My new favorite cookie recipe!

I am a huge fan of thin chewy slightly over-baked cookies...I have found this recipe! Yay! Here it is...

Alison’s Vegan Chocolate Coconut Walnut Crisps

(adapted from Gale’s Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Crisps from Wholesome Sweetners Organic Light Brown Sugar pkg)

Ingredients:

• 3 cups rolled oats (not quick cooking)
• 1 cup Earth Balance buttery spread
• 1 ½ cup organic brown sugar
• 1 tbsp egg replacer
• ¼ cup warm water
• 2 tsp organic/fair trade pure vanilla extract
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp sea or kosher salt
• Dark Chocolate chips
• Unsweetened Coconut
• Walnuts or any nut of your choice

Method:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line several cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• Put 2 cups of oats in food processor and process until finely ground and floury.
• In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until soft and smooth.
• Whisk together the egg replacer and water in a small bowl or measuring cup
• Mix in the brown sugar into the butter followed by the egg replacer and vanilla until well blended.
• In another bowl, stir together the ground and whole oats, baking soda and salt.
• With the mixer at a low speed, add the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until well blended.
• Add the chocolate chips, coconut, and walnuts to desired amount making sure not to overload the dough with them.
• Drop spoonfuls of dough onto the pan, leaving 2 to 3 inches between them, as they will spread.
• Bake for at least 15 minutes or until slightly browned.
• Let cool on parchment paper, then store in airtight container.
• Made about 40 4-inch cookies

This is the vegan version…if you absolutely insist you can make them non-vegan by substituting the egg replacer and water for 2 ORGANIC, CAGE-FREE, VEG-FED eggs and the earth balance for 2 sticks of ORGANIC cow butter (blah!)

If you want more vegan ideas for baking and cooking…let me know! I’ve got lots up my sleeve!

lincoln's birthday cake

so lincoln had a pink (unintentional) birthday cake yesterday. everyone seemed to love it so i wanted to include the recipe. it's a carrot cake recipe with no sugar. of course, the frosting has tons of sugar in it! (i colored it with blueberry juice)



here's the recipe:

Baby's First Birthday Cake (Carrot Cake)
(Makes 1 double-layer 9-inch square cake; adapted from "What to Expect")

2 1/2 cups thinly sliced carrots
2 1/2 cups apple juice concentrate (you may use slightly less)
1 1/2 cups raisins
Vegetable Spray/Shortening
2 cups whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 whole eggs
4 egg whites
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup wheat germ
2 Tbsp low sodium baking powder
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

Prep: Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two 9 inch square cake pans with waxed paper and spray the paper with vegetable spray/shortening.

1. Combine the carrots with 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the juice concentrate in a medium size saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, until carrots are tender, 15 to 20 mins. Puree in a blender of food processor until smooth.
3. Add the raisins and process until finely chopped. Let mixture cool.
4. Combine the flour, wheat germ, baking powder, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Add 1 1/4 cups juice concentrate, the oil, eggs, egg whites, and vanilla; beat just until well mixed. Fold in the carrot puree and applesauce. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans.
5. Bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 mins. Cool briefly in the pans, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely. When cool, frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.

I substituted egg replacer for the eggs, of course! It's a really good recipe without frosting! Probably would be great for breakfast muffins! Hope you enjoy!

polenta lasagna

last night i was inspired to make a vegan polenta lasagna. polenta was on sale at king soopers so i thought i'd give it a shot. i've never ever made anything with polenta nor have i made lasagna. but i must say it was quite a success. here's what i did:

- saute slices of polenta, onions, and garlic (i did raw garlic and it was a wee bit strong). you could also saute any other veggie like zucchini, eggplant, etc...
- boil lasagna noodles
- heat spaghetti sauce
- layer lasagna noodles, spinach, sauce, onions, polenta, garlic, etc... in a glass pan
- bake in oven for 20 mins on 350 deg.

it was super simple. took a little bit longer than my normal dinner creations but was well worth it! and it's healthy too! yay!


here's josh enjoying my creation!



a look of pure mouthwatering satisfaction (this is his second dinner, hours later)

Kale Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

10.5 cups vegetable broth
1 tsp minced garlic
3 cups very thinly sliced kale (no stems)
8 oz. whole-grain angel hair pasta broken into small pieces
2 tsp lemon juice
Parmesan cheese
red chile flakes or cayenne pepper for garnish

Directions:

boil vegetable broth with garlic on high
add kale, reduce heat to med-high for 2 minutes
add pasta and cook until tender but not soft (according to package)
just before serving, stir in lemon juice
serve and garnish with dash of cayenne or red pepper flakes and Parmesan cheese

Comments:

I adapted this recipe from the Feb 2007 Sunset magazine. It was soooooo good and extremely simple. Plus, you get the health benefits of kale without the nastiness of raw greens! I'm going to have it again for dinner.

Chilaquiles con huevos or frijoles

Ingredients:

chopped onions
chopped mushrooms
red enchilada sauce
tabasco or favorite spicy sauce
eggs or can of refried beans
dash of salt
tortilla chips
avocado (optional)

Saute chopped onions in canola oil and add mushrooms a little later with a dash of salt
Add one can red enchilada sauce
Add tabasco sauce to your liking and simmer
This can be served like this or you have two other options from here:
add half can of beans per person to pan and simmer or,
add 1-2 eggs per person. crack eggs into pan but don't stir until some of the egg has begun to cook, stir a little to get more egg to cook. make sure that the egg is fully cooked. it will look sort of like scrambled eggs in red sauce. (this is my fav way!) the longer you simmer the mixture the better it will taste.
No matter how you prepare it (with eggs, beans or without either) serve over tortilla chips with some avocado on top!!!!

I had this first in Mexico and then at a new fav. Mexican restaurant and figured out how to make it. I'm sure it's not authentic but it's quick and easy and good!