walnuts – The Herbal Bake Shoppe https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com Bringing herbalism & baking together Sun, 23 Apr 2017 22:43:11 +0000 en-US hourly 1 Walnut Yellow Beet Muffins https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/walnut-yellow-beet-muffins/ https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/walnut-yellow-beet-muffins/#respond Fri, 16 Sep 2016 18:09:52 +0000 https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/?post_type=recipe&p=1740
an-easy-way-to-eat-beetsan-easy-way-to-eat-beets
brain-foodbrain-food
yellow-beetsyellow-beets
ingredientsingredients
walnut-date-muffins-featuring-beetswalnut-date-muffins-featuring-beets

The mixing of two familiar foods less commonly thought of as herbs. Baking can be magic in that way. Walnuts and beets are both examples of culinary style herbalism.

When September comes, it seems like beets are everywhere. Week after week they arrive in my CSA box. Even if I liked beets (regrettably I don’t) how in the world can someone use all of them? In my nutrition frame of mind I know it’s worth trying. So I roast them, peel them and whirl them in the food processor, then store to use later. Frozen in ice cube trays, they can be added to smoothies. Measure 1 cup portions to mix into batters because beets make amazingly moist chocolate cakes. Pickle them and they last forever this way, besides fermented foods are important and my mom loves them. When huge yellow beets appeared a few weeks ago, I felt muffin inspiration. Because beets add sweetness, the actual sugar amount is proportionally low in this batter. My lovely daughter, a vegetable affectionate yet also not a beet lover, avoids sugar. She approved.

Recent studies have linked eating walnuts with improvement in memory. Eating a handful packs nutrients that our brains need like essential fatty acids and antioxidants. Traditional Chinese Medicine doesn’t ignore walnuts, classifying them as yang tonifying herbs that strengthen bones, tendons and vision. TCM also considers walnuts warming for the lungs and mixed with honey can help chronic coughs. Now there’s a yummy kitchen therapy.

brain-food

Walnut Yellow Beet Muffins
The shape of a walnut resembles a brain and coincidentally studies link eating walnuts to improved memory. Herbalists call this “the doctrine of signatures” a theory pointing to plants that resemble body parts and how these plants can be used to treat ailments associated with them. Beets may not look like the brain, but they too support it by increasing the oxygen that gets there. One study showed that people drinking one cup of beet juice a day had clearer thinking. Everything we eat matters. Cheers to these muffins.
Servings Prep Time
15muffins 40minutes
Cook Time
25-28minutes
Servings Prep Time
15muffins 40minutes
Cook Time
25-28minutes
Ingredients
Beet Puree
  • 2large yellow beetsor 4-5 small
  • 1/2cup water
Muffins
  • 3/4cup dates, pitted and cut into 3-4 small pieces
  • 1cup(140g) all-purpose organic flour
  • 3/4tsp baking soda
  • 1/4tsp salt
  • 1/2tsp cinnamon
  • 1tsp fennel seedpound with a mortle and pestle
  • 1 egg, organic
  • 1/3(75g)cup organic light brown sugar
  • 1/4cup walnut oilcan substitute avocado oil or hazelnut oil
  • 1 1/2cup yellow beet puree
  • 1tbsp orange zest, grated
  • 1/2cup walnuts, broken into medium-sized pieces
Instructions
For beet puree
  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Wash beets and cut into quarters. Place in roasting pan with enough water to cover bottom of pan by about ½ inch. Cover with aluminum foil. Roast for 45 minutes until soft. Cool completely.
  2. Peel beets and cut into medium sized chunks. Place in food processor and blend for 2-3 minutes until pureed, scrape down sides as needed.
  3. Measure 1½ cups of yellow beet puree. Set aside. Reserve any remaining puree for another use. This can be done up to 2 days in advance keeping pureed beets in refrigerator or they can be frozen to use later.
For Muffins
  1. Lightly steam dates. Heat a small amount of water in a saucepan. Place dates in a metal strainer over the simmering water for 10 minutes. Lay out on a paper towel to dry, patting to dry completely.
  2. Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare a muffin pan with muffin liners.
  3. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk in fennel seed. Set aside.
  4. In large bowl, beat egg just to mix. Stir in sugar and then oil until well combined.
  5. Add pureed beets and orange zest and mix well. Stir in dates.
  6. Gradually add dry ingredients, stirring with a wooden spoon after each addition only until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in walnuts.
  7. Spoon into muffin pan using a ¼ cup measure to fill about 2/3rds full.
  8. Bake for 25-28 minutes until tops are golden brown and muffins spring back when pressed with a finger.
  9. Remove from pan immediately to cool on wire rack. Store in covered container.
Recipe Notes

**Using organic ingredients whenever possible will make baked goods all the more nourishing. For these muffins use organic beets, organic flour, organic sugar, organic eggs, organic walnuts, organic dates, organic orange for zest if available.

walnut-date-muffins-featuring-beets

]]> https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/walnut-yellow-beet-muffins/feed/ 0 Elderberry Walnut Bread https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/elderberry-walnut-bread/ https://theherbalbakeshoppe.com/recipe/elderberry-walnut-bread/#respond Tue, 07 Jul 2015 22:52:06 +0000 http://theherbalbakeshoppe.lettuce-design.com/?post_type=recipe&p=548
Elderberry Walnut BreadElderberry Walnut Bread
Elderberry Walnut Bread Sliced LoafElderberry Walnut Bread Sliced Loaf
Elderberry Walnut Bread LoafElderberry Walnut Bread Loaf
Elderberry Infused MilkElderberry Infused Milk
Elderberry Maple SyrupElderberry Maple Syrup

Delicious and nutritious, not too sweet, perfect for toast or with a cup of tea and not to be underestimated as an immune boosting treat.

Because some ingredients may be hard to find, links are provided to make buying easier. I may earn a small commission for some of the product links in this recipe. Your purchase will lend support to this website at no further cost to you. Big love and thanks for that.

Elderberry Walnut Bread
Delicious and nutritious, not too sweet, perfect for toast or with a cup of tea and not to be underestimated as an immune boosting treat.
Servings Prep Time
19-inch loaf 2hours
Cook Time
90minutes
Servings Prep Time
19-inch loaf 2hours
Cook Time
90minutes
Ingredients
For elderberry maple syrup
  • ¼cup dried elderberries
  • 2cups water
  • ½cup pure maple syrup
For elderberry infused milk
  • 2tsp dried elderberries
  • ¾cup 1% milk
For bread
  • ¾cup raisins
  • 1cup walnutsbroken into medium-size pieces
  • 1cup oat flour, sifted
  • 2cups all-purpose whole-wheat flour, unsifted
  • ¾tsp baking soda
  • 2½tsp baking powder
  • ¾tsp salt
  • 1½cups 1% milk(includes prepared elderberry infused milk)
  • ½cup elderberry maple syrup
  • 2TBS honey
Instructions
For elderberry maple syrup
  1. This can be done ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator until ready to bake bread.
  2. Combine ¼ cup dried elderberries and 2 cups water in a small saucepan. Bring to simmer over medium low heat. Cover but leave lid slightly ajar to allow steam to escape. Simmer until liquid is reduced by half, for approximately one hour.
  3. Cool for 15 minutes, then strain liquid through a cheesecloth into a 16 ounce glass measuring cup. Press on elderberries in strainer to extract as much liquid as possible. This should make about 1 cup of strong elderberry tea.
  4. Add ½ cup maple syrup, return to saucepan and simmer an additional 20 minutes until slightly thickened. Cool and store in glass jar until ready to use.
For elderberry-infused milk
  1. Combine 2 tablespoons dried elderberries and ¾ cup milk in a small saucepan. Bring just to simmer over low heat, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon or chopstick. When begins to simmer, cover and remove from heat. Allow to steep for 25 minutes and until cool.
  2. Strain liquid into a 16 ounce glass measuring cup, pressing on elderberries in strainer to extract as much of milk as possible. You should have just over a ½ cup of elderberry infused milk, pour in additional milk to reach 1½ cups and set aside until ready to use in batter.
For bread
  1. Adjust rack to middle of oven. Preheat oven to 275 °F. Generously butter a 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pan.
  2. Place the raisins in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Let sit for 5 minutes, then strain and allow to cool.
  3. Break the walnuts into medium size pieces, set aside.
  4. Sift the oat flour, then sift again into a large bowl with the whole-wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the milk, elderberry maple syrup, and honey. Mix with large mixing spoon until combined. Stir in raisins and walnuts.
  5. Pour into the prepared loaf pan, smooth the top, and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. The loaf should begin to just pull away from the sides of the pan.
  6. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Then cover the pan with a clean, folded kitchen towel and turn it over onto the wire rack. The bread will slide out easily. Remove the pan and flip over so loaf is upright on wire rack. Allow to cool completely on the rack.
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