Dessert Recipes

Fudgy Vegan Double Chocolate Beet Muffins

Sliced beetsPrep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 28 minutes

Servings: 12

2 flax eggs (2T flax meal + 5T water), or sub Nash’s chicken eggs
1 cup beet purée
1/4 cup maple syrup or agave nectar (sub honey if not vegan)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp sea salt
1.5 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup melted coconut oil or vegan butter (such as Earth Balance)
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/3 cups Nash’s soft white wheat flour
1/3 cup dairy-free semisweet chocolate chips + more for topping

Roast the beets. Otherwise, you could sub another fruit puree, such as butternut squash or applesauce.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C) and line 12 muffins with paper liners, or lightly grease.

Prepare flax eggs in a large mixing bowl and let rest for 5 minutes.

Add beet puree, melted oil, maple syrup or agave, brown sugar, baking soda, salt and whisk for 45 seconds.

Stir in the almond milk and whisk once more.

Add cocoa powder and flours and stir with a spoon or spatula until just combined, being careful not to over-mix. If the batter appears too thick, add a touch more almond milk. But it should be quite thick and NOT pourable – rather, scoopable.

Lastly, stir in chocolate chips. Then divide batter evenly between muffin tins (should be enough for between 11-12) and sprinkle with a few more chocolate chips (optional but recommended).

Bake for 17-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool for a few minutes in the pan, remove from tins and let cool on a cooling rack. Will keep covered for several days. Freeze for longer-term storage.

We thank the Minimalist Baker for this recipe.

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Summer Fruit in Wine

a pile of peaches and nectarines

Nectarines and peaches work quite well in this classy treat.

1 stalk lemongrass, outer layers removed
(You can also use lemon balm, mint, thyme, sweet woodruff or rosemary)
1-2 Tbsp. sugar or honey
1/2 cup water
Mixed summer fruit (peaches, nectarines, melons, apricots, and strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and cherries), washed, pitted, cut up
White wine (Riesling, Gewurztraminer, etc.)
Mint or lemon balm sprigs
Edible flowers (nasturtium, pansy, mint, lavender, calendula, borage) for garnish

Chop lemongrass and boil with sweetener and water until sweetener is totally dissolved and blended. Let cool for several hours or overnight.

Place fruit into nonreactive bowl. Strain lemongrass syrup and combine with enough wine to barely cover fruit. Pour on fruit and chill for several hours.

Serve in large wine goblets or clear glass dessert bowls. Garnish with herb springs and flowers.

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Eating with Kids: Summertime

Healthy Summertime Foods

By Kia Armstrong and Patty McManus (Nash’s Organic Produce), Sarah Salazar-Tipton (Olympic Nature Experience), and Julia Buggy, Holistic Nutrition Educator

Originally published in Peninsula Families Today, an advertising supplement produced by Peninsula Daily News and Sequim Gazette.

Children naturally have more energy during the long days of summer. Because they spend more time outside in the sun and wind, it is important to keep their fluids and vitamin intake high. Sarah Salazar-Tipton, local mom and director of Olympic Nature Experience (a nonprofit dedicated to deepening children’s connection with nature) has a great solution: the fruit/veggie popsicle! “After hours at the beach or a walk through our neighborhood, it’s easy to entice kids home with a popsicle,” says Sarah. “It makes a great snack for any time of day, and they are getting fluids, proteins and veggies all at once.”

Fruit/Veggie Popsicle

  • 1-to-2 cups water, herbal tea or juice
  • 1 cup leafy greens
  • 1-to-2 carrots
  • Large handful of seeds or nuts
  • 1-to-2 cups fresh or frozen fruit

Blend on high until smooth and creamy. Pour into popsicle molds or ice cube trays and freeze. If your child is particular about color, add red pepper or tomatoes instead of leafy greens. A banana or two adds sweetness to counter a “too-veggie” taste. If you are adding leafy greens, leave out milk products, but add some citrus for extra iron absorption.

Colors helps kids eat veggies

Kids are more likely to warm up to veggies if they have something to do with choosing them, either at the store or in the garden. If your children help you to plant the seeds, water the plants, and harvest the crops, chances are they will want to taste the “fruits of their labors.”

If you plant a garden with your kids, try to plant veggies in a variety of colors—green lettuces or zucchini, bright orange carrots, red tomatoes or peppers, and purple berries. Each of these colors indicates the presence of different healthy nutrients that benefits the health of children and adults alike.

If you can’t grow a garden, play a color game in the produce department of your favorite store. “Which green should we pick today? Which orange?” Give the child credit at the table for tonight’s delicious choice, and if they want, allow them to help prepare what they have chosen. You can even turn mealtime into a game to see who can “eat all their colors,” even if it is only a bite or two.

Make juice time fun and healthy

Julia Buggy, local mom and Holistic Nutrition Educator specializing in organic plant-based nutrition, knows that using a juicer is always a hit with kids. “If you combine naturally sweet items like carrots and apples, it’s easy to slip in a little spinach or beets and the whole drink is loaded with vitamins, minerals and immune-boosting goodness!” says Julia.

Another trick she has learned for kids who may have an aversion to the color is to serve the juice in a fun colored cup with lid and straw. “If they have fun helping to make the juice, chances are they will be excited to drink it.” Here’s one of her daughter’s favorites.

Pirate Punch “Vitamin C prevents scurvy after all. . .Arrrgh!”

  • 5 organic carrots
  • 4 organic apples, seeds removed
  • 3 handfuls organic local spinach
  • 2 leaves organic kale
  • 1 small lemon, zest peeled off

Freeze any leftover juice in ice cube trays for use in smoothies. “Sometimes we are too busy to bring out the juicer on these warm summer days, so my blender becomes my back-up support,” says Julia. “Smoothies are my favorite way to add veggies into my daughters’ diet. Plus they get all the fiber, too.”

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Parsnip Cupcakes

Parsnips on a bed of kale

What? Veggies in your desserts? Why yes, and they’re delicious!

1 cup Nash’s soft white flour
1 tsp. ground cardamom
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. fine salt
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract, divided
2 cups grated parsnip
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temp
1/2 stick unsalted butter, room temp
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk together flour, cardamom, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, eggs, oil, 2 teaspoons vanilla, and parsnip. Stir in flour mixture.

Line 12 standard muffin cups with paper liners. Divide batter among cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cake comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 18-20 minutes. Let cool completely.

In a large bowl, with a mixer, beat cream cheese, butter, confectioners’ sugar, and remaining teaspoon vanilla until combined. Spread frosting onto cooled cupcakes.

We thank MarthaStewart.com for this recipe.

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Nectarine Popsicles

Nectarines

Nectarines just in from Eastern Washington!

 

An end-of summer delight! If you make it with plain organic yogurt, it’s healthy, too.

1 pound nectarines, pitted and sliced, skins optional
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 cup plain yogurt (for creamier popsicles, use Greek yogurt)
For sweeter popsicles, add 1 Tbsp. honey

Puree the nectarines, lemon juice and optional honey together. If you left the skins on, use a mesh strainer to remove most of the skins. You should have about 2 cups puree.

Add the yogurt and mix well. Chill until slightly thickened, then spoon into popsicle molds. Freeze and enjoy!

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Bre’s Basic Scones

Bre is one of the farm’s unofficial Makers of Snacks. She spoils us with tasty treats! In addition to occasionally baking for us, she also works on our Harvest Crew and at farmer’s markets.

Bre has picked up a few baking tips over the years. “Try to have all your ingredients the same temperature before you mix them. Get a good sifter to thoroughly mix your dry ingredients. Keep that journal, because if you make a slight change that works well, you want to remember it!”

2 cups flour (can be different kinds)
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup chilled and cubed butter
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 egg, separated

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Next, prepare your floured surface for shaping the dough.

(Option if you don’t have buttermilk: Prepare “buttermilk” by combining 1 cup milk and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a bowl. Let stand 5-10 minutes and measure 3/4 cup liquid from the bowl.)

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl or a food processor. Either cut in the cold butter with a pastry cutter or pulse in a food processor until a sandy texture is reached. (Larger butter chunks will lead to flakier scones)

Whisk egg yolk and buttermilk together. Then combine with dry ingredients with a wooden spoon until a dough forms. If it feels too wet or sticky add a small handful of flour and mix until just combined. Trust your instinct!

Pour dough onto a floured surface and shape into a 7 inch disc. (Optional: knead in dried fruit, chocolate chips, raisins, nuts, etc.) Then cut into 8 equal wedges.

Place on your baking sheet and brush on reserved egg white. For softer scones, place touching each other in a tight circle. Bake 25-29 minutes or until barely brown on the edges. Place the sheet on a rack to cool for 10 minutes.

Once cooled, feel free to add a powdered sugar drizzle (see below) or top with preserves.

Powdered Sugar Drizzle (Optional)
1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. water or milk
1 Tbsp. vanilla.

Combine all drizzle ingredients in a small bowl, adjusting quantities to your desired consistency or top with preserves

Bre’s Baking Tips

Breanna (Bre) Krumpe came to work for Nash’s several years ago and has become one of our most valued employees. She works with the harvest and packing crews, and is also a solid marketeer, anchoring our Seattle markets several times a month. In addition to being a talented musician, she enjoys baking and has been experimenting with different types of flour from Nash’s Farm..

She started her baking “career” while working in a corporate office in Portland.She felt that the atmosphere was too sterile and cold, so she boosted morale and built friendlier relations with her co-workers by baking something for each person’s birthday. “I’m good with spices and flavors, and I like to experiment,” Bre says. “I’ve gotten to the point where flavors are usually good, so now I’m playing with textures.”

Once on the farm, Bre realized she had access to lots of different kinds of grains and flours. She began trying the different kinds, keeping a journal of her recipes and how things turned out when she changed one flour for another. “I bake lots of scones because they are pretty easy and the taste of the flour doesn’t have to compete with other flavors, so you can really compare flavors and textures.”

  • Her favorite of Nash’s flours, so far, is the triticale. “I love the nutty flavor for cookies an brownies.”
  • Nash’s soft white wheat flour is more delicate. “It puffs up more, so my scones are more like cake.”
  • The hard red is more grainy and rustic, good for bread. “It’s so ‘alive.’ I use it for sourdough bread, and each loaf is unique.”
  • She’s just started playing with barley flour. “It makes a fluffier scone than triticale, and has an earthier flavor, but it crumbles a little. I may have to add more oil or moisture.”
  • Combining flours makes for even more interesting flavors. “Buckwheat is almost sweet, so I combine buckwheat and triticale for great taste and texture.”

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Sweet and Sour Strawberry Semifreddo with Black Sesame

strawberries

Semifreddo is a kind of frozen mousse and looks like ice cream — except you don’t need an ice cream maker to create this cool summer treat!

1 lb. strawberries, hulled, quartered
⅓ cup sugar
1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
3 Tbsp. black sesame seeds
2 cups heavy cream
Pinch of kosher salt
⅔ cup sweetened condensed milk
½ cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt

Cook strawberries and sugar in a medium pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until strawberries have broken down into a thick, chunky jam (they should not be syrupy), 10–15 minutes. Stir in vinegar; let cool.

Meanwhile, toast black sesame seeds in a dry small skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Let cool.

Whip cream and salt until cream holds a medium-stiff peak. Gently whisk in sweetened condensed milk and yogurt until completely blended. Gently fold in half of strawberry jam, just enough to create streaks, then gently fold in remaining jam. Mixture should look marbled with pockets of jam.

Transfer to a medium bowl or loaf pan and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours and up to 3 days. Serve topped with toasted sesame seeds. Serves 8.

  We thank bonapetit.com for this tasty summer recipe.

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Chocolate Chip Barley Flour Cookies

Barley Flour Cookies from Bre

The crew thanks Bre wholeheartedly for this amazing treat!

3/4 room-temperature unsalted butter
1 cup loose brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
2 room-temperature Nash’s eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups Nash’s barley flour
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips, or to taste

In a stand mixer or a large bowl with beaters, cream butter, brown sugar and sugar thoroughly. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Next add baking powder, baking soda and salt. Slowly add in barley flour, scraping the sides of your bowl as needed. Mix in chocolate chips with clean hands and smile! Roll into balls 2 tablespoons at a time and bake at 375 for 12 minutes. Do not overbake!

We thank our own marketeer and field crew member Bre Krumpe for creating this amazing recipe!

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Basic Oat Crumble Topping for Fruit Crisp

Nash's rolled oats

Nash’s naked oats – grown and rolled here on the farm!

This crumble will cover a 9×13 pan of your favorite fruit crisp.

1 1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup flour
1 cup packed light brown sugar
Spices – cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger
Pinch of salt
Nuts (optional)
1 cup (two sticks) unsalted butter

Mix the dry ingredients then cut the butter into pieces and work it into the mixed ingredients with your fingers gently until it resembles coarse crumbs. Work in the nuts, if using. Sprinkle the crumbles on any fruit evenly. Strawberries and apples or pears make a nice combination. Bake at 375 as directed for the pie or crumble you’re making. (Usually bake this topping in the range of 45 minutes.)

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Chocolate Beet Cake

A bunch of golden beets8 ounces beets, unpeeled, rinsed and scrubbed free of dirt
7 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup hot espresso
7 ounces butter at room temperature, cubed
1 cup flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
5 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
Pinch salt
1 cup sugar

Grease an 8 1/2 inch pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Boil the beets in salted water until very tender, about 45 minutes. Drain, then rinse with cold water. When cool enough to handle, slip off the peels, cut into chunks, and grind in a food processor or grate until a coarse puree.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. In a large bowl, set over a pan of barely simmering water, melt the chocolate, stirring as little as possible. Once melted, turn off the heat, pour in hot espresso and stir once. Press butter pieces into chocolate and allow to soften without stirring.

Sift together flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder in separate bowl. Remove bowl of chocolate from heat and stir until butter is melted. Let sit to cool, then stir egg yolks together and briskly stir them into chocolate mixture. Fold in the beets.

In stand mixer, or by hand, whip egg whites until stiff. Gradually fold sugar into egg whites, then fold into melted chocolate mixture, being careful not to overmix. Fold in the flour and cocoa powder.

Scrape the batter into prepared cake pan and reduce oven heat to 325ºF, and bake for 40 minutes, or until sides are just set but center is still is wobbly. Do not overbake. Let cool completely, then remove from pan.

Spread with crème fraîche and sprinkle with poppy seeds shortly before serving.

We thank davidlebovitz.com for this recipe.

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