Blueberries In The Round and more

August 15, 2017August 14, 2017

Blueberries In The Round and more

Coach BJ's Blueberry Cobbler in the Round

I’m totally in love with cobblers in the round with a hint of peanut butter in the cobbler… throw in some beautiful fresh blueberries with a splash of a juicy peach…makes my mouth water. Decadent without many calories; plant-based fruits produce natural sugar – the best. Natural fruits…what a dessert treat!

Aren’t we lucky to be surrounded by fruit orchards here in Central PA. We love to support our local farmers who work so hard to bring freshness to our table. We have no excuse for not eating healthy fruits and for those less fortunate there are various outlets and food pantries where in-season fruit is available for the asking if you qualify. Tom and I participate in the Gleaning Project where we help other community volunteers collect fruit which would otherwise go to waste but is now distributed to people who are eager to eat fresh vegetables and fruit.

Here are a few of the cobblers I’ve made this season. Even when the fruit is out of season, it is perfectly fine to use frozen fruit…so enjoy cobbler all year “in the round”.

Coach BJ's Blueberries cobbler in the Round — Coach BJ’s Blueberries Cobbler in the Round

…and there’s more…

Coach BJ's Blueberries and Peaches Cobbler in the round — Coach BJ’s Blueberries and Mangoes Cobbler in the round

…and more…

Coach BJ's Strawberries and peaches cobbler in the round — Coach BJ’s Strawberries and Peaches Cobbler in the round

…more…

Coach BJ's Peaches and Cherries cobbler in the round — Coach BJ’s Peaches and Cherries Cobbler in the round

Now let’s dig into that fruit cobbler! But which is your favorite…blueberries, cherries, peaches, mangoes or strawberries? My favorite is the last one I’ve made, so mix and match fresh or frozen fruits!

July 18, 2017July 23, 2017

Apple Cherry Crumble

Apple Cherry Crumble: Apples and Cherries together make this a wonderful dessert. The difficulty is trying not to eat the fruit before you make the crumble. The colorful beautiful presentation is a bonus for this healthy crumble delight!

Serves: 6 || Prep Time: 20 minutes || Cook Time: 25 minutes5 baking apples (5 cups), peeled and cored, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 medium lemon (juice and 1 teaspoon zest)
3/4 cup fresh or frozen cherries (no need to thaw)
1-2 tablespoon date sugar or maple syrup (to taste)
5 (3-inch) pieces crystallized ginger, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup granola

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Preheat oven 350°F. Prepare apples then place into a non-stick ovenware dish. Add remaining ingredients (except granola); gently combine. Crumble the granola over the top, bake for 25-30 minutes. Serve warm or cold.

Nutrition Facts
Calories 154 Cal from Fat 9, Total Fat 1g, Saturated Fat 0g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 8mg, Total Carbohydrate 35g, Fiber 4g, Total Sugars 23g (includes 11g added sugars), Protein 2g

July 18, 2017July 23, 2017

Gingerbread with Pumpkin Whipped Cream

Bites of crystallized ginger make this Gingerbread cake a favorite! Add Pumpkin Whipped Cream Topping to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Serves: 10 || Prep Time: 30 minutes || Cook Time: 40 minutes
For Pumpkin Whip Cream Topping:
1/2 (14-ounce) package firm tofu, drained and pressed

1/3 cup pure pumpkin, drained
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger powder ground
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1-2 tablespoons maple syrup (to taste)

Optional: Add unsweetened non-dairy milk by spoonfuls as needed for consistency
For Gingerbread:
3/4 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
1/2 lemon (juice and zest)
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
1/4 cup oat flour

1 tablespoon arrowroot

2 tablespoons flax seed meal
2 1/2 teaspoons ginger powder ground or more if you want it extra spicy
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon gum xanthan
9 pieces (1/2 cup minced) crystallized ginger, minced
1/3 cup water (or cool coffee)
3 tablespoons aquafaba (chick pea brine)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup molasses

Prepare Pumpkin Whip Cream Topping before preparing the Gingerbread.
To Make Pumpkin Whipped Cream Topping. Press excess liquid from tofu. In a blender, blend all listed pumpkin topping ingredients until smooth. Refrigerate as least an hour before serving.
To Make Gingerbread. Preheat oven 350°F. In small bowl, add lemon (juice/zest) to non-dairy milk, set aside. In large bowl mix dry ingredients including flours, arrowroot, flaxseed, ginger powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, gum xanthan and minced crystallized ginger. To the non-dairy milk/lemon, mix in water or coffee, aquafaba, vanilla and molasses; add these liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients. Blend all ingredients together. Pour batter into non-stick cake pan or one lined with parchment paper. Bake for approximately 40 minutes or until a toothpick pierced into the cake top comes out clean. Cool before removing from pan, then frost with Pumpkin Whipped Cream Topping.

Nutrition Facts
Calories 149 Cal from Fat 14, Total Fat 3g, Saturated Fat 0g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 125mg, Total Carbohydrate 29g, Fiber 3g, Total Sugars 12g (includes 8g added sugars), Protein 5g