Mealtime Magic - Mixed-Berry Grunt

 Do you have a cast iron skillet among your pots and pans? Most do and have a love/hate relationship with it. The thing is heavy and cleaning it is something else. BUT– the way a cast iron skillet cooks food is wonderful. It holds the heat evenly and in foods like meat, chicken, or cakes and breads, it creates an appealing crust on the outside while the inside is moist and flavorful. Another good thing about a cast iron skillet is that you can sear food in it on the stovetop, then finish it in the oven. It even transfers a small amount of iron into the food, and that’s a healthy thing. Iron is an essential mineral that helps transport oxygen around the body and keeps cells healthy.

 

Grace O, founder and creator of FoodTrients.com says let’s bake a cake in an iron skillet, especially ones that are a little on the coarse side like cornbread or carrot cake. A cake served from a skillet makes a great presentation. Make certain to spray the skillet with non-stick baking spray and coat with melted butter so your cake doesn’t stick.

 

Mixed-Berry Grunt

Serves 8

This is a classic American-style dessert that can be made with a variety of berries. Fresh, seasonal berries provide a concentrated source of beneficial antioxidants such as vitamin C and anthocyanins, which improve capillary function in the brain, eyes, and skin. A grunt, sometimes called a slump, combines fruit stew and a fluffy dough topping, in this case, with the tang of buttermilk.

 

Ingredients
2 lb. fresh mixed berries, such as blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries
¼ cup sugar plus 2 Tbs. sugar
2 Tbs. water
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
Pinch of Coarse salt to taste
½ cup plus 2 Tbs. low-fat buttermilk
2 Tbs. butter, melted
⅛ tsp. ground cinnamon mixed with 1 tsp. sugar

 

Directions
1. Cook the berries with 1/4 cup sugar, the water, and lemon juice in a cast-iron skillet set over a campfire or medium heat on the stovetop until thickened, 8-to-12 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, 1/4 tsp. salt, and remaining 2 Tbs. sugar. Add buttermilk and butter; stir until a moist dough forms.

3. Spoon 6 dollops of dough over the fruit. Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar over dough.

4. Cover the skillet tightly with parchment-lined foil. Cook until dumplings are set, and tops are dry, about 20 minutes.

 

Recipe reprinted with permission of FoodTrients.com.

 

To see more skillet cake recipes, click here: Got a Skillet? Then Let’s Bake a Cake - FoodTrients

 

About FoodTrients

FoodTrients® is a philosophy and a resource dedicated to the foods and rejuvenating nutrients that help us fight the diseases of aging and promote longevity. All of the recipes combine modern scientific research and medicinal herbs and ingredients from cultures around the world. They’re loaded with flavor and superfoods, which promote wellness, increase energy and vitality, improve skin, and help people look and feel younger. 

 

About Grace O

Over a span of 30 years, Grace O has built an impressive record of business achievement, community building, philanthropy, and community service in California. Guided by her spirit of entrepreneurship and building on a model of generosity learned from her family, Grace has spent a lifetime helping people heal through food and medicine. Grace launched FoodTrients.com in 2010 where she shares age-defying superfoods from around the world and creating delicious recipes with them. Grace is the author of three award-winning cookbooks—The Age GRACEfully Cookbook: The Power of FOODTRIENTS to Promote Health and Well-being for a Joyful and Sustainable Life, The Age Beautifully Cookbook: Easy and Exotic Longevity Secrets from Around the World, and the multi-award-winning Anti-Aging Dishes from Around the World. 

 

For more information visit www.FoodTrients.com.