Serves 4-6 as a main course

2 oz mixed dried mushrooms (cremini, porcini, oyster, portobello…) from Hazel Dell in Front Range area

2 tbsp cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
2 cups arborio rice*
juice of 1 large lemon or 1/2 c dry white wine

4 cups vegetable stock- the more flavorful and fresh the better
2 tbsp cream or butter (optional)
1 tsp or more unrefined sea salt
1.5 cups shredded McIntyre Jack from Windsor Dairy or Parmesan cheese

*or use parboiled brown rice for whole grain, less-active-cooking-time needed method detailed below.

Soak dried mushrooms in 2 cups hot water for 30 minutes. Meanwhile dice the onion, juice the lemon, and shred the cheese. Heat the stock till simmering, then  low. Strain mushrooms, keeping soaking water and adding it to the vegetable stock.  Heat oil a heavy-bottomed 12 inch skillet on medium. Add onions and sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until translucent. They shouldn’t brown but it’s not the end of the world if they do.  Add the arborio and stir constantly until all grains are coated with oil and have started to turn from opaque to translucent, 2-3 minutes.  Again, don’t brown the rice- turn the heat down if needed.

Add lemon juice or wine. If you hear a sizzling sound and get some steam, that’s good, you want your pan to be nice and hot. The liquid should take a minute to absorb and keep stirring constantly in broad swirls- this is the risotto theme. If the liquid totally evaporates on contact, your pan is too hot.  After your juice has been mostly absorbed, add a cup or two of stock, to just cover the rice.  Keep stirring until it is mostly absorbed and you see thick starch streaks form behind your spoon on the pan as you stir. Add about half a cup of stock at a time, repeat this process until your rice is al dente- still with a slight firmness but mostly done, this takes about 20 minutes.  Add your rehydrated mushrooms, sea salt, and a final round of stock. Test rice for doneness and salt, add more seasoning or stock if more cooking is necessary, then remove from heat. Stir in the cream and cheese and enjoy immediately.

* WHOLE GRAIN and/or FAST VERSION- for brown rice or to use a technique that does not require so much stirring attention, pre-cook your rice in veggie stock until it is al dente- still with a slight firmness but mostly done.  You may want to use less stock than usual- try 2 cups rice to 3 cups stock, so that your rice has absorbed most of the water when it reaches al dente stage.   Then follow the directions as above, but you will only need 1-2 cups of stock to finish cooking the rice in 5-10 minutes. Thanks to my housemate Stefani Crabtree for introducing me to this method.

*EVEN FASTER version: Or just cook rice as normal (simmer rice in twice as much liquid as rice) with stock and mushroom soaking liquid rather water, and stir in mushrooms, cheese, and salt for a quick ‘risotto.’ Both these verisons will have a slighly diferent texture than the classic risotto but are quite tasty!

During the growing season you can find his flour at the Boulder Farmers’ Market.

Storing Farmer John’s Flour
To preserve the best flavor and nutrition, keep your whole grain flour (from any source) in the refrigerator or freezer, and don’t buy more than you’ll use in a few months at a time. Because John’s flour is whole grain, it contains entire wheat kernels, including the bran and germ of the grain that are removed in the processing of white flour. The bran and germ contain the vitamins and minerals in the wheat- providing great nourishment- but these can go rancid if your flour is not stored properly.

Colorado Sourdough with Farmer John's flour

Makes 2 loaves

The night before:
5 c whole wheat flour (try Farmer John’s in the Boulder area)
1-1 1/2 cups starter
4 c room temperature water

In the morning:
Replenish the starter
1/2 cup olive oil or melted butter (optional)
1 tbsp unrefined sea salt
4-5 c or more whole wheat flour

At night, add the starter to 5 cups of flour without mixing. Adding the water gradually, mix until a thick mud-like batter forms. Beat well. Cover with a damp towel and set aside overnight.

In the morning, remove 1-1 1/2 cups from the sponge to replenish the starter, and refrigerate it for the next batch. Fold the oil, salt, and remaining flour into the sponge gradually with a spatula or wooden spoon. When the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl, tip onto a floured countertop. Knead for about 5 minutes, adding more flour to the board and your hands as necessary, until the dough firms up and the outside of the ball is smooth and slightly sticky. You can knead in any herbs, roasted garlic, raisins, and other additions that you’d like.

Cut into two pieces and form into loaves, pinching the seam together at the bottoms. The loaves can also be shaped into balls and baked on a sheet, or into standard rectangle loaves and baked in oiled bread pans. Slit the tops with 1/2 inch deep lengthwise gashes. Cover with a damp towel and let rise 2 hours at room temp or until doubled.

Brush or spritz the tops with water and bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 20 minutes. Brush with water again, reduce the heat to 375 degrees and continue baking for an hour or until the loaves are nicely browned and make a resounding hollow sound when tapping the bottom.

Adapted from The Tassajara Bread Book by Ed Brown- a great resource to learn more about kneading, loaf shaping, and other bread baking techniques.

Dry Ingredients:
2 cups gluten- free flour mix: 1 c brown rice, 2/3 c sorghum, 1/3 c tapioca and
1 tsp xanthum gum
or 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ginger
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp fresh ground nutmeg

Wet Ingredients:
1/2 cup organic butter, softened (salted ok)
1/2 cup brown rice syrup
1/4 cup molasses
2 organic eggs
zest of one organic orange

1.5 cups pie pumpkin or butternut puree from 1 medium (~3lb) butternut squash
1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger (for an extra treat) or 2 tbsp fresh grated ginger

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. If you haven’t already cooked your squash, cut the squash in half, scoop out pulp and seeds with a spoon, then place face down on a baking sheet with a little water. Bake for 25- 35 minutes, less for smaller squash, or until tender. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile stir your dry ingredients together in a medium bowl. In a large bowl beat the butter with a wooden spoon until it is fluffy and creamy. A mixer may be used as well. Add the brown rice syrup, and molasses and stir until evenly incorporated and smooth. Beat in eggs and zest until well combined- a couple of minutes. Gently fold in half the dry mixture into the wet. When just combined fold in the remaining dry ingredients until no flour streaks are visible. Carefully stir in the pumpkin and ginger and spoon immediately into a greased loaf pan or cupcake pan. Bake for about 20 minutes for the cupcakes (check after 15 minutes or if you smell them) or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean. Bake the bread for about 45 minutes or a toothpick comes out clean. The gluten-free version tends to take a little longer than the wheat version; you may need to cover the top of the bread to prevent burning while the middle bakes. Muffins work beautifully gluten-free. Enjoy warm with a little butter.

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 lrg yellow onion, sliced thinly
1 pound Brussels sprouts
1/3 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1 Jonathan apple (or other tart apple)
Unrefined sea salt
1/2 tsp raw apple cider vinegar

Begin by caramelizing the onions. Heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions and stir constantly for one minute, or until any water released from the onions has evaporated. Reduce the heat to low and let the onions cook, stirring very occasionally, for about half an hour. They will shrink in size and turn a deep golden brown.
While the onions are cooking preheat the oven to 400 degrees. If you haven’t already roasted your walnuts, spread them on a baking sheet. Clean the Brussels sprouts by removing any dirty or mangled outer leaves, slicing them in half, and rinsing. Place on a baking sheet and slide the nuts and sprouts in the oven. Toast the nuts for 5-10 minutes, until fragrant, and roast the sprouts for about 10 minutes, or until slightly tender and bottoms begin to brown. Meanwhile dice the apple into bite-size chunks. Remove the Brussels sprouts and nuts from the oven and toss in a large bowl with the onions, apple, and a couple pinches of salt. Add a splash of raw apple cider vinegar, adjust seasonings to taste, and enjoy immediately.

2 delicata squash, halved
2 cups water
1/2 tsp unrefined sea salt
1 cup quinoa, rinsed- I rinse it in the pot, then add water
1 Jonathan or other tart apple
3 large sage leaves, minced
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup toasted delicata seeds* or pumpkin seeds

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Delicata squash are often small enough that I can fit them into my (on the larger side) toaster oven, which is convenient and energy saving. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Place the squash face-side down on an oven-safe dish and bake for about 25 minutes, or until soft.
*If you wish to use the seeds, save the pulp and pick the seeds out. Rinse, coat with a tablespoon of oil, and spread them on a baking sheet. Toast for 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Toss with a few pinches of salt and set aside.

While the squash bakes, cook the quinoa. Bring the water with salt and quinoa to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until the quinoa has absorbed all the liquid. Meanwhile dice the apple into bite-sized chunks and cut the sage into the smallest pieces you can. After the quinoa has cooked, let sit for a few minutes, then combine with the apple, sage, olive oil, and seeds. Taste and throw in another pinch of salt if needed. Pull the squash out of the oven when tender, fill with quinoa stuffing, and enjoy while it’s hot. For even more eye-catching presentation serve this dish on the same plate with your favorite green vegetable. And yes, you can eat the squash skin; it’s delicious!

Abalon Guild’s Winesap apples lend just the right amount of tartness and distinctive bite to this lightly sweetened, ginger and cinnamon accented pie. Crust options- all whole grain- include wheat, spelt, or gluten-free, vegan or not. Choice of agave, brown rice syrup or unrefined cane sugar. Create your favorite alternative and love it.

Organic roasted Brussels sprouts from Cure Farm tossed with caramelized onion from Pachamama Organic Farm, organic Jonathan apples from Ela Family Farms, and toasted walnuts. Seasoned with a touch of olive oil, a pinch of unrefined sea salt, and a dash of raw apple cider vinegar.
Get the recipe here.

2 cups gluten-free flour mixture* or whole wheat pastry flour
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp unrefined sea salt
(Real is my fave)
3 eggs
11/4 cup unrefined cane sugar (Alter Eco, Sucanat, or Rapadura)
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp vanilla
3 small apples, cut into 1/2 cubes or thinly sliced
2 cups grated flavorful pie apples-Jonagold and Winesap are perfect varieties, sweet and tart, but can usually only be found at your local farmers’ market in season. Pink Lady or Fuji apples are sweet without the tart and more widely available. If your apples are gushing water as you grate, wrap half of them in a dish towel and squeeze the liquid out, reserving to add back in later if the batter is not moist enough.

*brown rice flour based mixtures work best. There are some available in health stores, or you can make your own by combining 2 tsps xanthum gum with 1 cup brown rice flour, 1/3 cup sorghum flour, 1/3 cup tapioca flour, and 1/3 cup quinoa or amaranth flour for a heartier cake, or potato starch for a lighter one. Use this mixture in any muffin, quickbread, or cookie recipe calling for all-purpose flour.

Preheat the over to 350 degrees and line an 8×8 baking pan or a loaf pan with unbleached parchment paper. For gluten-free baking the paper gives you an easy transportation method to ensure your masterpiece doesn’t meet a crumbly fate when you try and remove it from the pan.

Mix together the flour, spices, leavening and salt in a medium bowl. In a larger bowl use a wooden spoon to beat the eggs, sugar, olive oil, and vanilla until the sugar has dissolved a bit and the mixture has a lighter color and more airy texture- this will take a few minutes. Then add the dry ingredients stir like you mean it for a minute until no flour streaks are left. Fold in the grated and chopped apples, and scoop the batter into your prepared pan. If your forearms aren’t up for the fun, an electric mixer will do the job, but I think the extra effort results in better taste.

Bake for 35 minutes or so, more if using a loaf pan, until the top has turned a dark, golden brown and a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Let the cake sit for ten minutes and then grab the corners of the parchment paper and transfer it to a wire rack. Let the cake cool, then slice and serve. For an extra treat, warm some honey with lemon zest and drizzle it over the top.

The easiest way to make a nice, hearty batch of granola is to mix all your ingredients (except dried fruit!) in a large bowl, then spread the mixture out on a cookie sheet or two and bake it at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes depending on the moistness, stirring a few times to make sure it toasts evenly. Let cool (it will harden more as it cools), add dried fruit, and enjoy!

So what ingredients? Some ideas to mix and match:

4-5 cups rolled whole grain:
Oats, spelt, rye, quinoa, wheat, or a mixture. Certified gluten-free rolled oats are now available from Bob’s Red Mill if that is a concern. Whole quinoa, rinsed, provides a nice crunch and oat or wheat bran can provide bulk.

1/2 cup (or more) unrefined sweetener:
Brown rice syrup is my current favorite; it has a nice, caramel kind of twist and is not overpoweringly sweet. Or try maple syrup, honey, and/or agave, and perhaps add a little molasses for some more distinct flavor. You can even add unsweetened applesauce, orange juice, your favorite jam… give your granola a taste test to make sure you’re satisfied- these sweeteners have very different potencies. Sucanat or Rapadura- brand names of unrefined granulated cane sugar, can satisfy the sweet tooth.

Some oil, if you want it:
Oil isn’t even necessary, granola will crunch without it. The ubiquitous canola oil is controversial in the health world. Because it is highly chemically refined and doesn’t taste like anything but still adds calories, I tend to avoid it. My choice of ‘oil’ if I do use it is a couple tablespoons of ghee- clarified butter. Melted butter, a bit of sesame oil, or even olive oil can work. Melted coconut oil has a strong presence and I find most enjoyable combined with dried coconut in granola.

Chopped nuts, say 1 cup, more or less:
Almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, macademia, cashews, pine nuts!, brazil nuts, peanuts- go nuts!

Seeds- a handful or two:
Pumpkin, sunflower, flax and sesame-try to find unhulled, the sesame equivalent of ‘whole grain’ versus refined, for the most health benefits - are my most used seeds. For sesame I’ll throw them in with my other ingredients to bake. With other seeds often I like to keep them raw and toss them in after baking. Ground flax adds nice texture.

Spices:
Cinnamon, ginger- dried or fresh grated, and ground cardamom are my go-to’s. No reason not to experiment with allspice, cloves, nutmeg, mace, fennel, or others though. Cinnamon I use on the order tablespoons, the rest teaspoons, less for cloves, usually having around 1-2 tablespoons of spice total.

My special twist- fruit zest:
Orange or lemon zest can make a world of difference if you’re going for a simple yet flavorful granola. Zest one whole orange or lemon into your next batch and see what you think!

Dried fruit, a few handfuls- add this after baking:
Raisins, cranberries, apples, currants, apricots, goji berries, blueberries, cherries, banana, mango, dates, coconut. In the the photo above the granola has one of my favorite discoveries- freeze dried fruits. They have a light, crunchy texture and delicious taste when dry, and if you eat your granola like cereal they’ll rehydrate and suddenly you have fresh fruit.

**add dried fruit after you’ve baked your granola. This lesson is striking if you you learn it the hard way and all your scrumptious dried cranberries turn to inedible bits of charcoal and you’re forced to pick through your granola to salvage the rest of it.

Favorite flavor combinations:

Becki’s Cinnamon Apple Granola- Rolled oats, lots of cinnamon (few tablespoons), apple sauce, brown rice syrup, a little Sucanat, dried cranberries, and raisins. Walnuts if you’re inspired.

Orange Almond Apricot- Rolled oats, whole quinoa, honey, orange juice, almonds, cardamom, ginger, orange zest, dried apricots, pumpkin seeds.

Coconut Cardamom- rolled oats, ghee, brown rice syrup, cardamom, currants, pistachios, lemon zest, grated coconut, ground flax.