Seven Days Seven Recipes

The days are going by quickly now. Just seven before I wing my way to Ireland. A year ago I felt a strong pull to travel there. I guess you could call it a pilgrimage of sorts, and truthfully I’m not sure of the reason why I am going. I have faith and trust that it will be revealed to me along the way, or after. Remember the movie Forrest Gump where he says something about never knowing what you are going to get in that box of chocolates. Life is like that and I can so relate. I’m cleaning the house, and leaving it tidy. Duncan will be leading one Pie Camp the day before I leave, and another soon after I return. Before trips I find myself going into overdrive, making sure my house is clean. You too? And, I’m still test baking for book three; seven recipes this weekend. I have one more to do tomorrow, and then I’ll put that on hold until I return.

I’m a night before, or morning of, packer. I recall one time when I worked right up to fifteen minutes before heading out the door for a ten-day trip to Puerto Rico. Just before my ride was to take me to SeaTac, (I was living in Seattle at the time), I packed what was clean in a day pack, and headed off on a night flight, to NYC first, before heading on to a destination wedding on Vieques. I stayed a few nights in NYC at Dorie’s apartment (yes, that Dorie) and experienced her wonderful hospitality, and that of her husband. When I got to the destination on Vieques and turned on my phone, I had a spate of work related text messages. When I called back, I feigned poor cell connection, and then turned off my phone for the rest of the time I was there. I laugh about this now, but at the time, this felt very empowering and the beginning of regaining control of my own time and life. Oh, I have so many stories to share with you; some happy, some sad, some totally out of control. What a way to learn boundaries. Turning off the phone. Big one!

Music to listen to, and what to listen to it on, are my concerns now. Music helps me get through airports and flights. I have travel anxiety. I bet that’s something that you didn’t know about me. My play list at home is a melange of decades and genres. Lately I’m loving a group called London Grammar, and old Joni Mitchell always.

One of the seven recipes made this weekend was cobbler. Here’s the gluten free, dairy free, vegan version for you. I had it for breakfast this morning.

GF Vegan Berry Cobbler on right

Berry Cobbler

Here’s a cobbler for those who are gluten free, dairy free, or vegan.

6 cups berries
1/2 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2-3 teaspoons lemon juice (fresh squeezed)

Topping

1 1/2 cups Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Baking Flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1/3 cup Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Stick
1 tablespoon Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Vegan Egg Replacer
2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup canned coconut milk
2 tablespoons sugar

Fruit

Preheat oven to 400F.
Grease an 8x8x4 (or something close to that size) pan.
In medium bowl, mix the berries, honey, almond extract, and lemon juice. Turn into the greased pan, and heat in the oven while making the topping.

Topping

Mix the flour, baking powder, sugar.
Cut in the butter stick until crumbly. I used my fingers. Knives or a pastry blender are fine too.
Add 2 tablespoons water to the egg replacer. Mix and let sit for a minute. It will gel up some.
In a small bowl, mix the coconut milk and egg replacer together with a fork until blended. Add to the crumbly mixture, and mix until just moist.
Spread the dough over the top of the hot berries in plops here and there.
Sprinkle with sugar.
Return to oven and bake for 40 minutes longer.
Serve hot, warm, or cold for breakfast the next morning.