fruit – morestomach

dark molasses pear bread

Published on October 16, 2017October 15, 2017 by Lan | MoreStomach10 Comments

a little over a month ago,
while going about my business on a thing called Work,
a work much entrenched in judging resumes,
i realized that i needed to work on mine.
it had been a rather disappointing summer,
career-wise,
and rather than harp about it,
i decided to do something about it.

tl;dr; i applied for a job,
i started said job last week.

happy autumn,friends.

dark molasses pear bread
adapted from epicurious

*note: i’ve been sitting on this recipe for years, playing around with ingredients, adding and subtracting here and there, following the recipe exactly to not at all. it’s delicious with tea, or an after dinner treat.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup + 2 TBL olive oil
1/4 cup coffee
1/2 cup packed brown sugar (actually, i don’t pack it in too hard, sweetness level up to you)
1/2 cup molasses
3 large eggs
1/4 cup grated peeled ginger, or if you’re lazy, minced as fine as you can manage
1 Bosc pear, diced
sprinkle of cocoa powder, about 1/4 – 1/2 a tsp

preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. grease loaf pan, set aside.

mix together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, and salt in a small mixing bowl, set aside

add the coffee with olive oil, set aside.

using a stand mixer, beat the brown sugar with molasses. add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well. throw in the dry mixture until just combined. next add in the liquid with ginger.

pour into prepared loaf pan.

in bowl, add the pear pieces, sprinkle with cocoa powder. scatter the pieces over the batter. (the cocoa powder should help a little from keeping the pieces from sinking to the bottom of the pan. it works sometimes.)

bake for 35-40 minutes. cool.

serve sliced with a spot of tea.

BAM!

4 years ago: carrot bread
3 years ago: three bean chili
2 years ago: apparently i didn’t do shit.
1 year ago: lemongrass chicken & rice soup

anniversary | blueberry slab pie

Published on September 28, 2017September 27, 2017 by Lan | MoreStomach11 Comments

this post was created in partnership with Green Valley Organics.

yesterday: i loved you.
today: i love you.
tomorrow: i will love you.
all wishes, 11:11, eyelashes, blowing out birthday candles,
they revolve around you:
your health
your happiness
your safety
sometimes i say it out loud,
other times i yell it out,
and more often than not,
i act it out
and show it to you,
because i love you so.

blueberries are your favorite,
and you are my favorite,
so i stashed freshly plucked blueberries
in the freezer,
for this occasion.

happy anniversary sweet beloved,
i love you.

this post is sponsored by green valley organics. all thoughts and opinions are my own. the first time i discovered this product, i damn near cried. dairy can be in my diet again without any adverse impact. basically, they’re making my dairy dreams come true. thanks so much for supporting the sponsors that keep morestomachblog up+running, toot-free.

blueberry slab pie
makes 1 slab pie, for two hungry lovers

*note: our wedding favors were homemade blueberry-lemon jam that we had picked. this pie has the same flavor profile. it’s nice on its own, but with some vanilla ice cream, it’s divine.

pie dough:
2 cups AP flour
healthy pinch salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
10 TBL butter, frozen and cut into small pieces. i use green valley organics
1 container (8oz) cream cheese, frozen and cut into small pieces. i use green valley organics
4 tsp apple cider vinegar
3-4 tsp ice cold vodka

filling:
3 cups blueberries, i used frozen, picked from hybridoma farms
1/2 cup sugar
2 TBL cornstarch
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch salt
1 lemon, zested and juiced, plus more zest from another lemon but that’s optional
1 egg, lightly beaten
healthy sprinkle of sugar

to make dough:
in a food processor, add the flour, salt, baking powder, butter and cream cheese. pulse until the mixture is mealy. while pulsing, add the cold liquids until the dough forms. dump the mixture onto a plastic wrap, wrap tightly and fridge for at least 30 minutes.

when ready, divide the dough in two. wrap one of the halves and put in fridge. on a very lightly floured piece of parchment, on a clean surface, roll the dough out as thin and evenly as you can, try not to cry. you’re aiming for 12×12″ square. place parchment on baking sheet, and fridge.

repeat the rolling out steps with other half of dough. again fridge it.

meanwhile, preheat oven to 400F.

in a bowl mix together the frozen berries, add the zest, sugar and juice of lemon. mix it well. now add in the cornstarch to sop up most of the liquid.

crack an egg into a small bowl, whisk real quick and set aside.

from the fridge take out the ugliest sheet of rolled dough. that’ll be the base. very carefully spoon out the berries onto the dough. aim to keep about 1/2″ border around the edge. the berries had started to thaw so it was a tad juicy so i was careful with only spooning the berries and not the juice.

grab the other rolled dough layer. if you’re fancy, cut out designs to vent. very carefully transfer the dough over top the berries and seal the edges by pinching the two layers together, or using a fork to pleat them together.

brush the top with the egg wash and sprinkle with sugar

bake for 40-45 minutes, turning about half way. i did have to foil it part way through, and then taking off the foil the last 5 minutes.

cool pie before cutting.

serve as is or with ice cream.

BAM!

previous anniversary sweetness:
chocolate tahini cake + rosemary infused buttercream – dairy free
6″ chocolate cake – vegan
meringue roulade with shaved chocolate and salty-sweet peanuts – dairy free

summer kefir scones – 2 ways

Published on August 23, 2017August 22, 2017 by Lan | MoreStomach6 Comments

this post was created in partnership with Green Valley Organics.

during the work week
i’m an early bird,
typically up before the alarm dings.
it’s unusual indeed for it to go off,
and when it does happen,
it’s a sign i slept really well,
and the day can be considered a victory
before it even starts.

we attempted to view the eclipse on monday,
there we were,
dw & i with our shoddy recalled goggles
that we purchased weeks ago,
standing under a heavy blanket of grey clouds,
it was like Mordor,
and then right as 2:42pm was imminent
the clouds opened
and we were rained on.
not so victorious,
but hilarious regardless.

summer is winding down,
our zucchini stash is ridiculous
and every time i bite into a peach
i’m reminded that august is going away
and september is right behind it.
i’ve stashed a few peaches
and shredded zucchini in the freezer,
to make some breakfast scones in winter,
when it’s bleak and i require
some kind, any kind, of pick-me-up.
these summer scones:
victory indeed.

Lemon Zucchini Scones or Peach Lavender Scones
makes 8 each

1 1/2 cups spelt flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg (nix if making peach lavender scones)
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBL butter, cold and cubed
1/2 cup plain, whole milk kefir
3 TBL maple syrup
zest of one lemon (1 TBL dried lavender)
1 cup shredded zucchini, wringed/squeezed dry as much as possible (or cubed peach slices)

preheat the oven to 375°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

in a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.

cut in the butter with a fork until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.

pour in the kefir and maple syrup. add in the zucchini and lemon zest. (or peaches and dried lavender)

dump the mixture onto lightly floured counter top. shape into a disk and cut into 8 segments.

transfer to prepared baking sheet. bake for 18-20 minutes, or until lightly golden.

cool on pan for a few minutes and then transfer to wire rack to fully cool.

cover well. i usually keep them in large pyrex container, in the fridge. when i’m ready to eat, i toast them just a smidge in the toaster oven for some added warmth and crunch.

BAM!

4 years ago: vietnamese pickled carrots & daikon
3 years ago: blueberry swirl muffins
2 years ago: summer salsa
1 year ago: homemade chocolate covered popsicles

blueberry almond blondies

Published on July 14, 2017July 17, 2017 by Lan | MoreStomach2 Comments

i think it’s common knowledge,
i don’t know,
that blondies are brownies?
but without the chocolate.
i never understood that,
because without chocolate
what’s the point?

it’s mid-july,
my hair is in a ponytail
we survived our week with the nephews
(i’m officially the shortest Wilson now…)
and, somehow, i find myself
ridiculously entangled in a Korean Skincare Routine.
most of the things i do is for the laughs,
and this right here is garnering a shit ton of that,
especially since i’ve been video-ing the washing my face endeavors.

in other news,
we watched The Big Sick, which made me laugh-cry-cringe-roll-my-eyes
we’re watching Big Brother, and stupidly i’m hooked
we’re also watching A Place to Call Home and the Doctor Blake Mysteries,
both on PBS (the latter on netflix, too!)
we watched hasan minhaj’s homecoming king, that was sad and entertaining and mainly funny
being from baltimore, of course we watched the Keepers, which is a tragic and frustrating watch.
last, i’ve been listening to a silly lil podcast that usually has me howling: Potterotica. yeah. no words.

to answer my question above,
the point is,
i had all the ingredients,
plus blueberries
and i thought it was high time i tried blondies.
and now i get the point.

blueberry almond blondies
adapted from dolly+oatmeal and tending the table

*note: the original recipe calls for arrowroot powder, which i don’t have and i didn’t want to add yet another random ingredient into the cupboard. thankfully cornstarch makes a great sub. also, it calls for an ass amount of sugar and since i seem to measure things with my ass, and not wanting to add more inches to said ass, i cut the sugar amount by alot (i don’t know what the math equation is, just know i cut it back). it’s still plenty sweet.

1 1/4 cups almond flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cups sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
handful of fresh frozen blueberries
sliced almonds, toasted, for garnish

preheat oven to 350°F. grease 8×8″ square baking pan, set aside.

in a large mixing bowl, add the almond flour, cornstarch, baking powder, sugar and salt, mix with whisk or fork.

one by one by, add in the liquid ingredients: eggs, olive oil and extracts.

still till combined, it will be thick. don’t be alarmed.

pour batter into prepared pan, and spread evenly to all corners.

bake for 14 minutes.

remove and strew berries around, try to not be like me, and spread out the berries evenly.

bake for another 15 minutes, until the edges get browned and looks crispy.

cool and remove from pan, scatter the toasted sliced almonds, cut into squares, or tear off chunks and eat by handful, whatever, i’m not judging you.

BAM!

4 years ago: chocolate wonderfuls
3 years ago: blueberry clafoutis
2 years ago: strawberry + kefir popsicles
1 year ago: chicken enchilada bake

balsamic berry + ginger cereal bars

Published on April 6, 2017April 5, 2017 by Lan | MoreStomach11 Comments

oh it’s been a week.
things that happened:

how the temps were simultaneously
warm but the winds cool,
or, how i had the chance to eat poorly,
but instead ate salad and guacamole and rice cakes.
how i joined the Y and bought myself
a black 1 piece bathing suit so that i could
do water aerobics.
how i did F O U R photo shoots
for these breakfast bars,
in 2 different spots around the abode.
it’s a wonder there were any
left to photograph.

balsamic berry + ginger cereal bars

*note: these are a little on the cloying side, i would cut back the sugar by half, though the hit of balsamic does cut through, lending a rounder taste to it overall.

1 cup softened butter, i use green valley organics
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups quick cooking oats
1 1/2 cups plus 2Tbl spelt flour, divided
2 cups dried berries (my local mom’s has blueberries, cranberries & cherries. take your pick)
1/2 cup chopped candied ginger
6 oz container of plain yogurt, i use green valley organics
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, i use Hare Hollow’s Blackberry Ginger

preheat oven 350F.

in large mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar.

to the creamed mixture, add the oats and 1 1/2 cup of spelt flour, until just blended.

set aside about 1 1/2 cups for topping.

with the rest, pressing into greased 12×9 pan.

bake for 10 minutes.

meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the dried berries and candied ginger, and mix it with the yogurt, egg, and balsamic vinegar. add in the remaining 2 TBL spelt flour to soak up some of the moisture.

spread wet mixture of partially baked crust.

dot the top with remaining crumb mixture.

bake 20-25 minutes.

cool on rack., cut into squares.

fridge leftovers.

BAM!