Rustic Sourdough Carrot Cake

Hello friends!

I am over at the Grain Mill Wagon sharing my yummy Rustic Sourdough Carrot Cake today. I made this cake for my Daddio's birthday and it was a yummy success!

Also, have you seen my Sourdough Focaccia Bread? You should, it's simply delicious and I love soaking up my sauces with this bread.

Have a wonderful day! Hugs!

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Sourdough Focaccia Bread

Last week I shared my Sourdough Focaccia Bread over at the Grain Mill Wagon.

Life has been a little hectic and I didn't have time to let you all know last week, sorry!

As always... better late, then never!

Go check out my Sourdough Focaccia Bread and if you have a sourdough starter sitting in your kitchen... make a batch of it!

It is SO good!

Have a great day!

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Honey Orange Marmalade Sourdough Rolls

With wonderful bursts of citrusy tartness and creamy sweetness... I have to say these were the BEST rolls I have ever made and I’m totally serious.

I'm not the kind of person who goes around saying "these are the best ever" to anything that tastes good.

No, I save that for the best and these rolls are the best... actually, they are way beyond the best.

They are... delectable.

Slathered with my homemade Chai-Spiced Honey Orange Marmalade (will share the recipe with you soon!), these rolls pair up fantastically with honey & almond butter.

There is just something amazing about the combination of tangy orange marmalade, raw honey & creamy almond butter with anything sourdough.

I discovered this finger-licking combo several months back and simply adore slathering them on sourdough pancakes, english muffins, waffles, butter biscuits and now… rolls!

Oh sweet, delicious rolls!





Yep, I'm convince it is way better than the strawberry cinnamon rolls I made after I first started using sourdough.

Tart, sweet, citrusy...

Sweet goodness! I am going to end up repeating myself trying to explain why it's so dang good… guess you will have to go make these rolls yourself to find out just how good they are.

Honey Orange Marmalade Sourdough Rolls

Dough
1/2 cup sourdough starter
1 cup milk, cultured dairy, coconut milk or water
1/4 cup rapadura or coconut sugar
1/4 cup melted butter or coconut oil (not hot)
1 teaspoon vanilla or orange extract
2 - 3 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder

Honey Glaze

1/3 cup butter or coconut oil

1/3 cup honey

In a medium bowl or KitchenAid mixture (using dough hook), mix together sourdough starter and milk. Add in rapadura, butter and extract. Stir well. Start with adding 2 cups of whole wheat flour and stir/knead to combine. Take the dough out of the bowl if you are kneading it by hand.

While watching and feeling your dough, add in more flour until you have a dough that is smooth and firm, but not dry. Put the dough back in the bowl, cover and set it aside to sour for 8 hours or more (less if you have a very warm kitchen).

Preheat your oven to 375 F and put the oven rack in the middle slot of your oven.

Add butter to a 9 inch square or circle baking pan. Put it in the oven while it is preheating to melt the butter/oil. Once melted, take out and add in the honey. Set aside.

While your oven is preheating, pull your soured dough out of the bowl and flatten it with your hands. Sprinkle on 1 tsp each of sea salt, baking soda and baking powder. Turn the dough into itself a few times and knead it for about 3 to 5 minutes. Focus on incorporating the 3 dry ingredients.

Once it feels all combined, roll your dough into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. You can make it thicker, but then it will be really 'bready'. Take care not to let it roll out too thin that it breaks apart as you roll it up.


Orange Marmalade Filling
Butter or coconut oil, softened
Orange Marmalade
Honey

This is where I simply eye-balled it. You really can't have too much filling in your rolls. At least that's my opinion  :o)

If you really need measurements, start with 1/2 stick of butter, a cup of marmalade and 1/4 cup honey. If you think you want more... go ahead! Just remember you've got sweetener in the dough, spread on the dough and underneath the dough as it bakes.

Spread the butter/oil onto the dough. Drop spoonfuls of marmalade and spread it out evenly. Drizzle the honey all over.

Now, carefully roll up the dough up tightly. Take a serrated knife and cut (using a careful sawing motion) the roll in half. Then into fourths and then cut each fourth into thirds. You should have about 12 evenly sized rolls. More or less.

Once cut, carefully move your rolls into the prepared baking pan. Have your rolls touching, but not crammed together. The slight touch causes them to rise up nicely. If you have extra rolls that won't fit in, simply put them in a prepared muffin pan or smaller baking pan.

Put the rolls in the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Check on them at 25 minutes to make sure they aren't already done.

When done, flip them onto a plate and serve immediately. They are delicious with creamy almond butter and more honey drizzled on top. Enjoy!!

Am I crazy or do you like this combination too?

Linked up at Simple Lives Thursday

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A Thanksgiving Breakfast: Spiced Cranberry Apple Baked Oatmeal

What could be better on Thanksgiving morning than your standard pancake or waffle breakfast?

A nourishing baked oatmeal with fall spices, tangy cranberries, sweet apples and crunchy walnuts… oh yum!

To make it truly nourishing… I soak the rolled oats for about 24 hours and use nuts that have been soaked & dehydrated. When everything is properly prepared, not only does it taste delicious, but my tummy won’t feel like a brick is sitting there after eating my share.

We love the beautiful fall flavors in this oatmeal bake and I have to say this is our favorite “stateside” baked oatmeal… while the Strawberry Pineapple is our favorite Honduran baked oatmeal.  :o)

Enjoy it topped with lots of butter & pure maple syrup or raw honey! I also think some breakfast sausage & cheesy scrambled eggs will make a delicious brunch if you decide to have a late breakfast.

Spiced Cranberry Apple Baked Oatmeal

• 4 cups regular rolled oats
• 1/3 cup whey, raw apple cider vinegar, lemon juice or sourdough starter
• 6 cups water

Combine oats, choice of acid and water in a big bowl. Cover and let it soak overnight (if using sourdough) or up to 24 hours (using whey, vinegar or lemon juice).

NOTE: I usually use sourdough starter to soak my oatmeal overnight. I learned from my friend, Wardeh, at GNOWGFLINS that sourdough starter improves the effectiveness of soaking by adding phytase to reduce phytic acid and organisms to accomplish an overnight soaking effectively. Don't worry, it won't be sour as long as you drain and lightly rinse the oats in the morning!

• 1/3 cup lightly melted butter, coconut oil or olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups coconut milk or whole milk
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup rapadura or palm sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp ginger
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 3/4 tsp sea salt
• 2 cups chopped cranberries, fresh or frozen
• 1 apple, diced
• 1 cup walnuts (optional)

Morning arrives: preheat the oven to 375 F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish. Drain the oats through a fine sieve. Gently rinse and allow to drain while mixing together other ingredients.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together butter, milk, eggs, sweetener, vanilla, spices and sea salt. Add in cranberries, apple, walnuts and oats. Mix it all together gently, yet well.

Pour oatmeal mixture into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Smooth out the top. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. It should be golden brown when done. Insert a knife or toothpick, it should come out clean when the baked oatmeal is done.

Take baked oatmeal out of the oven and set it on a cooking rack. Let it cool for about 10-15 minutes to set before cutting into bars.

Store leftovers in the fridge, but you can leave it out for a day.

Oatmeal bake makes a weekly appearance at our house… usually every Monday morning because it makes great leftovers throughout the week for snacks or a quick breakfast on the go.

I typically use whatever we have on hand (spices, fruits & nuts)… what are your favorite combinations? Please share below!

Shared at Simple Lives Thursday, Real Food Wednesday, Monday Mania, Fight Back Friday, Allergy Free Wednesdays, Frugal Days, Whole Food Wednesday, Not Just A Housewife, Chef In Training

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Naturally Sweetened Cranberry-Oatmeal Crumble Bars

Wow, time is flying by and it is almost time for my family to go back to Honduras. We've been so blessed during our time here, but we are ready to be back in our home & routine  :o)

There are many things l enjoy while being in the states during the late summer and early fall... catching up with family & friends, eating ripe tomatoes picked fresh out of the garden, apples coming into season, nice long conversations with my hubby while on the road, exploring new things with my kids, enjoying the amazing variety of pumpkin & squash, watching the leaves change colors and baking yummy desserts with cranberries, apples & pumpkin.

Which brings me to my Cranberry-Oatmeal Crumble Bars...

While we were on the road back in September I saw that my friend, Diana from Spain in Iowa, posted some yummy looking Oatmeal Jam Bars that are much like my crumble bars. 

Inspired by her recipe, I changed the sweetener in my crumble bars from raw sugar (rapadura/sucanat) to honey and pure maple syrup. I must say I will never use raw sugar again! I just love how the raw honey & maple syrup blended nicely with the oats, flour & fruit... bringing out the natural sweetness of the oats and complimenting the flavor of the fruit.

These crumble bars are simple & quick to make... which makes them a fantastic "last-minute" dessert for any occasion! Over the years I've made them with blueberries, rhubarb (which is actually a veggie), cherries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, apples, mangoes... here I am using cranberries for the first time and love it!

The vibrate red color and wonderful tangy flavors will sure be a hit at any potluck or Thanksgiving meal!

 Naturally Sweetened Cranberry-Oatmeal Crumble Bars

Crust & Crumble:

2 cups whole white wheat flour

2 cups rolled oats

3/4 cup butter and/or coconut oil, melted

1/3 cup raw honey

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350F and butter a 9x13 baking pan.

In a large bowl, mix together flour, oats, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Add in the butter and/or coconut oil, honey, maple syrup & vanilla. mix together until well combined. Scoop about half or more into the prepared baking pan and press the mixture down firmly. Set aside the rest for the crumble topping.

Cranberry Filling:

4 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen

1/3 - 1/2 cup raw honey (can add more if you want it sweeter)

2 Tbsp arrowroot powder or non-gmo cornstarch

heavy pinch of sea salt

In a medium pot, pour in honey, arrowroot powder and salt. Stir until combined. Add in cranberries and turn heat on medium low. Mix together the honey and cranberries until well coated. Cook for 2-3 minutes and turn off heat. Spread cranberries over the crust and sprinkle evenly the remaining mixture over the cranberries.

Bake for 25-30 minutes. The top should be golden brown when done. Allow it to cool for 10 minutes (if you can wait that long!) and enjoy with some fresh whipped cream or ice cream.

These bars can be kept at room-temp in a sealed container for up to a week... not that they will last that long anyway! Enjoy  :o)

I would love to find a way to properly prepare the grains by soaking or using sourdough somehow. I bet using sprouted flour would work great!

Any thoughts on how to make these beautiful bars even more nutritious? What fruits would you use to make these crumble bars?

Shared at Simple Lives Thursday & Real Food Wednesday

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Sourdough Journal #13: Chili Beef Sourdough Pot Pie

Honestly, I didn't like pot pie when I was a child and because of that... I never made pot pie for my family. Even though chicken pot pie is one of my hubby's favorite childhood comfort food, I couldn't get myself to make one.

Well, GNOWFGLINS Sourdough eCourse changed all that!

I tried Wardee's recipe for Chili Beef Pot Pie and it was delicious and it tasted even better then next day for leftovers! I was very surprised how much I liked it. My hubby loved it and it was the first time that my oldest daughter asked for seconds! Of course, I was thrilled!

The crust was light and fluffy while the chili beef was creamy and tasty. I loved that the crust was SUPER EASY to make and there was no need to roll out the crust. Just simply slap the dough on that skillet!

Now I should get going on finding a good chicken pot pie recipe. Anybody got one to share with me? If I find a good recipe and make some changes... I'll make sure to share it with y'all!!

I would like to share this recipe, but it is not my own and it comes from Wardee's Sourdough ebook, which has copyrights. SO, If you would like to try Wardeh's Chili Beef Pot Pie, go buy her wonderful Sourdough A to Z eBook which includes a lifetime of updates!

Have a wonderful day and be sure to check out the new upcoming Fundamentals II eCourse! Seriously great stuff that you don't want to miss!!

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Sourdough Journal #11: Buttery Sourdough Biscuits

Sweet, buttery biscuits... oh so good! I've already made this three times now and we never have leftovers. Simply delicious slathered with butter, but take it a step further and add some honey or jam makes it a delicious dessert... well, at least for me it does! LOL!


I can't believe how much I've been using my Honduran sourdough buddy and having good successes! The only failure I've had so far is the pasta. I didn't follow the recipe very well and ended up with soggy noodles. Will try again later!


I've been trying different ways to care for my sourdough buddy and find that I enjoy just having him out on my kitchen table. I use him almost every other day, so I figured it was easier to have him out instead of in the fridge. I feed him only once a day and he is thriving! I'm sure it would be even better if I fed him twice, even three times, a day! I figure if he's doing well with only one feeding a day... why give him more? Everybody's sourdough is different and mine seems to be pretty laid back  ;o)

I would love to try making cobbler and drop biscuits with this recipe! What else could you do with biscuit dough? I've already made Chile Beef Pot Pie and used the dough as the crust... it was fantastic, my hubby devoured his portion and couldn't stop moaning how good it was!


Anyway, with these biscuits... I pretty much followed the recipe from GNOWFGLINS Sourdough eCourse, but I used 8 Tbsp of butter instead of 6. Mostly because it is easier to put a whole stick of butter in then trying to measure it out. The butter I get doesn't have those lines marked on the paper to let you cut out a tablespoon at a time. So, I figure... what's the harm to adding more butter?! Plus, I used whole wheat instead of pastry wheat and they came out light with a dense flavor. Delicious!

Buttery Sourdough Biscuits

8 Tbsp cold butter
2 1/2 cups whole wheat, plus more if needed
1/2 cup sourdough starter, fed within the previous 12 hours
3/4 - 1 cup whole milk
3/4 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda


Cut fat into the flour. Mix in the starter and whole milk until just wet enough to hold together. Cover and let it sour for 5 to 8 hours. If the temperature in your kitchen is very warm, put the dough in the fridge.


Preheat over to 450 F. Mix in sea salt, baking powder and baking soda. Don't overmix. Flour the counter or cutting board. Roll the dough out into a 1/2" rectangle. Cut into squares or circles (using a glass). Put on baking sheets and bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.


When done, take them out and let them cool a bit. Serve slathered with butter and jam!

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Sourdough Journal #10: Strawberry Coconut Pecan Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls

Oooh la la la! These cinnamon rolls were so good, especially with the strawberries. Who doesn't love a good, thick, hot, somewhat gooey cinnamon roll?! I just love how I can now take it a several steps further and make it healthy and nutritious with my sourdough starter!


When I first started GNOWFGLINS Sourdough eCourse, I was super excited to see a recipe for cinnamon rolls. I don't make cinnamon rolls often and when I do... it is a real treat! I like to make it different each time, but I know I will be making the strawberry with coconut and pecan again soon!

So, I made two different batches of cinnamon rolls. One with strawberries, coconut & pecans and the other one with blackberries, ground ginger & coconut. The latter batch was good, but not as good as the first batch! I think it was the ginger... it was a tad bit too much. I don't think I will do that again.

I also needed to let it bake longer because the rolls were so big, but I like it big! I made a quick frosting by mixing together whole milk, powdered raw sugar (just blend it in the blender till fine and powdery) and vanilla extract. I start with a cup of milk and add in about 1/2 cup powdered sugar... mix and add more sugar until it is thick, but loose enough to dribble it on the rolls. SO yummy!

Strawberry Coconut Pecan Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls

I can't share the recipe because it is not my own. If you would like this fantastic recipe... you can either join the Sourdough eCourse or purchase the Sourdough A to Z eBook (which is the whole eCourse in one book for only $20 and it includes lifetime updates!).


I will share with you that I used coconut palm sugar as the sweetener and butter as the fat in the dough. For the filling I used LOTS of butter, rapadura, cinnamon, coconut flakes, chopped pecans and strawberries.


For the second batch I used coconut palm sugar, ground ginger and butter in the dough. For the filling I used butter, rapadura, ground ginger, coconut flakes and blackberries. Next time I will leave out the ginger and add in chopped almonds.

Mmmmm! Just smell them... gotta make more this week! LOL!!

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Sourdough Journal #9: Sourdough English Muffins

Okay, call me crazy if you want... it is 12:00 am and while I am typing up this post... I am in the middle of making a quadruple batch of these amazing Sourdough English Muffins! They are SO SO good! Thankfully, I don't do late night baking often. Only when I need to make a large batch of something or couldn't find the time to make it before dinner. So, I have to wait till the kiddos get into bed, organize the house a bit and then get started.


I think it is worth it because we will have fresh english muffins for breakfast tomorrow... well, actually, later this morning  :oP  LOL!!

Anyway, I remember loving english muffins growing up. There was just something about the texture and taste that is so much better than a piece of toast for breakfast  :o)  My hubby especially loves english muffins. I remember him talking about how much he loved making egg sandwiches, tuna melts and slathering jam/butter on thick slices of english muffins. So, of course, when I saw that GNOWFGLINS Sourdough eCourse had a recipe for sourdough english muffins... I had to try it out!

I made these guys last week and can't believe how easssy they were to make. I was a little apprehensive when I first started out, but was so excited at the end how awesome they came out. When my hubby ate 3 english muffins the next day, gave me 2 thumbs up and my girls begged for more... I knew I had a winner!

Whole Wheat Sourdough English Muffins

I pretty much followed this recipe for the english muffins and only had to add a little more flour after kneading in the the honey, sea salt and baking soda. I found it very sticky... even after I used olive oil to prevent it from sticking all over my table and hands. I almost gave up and was ready to toss it because it was so sticky. Thankfully, I was able to save it by add more flour and kept on kneading it until it was smooth. I was too stubborn to give up that easy! LOL! Because I added more flour, I was worry that it was going to come out heavy and thick, but it was fluffy and thick in a light way... perfect! Plus, the flavor was simply superb!


This time around, I made sure to add more flour to get the dough pretty stiff. I found that it relaxed alot during the fermenting time. It wasn't as sticky as the first time around, but I knead the dough in flour instead of olive oil. I like it better that way  :o)

Don't waste time thinking if you should do this or not... go and get it done! It is so easy and SO yummy! My family and I are in love with these delicious guys  :o)

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