Leah's Chewy Ginger Cookies

 Ingredients:

1/2 cup xylitol 
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/4 cup black strap molasses
Scant 3/4 cup canola oil 
2/3 cup chick pea flour
1&2/3 cups oat flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp cinnamon 
1/4 tsp cloves
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 flax egg (1 tbs ground flax meal & 3 tbs water)
1&1/2 tsp baking soda 

Method 
Heat oven to 350. Prepare cookie pans. Make flax egg. 
I’m a medium large bowl, stir together xylitol, coconut sugar & molasses. Add oil & flax egg, stirring until complete combined. Grate in fresh ginger. Add flours, without stirring. Add spices & baking soda & stir in all the dry ingredients until combined. Roll in balls & place on cookie sheets. Space balls apart as cookies will flatten as they bake. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

chai pet muffins

I LOVE the chia muffin at Le Pain Quotidien! Problem is, they are not vegan, plus it's obvious they are not the most healthy breakfast choice. So in comes our friend experimentation. This version is the most true to the taste although it is much less sweet. If you want it sweeter and more moist, add more dates and banana.
I will probably adapt once again soon.

Heat oven to 350.

10-12 large dates
1/2-1 very ripe banana

1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup agave
3TB flaxmeal
5 TB water
1/2 cup soy or almond milk
1 cup chia seeds (extra chia seeds for the top)
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 TB cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 container soy yogurt (the 5 oz size)
1 tsp vanilla


In a bowl:
10 large dates (maybe 12-13 for super sweet)
add 1 cup boiling water and let sit.

In a separate bowl:
3 TB flaxmeal with 5 TB water- let sit

Next move dates to food processor and give it a whirl till nice and smooth.
Add 1/2 banana, 1/2 cup oil, 1/4 cup agave
Whirl again. Place in large bowl and add 1/2  cup soy milk and 1 cup chia seeds.
Mix. Add flax mix.

In another bowl mix dry ingredients.
Now gradually add dry to wet will adding the yogurt and vanilla
Mine is always so thick I can scoop it out with my hands. I made mini muffins so cooking time was quick 10- 15 minutes

thai coconut curry

Thai Coconut Curry

Saute
1 onion chopped
1 inch ginger minced
4 garlic cloves minced
 Add 2 chopped peeled sweet potato

add 1 3/4 cans lite coconut milk with 1 1/2 TB yellow curry paste (today I only had one can so I added veg broth.
Heat for about 1/2 hour

Now this list can vary:
1 sliced red pepper
1 chopped head of broccoli - once I used cauliflower instead
3 sliced carrots
handful snow peas, fresh basil- thai if you have it
later add some pan fried tofu..or whatever version you have.


Serve with coconut quinoa

We really like this and I keep playing with it!

Two Bite Breakfast Blondies

Two Bite Blondies

Makes 24

• 1 1/2 cups cooked white beans or chickpeas (1 can)
• 1/2 banana
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup OR 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease or line mini muffin tins. Drain and rinse the beans extremely well. Blend all ingredients except chocolate chips in a food processor until smooth. Stir in chips, smooth into muffin tins, and bake on the center rack 12 minutes. If you used liners, wait a day and they will peel off easily. i frozen them for later use and weeks later they were still yummy!

This is a recipe I found on Chocolate Covered Katie and adjusted it slightly. 

delicious and nutritious

shortcake for berry shortcake

Shortcake

• 1 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar (or what you have)
• 1/2 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 3/4 cup + 1 tbsp vanilla soy milk
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Measure out coconut oil and chill in freezer.
2. Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Mix flour, sugar, powder, salt. With forks or pastry cutter slice in the solid coconut oil.
4. Add milk and vanilla. 
5. Use a fork to stir the ingredients. Do NOT over-mix. Once the dough begins to form, transfer the dough to a well floured surface. Roll the dough out to a thickness of 1 1/2”. Use a glass or round cookie-cutter to cut out 2" rounds. Re-form and roll out the dough as necessary.
6. Transfer rounds to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until cakes are golden brown.

Rock the Red Stanley Cup Pie

Rock The Red Stanley Cup Pie

Crust:
1 cup oats
1 cup raw almonds
2 Tbs coconut sugar
5TB melted coconut oil
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut  and more to sprinkle on top of crust
1/4- 1/3 cup vegan chocolate chips

crusts-cooked, before chocolate chips

Filling:
3 Tbs cornstarch
1/3 cup coconut sugar
1 can (1 2/3 cup)  lite or regular coconut milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup toasted coconut to add (optional) We like it coconutty



Coconut whip:
2 cans full fat coconut milk refrigerated for 6 hours or more
1/2 tsp vanilla
3-7 Tbs confectioners sugar-depending on your desired sweetness- taste it and see
a few strawberries pureed

strawberries for decoration

pie 1

pie two with an eager cut

Make crust:
Heat oven to 350.  Grease 9inch pie plate Pulse together all dry crust ingredients (except coconut) in food processor/or Vitamix.  Add melted coconut oil. Fold together while adding  coconut to form a crust that is a bit batter and a bit dough.
Pile dough into pie plate then press down. Sprinkle toasted coconut on top.
Bake for 17-20 minutes till golden brown and delicious smelling.
Take out of over sprinkle chocolate chips and set in fridge to cool.

Pudding:
Before beginning place metal or glass bowl in freezer. this is for next step.

Next, prepare pudding in a saucepan. Add cornstarch, coconut sugar, and whisk in coconut milk. Whisk vigorously to avoid clumping.
Place over medium heat and cook till bubbly..continue whisking. Reduce heat to low and cook for 4-6 minutes. use a rubber spatula to  scrape sides constantly. It will appear jiggly when done.
Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla and coconut flakes. Place plastic wrap over the top to keep skin from forming. Place in fridge 2-3 hours...till cooled and set.

Coconut Whip:
Gentle scoop out coconut cream from cold cans full fat coconut milk. Leave behind the "water".. (You can cook with this or place in smoothies.)
Place cream in chilled bowl. Whip with hand held mixer for a minute then add the amount of powdered sugar you want. I have also used maple syrup- yummy but different texture. Set in fridge.
Once pudding is completely chilled put half of the whipped cream in  the pudding . Blend till just mixed.
Place pudding/cream mixture into chilled crust. With the remaining whipped cream add pureed strawberries. Top the pie with whip. Set in fridge for at least 4 hours.

chewy tofu, as good as a birthday present

I keep working with this recipe so I never know which version I have blogged and which I have not. So, I give you my most recent yummerific tofu.

1 pack firm or extra firm tofu- drained...use your tofu X-press
about 1/4 cup Tamari
about a 1/4 cup water
2- Tb of coconut sugar (lower glycemic sugar and yummy)
a little finely mashed grated garlic and ginger (to taste)

Cut tofu. I do it once down the middle so that you have two flat tofu pancakes. Then cut it into little 3/4 inch cubes.
Heat frying pan with a tiny bit of oil. Brown the tofu cubes.
When browned add Tamari, water and sugar.  Cook let the tofu absorb. Then add garlic and ginger. When cooking for children I leave those items out. For me...the more the merrier!

Photos later.