Apple-Honey-Pecan Muffins
MAKES ABOUT 1 DOZEN If you can’t
find spelt flour, increase the amount of
all-purpose flour to 1¼ cups.
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2 medium Pink Lady or Jonagold
apples
⅔ cup pecans
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. honey
Flaky sea salt
¾ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup spelt flour or all-purpose flour
1½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. kosher salt
2 large eggs, room temperature
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup plus 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin
olive oil
½ cup buttermilk
Raw sugar or granulated sugar
(for sprinkling)Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat
to 350°. Lightly coat flat top of a
standard 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick
spray (this will prevent muffins from
gluing themselves to the pan). Line cups
with double layers of muffin liners. Cut
apples into quarters; remove cores. Cut
each quarter into 4 wedges; set aside.
Pulse pecans in a food processor until
you have a fine meal with a bit of texture,
like coarse sand. Heat a large skillet over
medium-high, then add pecans and toast,
stirring, until darkened and very fragrant
(it’s okay if they’re even a tiny bit burnt in
spots), about 3 minutes. Transfer to a
large bowl and let cool slightly.
Wipe out skillet and return to medium-
high heat. Melt butter, swirling pan so
that it’s evenly coated, until foaming, then
add reserved apples. Drizzle with honey
and generously sprinkle with sea salt.
Cook, tossing often, until apples are
tender and deep golden brown and
glazed with honey, about 5 minutes.
Scrape into a medium bowl and let cool.
Add all-purpose flour, spelt flour, baking
powder, baking soda, and kosher salt to
nuts; whisk to combine. Beat eggs and
granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand
mixer fitted with the whisk attachment
on high speed until mixture is thick, pale,
and tripled in volume, 8–10 minutes.
Combine oil and buttermilk in a
measuring glass. With motor running,
gradually pour into egg mixture, stopping
as soon as incorporated to prevent eggs
from deflating. Scrape into bowl with dry
ingredients and fold until just combined
(be careful not to overmix). Scoop about
2 Tbsp. batter into each muffin cup and
place an apple slice on top. Divide
remaining batter among muffin cups, filling
until just below the top (you may have
a spoonful or two of batter left over).
Place 1 apple slice on top of each, then
spoon any glaze left in the bowl on top.
(You’ll have a few leftover apple slices;
eat them.) Sprinkle each muffin with
some raw sugar and a pinch of sea salt.
Bake muffins until golden brown
all over, rotating pan halfway through,
22–28 minutes. Let cool in pan
10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack
and let cool completely.
DO AHEAD: Batter can be made
2 days ahead. Cover and chill.Lemon-Pistachio Loaf
MAKES ONE 9X5" LOAF Don’t even
think about lifting this cake out of the
pan before it’s completely—and
we mean completely—cool. Because
it’s vegan, with no eggs for structure,
its delicate crumb needs time to set.⅓ cup vegetable oil, plus more
for pan
¾ cup raw pistachios
Zest of 2 lemons
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. kosher salt
5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
7 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, divided
2 cups powdered sugarPlace a rack in middle of oven; preheat
to 325°. Grease a 9x5" loaf pan with
vegetable oil, then line with parchment
paper, leaving overhang on long sides.
Oil parchment paper (for insurance and
an easy release).
Pulse pistachios in a food processor
until finely ground (it’s okay if some of
the pieces are a bit larger). Set aside
a heaping tablespoonful.
Whisk lemon zest, flour, granulated
sugar, baking powder, salt, and remaining
pistachios in a large bowl. Whisk olive
oil, 2 Tbsp. lemon juice, remaining ⅓ cup
vegetable oil, and ½ cup water in a small
bowl to combine. Pour oil mixture into
dry ingredients and fold with a rubber
spatula to combine, being very careful
not to overmix (this batter contains a
high ratio of liquid, which means it can
get gummy if overworked). Pour into
prepared pan and tilt to distribute; batter
should come halfway up the sides.Bake cake until golden brown all over,
it springs back when gently pressed, and
a tester inserted into the center comes out
clean, 50–60 minutes. Transfer pan to
a wire rack and let cake cool completely
in pan, at least 2 hours. Using parchment
overhang, lift cake out of pan and place
on rack. Peel away parchment.
Whisk powdered sugar and 3 Tbsp.
lemon juice in a medium bowl, drizzling
in remaining 2 Tbsp. lemon juice as
needed until you have a thick but
pourable glaze. Pour glaze over cake,
letting it drip down the sides. Immediately
top cake with reserved pistachios, then
let sit until glaze is set, at least 30 minutes.
DO AHEAD: Cake can be made 3 days
ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.Smoky Carrot Dip
MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS Making sure the
carrots are tender to their cores before
you pull them from the oven makes for
a smoother dip.½ cup skin-on almonds
2 lb. carrots, trimmed, peeled
2 Tbsp. plus ½ cup extra-virgin olive
oil; plus more
2½ tsp. kosher salt, divided, plus more
2 garlic cloves
½ cup canned chickpeas
3 Tbsp. (or more) fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
¾ tsp. hot smoked Spanish paprika
½ cup coarsely chopped parsley,
plus leaves for servingPreheat oven to 350°. Toast almonds on
a rimmed baking sheet, tossing halfway
through, until slightly darkened and
fragrant, 8–10 minutes. Let cool; set aside.
Cut any thick carrots in half lengthwise,
then slice all carrots crosswise into
4 pieces. Toss on a parchment-lined
baking sheet with 2 Tbsp. oil and 1 tsp.
salt. Spread carrots out evenly on baking
sheet and roast, stirring once or twice,
until very tender and starting to shrivel
and brown (but not char), about 1 hour.
Transfer carrots to a food processor;
add garlic, chickpeas, lemon juice,
pepper, paprika, chopped parsley,
½ cup oil, 1½ tsp. salt, and reserved
almonds. Process, adding more oil
as needed, until mixture is almost
completely smooth. Taste dip and add
more lemon juice and/or salt if needed.
Transfer dip to a small bowl, drizzle
with more oil, and top with parsley leaves.
DO AHEAD: Dip can be made 1 week
ahead. Cover and chill.