Here’s how I made the hamburger buns on which we feasted Friday and Saturday nights.

After the first rise (in addition to the sponge), I took 3-inch diameter balls of bread dough (now I use spelt or whole wheat sourdough bread) and flattened each with my hands as much as possible (they ended up to be about 4 inches wide each). I was trying to stretch the dough out over the greatest possible surface area. I placed the discs of dough on olive-oil sprayed baking sheets (about 6 per sheet).

Then I let the buns rise until they were good and puffy. I baked them for15 to 20 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven. I brushed them with oil when they came out of the oven to keep the tops soft. As soon as they were cool, I bagged them up to keep them moist. I froze some for next weekend, too.

Jam-Filled Hazelnut Cookies
adapted by Wardeh Harmon from a recipe by Annelle Mundt (found at Chetday.com)

• 1 cup hazelnuts
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of cardamom or coriander
• Pinch of cinnamon
• 1/2 cup agave syrup
• 1/2 cup grapeseed oil
• 1/3 cup fruit-sweetened jam

Put hazelnuts in Vita-Mix dry container or food processor. Buzz to a coarse flour, then pour into a mixing bowl. Buzz oats in the blender to make a flour, then add to the ground nuts. Add salt, spices, and pastry flour. Add agave syrup and oil. Mix well. Form walnut-size balls and place on an oiled cookie sheet. Press cookies with thumb, making a small print to fill with jam. Fill each thumbprint with a half-teaspoon of jam. Bake in 350 degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool before removing from tray and sampling.

Something about it being Fall gave me a desire to try a new sort of muffin. These muffins fluff up beautifully. The taste is satisfying and heartening. They are soft and perfectly sweet (but not too sweet). Give them a try! They would be excellent made ahead for an easy Thanksgiving morning breakfast or snack.

Sweet Potato Muffins

makes 2 dozen muffins

• 1/4 cup flax seed meal
• 3/4 cup filtered water
• 3 cups pureed sweet potatoes*
• 1/2 cup grapeseed oil
• 3/4 cup raw agave syrup (or honey)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon dried ginger
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3 cups whole wheat pastry flour, whole wheat flour, or blend of flours**
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup raisins (optional)
• 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.In blender container, whisk together flax seed meal and water. Let sit for a few minutes. Add sweet potatoes, grapeseed oil, agave syrup, spices, and vanilla extract. Blend well, until smooth.

In medium sized mixing bowl, put flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Fluff with fork. Add nuts and raisins.

Add blender ingredients to dry ingredients. Mix until just incorporated. Fill greased muffin tin or muffin paper liners three-fourths full. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and transfer muffins to cooling rack.

Store in an airtight container.

*If using homemade pureed sweet potatoes, let excess water drip out through a cheesecloth, until the puree is very thick.

**For cakey muffins, use whole wheat pastry flour. For heartier but still light and moist, use whole wheat flour. For a flour blend, use 3 cups of blend of your choice (for instance, 1 cup millet, 1 cup spelt and 1 cup kamut).

© Copyright 2006 by Wardeh Harmon

I like the changes I made to the hearty strawberry-cranberry muffins. They are more moist due to less baking powder and a little more oil. I also added ginger and vanilla to the recipe. I edited the original post. Here is the modified recipe:

Hearty Strawberry-Cranberry Muffins
wheat-free, dairy-free

makes 2 1/2 dozen muffins

2 cups kamut flour
1 cup millet flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup flax seed meal
3/4 cup water
3 cups total frozen whole strawberries and frozen cranberries, thawed (or fresh)*
3/4 cup agave syrup (or honey)
1/2 cup grapeseed oil
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup raisins

*or 3 cups total strawberries

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease muffin pan or line with paper cup liners.

In blender, whisk flax seed meal and water. Add fruits, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla, agave, and grapeseed oil. Process until smooth.

In medium size bowl, combine kamut and millet flours, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Fluff with fork.

Add contents of blender to dry ingredients in bowl. Add raisins and nuts. Combine by folding gently.

Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown and toothpick inserted comes out clean. Store in airtight container once cooled.

© Copyright 2006 by Wardeh Harmon