RECIPES: Memories of mom’s baking inspire Atlanta vegan bakery owner
Leah Parris remembers growing up in Macon in a house filled with the smell of fresh baking. “The aroma of muffins or banana bread in the morning, the monkey bread my friends and I would help bake when we had sleepovers, the lunchbox bars my friends still talk about, those aromas were a warm and inviting part of my childhood,” said Parris, whose Flour + Time vegan bakery has its roots in family recipes.
Although Parris’ mother, Ellen Wilson, kept her kitchen stocked with baked treats for her children and their friends, her daughter’s career path took her by surprise. It’s not where Parris was headed when she went to Mercer University and majored in voice, theater and French, but Parris came to embrace baking in college. Then, out of school and living in San Francisco, she perfected a sourdough bread recipe and experimented with a vegan diet.
And as it turns out, it was the family recipe for Miss Ellen’s Lunchbox Bars that cemented Parris’ move to a vegan diet. “When I went vegan, those lunchbox bars were one of the first things I tried to re-create. I knew if I could hold onto nostalgic dishes like this, I could make this a long-term lifestyle change,” said Parris.
It became not only a lifestyle change but the heart of an Atlanta bakery business that would grow from a pandemic home-based venture to an upcoming space in West Midtown.
Parris and her fiance, Michael Bajalia, were living in Atlanta in 2020 when both lost their jobs.
Deciding the time was right to pursue something they had been considering, they opened Flour + Time, offering a simple menu of sourdough bread and vegan versions of classic treats like the Parris family’s lunchbox bars and brownies. They created a website, went on Instagram, and started baking in their home kitchen and delivering orders all around Atlanta.
“Then we’d go back home and start baking for the next day. We did that for a year, then started selling at the Avondale Estates Farmers Market and began adding vegan pastries, which we made entirely by hand,” said Parris.
Parris said there was always a story behind the family recipes. “We would talk about who it came from, how it had changed. It was a nice connection to friends and family,” said Parris.
For example, Janie’s Brownies were made from a recipe that came from Parris’ grandmother’s college roommate.
“The recipe for Mrs. Fox’s Shoofly Pie came from my mother’s cleaning lady. Several of our family recipes are credited to Mrs. Fox,” said Wilson.
In April 2022, Parris and Bajalia moved Flour + Time into a commercial space in Avondale Estates. Recently, they closed the Avondale Estates bakery, and are building out a space at 1133 Huff Road in West Midtown that they hope to open in early June. Until the new shop opens, customers can order online and pick up at the new location.
“One of the things I enjoy is providing an easy access point for people to try a vegan diet. Try this cookie. Don’t think about whether it’s vegan. It’s just good,” said Parris. “Vegan baking is not hard. Learn the simple substitutions and try them on anything you want to. It will probably turn out better than you think.”
RECIPES
Leah Parris of Flour + Time vegan bakery shares three family recipes she converted from traditional to vegan. Some of the substitutions she suggests are to use a mix of ground flaxseed and water instead of poultry eggs, and vegan butter such as Violife or Earth Balance in place of dairy butter. She prefers Trader Joe’s chocolate chips because they contain no dairy, and uses cane sugar since regular granulated sugar is usually refined with bone char.
Miss Ellen’s Lunchbox Bars
“The original recipe came from the back of a bag of Kroger brand chocolate chips sometime in the ‘90s and quickly became a family favorite. Even my friends remember having lunchbox bars at our sleepovers growing up,” said Parris.
- 4 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
- 10 tablespoons vegan butter
- 1/2 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup quick-cooking oats
- 1 cup vegan chocolate chips
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Cut two 4-by-12-inch strips of parchment paper and lay them in the baking dish in the form of a cross with ends extending over the edge of the baking dish.
- In a small bowl, stir together water and ground flaxseed and refrigerate 10 minutes.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, brown sugar and cane sugar on medium-low speed 3 to 5 minutes or until mixture is light in color and fluffy. Turn off mixer, add flaxseed mixture and vanilla and mix on low speed until fully combined, about 1 minute. Turn off mixer and add flour, oats, chocolate chips, baking powder and salt. Mix on low speed until ingredients are just combined, about 30 seconds. Mixture will resemble stiff cookie dough.
- Spread mixture in prepared baking dish and bake 30 minutes or until evenly golden brown across the top. Do not overbake. Transfer baking dish to a wire rack to cool. Wait 15 minutes, then use the parchment strips to lift the baked square out of the dish and onto the cooling rack. When completely cool, cut into 16 pieces.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per bar: 260 calories (percent of calories from fat, 51), 2 grams protein, 30 grams carbohydrates, 17 grams total sugars, 2 grams fiber, 15 grams total fat (5 grams saturated), no cholesterol, 49 milligrams sodium.Pie Crust
Use this vegan pie crust to make Mrs. Fox’s Shoofly Pie and Strawberry Turnovers. Any shortening that does not contain animal fat is fine to use.
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 tablespoons cold vegan butter, cut into small cubes
- 8 tablespoons vegan shortening
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup cold water, or as needed
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and salt. Add butter and shortening and, using your fingers, rub the butter and shortening into the flour until there are no pieces larger than a pea. Drizzle vinegar over mixture, then pour in most of the 1/4 cup cold water. Use your hands to stir the mixture just until it forms a cohesive mass. Add more cold water if needed to bring the mixture together. Do not overmix. Turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap and form dough into two disks. Wrap tightly and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per serving: 134 calories (percent of calories from fat, 44), 2 grams protein, 17 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams total sugars, 1 gram fiber, 7 grams total fat (1 gram saturated), no cholesterol, 71 milligrams sodium.
Mrs. Fox’s Shoofly Pie
“This pie is technically a dessert, but is also often served for breakfast, which is how I grew up enjoying it. Try a slice with a cup of coffee,” said Parris.
The recipe results in a pie that bakes into three layers: a sticky molasses bottom layer, the firm middle, and lots of crumbly topping.
Parris says any molasses will do, but she recommends Golden Barrel or another unsulfured brand for a lighter flavor. Use unsweetened soy or almond milk, not oat, and warm the milk in the microwave or on the stove until it is just warm to the touch.
- 1 disk Pie Crust dough (see recipe)
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups lightly packed light brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons cold vegan butter, cut into small cubes, divided
- 2 teaspoons baking powder, divided
- Pinch of salt
- 1 1/2 cups molasses, divided
- 1/2 cup hot water
- 1 cup warm unsweetened soy or almond milk
- Heat oven to 375 degrees.
- Remove dough from refrigerator and let rest 10 minutes. Roll disk into a 12-inch circle. Lay circle in a 9-inch pie plate. Trim pie crust edge to leave a 1/2-inch overhang, then fold the overhang under itself and flute the edge of the crust. Set pie plate on a baking sheet to contain any spills and set aside.
- Make crumble mixture: In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar and cubed butter. Add 1 teaspoon baking powder and pinch of salt. Using your fingers, rub the fat into the flour until there are no pieces larger than a pea. Set aside.
- In a 2-cup measuring cup, combine 1 cup molasses and hot water. Stir until molasses has dissolved into water. Pour into prepared crust.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, remaining teaspoon baking powder and remaining 1/2 cup molasses. Stir in half the crumble mixture. Pour into the prepared crust.
- Sprinkle the remaining crumble mixture on top of the pie, using your fingers to pinch the mixture into small clumps. Bake 30 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 10 minutes more or until the edge of the crust is golden brown and the center jiggles only slightly. Remove from oven and transfer pie to a wire rack. Cool completely before slicing.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per serving: 405 calories (percent of calories from fat, 29), 4 grams protein, 68 grams carbohydrates, 38 grams total sugars, 1 gram fiber, 13 grams total fat (3 grams saturated), no cholesterol, 148 milligrams sodium.
Strawberry Turnovers
“This is a great option for a quick and easy treat for Mother’s Day or any special occasion, especially for a novice baker who wants to pamper and impress the mothers in their life. It’s also a great recipe for little hands who want to help!” said Parris.
She likes Bonne Maman strawberry preserves in this recipe and, although she uses a heart-shaped cutter, it would be fine to make round turnovers as well. Any leftover glaze will keep refrigerated up to 1 week.
- 1 disk Pie Crust dough (see recipe)
- 9 tablespoons strawberry preserves, divided
- Plant-based milk, to brush on edges of the turnovers and for glaze
- Turbinado sugar, to sprinkle on turnovers
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Remove dough from refrigerator and let rest 10 minutes. Roll pie crust into a 12-by-14-inch rectangle. Use a 3-1/2-inch heart-shaped cutter to cut 16 hearts. If necessary, reroll scraps to get sufficient hearts. Arrange 8 hearts on prepared baking sheet. Top each with 1 tablespoon of strawberry preserves. Brush the edges of the hearts with milk and top with second heart. Crimp edges with a fork to seal and use fork to poke one set of holes in top of each turnover. Brush top with more plant-based milk and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Move turnovers to a wire rack to cool.
- Make glaze: In a medium bowl, stir together powdered sugar and remaining tablespoon strawberry preserves. Add plant-based milk, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, until glaze reaches the desired consistency. When turnovers have cooled, drizzle with glaze.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per turnover: 231 calories (percent of calories from fat, 26), 2 grams protein, 41 grams carbohydrates, 21 grams total sugars, 1 gram fiber, 7 grams total fat (2 grams saturated), no cholesterol, 78 milligrams sodium.Read more stories like this by liking Atlanta Restaurant Scene on Facebook, following @ATLDiningNews on Twitter and @ajcdining on Instagram.
