Category: nourish

sunday muffins…gluten free and vegan lemon berry….

we are back in istanbul and thoroughly enjoying a short little break in the city.  luckily for me,  the weather is finally a little cooler and i have even felt a tiny bit chilly sitting in the garden in the evenings! 

this week is a really, really big week for us- asya is getting ready to go to college for the first time! we have spent the weekend packing and planning and on tuesday, just two days from now, we will be on a flight to the u.s. to get her settled into georgetown! 

sending a child off to school is a very funny thing.  

I am simultaneously thrilled for her! i went to Georgetown and i loved it! the school, the city, the people- i am definitely biased but you really just couldn’t ask for more in a university. 

but sending her off, as exciting as it is, is certainly also bittersweet.

asya is my first baby. i can’t believe how quickly she went from baby to young lady! a silver lining of the covid crisis is that we got to spend much more time with her this past year than we ever expected. for this i am truly grateful. asya is a sweet, kind, easy going person and her presence at home has been a real gift. not having her at home is going to take some real getting used to…

in the meantime though, we still have our sunday to enjoy- and these summery fresh breakfast muffins turned out to be a great way to enjoy the calm before the storm! as always, i had mine with a nice cup of hot coffee but i’ve been told they are delicious paired with an iced latte too! 

ingredients:

  • 2 cups organic almond flour
  • 3 tbl chia seeds combined with 6 tbl water
  • 2 tbl lemon juice
  • 2 tbl coconut oil (melted)
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • a pinch of salt
  • The zest of one lemon
  • 1 cup mixed berries
  • 2 tsp ground ginger

instructions:

  • preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius and line a muffin tin with muffin liners
  • combine chia seeds and water and set aside
  • mix lemon juice, coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract
  • add in chia seed combination and mix well
  • in a separate bowl mix flour, baking soda, salt and ground ginger
  • combine wet and dry ingredients and mix well
  • fold in lemon zest and berries
  • spoon into muffin tin
  • bake for 22-24 minutes until tops are browned and a toothpick inserted into the middle come out clean
  • cool fully on a cooling rack- store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days 🍋🍋🍋🍋🍋

**recipe adapted from nutritious minimalist**

sunday muffins…gluten free peach cornmeal…

nothing says summer like a fresh peach!

when i was a little girl we used to spend our summers in a tiny little apartment that was located right on the edge of the bosphorus in a small part of istanbul called cengelkoy. this was before the bosphorus waters became too polluted to swim in so we spent our days playing outside, jumping in and out of the water and using our small rowboat to go out fishing. it was a perfect way to spend the summer and i loved every minute of it!

my sister derin and i on the edge of the bosphorus- we were always ready to go for a swim! (this is probably 1987 or 88?)

while our house was small, we did have a large wrap around balcony- perfect for early morning breakfasts and afternoon tea times- and just above the balcony there was a peach tree that would bear fruit every july. we could literally pick peaches from the comfort of our own front door- with a quick rinse they were ready to eat and were some of the most delicious fruits i have ever tasted.

i still love a good peach and use fresh peaches in a number of ways- they are great with some crumbled cheese; delicious grilled; perfect for sangrias and a wonderful way to make summer muffins too!

alara kindly baked this week’s muffins as an afternoon activity and i enjoyed them thoroughly as a light breakfast. i added a bit of almond butter to mine for some extra am protein and of course, added a nice cup of coffee too. this recipe isn’t vegan but it is gluten free- and i enjoyed the addition of cornmeal as a nice change from the other muffins we made this summer.

try the recipe if you have the chance and let me know what you think 🍑 🍑🍑

ingredients:

  • 3 fresh peaches
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup buckwheat flour (or regular gluten free flour mix)
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup cornmeal
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • large pinch sea salt
  • ¼ cup butter
  • ⅓ cup organic yogurt

instructions:

  • preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius and line a muffin tin with liners
  • mix together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt and ground ginger
  • in a separate bowl beat butter and sugar until fluffy. add egg and vanilla extract and mix again.
  • add the yogurt and a couple of scoops of flour mixture and stir
  • stir in the remaining flour mixture until well combined
  • fold in the peaches- this will help to thin the dough
  • pour into muffin tin and bake for 20-25 minutes until tops are browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean
  • remove from oven and allow muffins to cool in the tin for about 5 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool fully
  • store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days (if they last that long!!)

**recipe adapted from the desserted girl**

sunday muffins… vegan and gluten free zucchini dill…

we are home! and as we have been reunited with the muffin tin we are finally back on track with our sunday muffins!!

this week’s muffins are something i have been craving for a long time. summer vegetables are some of my favorites and i just love anything that has zucchini in it! 

easy to make and easy to eat, these muffins are the perfect breakfast muffin–I had mine with some sliced tomato, a drizzle of olive oil and some delicious turkish olives… let me know what you pair your muffins with, i always love a good breakfast suggestion! 

ingredients: 

  • 1 cup grated zucchini- strain the excess water and set aside for later
  • ½ cup almond milk
  • ½ tbl apple vinegar
  • 2 tbl olive oil
  • 1 cup buckwheat flour
  • ¾ cup gluten free oats
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • generous pinch of sea salt
  • 2 tbl finely chopped dill
  • ¼ cup cashew cream

instructions:

  • preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius and line a muffin tin with muffin liners
  • mix together zucchini water, almond milk, olive oil and apple cider vinegar and set aside
  • in a large bowl combine buckwheat flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda and salt 
  • slowly add in wet ingredients and mix until combined
  • add cashew cream, zucchini and dill and mix once more
  • pour into muffin cups and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean
  • cool on a cooling rack 
  • store in an airtight container for 3 days at room temperature or a week in the fridge- these muffins will freeze well if you want to make an extra batch to enjoy once zucchini season is over! 

**recipe adapted from forkful of plants**

sunday muffins…gluten free apricot tart a la alara and alegra…

so remember how we are going with the flow and being creative this week because we have no muffin tin?

well, the results have been pretty amazing so far!

alara and alegra were itching to bake something gluten free and delicious for this sunday’s recipe and i was really craving a yummy breakfast treat to go with my morning coffee and here is what we came up with- a completely delicious, completely gluten free almond apricot tart! 

i adore fresh apricots and try to eat them as long as they are in season 🌱🌱🌱 we are lucky here in southern turkey because the land is so fertile that finding good fresh fruits and vegetables is always easy.

and so, with a big bag of ripe apricots ready to go, the girls set off on their next baking adventure…

ingredients: 

  • 1 cup organic almond flour
  • 1 cup gluten free flour
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • 1 cup yogurt
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs 
  • ⅓ cup butter- browned and cooled
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • 6 apricots halved and pitted (you may need more depending on the size of your tart pan)

instructions:

  • preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius
  • mix together almond flour, gluten free flour, baking powder, salt and ginger
  • in a separate bowl whisk together yogurt, sugar, eggs, butter and vanilla extract 
  • combine wet and dry and mix well
  • pour batter into greased tart pan and spread evenly with a spatula
  • press apricots halves, skin side down, into batter- sprinkle with a bit of brown sugar if desired
  • bake for 20-25 minutes or until top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean
  • cool completely on a cooling rack and then slice and serve for a great breakfast treat; or with your morning coffee or afternoon tea! 

**recipe lovingly adapted from blossoms to stem**

a tasty tart to go with this weeks books 🌟

sunday muffins…alegra’s special gluten free cookies…

so, we came to the boat last weekend…. and despite the many, many post-it reminders that i had set up for myself i completely forgot to pack the muffin tin! 

but not to worry, we are still baking- we are just getting a little creative in our definition of “muffin”! 

this week our baked goods come to us from the very talented hands of alegra! 

she had an evening all on her own at the boat and used some of her downtime to make these delicious gluten free cookies for her gluten free buddy, eva. 

these have a bit more sugar than our regular weekend treats, but with all the swimming, sailing, paddle boarding and canoeing that we have been doing late i think they are a perfectly appropriate summer splurge ☀️

ingredients:

  • ¼ cup granulated sugar 
  • ½ cup brown sugar 
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter-melted
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ¼ cups gluten free flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 giant handfuls of gluten free oats
  • 2 giant handfuls of chocolate chips (you could also use raisins or cranberries if preferred)

instructions:

  • preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
  • mix melted butter and sugars in a medium sized bowl
  • add egg and vanilla extract and mix well
  • sift together salt, flour, baking soda, cinnamon and oats
  • combine wet and dry ingredients and mix well
  • add in chocolate chips and mix until just combined
  • bake in oven for 15-18 minutes until golden brown
  • cool on rack and enjoy with a good book and a glass of homemade lemonade after a long summer swim!

sunday muffins… gluten free vanilla…

happy fourth of july!

this year’s celebration is a little different! alegra and i are on the way to the southern turkey where she will attend a sailing camp for 10days.  it feels very summery and july-like to be off to sail and i am so proud of her for taking a chance and trying something new! 

alara knew we would be leaving first thing today and so she very, very sweetly baked us fourth of july cupcakes for the road! she decorated them in red and blue with white sprinkles in honor of the holiday and i have to say i am pretty impressed 🙂 

alara tells me the recipe was super simple and foolproof- we added a bit less maple syrup than usual and she was so smart to add a whole bunch of cinnamon and ginger because she knows i love a little spice! 

I hope you all have a wonderful Sunday whether you are celebrating or not- send us pictures if you have fireworks and tag us if you try the cupcakes too!

Muffins packed and ready for the road!!!

ingredients:

  • ½ cup butter
  • 3 eggs
  • ¼ cup honey or maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 ½ cups almond flour
  • ¼ cups coconut flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • frosting and sprinkles if desired

instructions 

  • preheat 180 degrees celsius , and line your muffin tin
  • whisk together butter eggs syrup and vanilla
  • next,add flowers baking powder and spices,mix well
  • scoop batter into muffin tin and bake for 12-15 minutes
  • once tops are golden brown remove from oven and place on cooling rack
  • frost and decorate as desired- for a less sugary version decorate with chopped strawberries and blueberries-perfect for the fourth of july!!! 🌟❤️💙

**recipe adapted from toasted peanuts**

sunday muffins…gluten free and vegan carrot raisin…

june was a crazy, crazy month for us! in just the span of four weeks we finished schools, celebrated two important birthdays, made it through alara’s really important final exams, closed out alegra’s pony competition season, celebrated the girls birthdays (again!), celebrated asya’s graduation and went to the boat for a rather hectic vacation!!!

not surprisingly, in the midst of all this excitement i not only forgot to read on two Sundays- but i also completely missed posting one of the best muffin recipes we have made yet!

I am so sorry! not only for the confusion, but also for having kept your from these amazing muffins! they are hands down one of the best things i have had for breakfast in a long time- especially now that the weather here in istanbul is getting really hot, these are a filling but light and easy way to start your day. 🙂

some of our favorite june moments💚💚💚

ingredients: 

  • 1 ½  cups grated fresh carrot
  • ⅓ cup seedless raisins
  • ⅓ cup chopped walnut bits 
  • ¼  cup organic almond butter
  • ¼ cup maple syrup 
  • ½ cup almond flour
  • 1 ½  cups gluten free oat
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tsp ground ginger 
  • ½  tsp salt
  • 1 tbl vanilla extract
  • 2 tbl fresh almond milk 
  • 2 tbl ground flaxseed mixed with 6 tbl water

instructions: 

  • preheat oven to 180 degrees and grease your muffin tin with coconut oil
  • combine flaxseed and water and set aside
  • mix together all dry ingredients in a large bowl
  • create a well in the middle of dry ingredients and add wet ingredients one at a time
  • mix well
  • add carrots, raisins and walnuts and stir gently 
  • bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean
  • serve warm with a cup of coffee for a perfect easy breakfast or snack! 🥕

**recipe adapted from “from my bowl”**

sunday muffins…gluten free and vegan chocolate chocolate chip…

today’s muffins are MINI muffins and they are amazing! the perfect bite sized muffin to eat with a cup of afternoon tea and a good book!

stuck in another Sunday lockdown here in istanbul, making these muffins were a perfect midday distraction for me and alegra. because they are mini muffins they bake quickly and this super easy recipe can be made in only one bowl- making it ideal for easy cleanup too!

our book reading of the day featured a mouse and a brownie and i enjoyed a chocolatey treat along with the mouse…

easy to make, easy to eat 🙂 and easy to pack as a healthy snack- we hope you enjoy these muffins as much as we did!

ingredients:

instructions:

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C) and line 2 mini muffin tins. 
  • Prepare flax eggs and set aside. 
  • Mash bananas in the bottom of a large mixing bowl and then add wet ingredients and mix well. Add coconut sugar, baking powder, and sea salt mix once more. 
  • Next stir in cocoa powder, gluten-free flour, oats, and almond flour. Our batter was a bit thick so we added a little more almond milk, but don’t worry it will be thicker rather than thinner- perfect for scooping! 
  • Finally stir in the chocolate chips and then fill up the mini muffin tins.  
  • Bake for 18-20 minutes and then cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove the muffins from the tin and allow to cool on a cooling rack.
  • Will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge, enjoy with a cup of tea and a good book 🐭

**recipe adapted from the always amazing, minimalist baker**

today’s book, If You Give a Mouse a Brownie …

sunday muffins…. gluten free and vegan lemon poppyseed…

sunday muffins…. gluten free and vegan lemon poppyseed…

i am happy to report that with the exception of not having any muffin tin liners left at home this recipe went off without a hitch! and, as an added bonus- just as i was contemplating prepping for the muffins one of my best buddies here in istanbul sent me a giant bag of lemons! it was fate.

i woke up early to bake these for our breakfast and it was so worth it.  nearly sugar free, the lemony taste with the poppyseeds was just perfect and i savored my muffin with a fantastic cup of morning coffee.

it was early enough that i was moving a bit slowly, but i would say these muffins could be ready in one-hour tops. have your ingredients ready and a hot oven waiting, and you will be set.

ingredients

  • zest of 2 lemons
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 flax eggs (2 tbsp ground flax seed with 6 tbsp water- mix and set aside)
  • ½ cup nut mylk
  • 1/3 cup coconut oil-softened
  • 2 tbsp baking powder
  • ½ tbsp baking soda
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 cup almond flour
  • 1 cup buckwheat flour
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp poppy seeds

instructions

  • preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius. (400f)
  • line muffin tin with muffin liners or grease with coconut oil and sprinkle with almond flour
  • mix together flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, poppy seeds and lemon zest
  • in a separate bowl mix flax eggs, lemon juice, coconut oil and nut mylk
  • combine wet and dry ingredients and spoon into muffin tin
  • cook for 20-25 minutes (mine were perfect at 22 minutes) and cool on baking rack
  • serve warm with a good cup of coffee… enjoy!!!

sunday muffins…. gluten free very berry

another lockdown weekend; another funny muffin story! 

yesterday i was absolutely exhausted. i had bitten off too many weekend projects, had too many meals to cook and way too many things to tidy and by the time our muffin baking rolled around i had really had it with the idea of being in the kitchen.  

my beautiful children came to the rescue! alegra loves all things cooking related anyway so she was ready to help and alara has been studying like a crazy person for her upcoming in-person exams.  we still don’t know if these exams will actually happen but, rightfully so, she really wants to be prepared.  give or take a few days, when she goes back mid-week, she will have not hand any in person learning for exactly 12 months. (the other two did have the opportunity to go to “real” school in the fall so alara holds our family record for number of days of online school.) 

i had planned to make some very berry muffins- one of my favorites- but i had not planned well enough to actually make sure we had all the ingredients we might need. oops.

we did seem to have an inordinate amount of coconut flour, so that is what we used. the end result was good, although very coconutty! if you do decide to recreate our coconutty berry muffins just be prepared to use a bit more almond milk as coconut flour tends to soak up liquid more than other gluten free flours.

ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cups gluten free flour (in hindsight i recommend using an almond flour and oat combo)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • ¾ cup nut mylk (or more if using coconut flour)
  • 1 flax egg (or regular if not vegan)
  • 8 tablespoons melted coconut oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup mixed frozen berries
  • ¾ cup brown sugar 

instructions:

  • preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius (375 f)
  • prepare muffin tin with liners
  • combine berries and sugar and mix gently- set aside
  • mix flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ginger together.
  • in a separate bowl combine nut mylk, flax egg and melted coconut oil
  • make a well in dry ingredients and pour wet ingredients in
  • mix until just combined; adding more nut mylk if necessary- batter should be moist and may have some small lumps
  • add berry mixture and mix gently
  • spoon batter into muffin tins – cook for 20-25 minutes until toothpick comes out clean and tops are browned
  • cool slightly on cooling rack and serve warm for a perfect breakfast treat!  

**recipe loosely adapted from ina garten’s barefoot contessa cookbook**