Winter Solstice Cake – Eggless, Nutless & Fruit-filled

A tasty alternative to the typical fruitcake – filled with a variety of flavors and textures

Happy Winter Solstice!

This dense and spicy holiday cake contains fresh and dried fruit, carrots, spices, alcohol, and sunflower seeds for crunch. Zest from lime, lemon and orange add a boost of fruit flavor without the sugar/additives of candied fruit. Every bite contains different flavors. Using the Wacky Cake formula to help it rise, it creates an attractive cake to serve following a hearty meal on the shortest day of the year. I usually cook a thick meat and vegetable soup, drink a bit of wine to toast the return of the sun, and eat some shortbread to include a Scottish taste.

Scottish Shortbread showing sunburst pattern

I really enjoy celebrating the Winter Solstice with my family and sharing my Celtic history with everyone. Ancient Scots were quite superstitious and believed that evil spirits roamed around when the sunlight was at its weakest in early winter. According to author Ellen Jackson, the Scottish people came up with rituals to protect their families, like dropping hot coals from the hearth fire into water; washing with these opposing elements created a magical charm. As well, they came up with community feasts and partying to celebrate the return of the Sun. Longer days meant the cold weather would lead back to warm and that their crops would grow again. With this reassurance, they heartily shared the abundance of the past harvest.

Greenery, visiting and sharing food is part of celebrating Winter Solstice. (PHOTO CREDIT: Altogether Christmas Vintage Clipart)

When I first started doing research on Celtic holidays and rituals, I was surprised to see the huge overlap between ancient cultures (pagan) and Christianity. Many of the enduring traditions that I thought as a child came from church, actually came from the pagans. Christmas especially is a complete meld of ancient, nature based symbols and customs with later, Christianity-imposed religious practices. I’ve found this both surprising and intriguing. My research has resulted in expanding my own holiday traditions and honoring multiple cultural practices in the process.

Excerpt from a Scottish Blessing –

“May the blessing of light be on you - light without and light within. May the blessed sunlight shine on you like a great peat fire, so that stranger and friend may come and warm himself at it.”

Scottish Toast –

Slainte mhor agus a h-uile beannachd duibh! Good health and every good blessing to you!

Small Rosemary bush with decorations

 Resources for learning more about Celtic traditions in general and Winter Solstice in particular:

--Master musician Àine Minogue presents Winter Solstice info and song samples on herwebsite. She is Irish and currently living in US. Her name is pronounced Ohn-ya Mi-nohg - like it rhymes with Sonya Vogue.

--Celtic Callings website offers history, myth, traditions and products for sale. In this article discussing Winter Solstice, they mention that the holiday is also called Alban Arthuan in Gaelic. Which means "The Light of Arthur," in reference to the Arthurian legend that states King Arthur was born on the Winter Solstice.

--This brief article “The Unconquered Sun,” regarding Winter Solstice and how different religions celebrate, first appeared as an article by Janet Shotwell in The Karma Dzong Banner (Vol III, No 11, December 1991, Halifax, Nova Scotia). 

--Picture book for children of all ages, The Winter Solstice by Ellen Jackson, illustrated by Jan Davey Ellis (Millbrook Press: Brookfield, CT; 1994). Cheerful and detailed painting complement the text, which succinctly covers the history and traditions of ancient Scots, Romans, Scandinavians, and the indigenous peoples of Peru, America, and British Columbia. Also touches on modern America and Europe as well as the astronomical aspect of the solstice.

Moving on to the gastronomical...

Ingredients for Winter Solstice cake - the colors are a feast for the eyes

 

Winter Solstice Cake

A holiday treat, bursting with fruit & spices, variation on a Wacky Cake recipe

Ingredients:

DRY

1½ cups flour

¾ cup brown sugar

¼ cup shredded coconut, unsweetened

¾ tsp baking soda

½ tsp sea salt

SPICES
¾ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp allspice

1/8 tsp ginger

1/8 tsp cloves

1/16 tsp cardamom

WET

½ cup fresh grated carrots

½ cup pineapple, diced in small pieces (or use canned crushed pineapple, drained)

1 tsp fresh lime zest

1 tsp fresh lemon zest

1 tsp fresh orange zest

¼ cup currants (or use sultanas or regular raisins)

¼ cup dried cherries (or dried cranberries)

¼ cup fresh cranberries, finely chopped - Optional

1 tsp McCormack’s brand Almond extract (it’s made out of apricot pits and McCormack’s is processed in nut-free facilities; I use the pure version)

5 Tbsp vegetable oil

¼ cup sour cream or plain yogurt

¾ cup milk

ALCOHOL

1 Tbsp (I use Drambuie or Sherry; Rum or Brandy work as well)

For a nonalcoholic option use balsamic or malt vinegar

CRUNCH

1/8 cup roasted seeds - sunflower or pumpkin kernels (Gerb’s Seed Company is allergy friendly; David’s brand is usually free from cross-contamination – ALWAYS read labels and /or call manufacturers for most up to date info)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a round, glass casserole dish (I used an 8 inch, 1.5L capacity).

In a small mixing bowl, measure out all the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, coconut, soda, salt, and spices. Whisk to combine.

In a separate larger bowl, measure out and mix together the carrots, fruits, all three zests, extract, and alcohol (or vinegar). Measure out and mix in sour cream and milk.

Now dump the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients bowl. Add in seeds. Use a spatula to combine all the ingredients and create the cake batter. Fruits and seeds should be evenly distributed through the batter and all flour should be fully incorporated.

Pour into greased glass dish and put into oven straightaway. Bake for ~40 mins. A toothpick inserted in center should come out moist but clean. Cake should have nice browning and be pulling slightly away from edges.

Winter Solstice Cake fresh out of the oven; the area near the center is not a hole but a chunk of pineapple

I serve straight from the dish, warm or cool. Cover to store. If desired, the cake could be turned out of the pan for nicer presentation.

VEGAN SUGGESTION: replace sour cream/milk with either coconut milk or other nondairy “milk” or use 1 cup of water

ALLERGENS: contains wheat, dairy

ALLERGY ACCOMMODATIONS: replace wheat with a gluten-free baking mix; replace dairy with coconut milk, nondairy “milk” like rice or soy, or just use water – cake may not rise quite as high

Cream Cheese Pastry with Pumpkin (or fruit jam)

Sweet & tasty breakfast pastry perfect for holidays

It can be almost impossible to find safe bakery goods when dealing with nut and egg allergies. Almost all professional bakeries use a wide variety of treenuts and peanuts or peanutbutter. Many doughs and fillings contain eggs. Some baked goods, especially gluten-free versions, use nutmeals in lieu of flour. Some piecrusts feature ground nuts. And egg washes on pies, tarts, and pastries to make them shiny & golden are common. Even if the ingredients for a specific baked good don’t contain the allergens, the abundance of the allergens in the kitchen contributes to a high risk of cross-contamination. The same high risk can be found in cafeteria or buffet settings, especially if serving utensils are used for more than one food item or people are handling food while eating. Unfortunately, even unintentional trace amounts of an allergen can lead to life-threatening or fatal reactions. Which can lead to some really diligent, but often criticized proactive behavior by the parents of children with severe food allergies. And which is why many parents experience a bit of anxiety when eating out or prefer to make their children’s food at home.

An example of both the danger of cross-contamination, and the benefits of strong parental advocacy, can be found in the story of Sabrina Shannon.

PHOTO CREDIT: Anaphylaxis Canada

Excerpted from an article published by Allergic Living “Sabrina’s Law: The Girl and the Allergy Law,” written by Gwen Smith (February 2006)

               “ON SEPTEMBER 29, 2003, Sabrina balked at her mother’s efforts to have her take yet another allergen-free sandwich to school. She told her mom that the previous week, she’d eaten French fries once in the cafeteria after checking that they didn’t contain any of her allergy triggers [peanuts, soy, and dairy products]. The fries were safe – and tasty – and she wanted eat them again at lunch today. Sara Shannon resisted at first, but she also trusted Sabrina’s judgment. Her daughter had always been responsible about her allergies, asking the right questions before eating, always carrying her EpiPen in her backpack, along with the puffer for her asthma. Sara agreed.”

“Around 11:40 that morning, Sabrina and her best friend went to the cafeteria, and Sabrina ordered fries after again making sure that they were cooked in vegetable rather than peanut oil. In the class after lunch, Sabrina began to wheeze. Thinking she was having an asthma attack, the teen headed for the school office at the other end of the building. By the time she got there, Sabrina was in trouble, and kept repeating ‘it’s my asthma.’”

“A teacher raced to Sabrina’s locker to get her EpiPen in case it was in fact her food allergies; school officials called an ambulance. Sabrina collapsed and lost consciousness, going into cardiac arrest before the EpiPen could be administered, before the ambulance arrived.”

“On September 30, 2003 a day after her reaction, Sabrina was removed from life support and died.”

“Later, it would be determined that her devastated condition was the result of anaphylaxis due to food allergy. The coroner posited that the allergic trigger was dairy protein, which Sabrina would have been exposed to through cross-contamination from tongs used to lift her fries. Those same tongs had also been used to serve orders accompanied by poutine, the French Canadian accompaniment of gravy and melted cheese curds. She would have been allergic to the curds.”

“At a press conference in Ottawa almost a year after Sabrina’s death, Dr. Andrew McCallum, the chief coroner for Eastern Ontario, called for the implementation of comprehensive anaphylaxis management plans in the schools, and said that high schools, in particular, needed to pay better attention to the need to protect allergic children such as Sabrina. All schools, he said, should keep EpiPens available in the school office and staff and teachers must have proper training in the use of the device. Then Sara Shannon stepped up to the microphone to tell the assembled media that, while her daughter lay dying, 'I made a promise to Sabrina that I would do whatever is possible to prevent this fate from happening to any other child. Please help me to keep my promise,' she said softly.”

“…After all the delays, the government suddenly convened the standing committee’s review [of legislation to protect students with food allergies] in early May 2005. On May 16, the final vote on Bill 3 – Sabrina’s Law - was held in the legislature. As parents and allergic children watched intently from the public gallery, all three parties voted in favour of Sabrina’s Law; it passed unanimously. The law, which took effect January 1, 2006, requires school boards to have all principals implement anaphylaxis plans that include: strategies to reduce exposure to allergens, procedures to communicate to parents, students and employees about life-threatening allergies, and regular training on dealing with life-threatening allergies for teachers and staff.”

Ontario was the first province in Canada to enact Sabrina’s Law. Hopefully the US will follow suit with a similar law in the near future. So far laws to protect American children with food allergies are spotty or nonexistent. Every school district has different policies. Some districts are more aware and accommodating for children – Massachusetts in particular has an outstanding comprehensive plan for schools – while other districts resist training their staff or taking any responsibility. We have a long way to go in America…but many of us are inspired by Sara Shannon and Sabrina and we will keep working to keep our children safe.

“While some states have anaphylaxis programs in their schools, other jurisdictions in the United States are still disputing whether children are allowed to carry medication in the form of EpiPens in their schools. Rachel Sanzari [Administrator of Food Allergy Initiative in USA] thinks a law in a province the size of Ontario ‘will serve as a model here in the United States.’”

Sabrina's legacy also lives on in an audio documentary she recorded, "A Nutty Tale," when she was 10 years old. You can listen here. And her parents' advocacy efforts are highlighted in a documentary film, "Sabrina's Law," by the National Film Board of Canada. You can see more information here.

Now on to the baking!

This recipe was inspired by Kelsey’s “Sopapilla Cheesecake” on the Welcome to my Yellow Umbrella blog. I liked the taste, but it didn’t fit my idea of a typical cheesecake. However, any disappointment immediately vanished as I realized it was *perfect* as a breakfast pastry. I’ve tweaked the original recipe, which uses already prepared crescent roll dough, saving time and guaranteeing a flaky, golden finish. I’m guessing that prepared puff pastry could work too. I prepare this in an 8x8 pan, as I have a small family. The recipe can easily be doubled for a 13x9x2 pan.

Cream Cheese Pastry with Pumpkin

Ingredients:

PASTRY

1 can crescent rolls (I use Pillsbury as they are quite good with allergy labeling)

FRUIT FILLING*

½ - 1 cup Spiced Pumpkin Butter (recipe for homemade can be found here)

8 oz cream cheese, whipped

½ cup maple syrup

½ tsp vanilla extract

½ stick butter, melted (4 Tbsp)

TOPPING

handful toasted seeds – either pumpkin seed kernels or sunflower seeds

~Tbsp of maple syrup

*NOTE – use as much pumpkin butter as needed to cover in even layer; if opting for other fruit flavor substitute with fresh berries, fruit slices, chunky jam or even a little pie filling.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Take half the crescent rolls, unroll and place in bottom of a nonstick 8x8 pan. Stretch the dough to fit into corners and pinch perforations in dough together to make single square bottom.

This photo shows dough at bottom with pumpkin butter being spread over

Spread Spiced Pumpkin Butter (or other fruit) in generous and even layer across pastry and leaving a small border of pastry still showing around edges. I suggest keeping Spiced Pumpkin Butter away from sides of pan to prevent sticking.

In small mixing bowl combine whipped cream cheese, syrup, extract, and butter using whisk or wooden spoon. Pour mixture over the Spiced Pumpkin Butter (or fruit) layer and spread carefully using a spatula.

This photo shows thick cream cheese layer going over pumpkin butter

Take remaining half of crescent rolls. Unroll. Either use rolls separately (easier to work with) or pinch perforations together to form a single sheet. Carefully stretch and flatten the dough to cover a 8x8 square shape. I do this working with one triangle roll at a time – I flatten and stretch before I gingerly place on fillings and then try to match up and pinch together pieces to get a more uniform top pastry.

Using a pastry brush, spread maple syrup all over the pastry dough. Sprinkle on seeds. I love the bright green color of the pumpkin kernels, but either kernels or sunflower seeds will add a nice contrasting crunch.

Put in oven for ~30 minutes to bake dough and get pastry top golden brown.

Fresh out of the oven showing golden browning and sprinkling of seeds

Allow to completely cool before serving. The taste is good while warm, but the filling will be runny. Cut into rectangular slices. Allowing the pastry to cool sets up the filling and allows the pastry to be picked up and eaten without a fork. Refrigerate any leftovers. You can also chill for an hour or longer - once the pastry is completely cooled – and serve it cold.

VEGAN SUGGESTION: substitute nondairy cream cheese and margarine for butter

ALLERGENS: dairy, wheat

ALLERGY ACCOMMODATIONS: Replace cream cheese with nondairy version; replace butter with margarine (or just leave out butter); To replace wheat – I’m not aware of any brand for commercially made gluten-free crescent rolls, but there are numerous recipes for homemade versions and you’ll need to search and compare especially if you’re avoiding other allergens as well (some versions call for dairy or even egg; each version uses different types of gluten-free baking flours).

Moroccan Vegetable Stew

Spicy, fragrant Mediterranean dish can be served over basmati rice or couscous

I originally came upon this recipe as a new way to use leftover turkey from Thanksgiving – indeed I’ve adapted it from the Butterball version on the Eatturkey.com website. And it’s very tasty with turkey. But the turkey does not play a starring role here, and the flavor is so outstanding that I immediately started reworking the recipe in my head as a stand alone vegetarian dish. So that is how I’m presenting it today.

Photo Credit: Butterball, © 2010 National Turkey Federation

 

This hearty and satisfying stew can be served over basmati rice (my preferred version) or couscous (original recipe suggestion). I throw uncooked rice into my sauce, with extra water, so I can have a one-pot dish. It also works fine to cook your rice separately, keep it warm, and then serve it together. If using couscous, do cook that separately.

I also love how this stew combines savory and sweet scents – cinnamon and currants add surprising flavor while the sunflower seeds add crunch. The overall taste is on the sweet side, but with no added sugar and lots of veggies. Enjoy!

Morrocan Vegetable Stew

Adapted from a Butterball Turkey company recipe

Ingredients:

2 Tbsps olive oil

1 large or 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 medium red onion, chopped

1 large carrot or 1 handful baby carrots, sliced

1 rib celery, sliced

pinch of salt

2 tsp ground cumin

1½ tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp coriander

1 clove garlic, minced

1 can (14-15 oz) diced tomatoes, with juices

1 can + 1 cup water

¼ cup dried currants*

Optional – 1 can Garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained

Required topping – roasted sunflower seeds

Suggested garnishes – fresh cilantro or parsley and/or dollop of plain yogurt

*NOTE: I love cooking & baking with currants as their tiny size blends perfectly into textures and packs intense flavor. I can find them easily at my regular grocer – Zante Currants are one variety. (I originally thought all currants were British, but Zantes are a bit different. They are Mediterranean, a tiny grape, grown mostly on a Greek island.) If you can’t find them, just substitute ½ cup raisins.

Photo credit: Robert Wallace, Flikr, 2008.  Zante currants drying on a farm near Zakynthos, Greece.

 Directions:

Pour olive oil into stockpot over medium heat. Sauté sweet potatoes, red onion, carrot & celery slices. Add in 2 pinches of kosher salt. Stir as needed; cook for about 5 minutes, until onions are translucent and veggies are softening a little.

Measure out and stir in spices. Coat veggies. Cook for 1 minute.

Pour in tomatoes, add garlic, currants, and uncooked rice. Stir. Add in garbanzo beans, if desired, stir. Bring heat up to boil, then reduce heat and simmer 20-25 minutes. Stir as needed. Rice should be totally cooked and veggies should be fork tender.

Scoop into bowls, sprinkle with sunflower seeds, garnish with fresh herbs and/or yogurt.

VEGAN SUGGESTION: garnish with fresh herbs alone

ALLERGENS: contains none of the top 8 allergens; however, if using cous cous dish would contain wheat and one suggested garnish is dairy based

ALLERGY ACCOMMODATIONS: garnish with fresh herbs alone to eliminate dairy; serve with rice to eliminate wheat