Cinnamon Swirl Fruit and Nut Bread

Yup, it's bread. It's swirled with cinnamon sugar. It has all manner of nuts, dried fruit and grains. It is delicious and not even that hard to make (I swear).

I used to have a bit of a fear of bread-making, which I am led to understand is quite common. I think it's that whole (it's alive!) yeast thing and the whole (must have hulk arms) kneading thing. But, then I got a stand mixer and it was like the doors to bread heaven opened to the song of celestial beings.

You don't need a stand mixer to make bread and you certainly don't need a bread-maker. Don't you  just hate it when you find a recipe that looks good until you get to the part where you need a bread/ice cream/doeverythingforyou maker. I am a bread-maker..that is why I need recipe. c'mon.

This is essentially a nice simple bread recipe with a little pizzazz. I encourage you to throw in whatever you think would be tasty when paired with cinnamon and slathered with butter or cream cheese in the morning. So...pretty much anything.

Recipe adapted from this one at 101 cookbooks

Ingredients:

Bread
1 1/4 cups / 300 ml warm water (105-115F)
2 teaspoons active dry yeast (one packet)
1 tablespoon runny honey
1 cup / 4.5 oz / 125 g unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup / 5 oz / 140 g whole wheat flour
1 cup / 3.5 oz / 100 g rolled oats (not instant oats)
1 1/2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt

1/2 cp dried apricots (chopped)

1/2 cp raisins

1/2 cp walnuts

1 tbsp sunflower seeds and 1 tbsp milk (for topping)

Cinnamon Swirl

2 tbsp butter

1/4 cp brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

Method:

Whisk warm water and honey together. Sprinkle yeast on surface of water and allow to stand until foamy (about 5 minutes).
In a separate bowl, mix together all dry ingredients. 

Slowly add yeast mixture to flour mixture, combining with a wooden spoon or the bread paddle on your stand mixer.

Knead on low for 6-10 minutes (less if using the mixer, more if using your hands)

After kneading bread should be a smooth and slightly firm ball.

Drizzle some oil in the bottom of a bowl, add your dough ball, turn to coat, cover and set in a warm place to rise. (Inside the oven works well...make sure it is off though!)

While the dough is rising, melt butter in a saucepan on low.

Add brown sugar, cinnamon and salt.

Cook on low until slightly thickened.

Remove from heat and set aside.

After about an hour your dough baby should be about double in size. 

Take it out and gently flatten the dough onto a floured cookie sheet. It should be about an inch thick.

Spread your cinnamon sugar mix evenly over the dough. 

Starting at one end, carefully roll the dough up like yule log or cinnamon bun.

Once rolled, tuck each end under the loaf and set in the center of the pan.

Brush with milk (I used almond) and sprinkle with seeds.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake loaf for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown.

grey days

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I know spring is just around the corner and we've actually had quite a few sunny says here on the usually rainy West Coast, but...I just can't get enough of grey lately. Normally, my wardrobe is colourful and earth-toned. But for some reason,  right now, I've really got a case of the greys.

Easiest Ever Vegan Parmesan

Ok, so this recipe is almost too easy to post. I feel like I am patronizing you somehow by toting this as some revelation in the vegan cheese world. But, in all my dairy-alternative searching, I have never come across this particularly awesome version of parmesan. I like to think I invented it, but chances are it's just so simple that people are just walking around thinking "like...duh. Of course that's how you make vegan parmesan."

But to me, it was a revelation. It is perfect on tomato-sauced pasta. As a topping for baked macaroni. Sprinkled over squash.

And, if I must confess, since my posts have been few and far between, I thought this would be a nice quick little post for Saturday afternoon.

So, without further ado...the best and easiest vegan cheese topping...ever.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup raw cashews
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp mustard powder
1 - 1 1/2 tsp sea salt



Toss all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until cashews are finely crumbled.
Serve on anything  and everything you'd put parmesan on.
Ta-da!

Store leftovers in a sealed container. No need to refrigerate!