Baked

Happy hump day! It is Wednesday, isn't it? I'm a bit thrown off this week. Thanks for all the lovely comments on my last post about Palm Springs - it was quite the adventure.

If you've been reading my blog for a bit, you may have noticed that I do like a good cracker. Any kind, really. Today I offer up rice crackers with wasabi and nori. The wasabi just gives them an extra kick, and who doesn't like that?

Rice Crackers with Wasabi & Nori - makes about 24-30

3/4 cup brown rice flour
1/3 cup brown rice, cooked
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon wasabi - either from a tube or powder (I used the powder-follow instructions.)
1/4 cup chopped/crushed nori (sheets of dried seaweed)
1 tablespoon tamari soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey

Preheat oven to 350f/180c. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Place rice flour, rice, wasabi, and oil in a food processor and process until finely ground. Slowly add the water while processor is running. Mix until a ball of dough forms. Transfer to your work surface and knead in the nori until well combined.

Roll into small balls, the size of a marble, and place between two pieces of wax paper. I used a small baking pan to flatten ball. You want to make sure you flatten the dough very thinly. 

Place on baking sheet and bake for about 5-6 minutes, then flip over with a thin spatula. Bake for another 6-8 minutes or until they start to turn golden brown around edges. Remove from oven and turn oven off. Mix tamari and honey together, then brush onto each cracker. Place in turned off oven for another 4 minutes, allowing them to dry. Allow to cool on a wire rack. These are pretty addictive - enjoy!

Have a great day. Back soon!

janis

Baked

How're you all doing? Hope your Monday has been a good one!

I baked some rice pudding for a little brunch this weekend, perfect for the sudden change in weather. I've never been a huge rice pudding fan, so for this recipe I used coconut milk instead of cream (I don't like a real creamy taste), and brown rice, because I seem to still be on this health kick, though I have to say, I think I like brown rice better ;) It turned out well, I'm happy to say.

Baked Rice Pudding with Cherries and Pears - serves about 6

2 cups cooked brown or white rice
1 400mg can coconut milk (I used a light version)
1 vanilla bean, split down centre, and seeds scraped out
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup dried tart cherries
1 cup chopped pears (any kind will do. I used bosc)
Juice and zest of one lemon
1/2 cup sliced roasted pecans (to top)

Lightly spray a 8 inch square glass baking dish with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 375f.
Chop up pears in small cubes and toss, in a small bowl, with the juice and zest of one lemon. Set aside.

In a large bowl mix together, rice, coconut milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla bean seeds, cinnamon, cherries and pears. Spread mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove foil, stir and continue baking for about another 20 minutes, uncovered, until the rice is really tender. Allow to cool a little before eating. Top with some chopped pecans. Voila. So good.

Do you like rice pudding? I think it's either a love or hate thing. Let me know if you give it a try!

One more little reminder - if you missed Friday's post, click here to enter the give away. I'll make the draw sometime on Wednesday the 21st. Bonne chance!

Back soon!
Janis

Baked

Did you have a good weekend? Hope so! If you are in the Vancouver area, did you thoroughly enjoy our little blip of summer? I'm sure there is more to come ;)

I baked some healthy muffins over the weekend. I just call them "Morning Muffins", as I don't want to call them Raspberry, Brown Rice, Almond, and Orange muffins. When I first tried these out, I thought they might have a have real rice flavour, which I didn't want, but they don't. The orange flavour comes through the most - they're really delicious, especially warm.

Morning Muffins - makes one dozen

1 cup cake and pastry flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup toasted, finely ground almonds
1 cup short grain brown rice
1 1/2 tablespoons orange zest
1 cup plain yogurt, at room temperature
1 egg, at room temperature
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen

Preheat oven to 375f.
Whisk together the ground almonds, flours, baking powder, baking soda, rice, salt and orange zest. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, egg, butter, sugar and vanilla. Pour over the dry ingredients, and stir just to combine. Do not over mix. Fold in raspberries.

Line a 12 hole cupcake tin with paper cups, and fill to 3/4 full with batter. Bake in centre of oven for 15-18 minutes, or until golden on top and a skewer, inserted in centre, comes out clean.
Transfer muffins to a wire rack and serve warm.