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Thursday, August 27, 2009

Baghrir: Moroccan Crepes


I found this recipe on cookingwithalia.com. This turned out to be some of the fastest cooking crepes I've ever made. They taste great with some honey and butter. They are soo cute when they cook and bubble up with all those little holes! I found that the recipe calls for a bit too much water. Here is the recipe written in my own words.

Baghrir
1 1/2 cup Semolina
1 1/2 cup White Flour
1 Tbsp Sugar
1 tsp Salt
1 Egg (optional)
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 packet of Yeast
3 3/4 cup Warm Water (you can add up to 4 1/2 cups of water)

1) Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix well.
2) Blend ingredients in a blender.
3) Cover and let the mixture sit for 15-30 minutes.
4) In a frying pan, Cook Baghrir on one side.
5) Melt some butter and honey in a pan to create a sauce.
6) Dip the uncooked side of the baghrir into the sauce.

Baghrir cooking on a frying pan-soo cute!



September Update: Graham Flour Baghrir
I decided to try this recipe with a healthier twist. I used graham flour instead of white flour because graham flour is healthier. Graham flour has fiber and more protein than regular white flour. I aslo used only an egg white instead of the whole egg. The baghrir still bubbled up well and tasted great. The texture also stayed nice and fluffy. Instead of a honey topping, I used sugar free syrup. Below are the pictures of these healthier baghrir.


Carob and Chocolate Peanut Clusters


I guess Im letting my chocolate cravings get to me. I made yet another round of chocolate treats this week. I decided to try out carob instead of chocolate. I used 90% carob chips, and 10% dark chocolate. This was probably the easiest dish I have ever made. And it tasted sooo good. This came out much cheaper than buying the carob clusters sold at the store. Carob chips are also cheaper than chocolate chips. The bit of unsweetened chocolate went a long way in this recipe. I could not tell the difference between chocolate and carob clusters.

Carob and Chocolate Peanut Clusters
9 parts Carob Chips
1 part Dark Chocolate
Roasted Peanuts

1) Melt carob and chocolate together using the double boiler method.
2) Stir in nuts.
3) Drop nuts by spoonful onto wax paper.
4) Cool in fridge for 1 hour.

Clusters cooling on wax paper. One thing to note is that they start out a light brown color, but turn dark after they set completely.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Almond Truffles


Today I decided I really wanted something tasty. I found a recipe online for almond truffles. I have to say, its not as easy as it looked in the video. As hard as I tried to stay clean, I got chocolate everywhere! The smell of the roasted almonds and orange blossom water was tempting me to try eating the little almond balls before dipping them! I would not reccomend dipping my hands into the chocolate to coat the truffles. I used two spoons instead. I also think its better to grind the almonds by themselves before adding the powdered sugar and the orange blossom water. Otherwise the food processor has a harder time grinding the almonds to a "fine paste". In addition to the almond truffles in the photo, I also made a few without any coating. I cant wait to try them at "breakfast"!

Almond Truffles
1 1/3 cup Blanched Almonds
1 1/3 cup Powdered Sugar
2 Tbsp Orange Blossom Water
9 oz Melted Chocolate
Coatings: Cocoa powder,chopped nuts, coconut, powder sugar...

1) To Blanch: Toss Almonds in Boiling water for 1 min, drain, rinse in cold water, remove skins, and pat dry.
2) Roast the Almonds in oven at 300F for 20 minutes (if almonds are completely dry, cook only 10 minutes).
3) In a food processor, grind the almonds to a powder.
4) Add powdered sugar, and orange blossom water. Blend till you have a thick paste.
5) Make small balls with the almond paste.
6) Melt the chocolate using the double boiler method.
7) Cool chocolate till no longer hot.
8) Use two spoons to dip balls into chocolate.
9) Place the chocolate covered balls in coating and let them sit for a few seconds. If you are using powdered sugar or cocoa as a coating, make sure to sift it first.
10) Roll the balls around in coating and place in the fridge for an hour.
Heres the link to the video I got the recipe from:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncAMgXr1PAU

Rolling the almond paste balls

Setup: Melted Chocolate, almond balls, and toppings.

Dipping the chocolate covered almond balls into toppings.

Final product: a beauty!

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Homemade Granola


Today's task was to bake some low sugar granola. I also needed to use up some of my coconut meat and almond pulp, so its all in there. This was my first time ever making granola. I was surprised at how quick, easy, and versatile this food can be to make. I can put in whatever dried fruits, whatever nuts, and whatever else I want in there. I have to say I am very happy with the results. The calorie count is slightly less than that of store bought Naked Granola (Fruit and Nut). I also had half the sugar they do. Its definitely worth making granola at home. Its cheaper, tastier, and you can add whatever you want. You also dont get stuck with all kinds of preservatives in your food.

Homemade Granola
(This recipe makes a total of about 7 to 7.5 cups of granola. I made a double batch)
Dry Ingredients
3 Cup Rolled Oats
1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 cup Coconut
1/4 cup Wheat Bran
1/8 cup Wheat Germ
1/8 cup Almond Pulp
1/2 cup Chopped Nuts/Seeds
1/2 Tbsp Salt
1/4 cup Splenda

Wet Ingredients
1/4 cup Water
1/2 cup Oil
1/4 cup Honey
1 tsp Vanilla

1/2 cup chopped Dried Fruit

1) Mix together the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
2) Mix together wet ingredients in a wet measuring cup.
3) Heat wet ingredients in microwave for 1 minute (to melt the honey).
4) Add to the dry ingredients and mix well.
5) Bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes till golden brown and dry.
6) Add dried fruit after baking the granola.



Mixing granola in a large pot (my bowls werent big enough)

Cooling Granola on a tray after baking

Complete granola in bags.

Friday, August 21, 2009

Spicy Bean Dish=Protien!

Calorie for calorie, beans are the best source of protein out there, regardless if your vegan, vegetarian, or carnivore. I did a comparison of beef to beans and heres what I found:



If you count the protein per calorie, beans win over beef. In addition, beans have lots of fiber, calcium, and other important nutrients not listed on the chart. What does beef have? Well, for starters, its got 22g of FAT. Thats right, and its not the healthy kind either. The calorie and fat count doesnt even include that fat the meat will be cooked in.

This chart is not all inclusive in any way. There are MANY types of beans to choose from. I just made a list of the ones I currently have in my cupboard. Well, I made a spicy bean dish for my husband and I (yes, even he could eat this vegan dish). I found this recipe online. Whoever posted it claimed it was a Moroccan Lubia recipe. Problem is, its not like any (real) Moroccan Lubia that I've tasted. But it was a good dish anyway. I wouldnt call it Moroccan Lubia, but definitely a great spicy bean dish.


Spicy White Beans

1 quart cold water
1 pound white beans (presoaked overnight)
1 clove whole garlic
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1 clove crushed garlic
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp sweet red paprika
2 bay leaves
2 tsp salt
2 cups crushed tomatoes
2 tsp ground cumin

1)In a stew pot, boil water with beans, cloves and onion until vegetables
are tender.
2)In a saucepan, sauté minced garlic in some olive oil, chopped parsley, hot pepper flakes, paprika, bay leaves and salt for 3-5 minutes.
3)When seasonings are slightly smoking, add crushed tomatoes, ground cumin and one cup of water.
4)Add the cooked beans, onions, and ¾ cup of the water from the beans to the tomato mixture.
5)Simmer for a few more minutes covered until all the flavors blend together.
6)Garnish with more parsley, and serve with warm bread.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Modified Moroccan Vegetable Stew and Quinoa


Moroccans usually make this vegetable stew with meat. Traditionally, this stew is served over couscous and topped with a sweet mix of onion, cinnamon, raisins, and sugar. The veggies are arranged on the couscous and some of the stew is poured on top. I made quinoa instead of couscous (because it is healthier). I wasnt too thrilled with the taste of Quinoa and missed the couscous. Even though I washed it really well according to instructions, it still left a slightly bitter aftertaste in my mouth after eating it. Of course, that could be because I am still recovering from my cold (but starting to feel MUCH better).

Here is a closeup of the Vegan Version of the Moroccan stew, (sorry, the zucchini squash is missing! I was really hungry and couldnt wait).

Moroccan Vegetable Stew: Vegan Version
(I made mine without meat and used a sweet potato instead of a regular potato.)
Spices:
1 pinch of saffron (omit if not available)
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp ginger
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Coriander

Vegetables:
1 Chopped Onion
1 tsp Minced Garlic
2 quartered Carrots
1 Quartered Potato
1 Quartered Zucchini(or Yellow Squash or both)
1/2 Minced Red Bell Pepper

1 Can of Tomato Sauce
2-3 cups of Chickpeas

1) Mix the spices in a small dish and set aside. Set a pot of water to boil.
2) Saute the onion with 2 Tbsp olive oil till it has caramelized.
3) Add in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
4) Add in the spices, 4 cups of boiling water, and tomato sauce.
5) Add in the carrots and potato pieces and simmer for 10 minutes covered.
6) Add in the zucchini, (and yellow squash if using), and bell pepper.
7) If you are using raw (presoaked) chickpeas, add them in now. Cook for 30 minutes.
7) If you are using canned (precooked) chickpeas, cook the stew 20 minutes before adding them in. Add in the chickpeas after 20 minutes and Cook for 5-10 more minutes.


Onion/Raisin Topping
(The original recipe calls for a 1/4 cup of brown sugar which thickens the topping and sweetens it. Since I am cutting out added sugars, my topping used stevia to sweeten, and cornstarch to thicken the topping.)
1 chopped Onion
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 cup Raisins
A sprinkle of Stevia
A bit of Olive Oil
1/8 tsp cornstarch

1) For black raisins, Soak the raisins in some water for at least an hour. If you are using the large yellow raisins, then they do not need to be soaked.
2) Saute onion in some oil.
3) Once the onion has caramelized, add in the raisins, some of the raisin water, a sprinkle of stevia, and cinnamon.
4) Dissolve the cornstarch in a bit of cold water.
5) Add to the onions, and cook on medium to low heat till the entire mixture becomes thick.

Quinoa
1 cup water
1/2 cup Quinoa
Dash of salt

1) Rinse the Quinoa very well under cold water.
2) Boil water and salt in small pot.
3) Add in Quinoa and cover.
4) Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa are transparent except for tiny rings around the edges of the quinoa.
5) Remove from heat and top with onion/raisin mixture.

Monday, August 17, 2009

Simple Marinated Cabbage



Cabbage is a really healthy food. One serving of Cabbage (1 cup chopped) has only 22 calories, 2g of fiber, 1g of protein, 85% vitamin K and 54% vitamin C. It is also a good source of vitamin B6, Folate, Manganese. This recipe requires three days to marinate. Its a nice side dish to any meal. I like to eat it as a snack, or next to some cooked buckwheat. Although it seems that this recipe calls for a lot of sugar and oil, 90% of the marinade will not be absorbed.

Marinated Cabbage

1 Tbsp Salt
1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Oil
3/4 cup Vinegar
2 1/2 cups Water
A Few Bay leaves
10 black pepper pods

1 1/2 heads of cabbage
1 1/2 carrot

1) Boil together all ingredients except carrots and cabbage.
2) Shred or chop the carrots, and chop up the cabbage in large chunks.


3) Place lettuce and cabbage in a large container, and pour the marinade over it.


4) Cover the cabbage and compress with some heavy kitchen items:


5) Let it all stand for 3 days, mixing the cabbage around once each day.
6) After 3 days, store in a refrigerator with some of the marinade.

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Meatless Version of Harira: Morocco's National Soup


Harira is my favorite soup. It is thick, creamy, and has lots of flavor. I have modified the original recipe. Moroccans eat this soup with chunks of meat, but a soup with this many ingredients and this much flavor doesnt need meat. Moroccans love their Olive Oil, and the original recipe calls for 1/2 cup of olive oil. Its up to you how much you actually use. I only use 2 Tbsps and its enough. There is also quite a debate on the use of cinnamon in this soup. I use it, and it tastes great! Some Moroccans use it, some dont.

My recommendations for this recipe: This soup takes about 2 hours to make, so make sure you have time on your hands. DO NOT try to make this soup if you are missing ANY ingredients. They must ALL be included. Mix the spices in a small cup or bag in advance. The longer this soup cooks, the stronger the flavors and the thicker the soup. Do not try to cut the cooking time. Its necessary. Use a 7 or 8 quart pot for this soup: it makes a lot. Near the end of the cooking, make sure you stir constantly.

Meatless Harira

Spices
1/2 tsp Thyme
2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Basil
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1/2 tsp Ginger

Veggies
2 Stalks of Celery
1 Red Bell Pepper
1 Yellow Onion
2 Large Carrots
1/4 cup Fresh Parsley
1/4 cup Fresh Cilantro
1 can Diced Tomatoes (or 3-4 diced fresh tomatoes)
3 Cloves of Garlic

Other
2 Tbsp Olive oil
1/2 cup uncooked Brown Lentils
1 can of Tomato Sauce
1/2 cup Tiny Pieces of Pasta
1 Can of Chickpeas
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup of Almond milk, or soy milk
1/2 Fresh Lemon

1)Puree all ‘veggies” in a food processor. Make sure the consistency is like that of the photo.

2)Rinse the brown lentils.
3)Sauté the pureed veggies on medium heat with oil and lentils. Stir occasionally, and close with a lid to prevent splattering.
4)Boil a large pot of water. Add 4 cups boiling water to the soup, along with the tomato sauce and the pasta pieces.


5)Cover and cook the soup for 30 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally.
6)Add in spices, chickpeas, and 3 more cups of boiling water.
7)Wisk flour in 1 cup of cold water. Add to the soup. Cook for 10 more minutes, stirring CONSTANTLY.
8)Add in the almond milk or soy milk, stir well. Cook for 5 more minutes, stirring constantly.
9)Squeeze in the fresh lemon and turn off the heat.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Dinner: Meatless Teriyaki


I love teriyaki, but who said anything about the meat. Its all about the sauce and the veggies for me.

Vegan Teriyaki
(Note: Sauce has a strong flavor. Do not pour all of it on at once, but drizzle.)
Some cooked whole Wheat noodles
Chopped Carrots
Chopped Sweet Onion
Broccoli florets
3 oz Mirin
2 oz Soy sauce
1 tsp Cornstarch
Sprinkle of Stevia (sweetener)
Sesame Seeds to sprinkle

1) To make the sauce, wisk together Mirin, soy sauce, and cornstarch and stevia. Simmer on medium heat till thick.
2) Saute the carrots and onion in some olive oil.
3) Place broccoli florets in a dish, sprinkle with some water and cover.
4) Cook the florets in the microwave for about 1 1/2 minutes.
5) Plate Cooked noodles with the veggies, sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Russian Hearty Beet and Potato Salad


This is a traditional Russian beet salad (Called "vinegret in Russian) with a healthier twist. Instead of using regular potatoes, I use sweet potatoes. Its a salad I grew up with, and it reminds me of my childhood. This colorful salad was usually served at all the "events": weddings, engagements, funerals, birthdays. The recipe calles for Russian Sunflower oil. The reason for this, is the Russian sunflower oil is unrefined and has a unique flavor that is crucial to the salad. It can be found at any European store, and at most asian markets. I reccomend cooking the veggies a day prior to making the salad because it is important that they cool completely before they are cut or mixed into the salad.

Russian Vinegret
1 Large Beet
2 Carrots
1 Sweet Potato
1/2 Sweet Onion
1 cup chopped Pickles (or more, I like to have alot of pickles)
1/2 can peas (optional)
3/4 cup beans (optional: I like to use garbanzo beans or red beans, but its up to u)
About 2 Tbsp Russian Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
Sprinkle of Stevia (only a TINY bit)

1) To speed up cooking time, cut the beet into 4 even pieces and if your carrots are large, snap them in half to fit into your pot.
2) Steam beet and carrot till cooked, but not mushy. If you dont have a steamer, simply cook in a small pot with the water sligthly lower than the veggies (they should not be completely submerged).
3) Test the beet with a knife every once in awhile to see if it is cooked through. Do not over cook.
4) Peal and chop up a sweet potato into 1/4inch cubes. Place on a plate and drizzle with water and sprinkel with salt.
5) Cover and cook in microwave for about 2 1/2 minutes till cooked through but not mushy.
5) Once cooked, drain the water and let the all veggies cool completely. U can place them in the fridge to speed up the process.
6) Peel and Chop up the cooled beet and carrot into the same size pieces as you chopped the potato.
7) Chop up the rest of the veggies.
8) Mix together oil,stevia, salt and pepper, and pour over salad..

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Vegan Ice Cream: Coconut Milk and Walnuts Base



I put together a few ideas from other recipes to create this simple base for ice cream. Once you have the base, you can add any toppings or flavorings that you want. The one pictured is a simple vanilla flavor with hazelnuts. The coconut milk gives quite a bit of flavor to this creamy treat. The walnuts in the recipe are crucial. Once they are pureed into the coconut and almond milk, they make the ice cream stay creamy. You will need an ice cream maker to make this. Dont go out and pay for an electric one. I bought a manual one for $5 at a Value Village (local discount store). The entire process is so easy, and only takes 15 minutes. Once u pour the mixture in, u only turn it a few time every 3-4 minutes. 10-15 minutes later you have creamy ice cream. And it is soo much cheaper to make it than to buy that some of those gross ones at the store.




Vegan Coconut Vanilla Ice Cream
(For an even creamier texture, you can decrease the almond milk by 1/2 cup)
1 can Coconut Milk
1 1/2 cup Almond Milk
2 Tsp Vanilla
1/8 cup Agave Nectar
1/4 tsp Stevia
1/3 cup Walnuts
Topping: 1/3 cup Chopped Roasted Hazelnuts

1 Blend all base ingredients in the blender till smoothe. This includes the walnuts.
2) Stir in the chopped hazelnuts or other toppings of choice.
3) Pour mixture into ice cream maker and stir every 3 minutes till done.
Makes about 10 half cup servings

Monday, August 10, 2009

Cheeseless Pizza

Up above I have a tray of toppings that I recently put on my pizza. This assortment includes mushrooms, spinach, sweet onion, tomato, olives, and red bell peppers. Below is the picture of the actual pizza. I like to put my sauce OVER the pizza versus under it. It keeps the crust from getting soggy. I make a really perfect pizza crust. The recipe is provided below. Its not the ingredients that are important in this recipe, its the technique. Do it exactly as I say, and u will be thrilled.

Best Homemade Pizza Dough Ever
1 tsp yeast
1 tsp sugar
¾ cup Warm Water
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
¾ tsp Salt
2 Cups Flour
¼ cup Flour for dusting

1) Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Set aside for 5-10 minutes.
2) Mix together salt, oil, and flour in a large bowl.
3) While the yeast is activating, work the oil into the flour with your hands till very well incorporated (5-10 minutes). This is the crucial step.
4) Add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture, mix with a spoon.
5) Place dough on a floured surface and kneed.
6) Place dough ball into a bowl with some oil, cover for an hour.
7) Punch down the dough. If using righ away, go to step 10.
8) If you want to store the dough for later, place it in a ziplock bag and leave in the fridge.
9) When ready to use dough, remove from the fridge and let it sit for about half hour to reach room temperature.
10) When rolling dough, roll from the center to make an even layer.
11) Bake on the bottom oven rack at 450-500F for 5 minutes.
12) Add toppings and bake for another 7-10 minutes or until done.

Hummus and Pita Bread: A great Vegan Snack


I love hummus. There are many different varieties of this dip. The most basic recipe calls for 4 ingredients: chickpeas, tahini (ground sesame butter), lemon juice, and garlic. Some varieties use roasted garlic, some use cumin spice. Below is the recipe I like.
Hummus
1 Can Chickpeas with half of the water from can
2-4 Cloves Garlic
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
¼ cup Tahini
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Paprika
½ tsp Salt
1 tsp roasted red pepper (optional)
1) Blend all ingredients together in a blender.
2) Garnish with a splash of oil, nuts, and some more paprika.

Fudgy Vegan Brownies



For these, I simply used Betty Crockers recipe for Fudgy Brownies and subsituted all the nonvegan products. I made them a little healthier but replacing some of the fat (but not all) with applesauce. I used half a mashed banana and flax seed meal meal to replace the 2 eggs the recipe calls for. These changes have already been made down below. No, it does NOT taste like banana or applesauce at all. Try it for yourself!

Vegan Fudgy Brownies

3 Tbsp Ground Flax Seeds
1/2 Mashed Banana
3/4 cup Earth Balance
6 oz unsweetened Dark Chocolate
2 cups Sugar
1/4 cup Applesauce
2 tsp Vanilla
1 1/3 cup Flour
1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1) Wisk together the ground flax seeds with 9 Tbsp water. Set aside
2) Melt together the earth balance and chocolate in a small saucepan over a larger saucepan of simmering water ( I think this method of melting chocolate is called the double boiler method).
3) As the chocolate mixture cools, grease a large baking pan (this is a double recipe, so it wont do well in an 8x8 pan).
4) Pour the chocolate mixture into a mixing bowl and add in the sugar. Mix well.
5) Add in the applesauce, mashed banana, vanilla, and flaxseed mixture. Mix well.
6) Mix flour and baking soda in a separte bowl till well combined. Add to the rest of the batter.
7) Mix the batter till combined, and Bake at 350F for 30 Minutes.
8) Let the brownies cool in the baking pan for at least half hour before cutting or removing.
9) Make sure to share with some non-vegan friends!

My Own Turkish Delight



They turned out really well. I added the slightest drop of green food coloring and orange extract, and also some cashew nuts at the end. Who knew these were a vegan dessert?

Turkish Delight Recipe
(I reccomend making double because this is a really small batch. But if its your first time, you may want to just stick to this tiny amount to make sure you can do it right. Read the entire recipe before attempting. Their are 3 lists of ingredients, not just the first set.)

3/4 cup COLD Water
1/4 cup Cornstarch
1/4 tsp Cream of Tartar

1) Use a wisk to completely dissolve Cream of Tartar and Cornstarch in Cold water.
2) Place on Medium heat and continue stiring until mixture starts to bubble and thicken like glue.
3) Remove from heat and beat with the wisk until there are no lumps. Make sure you do a good job of it. It should be creamy and very smooth, and thick. Resembles lard ( I know that sounds bad)
4) Remove the glue mixture from the pan and set aside in a covered bowl.

1 cup granulated Sugar
1/4 Tbsp Lemon Juice
About 1/2 cup Water

1) Use only enough water to dissolve sugar. First boil the water, then add the sugar and lemon juice.
2)Cook on medium/low heat till the sugar mixture reaches the soft ball stage (240F).
3) Add in the glue mixture and beat in well with the wisk. This is also very crucial.
4) Cook for about 30 minutes to an hour, constantly stirring with the wisk.
5) The mixture should turn a golden brown color as the sugar carmelizes. When this happens, remove the mixture from the heat.

1 Tbsp Rosewater
Chopped Nuts
Food coloring
Any other Flavorings

1) Add all remaining ingredients.
2) Pour the mixture into a greased pan.
3) Refridgerate for a few hours.
4) Once the mixture has sent, place it on the cutting board and cut into desired squares.
5) Roll the squares in powdered sugar to coat.

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies



These cookies were so easy to make! All I did was take a traditional chocolate chip cookie recipe and substitute the non-vegan components. They were tasty! And yes, I did catch my husband nibbling on them! I have to say, I could have tried substituting some of the fat with applesauce, which I will try next time. I will let u know if its any good with the applesauce substitution, but for now, here is the simple recipe.

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 Tbsp Ground Flax Seed
1 cup Earth Balance
1 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup granulated Sugar
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Vanilla
2 1/2 cups Flour
Chocolate Chips
Walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts

1) Wisk together the ground flax seeds with 6 Tbsp of water and set aside for 5-10 minutes.
2) Beat together earth balance, sugars, baking soda, and vanilla in a large bowl.
3) Add in the flax seed mixture and beat well.
4) Beat in 1 cup of flour, and stir the rest of the flour in with a spoon.
5) Add chocolate chips and nuts (no more than 1 1/2 cups).
6) Bake at 375F for 9-12 minutes. Do not overbake.
7) Cool on the cookie sheet as they continue to bake as the cool.

Vegan PB Oatmeal Cookies



So here are some Vegan Oatmeal cookies I made. One batch is Double chocolate and the other is with cashews. The cashew ones tastes the best. Yes, that is a glass of milk next to the cookies, but its just for staging. Almond milk just didnt have the bright white color I wanted in my photo.


Vegan PB Oatmeal Cookies
(You will need 2 cookie sheets for this recipe. For the Double Chocolate variety, melt 3 oz of chocolate in a pan with the earthbalance, cool, and add in after step 1. At the end of the recipe, omit nuts and add in chocolate pieces.)

½ cup Earth Balance
¼ cup Apple Sauce
½ cup Better’n Peanut Butter (Or Regular peanut butter)
½ Mashed Ripe Banana
1 Tbsp Ground Flax Seed wisked with 3 Tbsp Water
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup Sugar
½ cup Brown Sugar
1 tsp Baking soda
½ tsp Baking powder
1 ¼ cup Flour
2 cups Oats
Nuts or Chocolate pieces.
2 Baking Sheets

1) Mix together all wet ingredients with a mixer.
2) Add sugars, baking soda and baking powder and mix with mixer.
3) Add Flour, oatmeal and nuts or chocolate pieces. Mix with a spoon.
4) Place spoonfuls of cookie dough about 2 inches apart on the first cookie sheet.
5) Bake at 375F on ungreased cookie sheet for 13 minutes.
6) While one batch is baking, load the second cookie sheet with cookie dough.
6) IMPORTANT: Leave baked cookies for 10 minutes on cookie sheet to cool off, do not remove or they will fall apart.