Today I have a feature recipe from Super Seeds by Kim Lutz. I met Kim at VVC almost two years ago. In a conference filled with excitable energy, I was struck by Kim’s calm, modest and beautifully gentle spirit. Kim is also a mother of two, and blogs at Welcoming Kitchen, which is the title of her first cookbook. Kim has also co-authored The Everything Organic Cooking for Baby and Toddler Book and The Everything Guide to Cooking for Children with Autism.
Kim’s recipes are entirely vegan, and are also allergen-friendly. Welcoming Kitchen was a collection of plant-based, allergy-free recipes, and Kim’s second book, Super Seeds, follows this theme but with a focus on nutrient-dense seeds! Kim utilizes 5 main seeds in this cookbook, including hemp, chia, flax, amaranth, and quinoa.
Kim opens the book by introducing us to the nutrient profiles and benefits of super seeds, and then follows with some basic super seed recipes and simple tools needed to use these seeds in different forms (ex: whole seeds, seed flour, seed butter, and milks). Then, Kim brings us to the best part – the recipes! Super Seeds contains 75 recipes, from muffins and breads to salads, soups, and desserts.
I love the theme of this book. Regardless of your specific whole-foods or plant-based diet, most everyone is hip to using hemp, quinoa, amaranth, chia, and flax. Why? Because they are so incredibly nutrient-dense, allergen-friendly, and versatile. Kim makes it easy for us to incorporate these powerfully nutritious foods in our daily meals. I also love how welcoming the recipes are in this cookbook. Beyond being a successful author, Kim is also a busy mom of two active kiddos – so you know that she has designed these recipes with flavor, nutrition, and ease of preparation in mind!
Reviewing Kim’s book, I was immediately drawn to her Blueberry Coffee Cake! It’s the kind of recipe I imagined I might bake regularly for my family. After baking it up this weekend, this is definitely the kind of recipe I will regularly make for my family! I love it. It’s simple to make, utilizes whole foods, isn’t overly sweet, and has a beautiful, moist texture.
Kim has generously offered this recipe for reprint for us all to enjoy, plus a giveaway of her Super Seeds cookbook. You can enter below, but first, you must try this recipe! (If you’re planning your Thanksgiving menu, this would be lovely for brunch or tea.)
Blueberry Coffee Cake
Inspired by a traditional Italian almond cornmeal coffee cake, this version, with fresh (or frozen) blueberries, is elevated to “super coffee cake” with the addition of hemp seeds and hemp milk. This cake is truly delicious. Makes 8 servings
1 cup white whole-wheat flour, spelt flour, or (gluten-free) oat flour
1 cup cornmeal, plus extra for dusting the pan
½ teaspoon salt
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ cup plus two teaspoons granulated sweetener (coconut palm sugar or evaporated cane juice), divided
1 cup Hemp Milk (page 21) (or other nondairy milk)
¼ cup applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract (or omit for a nut-free cake)
1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon slivered almonds (or shelled pumpkin seeds, pepitas, for a nut-free cake)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon hulled hemp seeds
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Grease a 9-inch-round cake pan with coconut oil and dust with cornmeal. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, baking powder, and ¾ cup sweetener.
4. In a large bowl, combine hemp milk, apple- sauce, vanilla, and almond extract, if using.
5. Slowly mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Stir to combine.
6. Add blueberries.
7. Pour batter into prepared cake pan.
8. In a small bowl, combine almonds or pepitas, hemp seeds, 2 teaspoons sweetener, and ½ teaspoon cinnamon.
9. Sprinkle nut-and-seed mixture over the top of the cake batter.
10. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until a tooth-pick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
11. Let cake cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a plate and flip right side up. Serve warm.
Recipe reprinted with permission from Super Seeds, copyright 2014 by Kim Lutz, Sterling Publishing Co.
Some of my blogging colleagues have also reviewed Super Seeds, with other featured recipes. Looky-loo!…
Amaranth-stuffed acorn squash (review on Spabettie)
Creamy golden corn soup (review on Go Dairy Free)
Hemp seed hummus (Review on Recipe Renovator)
Lemon-basil quinoa salad (review on The Blender Girl)
Massaged kale salad (review on Mama Balance)
Quinoa lentil soup (review on Ricki Heller)
And here’s YOUR chance to snag a copy of Super Seeds! Enter below, telling us YOUR favorite super seed!
Good luck!
x
Dreena
Shola says
Verdict, I would make it again and follow more closely. I omitted the almond extract, which perhaps* would have added that missing touch. However, I think it’s missing that buttery element; either swap applesauce for butter/vegan butter or add butter extract.
Dreena Burton says
Hi Shola, I would give some suggestions but this isn’t one of my recipes rather a reprinted recipe from another book. But perhaps you can experiment with it using the almond extract.
esterfisher says
This blueberry coffee cake can be a perfect pick for this year’s holiday season. On Christmas or New Year you can prepare it for your loved ones.
angie says
love me some quinoa!
HOlly says
I love toasted pumpkin seeds on all kinds of things from salads to scones. Also loving chia in my overnight oats! Yum!
Michelle says
My favorite super seed is chia seeds. I use them all the time – chia pudding, egg replacer in baking, or sprinkled on anything and everything!
Laura B. says
I love Chia seeds!
gail says
Sunflower seeds and pepitas. Recipe looks and sounds lovely!
Mie says
Amaranth is my favorite. I usually eat it in either creamy vegan stew with lots of vegetables and seasoned with miso.
Valerie W. says
A toss-up between flax and hemp!
Melissa says
I eat quinoa most often out of all of these super seeds, but my mom recently gave me a HUGE bag of hemp seeds, so I’m looking for new and creative ways to use them.
Carmen says
chia seeds
Caroljean Thosath says
Sunflower seeds are my favorite. Eat by the handful or add to salads, they are great.
Sommer says
Our favorite super seed is chia, although we use them all regularly. Excited to try this tasty looking coffee cake, thanks for the chance to win the cookbook!
Corrine says
Chia seeds. =)
Lydia Claire says
Hemp seeds!
Kathryn says
Love the large flax seeds and chia. Have had cancer and these have improved my immune system.
chickie brewer says
Lentil is the only one I have used, so I would have to choose it.
Erica says
I love hemp seeds and toss them in wherever I can, on salad, pasta, smoothies, dips, etc.
Bobbie || the vegan crew says
Quinoa is the seed that gets used the most around here, with chia and sunflower seeds rounding out the top three. Love them all!
Ikkinlala says
I love most of the seeds I’ve tried, but I think my favourite is hemp because it’s so versatile.
Purnima Barve says
My favorite superseed is amaranth.
Carolsue says
Quinoa and flax seed are my favorites!
Digicats {at} Sbcglobal {dot} Net
Kate D says
My favorite super seed used to be chia seeds, but I recently bought hemp seeds and they are delicious! I’ve eaten most of them straight out of the bag.
Sonya says
Hemp seeds are the business!
Lakshmi says
Right now it is Chia seeds
Heather S says
Chia!
Stacy L. says
Chia or quinoa – definitely!
Laura says
I love Chia seeds
cynthia says
My favorite is Hemp
Jennifer says
Definitely quinoa!
Mindy D says
Chia is really great, but I also love quinoa and hemp.
Ashley says
Chia seeds! So versatile. 🙂
Cindy Linn says
I love all kinds of seeds.. but right now my favorite is pepitas!
Truc says
Hemp! I love them.
Cindy H says
Ch-ch-chia!
Julie says
Hemp seeds!
Sarah says
Hemp by far. They are included in EVERY thing I make – no exaggerating! Would love new recipe ideas! Thx for the contest Dreena!
Melissa Kallick says
My favorite seed is CHIA! I put it in smoothies and make no-oil dressings!
Melissa says
Pepitas are my favorite for snacking, flax for baking 🙂
Becca F says
It’s hard to pick but I’ll go with quinoa!
Jillian T says
Flax is my favorite super seed. I like to sprinkle ground flax on a lot of foods.
Terri Cole says
It’s a toss-up between hemp and chia for my top spot. I also love pepitas and sunflower seeds though … I don’t think I can choose!
Ruth says
my new favourite seed is teff. Love it in puddings and cereal. My second favourite is millet, great in the non-cheese cake. Must go and make this coffee cake now.
michelle m says
Chia!!!
Molly says
Quinoa in place of rice every time!!
Marsha A says
I love blueberries. I have never had hemp seeds before… are they similar to chia or flax seeds?
Jodie Hodges says
I love chia, flax and quinoa!! Thank you so much for a delicious recipe!!
Emily says
For the kids, chia seeds! Chia seed pudding, chia seeds in smoothies… for adults, we are currently obsessed with quinoa salad with a tahini-lemon dressing.
Natalie Cartledge says
I love Quinoa!
Jaclyn F says
Thank you for sharing this recipe! I love hemp seeds and hemp milk so much! Yum!
marilyn says
my favorite super seed is chia seeds
Sharon Gjertsen says
I add seeds (hemp, flax, chia, and sesame) to smoothies, salads, casseroles, and muffins. The one I choose depends on my mood (but no question they are added, baby).
Kelly G. says
I like flax seeds because they keep me regular. (TMI!)
Katie says
Favourite super seed: Hemp seeds. I am a hemp + nooch = parmesan addict.
Close runner up: Flax seeds. Because I think they’re super.
Alesha says
Hemp seeds. 🙂
Sheree says
Looks amazing. I don’t have hemp seeds do you thing chia seeds will work?
Jennie says
I love them all but hemp is probably my favorite!
Jennie says
Wow! This recipe looks awesome! I want to try it this weekend!!
Amber says
FLAX!!!! For Sure
Jermisha says
I love quiona. I have recently tried it for the first time. I purchased a box that was flavored with mushrooms and herbs.
Kasey Clark says
I use ground flax seeds every day, particularly in my fruit smoothies and my baked goods.
Karyn says
Probably quinoa- can’t wait to try this cake!
Joe Silberlicht says
Sunflower seeds! I grow my own!
Kelly says
I think I will make the coffee cake for Thanksgiving morning when my family comes. My favorite seed is ch ch chia!
Elaine says
I love flax and quinoa and millet and ….all of them . This recipe looks awesome…Will be making this today.
Stefania says
Wow hard choice as all are so different and brilliant in their use. However I am partial to hemp seeds. Cake was a success and super simple. I use oat flour which I ground myself. Thanks for the chance.
Greg Allbee says
I love chia seeds. I stir them into my smoothies, sometimes oatmeal too. They’re useful as egg replacers in baking too!
Eva says
Seeds fan over here!
kieran says
any apple sauce substitution suggestions for those who are fructose intolerant?
Kim says
Chia Seeds. I love chia seed pudding. I have for a mid afternoon snack. My husband mixes with water and drinks every morning. I can’t wait to make this blueberry coffee cake!
dee m says
I love Quinoa! Its so versatile, from Tabouleh to Salmon patties.. so so many ways to eat it… looking forward to baking this coffee cake! 🙂
Shelah says
It’s hard to choose just one, but I think overall it would have to be quinoa…can’t imagine life without it!
Susan says
I eat flax seeds everyday!
flora brown says
Hemp seeds all the way!
Sonia says
My favourite “Super Seed” are hemp seeds! Packed with omega 3 and lots of minerals while still being fairly low in fat and calories per tablespoon. I put it everyday in my breakfast porridge or make hemp milk. I also use it to make delicious sauces and gravy!
Christina A. says
I definitely love hemp seeds! Really tasty!
Chris says
Chia! I love making puddings with chia.
Sheila says
i like flax seeds because they have so many uses!
Marina says
Pumpkin seeds they are so rich and super (;
Mimi says
Pepitas! Must haves here in the SW.
Birgit says
Tired the cake and loved it! Thank yo for sharing 🙂
Dreena says
Yay!! Thanks for the report back, Birgit. 🙂
Sarah says
Flax
Miet says
I love chia!
Kate says
I love hemp seeds!
valerie sobus says
i’m going to have to say flax since the magical flax “egg” has been my favorite vegan baking companion 🙂
Sheelagh says
I love chia seeds! So nutritious and so many fun uses!
Kim says
Thank you, Dreena, for such a lovely review and for sharing the recipe for my cake! I’m so glad you liked it. xo
Jessica Eagle says
Thanks for this wonderful giveaway !!!
I like all kind of seeds, but my favorite would be chia. Good luck to me and everybody.
Sasha says
I use many seeds regularly, but chia is probably my favourite, just because the gelling action makes it so magical for so many things!
Anne says
Chia!
Kate says
Quinoa!
ali says
love me some amaranth 🙂
Megan says
That looks so good. And I love the sound of this cookbook!!
Heather says
Probably quinoa.
Sarah says
I love hemp seeds!
Eve Lynch says
I am actually kind of a seed fanatic and I know I’d love this book!
Carolyn says
I love Chia, I put it in so many recipes!
Josiane says
I use lots of those seeds regularly, but chia has a place of choice in my breakfast every day!
Emily C. says
I love flax seeds because they pack lots of great benefits and can be ground to easily transform my non-vegan recipes. Thanks!
Mina says
Quinoa!
Tribiah Murphy says
hemp seeds
Emily says
Hard to choose a favorite, but I use flax, chia, and quinoa most often.
Shannon says
I think my favorite seed is flax! Packed with omega-3s and very useful in baking. Thanks for offering the giveaway!
Arlene says
I made her Quinoa and Lentil Soup….. It was so good!
Dawn says
This recipe looks perfect. And, funny thing, it was on my agenda for the week to find a blueberry cake to make this weekend!
Petra says
Love that there are so many people have great ideas!!!
Pamela Lim says
I just tried Kaniwa last night amd loved it!