seasons

I love the smell of autumn. Blackberries ripening in the sun, leaves crunching underfoot. It’s glorious.
In an effort to eat along the lines of a less-processed, whole foods diet I’ve been paying attention to the seasons. I swear it makes time go slower, it’s a nice side effect.
Taking cues from Béa at La Tartine Gourmande — who seems to have a masters degree in enjoying life — I raided my parents’ plum tree this year. Me, my dad and a ladder. Sure we could reach just one more plum on that branch just — out — of — reach. There were a whole lot of plums left on that tree but we managed to get enough for me to bake and, for the first time ever, make jam on my own.
Plums to me equal Pflaumenkuchen. The whole gluten-free eating thing means I don’t get to have the real deal, but I’m hard-pressed to follow a recipe twice anyway, so improvisation ensued. I  used a modified version of a gluten-free tart found on La Tartine Gourmande and promptly ate an entire tart when it came out of the oven.

edible gluten free brownies

“Edible” is the key word in that title. Since receiving a verdict of “gluten intolerant” I’ve tried a plethora of gluten-free products and with the exception of one pasta, one cookie and one bread, I’d rather not eat them. This goes for most of the gluten free recipes I’ve tried as well. Don’t for a moment think that I’m a carb-hater. On the contrary, I appreciate a good, solid beer and soft, doughy bread with a nice crust. I’m persevering in my efforts, supergirl style, and was recently rewarded when I made a batch of brownies.

The super-easy batter was whipped up in a food processor. The result: surprisingly decadent, moist brownies, sans flour. How was this feat achieved, you ask? Black beans. Three cheers to Chocolate and Carrots for posting the yummy recipe!