my friend Joy, delving deeper into the bushes than is ever wise, braving the prickly vines, proudly displaying our bounty and our scratched arms at the end. It’s always worth the struggle.

Lemon Lavender Blackberry Bread

© Copyright 2012 Carly Sullivan, Tart to Heart

Yield: 1 loaf, 12 servings

Ingedients:

• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1/4 cup almond flour
• 2 Tbsp dried lavender buds
• 1 Tbsp lemon zest, finely grated
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 banana, very well mashed
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup lemon juice + coconut milk (juice the lemon used for zesting, then add enough coconut milk to equal 1/2 cup)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 cup blackberries

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 1-lb loaf pan and line with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients (coconut flour through salt).
3. In a separate bowl, mash the banana until it is completely smooth, then whisk in the remaining ingredients except the berries.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk together until smooth (coconut flour tends to clump so don’t be afraid to really mix it, there’s no gluten to worry about!).
5. Add the blackberries (leave a few to sprinkle on top) and gently fold into the batter.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the remaining blackberries over the top and a little extra lavender if desired. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45-50 minutes. Tent with foil if it starts to get too brown.
7. Let cool at least 30 minutes before removing from the pan. Cut into slices and enjoy!

And yet, some of the tastiest food is the homeliest. Think about stew. That stuff just isn’t pretty. It’s mostly brown and soft and slopped into a bowl. But you crave it on a cold night, it’s comforting and delicious. It’s the same with cobbler. It isn’t going to win any beauty awards, but it’s just as scrumptious as its prettier cousin pie and no where near as high maintenance.

This cobbler is made with freshly picked wild blackberries. The dough is laced with an intriguing dose of cardamom. It’s best served warm with a scoop of ice cream melting into the berries. Even at breakfast time.

Blackberry Cardamom Cobbler

© Copyright 2012 Carly Sullivan, Tart to Heart

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

Filling:

• 5 cups blackberries
• 2 Tbsp tapioca starch
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice

Topping:

• 1/3 cup coconut flour
• 2 Tbsp hazelnut or almond flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
• 2 Tbsp butter, cold
• 2 eggs
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 1/3 cup coconut milk

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. In a bowl, combine the blackberries, tapioca starch, 2 Tbsp honey and lemon juice, tossing gently to coat the berries.
3. Pour into a deep dish pie pan or other similar size baking dish and bake 15 minutes while you prepare the filling.
4. In a bowl, combine the coconut flour, nut flour, baking powder, salt and cardamom. Cut the butter into small pieces and rub into the dry ingredients.
   
5. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, 2 Tbsp honey and coconut milk. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
   
6. Remove the berries from the oven. Scoop the dough into rounds and flatten slightly with your hands. Place the rounds of dough over the top of the berries.
   
7. Bake until golden brown and the berries are bubbly and thickened, another 15 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes, then top with ice cream and enjoy!

I don’t really know what to say. Here I am, the whole grain baker, making muffins without any grains at all. What’s happened? No wheat, no rye, no millet? Well, let’s just say I’m trying something. I’m not sure yet how far it will go, but I like a challenge, especially a baking challenge, and baking without grains is undoubtedly tricky.

Besides, whether it’s with grains or seeds or nuts, what I’ve really wanted all of you to do is branch out beyond your basic all-purpose flour. That stuff is just bleached and boring. There are so many more options, ones that actually lend flavor and unique textures. I love the natural sweetness of coconut flour and the lovely crumbly nature of almond meal. Of course, what’s really important here is that these Grain Free Raspberry Muffins are delicious. So branch out of the A/P rut if you haven’t yet. You won’t be disappointed.

Grain Free Raspberry Muffins

© Copyright 2012 Carly Sullivan, Tart to Heart

Yield: 1 dozen muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups almond flour
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
• 5 eggs
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 banana, completely mashed
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and line or grease a standard muffin pan.
2. In a mixing bowl, sift together the almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, and salt, then add the grated nutmeg.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients, except the berries. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. Gently fold in the berries.
4. Scoop the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Enjoy!

Last weekend I purchased another half flat of plump red raspberries from the farmers market (my fourth half flat of the summer, so far). I tossed them into salads, stirred them into another batch of those delicious oat cakes along with some nectarines, I popped them whole into my mouth by the handful. But I still had several pints left come Friday and I had to do something with them before heading up to Seattle for the weekend.

I decided to let others benefit from my greediness.

My mom has been eating a “paleo” diet for well over a year now. Do you know what that means, folks? No wheat, no grains whatsoever, no sugar, no pastries! It’s hard to wrap your head around, especially when you’re a trained pastry chef. What on earth could I bake for my mom with these leftover raspberries that she could actually eat?

After poking around the internet, I saw that some paleo eaters had attempted making pie crust with almond flour. You know me and pie. We’re best friends. But could I be friends with paleo pie?

As it turns out, I can. Albeit this is definitely one of those friendships where the person is fun to be around in small doses, but too much time spent in their company becomes a bit tedious. You definitely have to spread out your visits. The almond crust is manageable, but takes finesse. The good news is it’s delicious and everyone from paleo to gluten free to not can enjoy these. It’s not like your traditional flaky pie crust, of course, but reminiscent of that almond filling in croissants or fruit tarts, toothsome and buttery and rich.

The filling is a cinch. Just combine the ingredients and simmer until thick. You’ll end up with more jam than you’ll need for the pies, so spread it on toast (oh wait, paleo eaters don’t eat toast) or swirl it into your oatmeal (oh, you don’t eat that either?) or dollop it on some vanilla ice cream (oh, come on people!). Fine, eat it with a spoon.

Raspberry Lavender Pocket Pies

© Copyright 2012 Carly Sullivan, Tart to Heart

Yield: 6 pockets (depends on the size you make them)

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups almond meal/flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter or coconut butter, melted
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1 egg

Filling:

• 12 oz raspberries, fresh or frozen
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1 Tbsp tapioca starch or arrowroot
• 2 tsp dried lavender buds (optional, but delicious)

• 1 egg for sealing/brushing pockets

Directions:

1. To make the crust, combine all ingredients in a bowl with your hands until they come together into a dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and pat down into a flat rectangle. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the filling by combining all ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook, stirring often, until the juices thicken, about 10 minutes. Pour into a wide dish and set aside to cool.
3. Once the dough is chilled, roll out on a liberally floured surface (I used tapioca starch) to about 1/4-inch thick. Be gentle and make sure it’s not sticking at all by adding more flour if needed.
4. Cut the dough into squares about 2×2-inches. Gently place them on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet and place in the refrigerator to chill again.
5. Beat the egg in a small bowl. Once firm and chilled, remove the dough from the fridge. Brush the edges of one square with the egg wash. Dollop a small amount of jam in the center, leaving about 1/2-inch border all the way around. Gently place another square of dough over top. Dip the tines of a fork in the egg wash and crimp the edges together, re-dipping in the egg wash if it sticks. Continue with remaining dough.
6. Place the pan back in the refrigerator to chill. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Once preheated, remove the pan from the refrigerator. Brush the tops of the pockets with egg wash and bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes. Enjoy!

It’s no secret that apple blackberry is my favorite type of pie. It’s the only recipe I’ve made two renditions of on this blog (here and here). It’s also no secret that I greedily horde summer’s ripest blackberries in my freezer to last me through the year. The season for picking is nearly upon us again, I’ve already staked out the perfect spot for stockpiling more berries, and the time has come to use up those last few handfuls of deep purple jewels in my stash.

Now, I have no problem with eating pie for breakfast. I always do it with the leftover pumpkin pie in the days following Thanksgiving. But, you know, it is summer and we’re all probably watching our waistlines more closely than we do in November when all the warm layers can hide those extra pounds. These Blackberry Apple Oat Cakes are my method for eating a healthy breakfast when I’m craving something more decadent. Chock full of juicy fruit, a warm hit of cinnamon, drizzled with a little honey for a little extra sweetness. Indulge in a lazy morning and make yourself some pancakes.

This batter is a great base for any fruit you have on hand. I already want to try a raspberry peach combo. Strawberry apricot too maybe? Let me know what you try!

Blackberry Apple Oat Cakes

© Copyright 2012 Carly Sullivan, Tart to Heart

Yield: 10 pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup oat flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/4 cup rolled oats
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 1 1/2 cups blackberries, fresh or frozen
• 1 apple, peeled, cored and diced

Directions:

1. First off, preheat a skillet over medium high heat and lightly grease with oil or butter. Add the diced apple and cook until slightly softened, about five minutes. Remove from the heat.
2. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl combine the flours, oats, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. Add the buttermilk, egg and honey and whisk gently until the batter is smooth. Add the apple and blackberries and stir until just incorporated.
4. Heat a skillet or griddle over medium high heat and lightly grease with oil or butter. Pour the batter in 1/4-cupfuls onto the hot pan. Cook until the edges look slightly dry and a few bubble rise to the top. Flip and cook another couple minutes until cooked through. Repeat with remaining batter.
5. Serve pancakes warm with a drizzle of honey or maple syrup. Enjoy!

But let me ask you this: what’s the season for bananas? Mangoes? Pineapples? I feel like they’re in season all the time down at the equator where they’re being grown. So while we’re eating seasonally here, let’s not forget about some of our year-round favorites… like I apparently did when I realized I had a bunch of bananas gone nearly black on top of my fridge.

I made this banana bread for my sister. Since going gluten free, she doesn’t get to indulge in simple pleasures like freshly-baked treats very often. Besides, she’s definitely more of a cook than a baker, so I feel it’s my duty to provide her with baked goods she can actually eat!

This Banana Almond Bread is not only gluten free, it’s also dairy free and quite nutritious! Lightly sweetened with agave nectar, flecked with bits of dark chocolate, and topped with sliced almonds, it’s an indulgence you can justify. You know what I’m talking about (but it has fruit! and nuts! and whole grains! and antioxidants!).

Banana Almond Bread

© Copyright 2012 Carly Sullivan, Tart to Heart

Yield: 1 loaf, about 12 slices

Ingredients:

• 1 cup almond meal/flour
• 1/2 cup millet flour
• 1/2 cup teff flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 2 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped (or chips)
• 1 cup mashed bananas (about 3 medium)
• 1/2 cup agave nectar (I used dark, but any kind is fine)
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 1/8 tsp almond extract (optional)
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds (slivered would also be fine)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a standard loaf pan and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the almond meal, millet flour, teff flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add the chocolate and stir to combine.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, agave, oil, eggs, and almond extract.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and top with the almonds.
5. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45-50 minutes. If it starts to get too dark, tent with foil for the remaining time in the oven.
6. Remove to a wire rack and let cool at least ten minutes. Slide a knife around the edges to loosen, then tip out of the pan. Let cool until barely warm before slicing (if you can stand to wait). Enjoy!

Then there was that turning point, as there often is with foods you grew up hating and one day give another chance only to discover you enjoy it. Maybe even love it. My turning point was a bowl of oatmeal I had for breakfast on my first morning in Auckland, New Zealand with my sister. It was in a small, unassuming cafe, up a narrow flight of stairs to a second-story space with tiny tables overlooking the street below. I honestly don’t know how we even found the place, and I don’t remember what I ordered. But I remember taking a bite of my sister’s oatmeal. A warm bowl of oats, cooked to order, not slimy or mushy but slightly chewy and topped with fresh fruit.

Now I eat oatmeal for breakfast several days a week. I always cook it on the stovetop, never in the microwave, usually with cinnamon and sliced bananas. I’ve also fallen for no-cook oatmeal, soaked in yogurt and milk in the fridge overnight, mixed with fresh raspberries or diced mango. This baked version is a new favorite. Warm and hearty, still a breeze to put together, but somehow light and perhaps even a bit elegant. You can’t tell me this Strawberry Rhubarb Baked Oatmeal isn’t pretty. Who knew oatmeal could be so lovely?

Of course, the possibilities are endless here, using any fruit you have on hand as the seasons change. This version was an homage to the last of the sweetest Northwest strawberries and tangy rhubarb. I’ll be sad to see them go, but I look forward to plump raspberries and blackberries and juicy peaches. They’ll be just as wonderful in this healthy breakfast treat.

Strawberry Rhubarb Baked Oatmeal

adapted from Super Natural Every Day by Heidi Swanson

Ingredients:

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds, divided
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup nonfat milk (or whatever you have on hand)
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
• 1 cup (about 3 slender stalks) rhubarb, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
2. In a bowl, combine the oats, half the almonds, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the milk, buttermilk, honey, egg, and vanilla.
4. Scatter the rhubarb and half the strawberries over the bottom of the baking dish. Spread the oat mixture evenly over top, then pour the milk mixture over. Shake the pan gently to move the liquid through the oats.
5. Place the remaining berries over top and sprinkle with the remaining almonds.
6. Bake until lightly golden and set, about 25 minutes. Serve warm with a drizzle of honey or syrup. Enjoy!

This recipe is a rescue mission. It’s here to help you out when your little pot of herbs runneth over.

First things first, go out to your porch/patio/garden and pick handfuls of whatever herbs you’ve got. Chives, oregano, thyme, rosemary, dill, tarragon, sage…they’re all good! Whichever ones are getting a bit unruly, go at ‘em. Then bring them inside, pull the leaves from the stems, and mince them all up together into beautiful green confetti.

It’s time to make Whole Wheat Parmesan Herb Biscuits. Now, these aren’t your average biscuit. These don’t just have cheese mixed into the dough or sprinkled on top. These biscuits have a layer of cheese smack dab in the middle, a delicious melty surprise. I went with parmesan, but you could try cheddar, provolone, pepperjack, or even gruyere. This is a use-what-you-got recipe. Don’t over think it.

You’re probably wondering about those strawberries. Sure, these biscuits will go great alongside any dinner, especially those with extra juices to sop up. Of course they’ll be delicious just plain or even, dare I say, with another smear of butter. But I’ve long been a proponent of blurring the lines between sweet and savory, so I say why not smear these herby, cheesy biscuits with tender, juicy roasted strawberries. Again, just do it. Don’t over think.

Whole Wheat Parmesan Herb Biscuits

© Copyright 2012 Carly Sullivan, Tart to Heart

Yield: 8 large biscuits

Ingredients:

• 3 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp sugar
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4-1/3 cup (or so) finely chopped fresh herbs
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 oz parmesan cheese shavings (or other thinly sliced cheese, enough to cover half the dough)

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt. Add herbs and mix gently to combine.
2. Add the butter and mix into the flour until the pieces are pea-sized. You want some fairly big chunks in order to create those flaky layers.
3. Combine the egg and buttermilk. Slowly add to the dry ingredients while mixing on low speed until the dough just comes together. It should be mostly moistened but still a little shaggy.
4. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently knead the dough together, gathering any pieces, to form a ball. Pat down into a rough rectangle, then roll out to a little less than 1/2-inch thick.
5. Cut the dough in half. Lay the shavings of parmesan over one half of the dough, then flip the other half of the dough over onto it. Roll gently to press the halves together, then cut into squares, whatever size you desire.
   
6. Set the biscuits on a greased baking sheet, then place in the refrigerator while you preheat the oven to 400°F. This is the perfect time to prepare your strawberries (recipe follows).
7. When the oven is ready, bake the biscuits until risen and golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let cool at least 5 minutes before topping with those roasted strawberries (or not). Enjoy!

Simple Roasted Strawberries

Ingredients:

• 1 pint strawberries
• generous drizzle of honey

Directions:

1. Hull and halve the berries and place in a single layer in a baking dish. Drizzle with honey.
2. Roast at 400°F for 15 minutes, along with the biscuits, until tender and juicy. These are also delicious on yogurt or oatmeal in the morning!