Eggless Vanilla Caramel Biscotti #CreativeCookieExchange

You can tell the end of the school year is nigh around here - coffee breaks and lunch hours at school are no longer simply times for relaxation but important prep and work periods, and the evenings and weekends are spent double checking report cards and the plans for end-of-the-year presentations that are drawing ever nearer. With just over a month until my first year of teaching Montessori draws to a close, I can't help but marvel at the work that my more experienced coworkers have done for years without fail. While I could certainly go for a black eyed coffee and a two-day nap right about now, I can't imagine what the collective feeling of the staff is. Suffice it to say, I'm going to assume coffee and something sweet will be involved.

While the bulk of my coworkers will never turn down chocolate in any form, even I have to admit that we're nearing a saturation point with the assorted mother's day, birthday, thank you and general "have something sweet" goodies that turn up in the staff room. Instead, the last time I had the urge to bake (more out of a need to avoid sitting in front of a computer screen than anything) I took a different tack, whipping up a low-fat, vegan biscotti packed with caramel, vanilla and almond flavour. When I say these are caramel biscotti, I'm not kidding - the rich, bittersweet flavour and colour comes from a full 3/4 cup of vegan caramel sauce married with buttery-yellow, somewhat nutty tasting Kamut® flour. Slivered almonds enhance the hint of almond flavour from the sauce while adding visual and textural contrast. Dunked into a mug of rich, dark roast coffee, the combination of flavours can take you away to that out-of-the-way cafe you never knew existed!

This month's Creative Cookie Exchange theme is Caramel, and by the looks of things we more than have you covered between macarons, brownies, shortbread and everything in between! If you are a blogger and want to join in the fun, contact Laura at thespicedlife AT gmail DOT com and she will get you added to our Facebook group, where we discuss our cookies and share links. Please be patient though, as this month Laura is off to Italy and will not be checking email quite as often!

You can also just use us as a great resource for cookie recipes--be sure to check out our Pinterest Board and our monthly posts (you can find all of them at The Spiced Life). You will be able to find them the first Tuesday after the 15th of each month! Also, if you are looking for inspiration to get in the kitchen and start baking, check out what all of the hosting bloggers have made:

• Basement Brownies from Sidewalk Shoes
• Camel Milk Caramel Basbousa from Food Lust People Love
• Caramel Cashew Cookies from Our Good Life
• Caramel Coconut Cookies from Basic N Delicious
• Caramel Shortbread Cookie Strips from Magnolia Days
• Caramel Thumbprint Cookies from Cookie Dough and Oven Mitt
• Caramelized White Chocolate and Cranberry Cookies from Baking Yummies
• Chocolate Caramel Shortbread Bars from The Spiced Life
• Chocolate Caramel Rocks from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Chocolate Walnut Caramel Stuffed Cookies from Noshing with the Nolands
• Eggless Vanilla-Caramel Biscotti from What Smells So Good?
• Millionaire Shortbread Bars from Spiceroots
• Salted Caramel Butter Cookies from SimplyVeggies
• Salted Caramel Macarons from A Baker’s House
• Take 5 Caramel Oatmeal Cookies from 2 Cookin’ Mamas

Figgy Olive Oil and Sesame Challah #BreadBakers

While it's only been a few days since I last shared a decadent, hearty loaf of bread with everyone, I couldn't wait to get back into the bread kitchen as soon as I could!

With the school year's end approaching all too quickly, I find myself spending more and more time away from my beloved stove and oven and in front of Excel spreadsheets and Word documents, moseying through report cards. When I can't stand another minute in front of the screen (or sitting still), bread making becomes my go-to relief - it's multi-stepped, interspersed with waiting periods which I use to continue "work" work, the (albeit minimal) hand kneading and shaping is therapeutic and the sheer variety of flavour and texture possibilities allow my imagination to run wild, even if only for an hour.

I had kept my eye on the #BreadBakers challenge group for a while now, soaking up the decadent posts from the likes of Baking in Pyjamas, Noshing with the Nolands, Magnolia Days and a few others from #SundaySupper, and I finally got the nerve to join in! This month was focused on the world of stuffed bread, and I knew exactly the loaf I wanted to create. Adapted from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook, this just hearty enough, half whole-wheat dough is enriched to silky, smooth and tender perfection with eggs, honey and both olive and sesame oils. As tender and moist as it is, after rising the dough keeps its integrity, making it strong enough to not only weave into an 8-strand plait but hold ribbons of homemade fig-sesame jam inside each "rope". Each slice has maximum fig and sesame distribution, and truthfully needs no adornment... however, that didn't stop up from thinly spreading on some tahini and runny honey at breakfast time!

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all our of lovely bread by following our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated after each event on the BreadBakers home page.

We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.

If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send an email with your blog URL to foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com.

This month, we're filling out breads with all sorts of goodies... why not "stuff" yourself with these bakes!

Sweet Breads

• Chocolate Caramel Stuffed Monkey Bread from Robin at A Shaggy Dough Story
• Cinnamon Roll Quickbread from Laura at Baking in Pyjamas
• Cream Pan - Japanese Custard Filled Buns from Shireen at Ruchik Randhap
• Figgy Olive Oil and Sesame Challah from Sarah at What Smells So Good?
• Jam filled Danish Pastries from Holly at A Baker's House
• No-Knead Apricot Sweet Rolls from Renee at Magnolia Days

Savory Breads

• Baked Peas Kachori from Shilpi at SimplyVeggies
• Cauliflower, Paneer & Peas Stromboli from Priya at I Camp in my Kitchen
• Cheesy Bacon Stuffed Pretzel Buns from Allison at The PinterTest Kitchen
• Cheesy Pizza Wheels from Tara at Noshing with the Nolands
• Chicken Stuffed Casserole Bread from Vimala at Cooking Club
• Cuban Sandwich-Stuffed Cuban Bread from Jenni at Jenni Field’s Pastry Chef Online
• Gruyère Stuffed Crusty Loaves from Adam at Bakers and Best
• Jalapeño Cheddar Stuffed Pretzel Rolls from Heather at Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks
• Jamaican Meat Loaf from Kelly of Passion Kneaded
• Paneer Kulchi from Anshie at Spice Roots
• Prosciutto, Salami and Mozzarella Stromboli from Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Russian Pirozhki from Mireille at Chef Mireille's East West Realm
• Sri Lankan Seeni Sambol Buns from Pavani at Cook's Hideout
• Stuffed Bazlama - Turkish Bread from Sneha at Sneha's Recipe
• Stuffed Black Garlic Monkey Bread from Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Stuffed Pretzel Bites from Karen at Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Tiganopsomo - Feta-Stuffed Fried Bread from Stacy at Food Lust People Love
• Zucchini and Goat Cheese Stuffed Bread from Aisha at La cocina de Aisha

Super Sunny Dutch Oven Sourdough #SundaySupper

I have one of the best moms in the world. I mean, everybody says that about their mother - and I don't doubt for a second that every single maternal figure out there is beyond worthy of adoration - but looking back at what mine has put up with over the last 10 years or so I can't believe that she would still want to associate with me, let alone put me up with room, board, food and transportation. On top of that, Mom has essentially dedicated the whole last school year to "my" cause (getting me through my first year teaching), re-adding "craft b*tch", "chauffeur" and "substitute teacher" to her resume and maintaining her position as chief taste tester for almost everything you see on the blog. Of course with this last "job title", I do my best to choose things with a reasonably high chance of approval (i.e. no okra or non-traditional meat (Mom's skeeved out by game meat and even bison), but on occasion introducing something totally foreign like tofu in a flavour-packed, well executed way has created cravings for a world outside of the local grocery store.

I'm not a stranger to cooking and baking with Jerusalem artichokes (aka sunchokes), since I not only grow them in the backyard but supplement my harvests with farmer's market purchases throughout the Fall months. For Mother's Day, I revisited my Dutch Oven Sunchoke Sourdough from years ago - a crusty, hearty, whole grain loaf with a slightly sweet, earthy crumb - and added even more "sunflower" elements. Why sunflower elements? Well, as I learned when I first started growing these tubers, Jerusalem artichokes are actually a relative of the sunflower, not the traditional artichoke! In total, both ground and whole sunflower seeds, plus sunflower oil and sunflower milk, made their way into the soft dough, finished off with an extra sunny pop of colour from diced dried apricots. Artisan crustiness formed in the Dutch oven's makeshift cloche environment, resulting in a deeply browned, hearty bite without ever going near a toaster. Luckily, the recipe makes a decent amount of bread, since it was devoured with even greater passion than it's predecessor - especially with a smear of sunflower seed butter and dark honey on top.

What do you have cooking for Mom on Mother’s Day? Breakfast in bed? A special dinner? Maybe a cookie jar full of her favorite cookies? This week, our Sunday Supper team is celebrating those special mother figures in our lives with gifts from the kitchen. Camilla Mann (of Culinary Cam) is our host this week... thanks Camilla!

Here's what's cooking up:

Celebratory Sips

• Ginger Shandy by Nosh My Way
• La Vie en Rose by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Momma's Mimosa by Our Good Life

 
Starters and Salads

• Cheese Bread by Ninja Baker
• Classic Basil Pesto Crostini by Cooking Chat
• Fennel and Radish Citrus Salad by Tasting Page
• Healthy Ham Salad Minis by Momma's Meals
• Pate with Spiced Pears by The Joyful Foodie
• Pesto Pasta Salad by Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Super Sunny Dutch Oven Sourdough by What Smells So Good?

 
Hearty Mains

• Blackberry Almond Mascarpone Stuffed French Toast by The Crumby Cupcake
• Broccoli Cheddar Frittata with Tomatoes by The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Chicken and Pepper Rice with Fried Egg by Family Foodie
• Chicken Tajine with Prunes and Almonds by The Petit Gourmet
• Coriander Salmon with Capered Green Beans by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
• Dutch Baby Pancake by Curious Cuisiniere
• Goat Cheese Scrambled Eggs and Ramps in Puff Pastry by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
• Mimosa Waffles by Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Mushroom Manchego Cream Filled Crepes by Lifestyle Food Artistry
• Parmesan Crusted Chicken with Arugula Salad by Casa de Crews
• Smoked Salmon & Shaved Asparagus Gruyere Quiche with a Pine Nut Crust by Simply Healthy Family

 
Treats and Sweets

• 5 Favorite Pancake Toppings by Sunday Supper
• Angel Food Cakes in a Jar by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Black Cow Cupcakes by Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Blueberry Breakfast Cake by Noshing With The Nolands
• Bourbon Peach Frozen Yogurt by Food Lust People Love
• Cherry Cheesecake Pastry Braid by The Redhead Baker
• Crustless Creamy Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake by Magnolia Days
• Deluxe Salted Caramel Turtle Sundae by The Weekend Gourmet
• Gluten Free Strawberries and Cream Cake by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Lemon Blackberry Mini Tarts by Life Tastes Good
• Lemon Brownies by Pies and Plots
• Lower Fat Peach Cheesecake by Food Done Light
• Mini Chocolate Marshmallow Bombe Soufflé by Nik Snacks
• Mini Lemon Almond Cupcakes by Caroline's Cooking
• Nutella Cheesecake Shooters by Fantastical Sharing of Recipes
• Pavlova by The Freshman Cook
• Perfect Chocolate Cupcakes by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Raspberry Mascarpone Mini Tarts by Palatable Pastime
• Rose Apple Custard Tart by Jane's Adventures in Dinner
• Soft-Baked Lemon Coconut Cookies by One Sweet Mess
• Steamed Strawberry Coconut Poke Cake by Wallflour Girl
• Sunshine Lemon Cake Pop Bouquet by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Triple Chocolate Layer Cake by Take A Bite Out of Boca

 
Join the #SundaySupper conversation on Twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

Blood Orange Chocolate Chunk Cookies

I think I speak for most of us working folk when I say that some days, you really, really need that mid-morning break from the daily grind. Whether it's a few minutes for sheer caffeination (hello, early morning meetings, drop offs or deadlines) or a chance to embrace the staff room as a makeshift urban oasis, the chance to step away from the must do world we live in is definitely something to savour. Since I work both at home and "at work" (i.e. the school), I'm fortunate enough to find myself in two locations with break areas filled with not only a chance to decompress from the requirements of working, but usually tasty treats too! Obviously, being who I am, I contribute my fair share of the goodies - and whenever I find myself indebted to a coworker for covering part of a shift or going out of their way to help me with the daily chores of classroom maintenance, I try to give a little bit of extra "oomph" to my gratitude with a personalized gift from the kitchen. 

These vegan and wholegrain cookies were one such gift for one of many colleagues who is constantly helping me out - crispy-shelled, just-big-enough drops have a tender interior redolent of the exotic sweet tang of fresh blood orange. To counter the typical saccharine nature of the classic chocolate chipper, I opted to use whole wheat pastry flour as well as a mix of bittersweet chocolate chunks and mini chips, not only diversifying the texture but adding a bit of "not your mama's cookies" flair to the works. From experience, I knew that popping the dough into the fridge for an hour or two would make for more even-crumbed, better-baking cookies with a richer, more blended flavour - a fact which played to my advantage, since it gave me the chance to run errands between mixing and baking!

Beet and Amaranth Soup

Well, it looks like (knock wood) we're finally beginning to enter official "leg-shaving" season - i.e. the temperature is kissing 20C and we can take the kids outside with barely a light jacket or sweater. My squash and tomato seedlings are popping up inside my mini-greenhouse, and with luck this weekend will also see the planting of my beet, carrot, chufa and nasturtium seeds! Seeing all the new life springing up around us (both plant and animal - we found a nest of baby bunnies while raking the lawn today) reminds me that fresh produce is just a stone's throw away... and I still have bags of processed veggies and stock fodder in the freezer from last fall to plow through!

One of the bagfuls of homegrown goodness I finally dug out of it's frosty home was packed with roasted and peeled Lutz beets. The best thing about this variety, to me, is that they totally lack any woodiness regardless of their size or age, and have a perfectly balanced sweet / earthy flavour that works in almost every application I've thought of - tossed into crisp salads, spiralized with carrots as a side, pickled, shredded into latke mixes or baked into cookies and cake. Given that I'm about to put this year's batch of seeds into the ground, though, I figured I should probably set about using up what I already had - and luckily it was time for me to make up a batch of soup for work lunches anyways! I had a brand-new copy of the Bob's Red Mill Everyday Gluten-Free Cookbook by Camilla V. Saulsbury begging to be cracked open, and with my pantry and freezer stocked and more than raring to go this light, flavourful adaptation of one of their soups was cooking up in short order. Along with the rich flavour of the root vegetables, the pot was filled with garlic, onions and amaranth seeds. For a final element of exoticism, I opted to add a squeeze of blood orange juice and shawarma seasoning to highlight the natural sweet-savoury flavours already going on.

Digging into a bowl right off the stove was like experiencing the height of the garden season all over again - the flavour of the beets was bright and right at the forefront of the dish. After resting in the fridge, though, nutty elements from the amaranth and subtle spices from the seasonng blend crept through and truly made for a memorable lunch with a warmed piece of pita bread on the side!

Shared with Waste Not Want Not Wednesday and Gluten Free Fridays