Fresh from the farm and the oven, these cookies make for a perfect picnic tea time.

Mmm. It’s a sound that echoes across rows of raspberries, as red-stained pickers, like me, hover over plants plucking by the pint. A few days later, “mmm” resonates around my kitchen while whisking up a batch of raspberry jam and then, Raspberry Butter Cookies. As the smell of buttery (vegan) baked goodness, mixed with fresh raspberries wafts through my New York City apartment, I feel transported to the farm upstate where we gathered these sweet red jewels. And I imagine myself a homesteader—baking not just for the sheer pleasure of it, but for the sake of letting nothing that I grew go to waste.

I’m normally not one to cook farm fresh berries or take them out of their whole berry goodness, for fear of tainting them in some unknown way. But, when our Foodie Underground columnist presented a recipe for sweet and simple jam, all fearful feelings of berry destruction went out the door. And, when I considered the nutritional benefits of raspberries (which seem to stay largely intact through this jam making process—as indicated by its brightly retained red color), I ran out of excuses. Rich in vitamin C and fiber, raspberries, according to a study, possess almost 50% higher antioxidants than strawberries, three times that of kiwis and ten times the activity found in tomatoes.

So, guilt can go out the back door. After all, it’s summer. Eat it up. Raspberries, butter cookies and all.

The Original – Raspberry-Filled Butter Cookies
from Lost Recipes Found

Ingredients

• 3 cups sifted flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons half-and-half
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2/3 cup raspberry jam

The Vegan & Gluten-Free Version – Raspberry-Filled Butter Cookies
Makes approximately 3 dozen

Ingredients – Raspberry-Filled Butter Cookies

• 3 cups gluten-free flour blend:
• (1 cup sorghum flour)
• (1/2 cup brown rice flour)
• (1/2 cup white rice flour)
• (1/2 cup tapioca flour)
• (1/4 cup almond flour)
• (1/4 cup garbanzo flour)
• (2 teaspoons xanthan gum)
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup butter (I used Earth Balance Coconut Spread and omitted the ½ teaspoon salt, since most vegan butters come with salt included)
• ¾ cup sugar
• Egg substitute for 1 egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons warm water, whisked together)
• 2 tablespoons cashew nut milk (or another rich, dairy free milk of your choice)
• 1 teaspoons vanilla
• 2/3 cup raspberry jam (see recipe below)

Ingredients – Raspberry Jam

• 2 cups raspberries
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 ½ cups sugar (add to taste)
• 1 vanilla bean pod (or 2 tablespoons vanilla extract)

Directions – Butter Cookies

1. Sift together the gluten free flours with baking powder (and salt, if adding). Set aside
2. Cream together the butter and sugar. Stir in the egg substitute, dairy free milk and vanilla.
3. Blend in the dry ingredients.
4. Divide the dough into two balls, and flatten into disks. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and chill for an hour, or until ready to bake, in the refrigerator.
5. Preheat oven to 400°F
6. Spread one large piece of plastic wrap on the counter, and place one of the dough disks in the center.
7. Cover with another piece of plastic wrap, and using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to approximately 1/16 of an inch (not too thick but still manageable.)
8. Remove the top plastic wrap, and using a donut cutter or a linzer cookie cutter, dip the cutter in flour (if the dough sticks to it) and cut out an even number of plain rounds as donut/linzer rounds.
9. Transfer the cookies to cookie sheets.
10. Bake for 5 – 8 minutes (or longer if you prefer crunchier cookies).
11. Remove from the pan and allow to cool on a cooling rack.
12. Place a small amount of the raspberry jam (directions for jam, below) in the center of each of the plain rounds (the cookie bottom). Top with the cut-out cookie and carefully press together.
13. Enjoy!

Directions – Raspberry Jam

1. Place the raspberries and water in a saucepan.
2. If adding a vanilla bean, cut the pod in half, scrape out the seed and add both the seeds and pod to the saucepan.
3. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 5 minutes. Stir continuously so it doesn’t burn.
4. Stir in the sugar and let simmer for another 3-5 minutes until the jam thickens.
5. Take out the vanilla pod, and pour the jam into glass jars. Leave to cool.
6. Store in the refrigerator until ready to enjoy!

Author Jennifer Barckley picking summer fresh raspberries in Hudson, New York.  

The post Vegan This: Gluten-Free Raspberry-Filled Butter Cookies appeared first on EcoSalon.

This is the time of year when I can barely fit my farmers’ market purchases in my bike basket. Late summer and early fall combine to create more abundant choices than any other time of the year. Here are a few of my top local, organic picks for early September with some ideas for enjoying them. Hopefully wherever you are, you are enjoying similar abundance!

Vegetables:

Eggplant

Always slice, salt, and let drain for 30-45 minutes and pat dry before proceeding with your recipe, whether it be sautéing, grilling or baking (unless you’re cooking it whole over a flame). Lately, I’ve been making ratatouille with peppers and squash a la Julia Child. Or for a quick and easy Southeast Asian flavor, panfry in hot oil, remove from pan and drain on paper towels. Wipe out the pan, add a little more oil and sauté chopped shallots, garlic and ginger. Return the eggplant to the pan and add a mixture of soy sauce, fish sauce, sweet soy sauce (kecap manis) sririacha and water. Cook until the eggplant is glazed with sauce.

Peppers

Roast over an open gas flame or on the grill whole and peel, puree in food processor with eggplant that has been similarly roasted whole and peeled, garlic, and olive oil for a delicious spread .

Tomatillos

Make a salsa verde. I sometimes add avocado to mine.

Corn

Serve it Mexican style: Boil or grill, and smear with mayonnaise (or if that freaks you out, plain, Greek yogurt) sprinkle with cayenne, Mexican oregano, Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper.

Tomatoes

So many ways to enjoy. Current favorite: Sliced with avocado and placed open faced on toasted artisan bread with good salt.

Butter lettuce

Make a simple salad with cucumbers and avocado and serve it with a creamy Green Goddess dressing. I use yogurt (or creme fraiche if I’m feeling particularly decadent) in place of mayonnaise and anchovy fillets in place of the paste, and I vary the herbs by including parsley, dill or chives.

Cucumbers

Slice and sprinkle with fancy salt and rice wine vinegar. Eat. Or make bread and butter pickles.

Summer squash

Here’s a good way to use up an abundance: grate, sprinkle with salt and drain for 20 minutes. Rinse, squeeze dry and sauté with butter, salt, pepper and add a little grated cheese of your choice before serving.

Fruits:

Peaches

If you get tired of eating them, make a galette.

Plums

Slice and use anywhere you would tomatoes. Just for fun, I recently put some tart, firm plums in a halibut ceviche quite successfully.

Melons

Enjoy in yogurt for breakfast with homemade plum jam stirred in.

Figs

Pair with cheeses and salty cured meats. Grilled or fresh.

Apples

Chop and cook with cinnamon, butter and brown sugar and eat with oatmeal.

Asian pears

Perfect afternoon snack. So fragrant.

Grapes

Another perfect afternoon snack and also good in salads.

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The post 15 Fresh, Seasonal Foods to Enjoy Now appeared first on EcoSalon.