Pear Butter and Muffins

I came upon a cornucopia of pears through my CSA and decided to turn them into a light pear butter. Pears take on the loveliest velvety texture when baked and blended. It reminds me of the baby fruit purees I use to make for my children--yes, I would lick the leftovers. Since silkiness is provided by mother-nature, I just have to add the right complementary ingredients for my fruit spread. I chose maple syrup to provide some additional sweetness and richness, but the spices are really what makes this recipe special.



The batch will yield two jars. You can enjoy it as a spread or a nice change from applesauce. I used one jar for our morning toast and then turned the rest into a batch of delicious gluten-free pear muffins.



My kids loved them and immediately requested another batch.

Oven-Baked Pear Butter The Pear Butter is vegan. 4 cups ripe pears, peeled and sliced 1/4 cup maple syrup 2 teaspoon orange zest juice of one orange (1/4 cup) 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg Preheat oven 350F. Mix all the ingredients in an oiled ceramic dish (lasagna pan). Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 20 minutes. Transfer pears to blender and pulse until smooth. Cool and transfer to jars. Refrigerate for up to a week.

Pear Butter Muffins (makes 12) 1/2 cup almond meal 1/2 cup millet flour 1 cup[ brown rice flour 1/2 teaspoon xantham gum 1/4 teaspoon salt 3 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 cup Sucanat (evaporated cane juice) or granulated sugar 1 cup Kefir or other liquid yogurt (buttermilk will work fine) 1/2 cup egg whites 2 tablespoons canola oil 1 teaspoon GF vanilla extract 6 tablespoons pear butter 1/4 cup walnut pieces Preheat oven 375F. oil a muffin pan. Mix the first seven ingredients in a bowl. Mix the next 4 ingredients (yogurt-vanilla extract) in a bowl. Incorporate the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well. Divide half the batter into the twelve muffin cups. Add 1/2 tablespoon of pear butter on top of each muffin. Then, top each dollop of pear butter with the remaining batter. Top each muffin with a sprinkle of walnut pieces and bake for 25-30 minutes or until nice and golden. Let cool for about 10 minutes before serving or transferring to a platter.

Similar recipes for you to enjoy:
Pumpkin Butter with Candied Ginger
Simple Fig Jam

Apricot Sesame Marinade for Fish

My oldest child used to enjoy eating fish until he was about 3. Then, all of a sudden he found it too fishy and mushy. I struck a bargain with him: he had to try one bite. If he didn't like it, he didn't have to eat any more. I've found that picky fish-eaters do better with the firm texture and the mild taste of Tilapia, Mahi Mahi and Halibut. Flavoring the fish is key.



This recipe is so easy to put together and yields wonderful results. It goes really well with any white fish or salmon fillet. Assemble it in the morning or half an hour before dinner; either way turns out delicious.



Apricot Sesame Marinade for Fish (coats 2-3 lbs of fish fillets)
This marinade is equally delicious over some firm tofu.

1/4 cup fruit sweetened apricot jam
1/4 cup GF dijon mustard
1 tablespoon GF soy sauce
2 tablespoons raw sesame seeds
2 tablespoons black sesame seeds

2 lbs of fish fillets, skin removed



Mix all the ingredients for the marinade together. In a lasagna dish, coat the fish fillets with the marinade. Refrigerate until ready to use. The fish can be grilled or baked (place an oiled cookie-sheet) until inner temperature reaches 145F. If I bake it, I end the last few minutes by broiling it so it can caramelize on top.

Artsy-Foodie's Tip:
Leftovers make a great sandwich. Spread hummus on two slices of bread, add a lettuce leaf, a few tomato slices and the left-over fish and enjoy!






More delicious marinated dishes:
Cilantro Thai Grilled Chicken
Pomegranate Marinated Tofu

Pumpkin Butter with Candied Ginger

It's been an orange week. I am not one to complain. Orange is one of my favorite colors. I make a prediction that as the season progresses my blog will turn its leaves at the same time as the trees outside. Little by little, it will show the beauty of October as only splashes of colors can.


A warm thank you to Carol and Marty for these beautiful roses.


Here's a delicious way for you to bring some orange into your home:




Oven Roasted Pumpkin Butter with Candied Ginger
This recipe can be made vegan by replacing the butter with vegan margarine and using agave nectar not honey.

8 cups of diced cooking pumpkin
3 tablespoons candied ginger, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cup 100% white grape juice
1 tablespoon unsalted butter (optional)
1 teaspoon agave nectar or honey (optional)

Preheat oven to 375F.
Oil a large baking dish or deep cookie-sheet.

Combine all the ingredients together and spread onto the baking dish. Bake, turning the pumpkin pieces with a spatula every 20 minutes. Once the grape juice has evaporated and the pieces are soft and cooked through they are ready (about 1 hour or so).



Transfer cooked pumpkin to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade. Add butter and agave nectar, if using. Blend for one minute. Scrape the sides with a spatula and process for 30 seconds more. This wonderful spread will keep for 1 week in the refrigerator or can be frozen until needed. I like to use it on bread but also in yogurt as a flavoring agent.



Another tasty spread for your bread or waffles:
Quick and Simple Fig Jam

A Pail full of Blueberries and a Creamy Dessert

Chances are good that you will see quite a few recipes featuring blueberries this week on Artsy-Foodie. We went blueberry picking and brought home 13 pounds of blueberry goodness.



I made some jam and chutney that afternoon but still needed a dessert for our dinner. I decided to whip up a pudding with silken tofu, the homemade jam and some of the fresh blueberries. I have been making a chocolate version of this tofu pudding for fifteen years now and it's always a hit. I thought that the creaminess of the tofu would work well with the delightful blueberries. The pudding was a perfect compliment to the sweet, juicy berries and I love how easy it was to put this delectable dessert together.



Easy Blueberry Pudding (serves 4)

Ingredients:
12.3 oz carton firm silken tofu
1/2 cup of fruit juice sweetened blueberry jam
1 teaspoon GF vanilla extract
2 cups of fresh sweet blueberries
Additional jam for decoration (optional)



In a food processor, blend the tofu with the jam and the vanilla extract, scraping the sides once in a while. Process until completely smooth and transfer to a bowl. Add the fresh blueberries. Divide into 4 bowls and add a dollop of blueberry jam on top of each portion.

And one more recipe for your enjoyment...
Blueberry Plum Clafoutis

Oat Fig Bars

This recipe was inspired by Aran's GF berry bars. Aran of Cannelle et Vanille, whose stunning pastry blog needs no introduction, is now a contributor on the blog Connor's Journey with Autism: a resource for families with autistic children. After reading her wonderful post, I decided to dust-off my recipe for oat bars. I happened to have a bounty of fresh organic figs, so I decided to make them with my homemade, quick and easy fig jam recipe.

These great bars are flavored with earthy oats and fragrant orange zest. We enjoy them for dessert, snack or breakfast.



Oat Fig Bars (makes an 9" square pan)
Sucanat adds a nice earthiness to this treat but regular sugar will work as well.
I use roasted oils in salad dressings and baked goods-- they add a delicate depth of flavor. Feel free to substitute regular vegetable oil, such as canola, if you don't have any in your pantry. The bars will still taste great.

If you are not looking to cut out the gluten substitute 1 cup of whole-wheat white flour for the brown rice flour and omit the xantham gum.

Ingredients:

2 cups GF Rolled Oats
1 cup almond meal
1 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup sucanat or granulated sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp xantham gum
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup roasted almond oil, or other sweet vegetable oil (or canola is okay)
1/3 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1 tsp of orange zest
1 cup of fig jam, homemade or store bought
2 figs, sliced thin (optional for decoration)

Preheat oven 375F.
Oil a 9" square pan



Mix the oats, almond meal, rice flour, sugar, baking powder, xantham gum, salt in a bowl together until well combined.

In a couple steps add the oil and mix. Then add the orange juice and zest and mix well to incorporate.

Take half the crumb mixture and pat it down at the bottom of the pan. Add a layer of fig jam. Then, sprinkle the rest of the crumb mixture on top and pat it down until it looks flat and somewhat even. Finish by decorating the top with thin slices of figs.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until it looks cooked and slightly golden. Let cool before cutting and serving.

If you liked this post, you might also enjoy:
Blueberry Plum Clafoutis
Walnut Lebanese Cookies

Quick and Simple Fig Jam

My grandfather had them growing in the courtyard. They would soak in the warm southwest french sun in the Spring and release their sweet wonderful flavors in the Summer. I can't think of figs without thinking of his hands holding a pile of them or reaching out to pluck one off the old tree. I can smell their perfume when I visualize this scene and taste their wonderful flavors. Figs have the magical ability to bring back to me my grandfather and the cherished memories of the time we spent together during my teenage years.

Besides memories and great flavor, there are many reasons to feast on figs. Those little gems are rich in fiber and minerals, potassium as well as calcium. Personally, I don't need any excuse to eat them I love their grainy texture and delicate flavor. One of my favorite way to eat them is by making a simple jam. I enjoy fig jam on nutty goat cheddar and a piece of hearty bread, or spread on a warm cinnamon muffin (shown above). My recipe below is easy and quick. You can put it together while your muffins bake in the oven. I spread the jam on a plate to hurry its cooling off and then transfer it to the freezer for five minutes or so.

Fig Jam (makes 1/2 cup)

5 ripe figs, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup of water
2 tablespoon of agave nectar (or honey)
1/2 tsp of cinnamon
1/2 tsp of chopped crystalised ginger (optional)
1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
1/2 tsp of fresh lemon juice

Combine all the ingredients in a small pot over medium-low heat and bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, mixing every few minutes, until thickened to a jam consistency. Cool on a plate and refrigerate until ready to serve. It will keep for 3 days in the fridge. Serve with warm muffins or to compliment a really good hard cheese.