favorite

 want to try

 have tried

I love the idea of this recipe, because my previous attempts at 100% whole wheat cookies haven't worked out so well!

These came out nicely, though I found the cooking time to be way too much for my oven. Also, they were very sweet and didn't have enough chocolate! So, next time I would try to cut down on the sugar a bit, add more chocolate and cook for less time. I adjusted the second batch to 14 minutes total, which did the trick.

Additionally, the recipe calls for a mixer, which I finally just bought, but I think this recipe would be tough to do without the mixer if following the instructions precisely, due to the use of cold butter. However, I don't think using warmed butter would make a huge difference in the outcome, as I warmed up the leftover dough after keeping it in the fridge, prior to cooking. Enjoy!

That's interesting, I found these cookies to be perfect, in sweetness and chocolate level. I added walnuts once, which worked nicely. And I loved their consistency when I baked them cold from the fridge. Very hard to shape but worth it! I lovely cakey centre and more raised.

I make these quite often and people go crazy for the texture and flavor of them.
I've used white whole wheat(Prarie Gold brand) flour also, and people can't believe they are whole-grain.

I always soften the butter, which works perfectly, and I tend to keep my cookies more in the 1 Tablespoon-size range than the 3-tablespoons she recommends.

Storing the cooled cookies in an airtight container with a piece of sliced bread will keep the soft and delicious for many days.

I used Maldon sea salt and a mix of all purpose flour (2 cups) and buckwheat flour (1 cup) as that was what I had on hand. They came out delicious but super-salty...next time I'll go table salt instead of flakes and try out the whole-wheat flour. Yum!

I wouldn't have combined whole wheat with my cookies, any of them, much less chocolate. But, I swear, the whole wheat complements the chocolate extremely well. And adding pecans or walnuts makes them even better!

I've been making whole wheat cookies for at least 5 years and the FLAVOR of these is amazing! I absolutely love the saltiness of these (or maybe I added too much salt? Hope not, because that's my favorite part of these).

I have to say, though, that these cookies got rock hard after sitting on the counter for only a few hours and I'm not really into hard cookies so I will need to figure out what makes a cookie stay softer longer and tweak from there. I expected something different especially since the recipe uses so much sugar and butter. Any suggestions are appreciated.

Lisa - I made these again as I had the rock hard issues the first time too! This time I left them to cool only for approx 10 mins out of the oven, then quickly got them into an airtight container - and they turned out soft and chewy and perfect...

These cookies are addictive. I think they are the best chocolate chip cookie recipe ever. My husband, who considers himself the king of cookies, has officially given up trying to tweak the recipe. I did go ahead and freeze some of the dough into logs which is great for those satisfying those cookie urges. They are amazing straight out of the oven. They get pretty hard after cooling, so I find it better so bake in small batches. (And have smalller, more frequent cookie binges).

This is hands down my favourite chocolate chip cookie recipe, ever! They turn out huge, so will make them smaller next time. Incredibly moorish which could be dangerous especially when in original size but that never stopped anybody! ;)

Also, they freeze happily (and for many months!) which is handy! So what isn't devoured could quite easily be stashed away or better yet double the recipe and you'll always have a supply at the ready!

 want to try

 have tried

I first learned about this cookbook on my daughter's website, www.diaryofalocavore.com, and this was the first recipe I tried. It took a little effort to find the right kind of flour (graham flour), but it was well worth it. By the way, there's no need to grate the graham nuts in a food processor, as the recipe tells you; they crush just as well (and with a lot less trouble) with a rolling pin. I don't eat any processed cereal, so until I found this recipe I was eating only my own homemade granola -- which is delicious, but it's very nice to have some variety!

I am Lizi's daughter (Elspeth) and I have to second this. We have eaten these every morning for 2 weeks straight and are going full steam ahead.

Interesting cereal- the flavor of the graham flour works really well with milk - I'm not sure if it is similar to grape nuts cereal but it is tasty. (Like a less sweetened crushed graham cracker.) This needs to bake until it is very dry, and I needed the full amount of baking time required in the recipe, plus some (I needed about 20 minutes more). One quibble- I crushed my cereal in the food processor, and much of it turned to dust- still edible but not the intended texture. I would go with Lizi's suggestion of using a rolling pin next time- makes it easier to control the final texture to where you like it.

I second Trisha's comment, I ran mine through the food processor too and got dust, rolling pin bashing would be much better. I have been baking my way through this book cover to cover, and so far this is only recipe I wouldn't happily make again. I felt it was too much work for a small bang.

 favorite

 want to try

 have tried

I'm not usually a banana bread fan -- it's often too gummy. This cake, however, achieves what I think banana bread should. Moist, flavorful, not too sweet. I think the ground walnuts might be the difference. I like swapping the walnut topping for some demerara sugar. Pecans have also worked beautifully in the cake.

Great banana cake not cloying at all.

This banana cake / bread/ muffin recipe is simply wonderful - I have made it 4 times already as muffins. The banana and yoghurt give it a wonderful softness and taste, you only need to add a small amount of sugar. Could well be substituted with date syrup.Yes, and the walnuts complement it all well. See that you roast them before. Perfect for the school box. My daughter (and her friends) loves it. And me, too.

loli99: Did you use quinoa flour or a substitute? I don't think I have ever seen it in the store.

@Vickstersb: I did not fuss with running after something like quinoa flour. Instead I put some quinoa in my small grinder. I also substituted all-purpose flour with whole grain spelt flour, my favourite for cakes with a nutty taste. Plus a little bit more of yoghurt instead of sour cream for softness. All those modifications worked well but ... is that still the original recipe then ;-) ?

This banana cake is delicious. I topped with black walnuts, and used regular walnuts, ground, inside the cake. And I halved the amount of both white and brown sugar. It came out moist, and not too sweet. The texture is interesting, I think due to the ground nuts and sour cream.

Kim Boyce is right - this cake is habit forming. Not too sweet, with noticeable banana and quinoa flavours, and a nice density. I swapped out half the butter for toasted walnut oil, but the walnut flavour is still quite subtle.

@jibban: great idea to use walnut oil. Next time I will give it a try, too. Thank you.

You're welcome!

I'm not really sure if I can vote on the original recipe written by Kim, but the gluten-free version that I made inspired by her recipe came out wonderful! Super moist and no one could even tell it was gluten-free, always a bonus. I used almonds in place of walnuts (I'm not a fan of them), used yoghurt in place of sour cream to make it tolerated by my lactose intolerant kids and I and used a combination of gluten-free flours. The quinoa flour works amazingly with the rich banana base. Will be making again now that banana's are a reasonable price once again here in Australia!

 favorite

 want to try

 have tried

I made these and featured them on 101 Cookbooks. They're a bit of a project, but well worth it. Complex and jammy with a hint of sweetness and lots of flavor coming from the collision of the caramelized sugars in the fig butter and the hot baking sheet.

I agree with Heidi that these are a project and also that they're worth it. My first attempt was a disaster, and my second attempt was less of a disaster - and I'll try them again until I get it right. (They were delicious, just not pretty!) The flavor is rich and complex, and Kim's comment in her headnotes that these are like a "sophisticated Fig Newton" is spot on.

I'm a bit nervous but I'm about to start on this 'project'... wish me luck!

Ok, so, the figgy buckwheat scones are BEAUTIFUL. Crunchy like a cookie around the edges, soft and pastry like around the insides of each swirl. The fig butter and the buckwheat are such a compatible pair.
These are definitely at their best warm from the oven, but I've got to say- I'm eating a day old one right now- it still has a really nice texture. More like a big cookie than a scone now.
Oh, also, I let these scrolls sit, unbaked, overnight in the fridge, and they turned out really well. Makes this 'project' into a more conveniently timed brunch dish.
I think another way to make these scones more convenient is to make a large batch of the fig butter. I doubled the quantity, which means there's enough for 4 batches of scones. It seems to keep really well in the fridge, just make sure you leave it out for quite a while so it's soft enough to spread over the dough.

I have no excuse for turning these in to Strawberry Buckwheat Scones; I grabbed a jar of jam, it was reddish and had seeds in it. Only after I had spread it did I realize it wasn't fig. I'd call this a happy accident, probably more popular than fig @ work. I do intend to make these as written next time, maybe I'll be able to roll those cute tight spirals too. I love the toothsome-ness of the buckwheat flour.

 favorite

 want to try

 have tried

My kids usually eat ww chocolate chip pancakes so when they got home from swim practice and I offered these (which obviously had no such chocolate chips peeking out) they offered me a skeptical eye, understandably. The fact that I called them by their name... OATMEAL pancakes only added to their disappointment. My older one reminded me that she doesn't like oatmeal (as if I had forgotten).

I made these last night after they had gone to bed and after they cooled put them in the freezer so today I heated up one for each of them and told them to at least give it a try. If they didn't want any more then they didn't have to have it.

But guess what?! They LOVED THEM!! They asked for MORE! And they didn't ask for chocolate chips!

The texture of these is so airy and fluffy that I just have to brand Kim Boyce a genius for thinking of adding cooked oatmeal to the batter (or at least I had never done this before). I used leftover Scottish oats as I always have some on hand because that's what I usually eat for breakfast during the week. These were so so so good that they will become a staple in the pancake rotation, especially because I love that they will be getting some real oats in the mix (!!). Makes a mama's heart proud... though I'm sure they'll ask if they can sprinkle some chocolate chips into the pan while the batter is cooking at some point in the future. Can't blame them for trying.

Another thing to note: I used almond milk as a substitution for all of the whole milk called for in the recipe. I may also try to reduce the butter the next time I make these and I will definitely add cinnamon because I just can't help myself... I love cinnamon.

I can honestly say that these are the best pancakes I've ever made.

The texture, when cooked straight away is both chewy and light, the flavour is full of toastie oatie goodness, and best of all it uses up left over porridge! I haven't had such a good use for left over porridge since I had a flock of chooks!

I've mucked with the flour proportions quite a bit, using a mixture of spelt and oat bran instead of the oat flour (didn't have any). I think you could play with just about any combination because what really makes these pancakes sing is the cooked oats.

I love these as well- the oatmeal makes an excellent addition. I don't use whole milk- I use 2% to no ill effect. Listen to Kim's instructions on thinning the batter if it sits for any amount of time- it definitely thickens really quickly (mine in about 5 minutes of sitting).

Thank you Kim (and everyone that posted enthusiastic comments) for your inspiration- I love oats and these pancakes are outstanding! Rarely, do I make any recipe without first modifying it to my methods and taste- this one was no exception. First, I made the oatmeal using almond milk instead of water. Then I converted the cups and spoons measurements to gram weight. (This makes adjustments to the total servings up or down very easy and, although not particularly critical to pancakes, improves repeatable results) Since I don't usually have a need for 18 pancakes, I cut the recipe in half. Then substituted whole wheat pastry flour for the all-purpose flour, 1% buttermilk for the whole milk, eliminated the sugar, reduced the salt, reduced the molasses, reduced the butter and added ¼ tsp. of baking soda to react with the buttermilk. I will make these often, now that I have left-over cooked oatmeal pre-weighed, packaged and frozen.

This were good. Great texture. We'll make them again when we have leftover oatmeal. We'll also keep using our oatmeal pancake recipe from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, for those mornings we don't have premade oats.

 favorite

 want to try

 have tried

Now that zucchini is in season, this is the perfect way to use it up. I love the complexity the rye flour and herbs bring to a simple zucchini bread. The baking time is long, but if you use your food processor to grate the zucchini and chop/measure the herbs ahead of time, you can throw the batter together in 15 minutes - I did it in the morning before work and got ready while it was in the oven. My coworkers' only complaint was that I didn't bring in enough to share!

This a great zucchini bread if you're looking for a version that is more bread than cake. I know, no one ever calls them 'cake', but many versions I've tried have a lot of sweetness to them, as well additions like cranberries, sultanas, nuts etc. This zucchini bread is straight down the line simple. Even so, it's got a great flavour because of the rye flour, and that's its most stand apart feature. Also, second day on and the cut bread still tastes really fresh.

I love my old sweet and spicy zucchini bread recipe but after trying this, I may never go back to it. My mother in law has perfected "baking" on the gas grill so I followed her tips and baked this outside which was great since baking season and zucchini season don't really coincide.

This is a great not-too-sweet zucchini bread recipe. In my opinion, the mint and basil is what makes it special. So glad I tried this now, since there is still lots of prime zucchini time left in the summer.

Flavour was great in this recipe, maybe a bit too moist, but its definately a keeper!

 favorite

 want to try

 have tried

If you like coconut, you have to try these. They are best right out of the oven when the coconut on the outside is still a little crisp, but they are great for a few days. They look right at home in a holiday cookie assortment. The ingredients are pretty expensive, especially the coconut flour, but be careful if you try to substitute another type of flour for the coconut flour because it has some unusual properties. I recommend splurging on all the proper ingredients for these cookies to end up with the best possible outcome.

I just made these cookies and will blog on them after a little more experimentation. My first impressions? They are unlike any cookie I've ever made before.

To me, they seem to celebrate the flours that have been used, which is quite unusual. Cookies are normally about chocolate, or fruit or jam or caramel or nuts or sweetness or crunchiness or chewiness, not 'flourness'.

The barley flour, in particular, I'm really enjoying. I've also tried it in the Bird Crackers (p.75), which were extremely popular at a recent catering job. And I'll definitely try the strawberry barley scones next. Barley flour's warm on the palate, slightly sweet, and toasty. To me, the coconut comes in as a secondary flavour, even though it is EVERYWHERE in this cookie!

One reason I'm holding off blogging on this one is because I want to see what the cookies are like shaped out of the fridge. The cookies I made straight from the mixing were very soft, and didn't hold their crunchy outside for more than a couple of hours (it is very humid here in Brisbane today). I'm interested to see if I enjoy the texture of the cold shaped cookies more or less.

I'm not saying these very soft cookies aren't good, they are, but they're also very... ephemeral!
I'm actually imagining a slightly firmer cookie that could be paired up and held together with a spread of lime butter... what do you think?

Okay, so, I've tried the coconut cookie batter after it's been cooled in the fridge, and I think I like them a little better this way- the cookies are firmer and taller.

But i've got to say, you really do need to eat these cookies straight away. I've just blogged about my coconut cookie experience. Eating these a day old almost put me off them. That is, until I made a batch out of the fridge and was reminded, eating one warm and every so fragrant, that these are the souffles of the cookie world.

I agree with the Good Soup that these are more about the barley flour than the coconut in a way. Based on the comments here, I chilled the dough before baking- it did help them firm up. I've also kept them stored in the fridge-I think they are lasting better this way.

Also, I only had finely shredded coconut so that's what I used, but I wouldn't use that again. For the portion that was mixed into the cookie itself it was ok, but the cookie really needs to be dipped in a medium shred coconut. The finely shredded coconut fell off too easily, and I didn't really get the toasty goldeness I was hoping for either.

I am sitting on the fence a bit with these - I can't decide whether I like them or not. The optimum time to eat them is definately not long after they have been baked as the coconut is nice and toasty and a bit of texture against the softness of the biscuit, however, I think the flavour of these biscuits are at their best the next day, but by then the coconut has softened and the cookie is lacking that bit of texture that I find I really want in a cookie.........

The coconut flour is definately an interesting ingredient and it is incredible how soft these baked cookies are - thegoodsoup is totally right in describing them as 'ethereal'!

I really like these! I thought they were scrumptious a few minutes after baking, and just as delecteble a couple of days later. The flavor and texture were different, but not in a bad way.
I also chilled the dough before baking the cookies and I had even better result when baking the dough from frozen (rolled into a log). If you decide to freeze the dough, remember to roll the log in the extra coconut before freezing it as the coconut won't stick once the dough is frozen. When ready to bake, just need to cut 2cm thick slices and pop in the oven for 1 more minute. Easy!

 favorite

 want to try

 have tried

I made this once with blueberries, and another time with blueberries and raspberries. It is easily adaptable to any type of berry. This breakfast cake was delicious - I especially loved the hints of cinnamon and the deep pockets of berries. Everyone I made it for absolutely loved it, and I was able to freeze individual portions of the second one I made so I can have it anytime. (Definitely eat it warmed up!)

Great, not too sweet, coffee cake. One of the things I really appreciate about Kim Boyce's recipes is her judicious use of herbs/spices- and the cinnamon in here in combination with the blueberries I used is really delicious. Definitely agree that this is best warm.

Made successfully with blueberries. It's not overly sweet, so it works for breakfast, or for dessert with ice cream.

 favorite

 want to try

 have tried

These are wonderful! Sometime whole wheat flour in muffins can make them hard and tasteless but these are fantastic. I know that the APF helps! Next time I will substitute the 1/4 of sugar with agave. Can't wait to try other recipes from this book!

The smell of these baking in the oven was amazing. Made with equal parts WW and AP flour, roasted sweet potatoes & Medjool dates. Buttermilk and yogurt keep them moist. I used muscovado sugar instead of dark brown. Will definitely make again.

The most moist whole wheat muffin I have made to date, and my favorite so far from this book. I was a bit concerned that the chopped dates would take away too much from the sweet potato flavor, but instead I found that they helped to highlight the caramelization from the roasted sweet potato. I think I might add a bit less sugar next time, because the dates are quite sweet.

I love these muffins. I leave out the dates so my one year old can eat them. Surprisingly good with raspberries in them too.

 favorite

 want to try

 have tried

I would vote for this a hundred times if I could. Big hazelnut halves in browned butter... teff flour... finely chopped hazelnuts and spices on top. It's a perfectly balanced muffin. The batter was light and airy - even spongy. Eating one of these muffins warm, fresh out of the oven, was like a spiritual experience - I was literally speechless!

Had the book with me in the park today and made notes of all the recipes I want to try. Have everything I need in my pantry for this one, except buttermilk. :-(
I am so curious how those will turn out ...

This was really delicious. I didn't have whole hazelnuts, so used pieces in my batter and it was still great. Like all of the muffin recipes from this book, I had enough batter for 14, rather than 10 muffins, so didn't have extra hazelnut/sugar topping (a common comment from many who have made this recipe). The topping really needs to be pressed into the muffins as Kim instructs-otherwise the muffins will be difficult to extract from the pans.

I liked this muffin a lot and it's not solely bacause of all the hazelnuts... It's very sophisticated and unique. The topping is very luxurious and the nutmeg in it is quite pronounced. So, for a muffin, it's grown up material.

This is one of those recipes that you dream about making again, it is so good. I agree that it is sophisticated and a little unexpected in the muffin department. Haunting. I would've made it again if I weren't so busy trying other intriguing recipes, including ones from Kim Boyce. I especially loved the hazelnut topping but the teff flour with hazelnuts and brown butter is brillant.

 want to try

 have tried

Am very curious how the cornflour/ cornmeal will turn out as I am not used to baking with it. Will make a sweet rhubarb compote

Absolutely fantastic - worth the effort. The compote is amazing on its own, though if you like to use it on breads, cheese plates, etc. I would suggest cooking all of the rhubarb instead of adding the raw at the end, though, it works perfectly in the tart.

The corn flour/cornmeal Is a really unique addition to a classic pastry crust and the salt is a great complement to the sweetness of the compote and pastry. Paired nicely with fresh whipped cream and frozen vanilla yogurt. Btw, also never worked with hibiscus flowers and just love what they lended to the compote.

This was an amazing recipe. I made the Smitten Kitchen variation on the compote (it uses vanilla bean rather than hibiscus)- it doesn't give the bright red compote from the original version but was pretty great anyway, including with the frozen rhubarb that I used. The dough was easy to work with- I made 12 tarts rather than 10 so the cooking time was about 30 minutes- and the corn flour goes perfectly with the fruit. Will definitely be making these again.

I am curious about the addition of raw rhubarb at the end.... a little skeptical to tell the truth. I can see that it might work textural, but am worried it is going to be too tart. I am going to try one cup instead of two as an experiment.

@Quincy, it isn't too tart- just cut the pieces quite small. The compote is really too mushy without the raw pieces at the end.

 want to try

 have tried

I have made these muffins several times already and they are very delicious and filling. The rye flour and the whole-grain cereal add an extra dimension of flavor. This might be my favorite recipe from the book.

I just made these, and I agree with mm107 that the whole grain cereal and rye flour are an excellent addition. The recipe calls for 1/4 cup brown sugar, I think you could probably double this if you want them sweeter. I did enjoy the mellow flavor of these, though, and I think the flavor of the cooked grains and rye shines through more clearly without alot of sugar.

This recipe made hearty, delicious muffins. They weren't super sweet, which I liked. I thought they were top-notch bakery quality.

 favorite

 want to try

 have tried

The fig butter is now a staple. Insanely delicious.

The fig butter is delicious and actually easier to make than the directions make it sound. I am interested in trying out different types of red wine in this recipe.

Love! I halved the butter to no ill effects (though I haven't made the scones, so maybe the ill effects are yet to come). I think this would be great as an accompaniment on a cheese plate.

Well jbban, I took your advice and made some for a cheese platter for a catering job a couple days ago. It goes so well with French Triple Cream

Glad to hear it!

Made this with brandy instead of wine because I had some in the pantry. Really delicious.

This fig butter is mind blowing. I put it on everything I could think of, and I'm not a big jam/ jelly person. I think I like this because it's not too sweet, but it has so much flavor. One of my favorite ways to use it was on top of homemade waffles. I didn't want to buy port just for the recipe so I improvised with red wine with a big splash of maple syrup mixed in. I'm actually jonesing to make it again just thinking about it!

 favorite

 want to try

 have tried

The prune jam is delicious

These are fantastic bran muffins, not at ALL dry like some can be.

These were my first attempt at making bran muffins and I was very pleased with the result. I substituted more ingredients than I normally would on my first go at a recipe, but I had to use what I had on hand. I used berry nectar from Santa Cruz Organics in place of the orange juice, I left out the orange zest and added a squeeze of lemon, I only had a cup of buttermilk so I used that and a cup of plain yogurt, and I only had 1/4 cup molasses so I used that and a 1/4 cup maple syrup. But luckily everything came together beautifully and the muffins are super moist and perfectly sweet and delightful to eat.

I just ate one of these hot from the oven and it was even better than I'd hoped. They are steamy and moist and taste of toasty, with dark sugar and orange overtones. And Kim Boyce says they taste best cooled, and even better 2 days later. I can't wait!! I forgot to soak the wheat germ in the buttermilk, but I don't know if that mattered. I'll try to remember for next time. There will definitely be many next times!
One thing- mine were pretty flat- did anyone else get much of a rise out of these muffins?

thegoodsoup- just looked at my blog post for this recipe and my muffins look very flat as well. I'm sure I followed it exactly.

the goodsoup...yes, I have made these a few times and had the same issue. They rose over the edge but were pretty flat, making it difficult to pry them out of the tins without ripping the edges. But they are so darn tasty that I didn't mind.

Lately, I have been on a quest for a healthy alternative to sweet snacks. Molasses Bran Muffins has been on my "want to try" list for quite a while and my copy of "Good to the Grain" is overloaded with Post-it page markers on the recipes I must try. Consistent with nearly all of my first recipe trials, I took vast liberties with my approach to this recipe. Even though I own two immersion blenders, I successfully pureed the prune jam in the Vitamix. The resulting jam was silky smooth and precluded splashed prune pulp all over my kitchen. I used equal weights of wheat and oat bran instead of all wheat. I substituted my proprietary Ancient Grains blended flour for the Amaranth flour. I substituted ½ cup of whole oat flour for a ½ cup of the whole-wheat flour. I reduced the brown sugar to 1 Tblsp. (next time will eliminate it) and the molasses to ¼ cup, substituted the 3 Tblsp. butter with 2 Tblsp. olive oil, and the whole egg with equal weight of egg white. I did keep the butter for generously greasing the pan cups, then coated the buttered cups with raw wheat germ- tapping out the excess. I have found this method to be truly non-stick depending on the molecular and structural composition of the pan used, but always when used with a "non-stick" pan. Yes, my muffins too were flatter than I would like, but I believe reducing the milk(hydration) and/or adding some baking powder will improve the "dome". While I am grateful to Kim for inspiring me with her recipe, I am pleased with my delicious first version and if anyone expresses an interest, I will post subsequent revisions.

I love it Chef_ub that you posted your variations on the recipe. I do the same thing, and appreciate being able to learn from your trials.