A snack that's hearty ... and haunted

With October chugging along, I wanted to do something with a Halloween theme. So on Saturday morning, I baked pumpkin muffins.

Most fun of all was devising an orange-colored icing  without using food coloring. (Those sorts of additives creep me out — more than ghosts or goblins ever could.)

My orange color came courtesy of mixing a little pumpkin into the cream-cheese icing (see below). It turned out great.

I find pumpkin so easy to work with — especially if you get it from a tin. Despite it's reputation, I think pumpkin is the un-scariest of squashes.

Pumpkin muffins

1. In a large bowl, beat:

• 2 large eggs

2. Stir in:

• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 3/4 cup pumpkin (mashed)
• 1/4 cup plain yoghurt

3. In a small bowl, mix together:

• 1 1/2 cups multigrain flour
• 1/2 cup 12-grain cereal
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp ginger
• 1/8 tsp allspice
• 1/8 tsp cloves
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup brown sugar (packed)

4. Add dry mixture to the wet mixture. Stir well, then mix in:

• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (hulled)

5. Spoon into muffin tray lined with paper baking cups.

6. Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes (or until toothpick comes out clean).

7. Cool 5 minutes, then remove muffins onto cooling rack.

Cream cheese icing

8. In food processor, churn:

• 1/2 package light cream cheese
• 1/4 cup pumpkin (mashed)
• 2/3 cup icing sugar

9. Once your muffins have completely cooled, smear 'em with this icing.

Decorate how you wish. I'm sure you'll do a boo-tiful job.

Raisin Spice Muffins

Autumn: it's the season for appreciating the color of leaves, for stockpiling firewood, for American football and for muffins.

Muffins?

Sure. This time of year invites baking. And when I bake, I bake muffins.

Muffins make an awesome snack, especially when they are packed with healthy stuff and served warm.

Here's a favorite recipe from way back, clipped straight from the cookbook I made for Fred so long ago:

Happy baking!

Power up … on the cheap!

If you're anything like me, you sometimes find yourself needing sustenance while on the go. Hence, a problem: where to get something nutritious, yet convenient? (Tasty and economical don't hurt, either.)

A popular solution for athletes and hikers – heck, active folk of all persuasions – is the energy bar. It's often called a power bar, a name borrowed from a leading brand.

I'm not in the habit of downing this kind of processed item, but sometimes ready-made helps simplify a busy moment. For occasions where nuts and fresh fruit won't carry well or supplies run low, I find the Equate "High Protein" bar to be a reasonable choice.

(If you don’t recognize the name, Equate is Wal-Mart's house line of health and beauty products. Their Pharmacy Department is the place to look.)

A good feature of this particular bar is its protein count – 20 grams to be precise. As a post-workout snack, or for times when you are looking for something closer to a meal replacement than a light snack, it's an excellent choice.

Well, "excellent" is perhaps too strong a word. The Equate bar carries a few ingredients that are less than ideal (e.g. fructose, modified palm oil), but this holds for most of these sorts of products. It's convenient, but hey, it comes with trade-offs.

Another nice feature of this bar is that it often goes on sale at $1 apiece. Yup, $1. That's a heap less than you'll drop on name brands.

P.S. I find "Fudge Brownie" or "Chocolate Peanut Butter" flavors to be best bets.

P.P.S. I am in no way being compensated for the subject matter of this article. Really, I'm not. Just wanted to give the heads-up on a fine deal.

Location, location, location

For me, certain snacks are linked to certain places. They just go together. From force of habit, I suppose.

Count me peculiar, but as I see it, a good deal of the pleasure of any place where I spend time comes from what I tend to eat there. (Oh, the memories.)

Everybody has their favorite places for indulging. Here are mine:

Sarah's top 6 snacking spots

6) In my car

The trusty Toyota has been the site of plenty of good eating: while parked, on the fly, driver's seat, passenger's seat, you name it. To be prepared, I keep handwash in the glove compartment and a stash of trail mix (at the least) in the trunk.

5) On the sports field

I play a heap of ultimate frisbee — too much, it could be said — so staying energized is key. I stock my kit bag with protein bars, nuts and dried fruit, and will often tuck in a fresh banana, bagel or the like. Unsure what this says about my play, but I usually deem between-point bites as the highlight of any game.

4) At work

Without a mid-morning and mid-afternoon pick-me-up, I'd be dozing, face down in a file. Nothing chases away the zombie-lurking-within like a handful of almonds, preferably the kind frocked in dark chocolate.

3) While travelling

Stir-fried crocodile in Adelaide. Stewed fruit-bat in Port Vila. Weasel coffee in Hanoi. For me and Fred, food adventures are tops, and a great way to begin learning about a foreign locale.

2) In the woods

Don't get out there often enough, but when I do, I love it. With fresh air swirling and the miles rolling by, a woman can really work up an appetite. (A guilt-free appetite, at that. Bonus!) Nuts, jerky, dried fruits and veggies, hunks of fresh parmesan, and chocolate — Mmm — are all staples.

1) On my sofa

Ooh, just give me my red sofa, my blanket, a sappy movie, a coffee table laden with munchies ... and I'm home, sweet, home.

Feeling the knead

Bread is one of the oldest prepared foods on the planet. It is also the foundation of many a fine snack.

Beyond the eating, there's something thoroughly satisfying about the process of baking bread, in punching the dough, in running flour through one's fingers. I find it a great way of grounding myself, to help me connect with what is fundamental.

Unrelated factoid: I read recently in A History of the World in Six Glasses that bread is essentially beer in solid form. Perhaps that helps account for its appeal. ("Damn straight," yells Fred.)

Now, a confession: I'm hardly the bread-baking guru. When I make a batch — and that's rare — I usually resort to my breadmaking machine.

But this past weekend I felt the knead, so to speak, and went at it from scratch. My loaves turned out great.

Here's my recipe:

Multigrain bread

Ingredients:

• 1 package yeast (+ 1/4 cup water [lukewarm] + 1 tsp sugar)
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 2 1/2 cups water (lukewarm)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 4 cups multigrain flour
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup 12-grain cereal
• handful of cornmeal

Directions:

1. In large bowl, dissolve teaspoon of sugar in 1/4 cup water. Stir in yeast and let stand 10 minutes. (Yeast mixture should double in size.)
2. Stir in remaining ingredients (as much as possible) with wooden spoon.
3. Knead about 5 min.
4. Form dough into ball. Place tea towel over bowl and let rise about one hour.
5. Punch down dough and reform into ball. Place tea towel over bowl and let rise another hour.
6. Punch down, tear into 4 equal pieces and shape into 4 balls. 
7. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, and pour 2 small piles of cornmeal onto each sheet. Place dough ball on each cornmeal pile. Cover with tea towels and let rise about one hour.
8. Remove tea towels and bake at 350°F for approx 40 minutes. (Bread is done when tapping on bottomside of loaf produces a hollow sound.)
9. Place loaves on cooling racks.
10. Place a loaf on cutting board, slice, and paddle on the butter — or whatever suits your mood.
11. Cool thoroughly before storing. 

Tip A: Test water for correct temperature by running a little over your forearm. If you sense neither warm nor cold, the water is just right.

Tip B: For storage beyond one week, consider pre-slicing the loaves and storing in freezer bags. When you want a serving, simply open your freezer and remove a slice or two from the bag. Pop in the toaster and enjoy, slathered with your fave spread.

This time around, Fred and I devoured our bread warm from the oven, with a smear of butter and a piece of dark chocolate on the side. Amazing.

Eggsquisite

Eggsquisite

Consider the omelette. Do you think of it as breakfast? As lunch? As brunch?

My answer: all of the above. And more.

Yes, in my mind, omelettes are for anytime. Of all light meals or snacks, they are among the most perfect. I think of omelettes as snack velcro, the sort of thing that really sticks to your ribs.

Another virtue is how they are infinitely customizable. With an omelette, you can heap on as many — or as few — extras as you wish.

Eggs are a must and cheese tends to be standard, but don't settle. Mix-n-match the veggies and meats of your choice.

Here's what I tend to include:

Egg mixture

• easy on the yolks. For a one-serving omelette, I tend to use 5 egg whites and 1 yolk. 
• splashes of wine vinegar, canola oil, milk
• dashes of salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, Tabasco sauce, etc.

Toppings

• strong cheeses are my preference (e.g. blue, parmesan, sharp cheddar)
• egg and cheese provide enough protein, so I skip the meats and go heavy on vegetables
• generally, I throw in whatever I have at hand. Often it's onion, garlic, green and red pepper, zucchini, tomato, spinach. But whatever. 

The How-To is easy:

• Saute vegetable toppings and remove from pan. (optional)
• Place egg mixture in a bowl. Stir. Pour into hot frying pan (non-stick works best). 
• Just before or after flipping the half-cooked egg mixture, sprinkle on the toppings. 

Quick to make and served piping hot — that's hard to beat. I'll often add a side of wholegrain toast, with nut butter and jam. (Yes, any time of the day.)

Whichever way you choose to go, an omelette is pure Mmm.

Give thanks ... for chocolate

It's Thanksgiving weekend here in the Great White North.

If you are needing a special dessert or holiday treat, look no further. My Chocolate-Orange Cake is time-tested and a breeze to bake.

No-flour Chocolate-Orange Cake

Ingredients:

• chocolate chips, dark, 4 oz
• canola oil, 1/2 cup
• sugar, 3/4 cup
• eggs, 3 large (less 1 yolk)
• cocoa powder, unsweetened, 1/2 cup
• orange essence, 1/2 tbsp

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Grease baking pan (round, 8-inch). Line with greased wax paper or parchment.
3. Add chocolate and canola oil to microwaveable glass dish. Nuke approx 2 min, at medium power.
4. Stir in sugar, then eggs, then cocoa powder.
5. Pour batter into pan. Bake 25 minutes (middle rack).
6. Cool 5 min. Invert onto serving plate.

Topping it off (optional):

• Dust with extra cocoa powder. Serve with fresh orange segments and/or creamy yoghurt (plain) or frozen yoghurt (vanilla).

Store in airtight container.

Variation:

Skip the orange essence. Instead of eggs, add 2 bananas, plus 1/3 cup sour cream. Bake 1 hour. Consistency will be more moist and pudding-like. But still delish.