Grain-Free Mug Bread

Since going grain-free and moderately low carb several years ago, I haven't eaten much bread. But sometimes I just really want to eat my eggs with toast. I found this grain-free mug bread works for me - and it's just a single serving, which works because my husband is not grain-free. When I make one mug bread, I slice in in half like an English muffin, as in this picture. I have made it for savoury and sweet uses.

Read on for the recipe.

Grain-Free Cloverleaf Rolls

In middle school, one of my traumas was my uneven earlobes. One was higher than the other! Gasp, the agony. I could not wear earrings because it made me feel so uncomfortable. They were clip-ons, uncomfortable anyway, but the delicate dangling earrings just made me feel even more awkward. Thankfully my earlobes have evened out now, or maybe my head is wider and no one notices if they are a little off!

Humans love symmetry. Studies show that we are more attracted to symmetrical faces. I think that we are also attracted to symmetrical food! Hence I adore and recommend these cloverleaf rolls. They are cleverly baked in a muffin tin so they come out with three pull-apart sections.

Weekend Links #27

Weekend Links is a way of sharing all the engrossing things I see around the internet. I publish Weekend Links approximately every two weeks. As usual, I welcome your ideas and feedback.

food reading links:
--A Christian food blogger talks about bread (from Kitchen Stewardship). She and her family are gluten-free for health reasons but Jesus calls himself "the Bread of Life". How does she reconcile life and faith?
--Are you a supertaster? This article includes a link to a quiz on the BBC Science website to help you find out (from The Guardian).
--A study links eating more fruits and vegetables with better moods (from Science Daily). Eating better today also improves your mood tomorrow.

Chickpea and Chorizo Flatbread

I wrote recently about how I was out of ideas. Not just for blogging, but for cooking as well. Thanks to all of you for your sympathy in the comments on that post and on Facebook. A few days later I was frustrated and feeling like chucking stuff out. I attacked a messy kitchen cupboard and ditched some old, expired flours. I consolidated three bags of almond flour into a canister. Foods I am trying to avoid eating (mostly wheat-based) were put out of reach. And I discovered I had a big container of chickpea flour that I had forgotten about. I was determined to make something interesting out of it.

Cornbread with Corn

From the "why-didn't-i-think-of that-before?" file comes this recipe idea: adding corn to cornbread. Boy, that's an obvious idea, but it had not occurred to me until recently.

If you are anything like me, you often have some frozen or canned corn around on standby to make emergency meals when there are no "real" vegetables in the fridge. And so it is that I threw some corn into the cornbread recently. Serve with soup for a full meal. (Maybe rocket and goat's cheese soup? Or Mexican soup?)

weekend links #17

Weekend Links is a way of sharing all the engrossing things I see around the internet. I publish Weekend Links approximately every two weeks. As usual, I welcome your ideas and feedback.

food reading links:
--Does being a food blogger lead to a book deal? An article from The Guardian exploring the idea of bloggers versus "expert" book writers.

recipe links:
--Pizza dough made with white wine; what an interesting idea (from Suzie the Foodie)!
--Four new ways to drink gin and tonic (from The Kitchn). G&T is my favourite after-work drink. I think the lime and cilantro version might be enjoyable.
--This cottage cheese and mint flatbread sounds exceptionally easy to make (from Lite Bite).
--Chocolate chip cookies that are gluten- and sugar-free (except for the chocolate chips)--sweetened with bananas (from Gluten Free A-Z Blog).

off-topic links:
--I've been researching camera handbags. I really want a girly bag for my camera and laptop. VeraLana posted a great list of women's camera bag options. At the moment, I'm leaning towards an epiphanie bag called Clover.
--An article about the correctness (or lack thereof) of meta-anaylses of scientific studies. If you read only one article about scientific studies, this is my suggestion (today, anyway!).
--Why we find things annoying and how to cope (from Sarah Wilson). An insightful and funny article.

lamb kebabs and pitta bread

These minted lamb kebabs convinced me that if I have to choose cuisine from just one region of the world to live on, it would have to be Middle Eastern. When Asha (from Fork Spoon Knife) announced that this month's Velveteers challenge was to make Middle Eastern street food, I was extremely happy. The fresh mint with lamb, on a soft, fresh pitta, with fresh cucumber salad and juicy tomato, topped with yogurt--it's all so fresh!

weekend links #15

Weekend Links is a way of sharing all the engrossing things I see around the internet. I publish Weekend Links approximately every two weeks. I welcome your ideas and feedback.

food reading links:
--Seven ways to eat more veggies (from Stonesoup).
--Is Sugar Toxic? (from the New York Times)
--I'm now following the cooking adventures of Minh, who is learning about his Vietnamese heritage through the kitchen.
--Chinese and Thai cooking classes (in English) by Martha Sherpa, offered in Hong Kong.

recipe links:
--The master bread recipe from the folks behind Artisian/Healthy Bread in 5 Minutes a Day (from Kitchen Explorers).
--Chocolate cake made with aubergine (eggplant), a recipe from the book Red Velvet & Chocolate Heartache by Harry Eastwood (from her blog). The book is all about baking with vegetables. Sounds great!
--Make ahead this falafel mix and pitta bread (from The Kitchn). Then shape and cook on your chosen weeknight.

off-topic links:
--I've discovered a blog called Healthy Motivation that posts pictures, mostly, that make me want to keep trying to be more healthy. Some of the bodies of the women pictured are amazing!

Five Clever Ways to Use Leftover Rice--Including Brown Rice Pie Crust

My fridge always seems to be filled with a revolving collection of leftover rice. No sooner have I managed to incorporate the remains into a new meal, the shelf refills with more. My husband loves rice so much he sometimes begs for it, and all this leads to eternal remnants. Do you have this problem? Thought so! Let's chat about ways to use up that rice!

mushroom pizza on water chestnut flatbreads

This month's Fresh from the Oven challenge (hosted by Helen of Fuss Free Flavours) was to bake something with locally made flour. That proved to be quite a challenge for me, here in Hong Kong. However, after a long hunt, I found this water chestnut flour. How intriguing. What is this stuff?

struan bread (whole grain baking)

I have spent the last few months researching how to incorporate more whole grains into my baking. For example, I have learned that a substitution of whole wheat flour for white flour is best accompanied by more liquid, some of which should be orange juice. The orange juice is indiscernible after baking but offsets the tannic flavour that some people dislike in whole wheat.

herbed spelt popovers

These little gems turn a slightly skimpy lunch or dinner into a satisfying meal. They are very similar to whole wheat gems in that they are easy to make, healthy, and a great addition to a slightly undersized meal. What makes these popovers enjoyable for me is that they use spelt flour. Spelt flour is high in protein and low GI, so after eating these you feel fuller longer. Spelt has a mild, nutty taste and spelt flour is usually available at large grocery stores. (Information for Hong Kong residents: I bought mine at CitySuper.)

So, get yourself some spelt flour and try out these popovers; they're a good introduction to the grain. Or use whole wheat flour instead. Either way, lunch is better with popovers on the side.

Chelsea buns

Chelsea buns are a new idea for me--and a tasty one! Similar to cinnamon rolls, they enclose a buttery, sweet filling. Instead of cinnamon they are studded with dried fruit--I used raisins and dried figs. Chelsea buns were this month's Fresh From the Oven challenge, set by Wendy of Notes from the Quirky Kitchen. They sound scrumptious, don't they? My Chelsea buns, though, were a disaster.

cornmeal and pine nut bread

1. How can you transform any normally distributed random variable into the Standard Normal Distribution?
2. How has the pace been this week?
3. What is your foremost question or concern?


About once a week I ask my upper school students for some feedback using an activity called The Two Minute Drill, which I learned from an inspirational teacher several years ago. I give out small pieces of paper and ask three questions to gain feedback anonymously. The first question is always one that helps me assess whether students have understood what I've been teaching. The second asks them for some feedback on my teaching. And the third question is always the same: any concerns?

brioche (for Fresh from the Oven)--and a Croque Monsieur sandwich

This month's new bread to try was brioche, the Fresh from the Oven challenge. Brioche is so egg- and butter-rich that you can smell the deep yellow goodness as soon as they come out of the oven. Chele from Chocolate Teapot chose this delicious bread as our monthly challenge.

whole wheat walnut bread (for Fresh from the Oven)

I've learned so much since joining the bread baking group Fresh from the Oven. The monthly challenges have boosted my skills--and confidence with bread. It's my pleasure to host July's Fresh from the Oven challenge.

oatmeal and wattleseed scones

While in Australia I made dinner for Micah and Anna. They love seasonings and have the biggest private spice collection I have ever seen. I made these scones using wattleseed, an Australian ground spice. I brought them some geometric cookie cutters and had the pleasure of trying them out. (That may have been my intention when I bought them!)

Turkish pide (for Fresh from the Oven)

This delicious bread was the selection of Mrs Ergul for the June challenge of Fresh from the Oven, a baking group that has helped me stretch my skills with bread.


I added some aubergine dip (baba ganoush), sweet potato spread, and tomato chilli jam to the table, and we had a mezze-style meal with some friends.

sage breadsticks

Perfect party food, these crispy breadsticks had my guests crunching and dipping incessantly. They were part of the spread at our going away party in London, and were served with homemade hummus and some Tex-Mex queso (thanks to Matt and Bree for the Velveeta).


With sage and cheese added, they are tasty enough to eat on their own, or are great as dippers. Make them as long or short as you like--mine were limited only by the width of my pan and oven!


After the dough rises, punch it down and roll it out into an oblong. Now use scissors to cut long, thin strips. Either stretch them even thinner or twist them into twirls. While store-bought breadsticks are vapid tasting and full of additives, these are cheesy, savoury bites that everyone loved.

Sage Breadsticks
makes 40
adapted from 'Tis the Season: A Vegetarian Christmas Cookbook by Nanette Blanchard

1 T active dry yeast
1 t sugar
1 cup warm water (about 110 F/40 C)
1 t salt
2 T olive oil
2 T minced fresh sage or 2 T dried sage
1/4 c grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese
about 2 1/2 c plain flour

Mix the yeast, sugar, and water in a mixing bowl and stir to dissolve. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Add the salt, olive oil, sage, cheese and stir to combine.
Add the flour, mix, and turn out onto a floured surface. Knead for 10 minutes until dough is smooth and satiny.
Place in a greased bowl, turning the dough to coat it in oil.
Leave in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 30 minutes.
Punch down, then roll out on a floured surface. Use scissors to divide the dough into quarters, then cut each into 10 strips. Stretch or twirl each one, then lay them on baking trays.
Bake at 400 F/205 C for 15 minutes, until breadsticks are golden brown and crisp.

vegetable pate (for the Daring Cooks)

Our neighbours downstairs had a baby this weekend. What do you give to new parents? Pate and bread, of course! Their little darling is a gorgeous girl, and her vegetarian parents deserve a little break from cooking.


Our hostesses this month, Evelyne of Cheap Ethnic Eatz, and Valerie of a The Chocolate Bunny, chose delicious pate with freshly baked bread as their June Daring Cook’s challenge! They’ve provided us with 4 different pate recipes to choose from and are allowing us to go wild with our homemade bread choice.


So I baked four loaves of bread and made two pates so that I could give away half and serve half to my own darling husband. The pate was easy to make and very tasty. It was easy to unmold and came out wonderfully. The bread was a bit dense this time, but was a suitable surface for eating pate!

Tricolour Vegetable Pate
serves 12
adapted from Bon Appetit October 1993 on Epicurious

Bean Layer:
2 c (500 ml) cooked pinto beans
1 T lemon juice
1 T olive oil
1 t dried oregano
2 garlic cloves
salt and pepper

Roasted Red Pepper Layer:
1 c (250 ml) roasted red peppers (drained if jarred)
3/4 c (190 ml) crumbled feta cheese

Pesto Layer:
2 garlic cloves
2 c (500 ml) rocket
1/4 c (75 ml) toasted sliced almonds
3 T olive oil
1/2 c (125 ml) ricotta cheese

Line two bowls with plastic wrap, which should hang over the sides.
Puree the ingredients for each layer in turn. Spread the layers in the bowls, smoothing each layer before adding the next.
Cover and chill for at least eight hours.
Place in the freezer for 30 minutes before unmolding.
Serve with bread or crackers.

Seeded Whole Wheat French Bread
makes four small loaves
adapted from Simply in Season by Mary Beth Lind and Cathleen Hockman-Wert

4 c (1 L) whole wheat bread flour
2 c (500 ml) white bread flour
2 T active dry yeast
2 T sugar
1 t salt
2 1/2 c (625 ml) hot water
2 T olive oil
1 egg
2 T water
1-2 t cumin seeds, fennel seeds, sesame seeds, or poppy seeds

Mix together the flours, yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
Gradually add the hot water and olive oil; mix well.
Add more flour if necessary to make a soft dough.
Knead for 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Place in an oiled bowl and cover with a damp cloth.
Allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk.
Punch down and leave for 20 minutes. Then divide and shape into four loaves. Place on a baking tray and make diagonal slashes on the loaves.
Mix the egg and water and brush over the loaves. Sprinkle with seeds.
Allow to rise again until doubled in bulk.
Heat oven to 400 F/200 C and bake for 20 minutes.

I would make this pate again, and change the order of the layers so the green one ends up on top--that would be so much prettier. And I would make the bread again too, and try adjusting the liquids to get a softer dough--I'm sure it would be delicious after another attempt.

And I can't wait to meet the little girl downstairs. Happy birthday to her!