Friday Catch-Up: Raw Cookie Dough & Gardening

April 26, 2013 2 Comments

Yowza! From non-stop rain to suddenly gorgeous weather all week? It has been nice here – Tahoma has come out of winter hibernation even! (That would be Mt. Rainier for the record)

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Not to worry, I am sure the weather will change by tomorrow, in time for the weekend. Which is OK I suppose. It is easier to dig in overcast, slight chilly weather than 70° and sunny. I did find something neat this week. Last year I had picked up a random strawberry plant and later on it had hot pink flowers with a unique shaped fruit. I didn’t know what it was until; yesterday, when I came across more of them, tucked into a corner at the garden center.

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They are Gasana Strawberries. So yes, I did pick up more of them, happily planted now with their umm…100+ cousins. I am hoping the squirrels will get sick of them and leave some for me (yeah right).

Maybe the pinwheels will drive them crazy. They work at driving the boys nutty, wanting to play with them….

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I came home this morning and found a package waiting for me:

 

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Ooh-la-la….I always love things from Tillamook! A nifty lunch sack, ice pack, 2 way-too-cute bamboo spoons (yogurt size, seen last with the toddler I might add), and a pamphlet:

 

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So why am I so excited? My recipe for Triple Cherry Yogurt Scones is featured:

 

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For dessert the other night I went back to a recipe I had posted in January of 2012, when I was way-pregnant, for raw cookie dough. This time around I swapped out the sweetener and fat for a new take. Hope you enjoy it – it was a tasty treat.

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Raw Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Ingredients:

 

 

Directions:

Beat with a hand mixer the coconut oil and sugar till fluffy in a mixing bowl. Add vanilla, flour and salt, beat till mixed in. Add coconut milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until dough is smooth. Add more coconut milk as needed for your desired texture. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand.

Store covered in the refrigerator tightly covered (yeah right, like that will happen. Eat it and enjoy!)

PS: If you live in a hot-house, make sure your coconut oil is firm (chill it). Melted oil won’t give good results.

~Sarah

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Filed Under: Dessert, Plant Based Diet Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Strawberry & Coconut Oats

April 12, 2013 13 Comments

I thought about doing a 5th cookbook review this week….but then realized: It’s spring and I am strawberry obsessed…

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Strawberries are one of my favorite berries…yum! Walker (The Toddler) and I have planted so many new strawberry plants this year, somewhere around 60 of them! In the coming years the squirrels and us will be eating well ;-) They joined the already existing ones in the gardens:

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A bowl of oats & berries is a wonderful breakfast. Quick, tasty and filling:

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Strawberry & Coconut Oats

Ingredients:

Directions:

Add the milk, oats, brown sugar, almond butter, cinnamon and half the berries to a heavy medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high, lower to medium-low, cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.

Serve topped with remaining berries.

Serves 2.

PS:

If your strawberries are of the “Plastic California” variety (big, large and not so sweet), you may want to sprinkle the berries with a bit of sugar and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes for best taste.

~Sarah

Filed Under: breakfast, cooking, Plant Based Diet Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Double Strawberry Smoothie

April 1, 2013 8 Comments

I had strawberries all over my mind last weekend. Suddenly spring had arrived and the weather was amazing, hitting 70° both days! Ford (The Teen) had been sick the weekend before, who gave it to Walker (The Toddler), who then gave it to Kirk and I on Friday. Stuck at home, feeling run down I figured I could either sit on the couch feeling bad or go outside and sweat in the sun. That turned out to be a great (if tiring) idea. I weeded, removed dead plants, transplanted items and went plant shopping. I planted 20 new strawberry plants, 2 tomatoes and a few new herbs. My garden/yard looks a lot better but more…I know what direction I want to go now, and where to put my vegetable garden finally. Helps not being pregnant for once…the past few years I was too tired to care deeply.

And can I just say strawberry plants make me happy? It occurred to me that I had always wanted a place to call home, where I could grow as many as I wanted, to let them have runners. Enough for the squirrels, the birds, the kids and maybe, just maybe, some for me! I still want to try the method of making hanging containers for fences, using gutters. We shall see.

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On one side of our back yard we inherited a large raised bed. It was a horrid mess, solid weeds. Over the years I killed everything by smothering with fabric, then last year I planted 2 rows of blueberry and huckleberry bushes (which I talked about last summer). I had left the center open, covered in fabric and mulch. So, I moved the mulch and removed the fabric, then transplanted 3 2-year old blueberries to the center. They had been in a shaded area which left them stunted. My experiences last year is moving them will pay off. I still need to pick up 2 more bushes to plant, to complete the row. Which should boost my plantation to um….nearly 35 plants. You can never have too many B-Berries!

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It is spring when this tree flowers – so what is it? I thought it was a Dogwood but I am not sure? Any ideas? It is about 20 feet high and flowers in March every year. EDIT: My Mother In-Law emailed me and said it is a “magnolia Kobus stellata, Royal magnolia”. Well cool!!

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But after 2 days of working through fevers and feeling like a mule ran over us, Kirk asked for a smoothie before dinner. Something creamy, cold and full of vitamin C and potassium. Poking through the kitchen, this is what came together.

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Double Strawberry Smoothie

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups frozen unsweetened strawberries
  • 2 small ripe bananas
  • 1 container strawberry yogurt (coconut or soy or regular)
  • 1 cup unsweetened almond or coconut milk

Directions:

Add everything to a high-speed blender. Process on high, tamping as needed, until smooth. If desired, sweeten to taste (we didn’t need any).

Serve with wide straws.

Makes 2 16 ounce drinks.

~Sarah

Filed Under: Drinks, Plant Based Diet, Vitamix Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Carrot Apple & Coconut Mini-Muffins (Vegan De-lites)

March 26, 2013 7 Comments

Somewhere between a breakfast muffin and a rustic dessert, these are vegan friendly and kid friendly. I was thinking of what Walker might love, and what I had on hand…and this is what I came up with -

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I made the muffins with organic raw agave syrup from Wholesome Sweeteners -

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We drew our winner of the Wholesome Sweeteners Giveaway yesterday – a big congrats to A Sleepyheaded Mom! (Here is to even more giveaways in the future!)

 

And used the unsweetened vanilla coconut milk from So Delicious -

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Carrot Apple & Coconut Mini-Muffins

Ingredients:

  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ cup dried unsweetened coconut
  • 2 Tbsp ground flaxseed meal + 6 Tbsp water
  • ½ cup raw or regular agave syrup (or honey)
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened vanilla coconut milk
  • ¼ cup neutral vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup peeled and finely grated carrots
  • ½ cup peeled, cored and grated apple

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°, spritz or oil a 24 count non-stick mini muffin tin (Wilton Recipe Right 24 Cup Mini Muffin Pan) with a neutral vegetable oil.

Whisk the dry ingredients together in a small bowl.

Soak the flaxseed in the water for 5 to 10 minutes, whisk in the remaining ingredients. Add the dry to the wet, stir until mixed.

Divide equally between the tins (they will be full). Bake for about 15 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool for a few minutes, turn out on a cooling rack.

Makes 24 muffins.

Note:

Some mini muffin pans are smaller and make 30 to 36 muffins. These will bake faster, so check earlier.

~Sarah

FTC Disclaimer: We received product samples used in this recipe.

Filed Under: baking, breakfast, cooking, Dessert, Plant Based Diet Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Vegan Almond Cherry Banana Muffins & A Sweet Giveaway

March 18, 2013 32 Comments

Last week I opened the door to our UPS man, who has often asked “why are most of your packages heavy??”, crabbing about yet another heavy box. Love you too, Mr. Brown. But…oh…what was in the box? I was floored. Wholesome Sweeteners had sent me a sampling of their products, 15 varieties and had even included something for my boys -

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Walker had pulled over a dining room chair and was “helping” me unpack. He saw the bees, grabbed them and ran off….With a grin that cheesy how can you say no? He was a good boy and gave one to Alistaire, who loved it.

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Suddenly I was feeling very inspired. But…..first I needed an idea, something to focus on. The muffins came out of having super ripe bananas, a container of canned tart cherries in the refrigerator, and the desire to bake something for Kirk’s coming home, as he had been in Romania for nearly 2 weeks (more about that later this week!). I pathetically fished for ideas on Facebook and thanks to you all, I got focused…..and out came some of the moistest mini banana cakes I have had.

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I used a combination of sweeteners - organic granulated evaporated cane juice sugar -

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And organic dark brown sugar -

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The muffins are vegan, plant-based diet and feature not only some of my favorite sugars, but have coconut oil and coconut milk in them as well. And are sneakingly healthy as well. Always a bonus when I can trick the Teen into that.

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Vegan Almond Cherry Banana Muffins

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup wheat germ
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt
  • ½ cup coconut oil, room temperature (solid)
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 Tbsp Ener-G powder + ¼ cup warm water
  • 2 very ripe bananas, about ¾ cup mashed
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk
  • 1 tsp pure almond extract
  • 1 can tart cherries, packed in water, well-drained and chopped
  • Slivered almonds

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Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°, line a 12 count muffin tin with premium liners (such as Reynolds StayBrite and Wilton ColorCups).

Whisk the flours through sea salt in a small bowl, set aside.

Whisk the Ener-G powder and warm water together, let rest for 5 minutes, whisk smooth.

Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, add coconut oil and two sugars, beat with a hand mixer until light. Add in Ener-g mixture slowly, beating in. Add bananas, milk and almond extract, beat till smooth.

Turn mixer to low and add flour in 2 batches, beating till smooth.

Fold in cherries by hand.

Divide equally between muffin tins (they will be full), sprinkle almonds on top, gently press to adhere.

Bake for about 25 minutes, until golden and a toothpick in the center comes out clean.

Let rest for 5 minutes, transfer to a cooling rack. Once cooled, store covered. The muffins freeze well, let thaw on the counter and enjoy.

Makes 12 muffins.

Notes:

Canned tart cherries are sold in the canned fruit aisle in most grocery stores. Make sure they are water packed, not in heavy syrup. After draining, press each cherry to make sure it is pitted. Pits do slip by sometimes. I drained mine in a fine-mesh strainer, then pressed them on paper towels, before chopping.

I used Ener-G egg replacer to ensure a lighter muffin, instead of my usual flaxseed egg. It worked nicely, you can use flax-seed (2 Tbsp ground flaxseed meal + 6 Tbsp water, whisked and soaked for 5 to 120 minutes.)

Sweets make the world a happier place. Well at least in my world they do! Would you love to have your day brightened up? To try new types you hadn’t sampled before?

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Wholesome Sweeteners has offered a gift basket to one lucky reader of our blog! For your chance(s), click on the Rafflecopter link below. The giveaway will end Sunday night, winner will be announced next Monday on the blog!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~Sarah

FTC Disclaimer: We received complimentary product for use in recipe development. Giveaway is sponsored by Wholesome Sweeteners, winner will be picked by Random.org and notified by GazingIn. See Rafflecopter Link for more info, US residents only.

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Vegan De-Lites: Toasted Coconut Mocha Frappe

March 15, 2013 10 Comments

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I was inspired by a post on Minimist Baker for a coconut mocha frappe and set out to make my own version. Canned coconut milk is too rich for me in most cases, I prefer coconut milk beverage, with So Delicious unsweetened being my favorite. 1 fluid cup is 4.5 grams fat, where as canned canned coconut milk has on average 33 grams fat. Yes, 33 grams. I don’t care how healthy coconut milk is, that makes your morning frappe a milkshake. And with the added shredded coconut, you’ll be adding in more anyways. Although I am sure it was one fine tasting coffee milkshake…lol!

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On my first try I used one fluid cup espresso, which is 4 shots worth. Holy wake-up call. Way too much coffee! So I tried a different version, and it was perfect. If one is using double brewed coffee, and not making cold-brewed espresso, then yes, maybe 1 cup would work. Instead, I used ½ cup each espresso and coconut milk, which tempered the coffee flavor. Perfect!

One note though – if you don’t like a double shot in your drinks, then cut the espresso back further, and substitute more coconut milk. As well, your sweetness will depend on your chocolate syrup. Some are sweeter than others.

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Toasted Coconut Mocha Frappe

Ingredients:

Directions:

In advance, freeze an ice cube trays worth of coconut milk (each cube is about 2 Tablespoons worth, 12 per tray). Once frozen, knock out and store in a freezer bag. Make a couple of batches, they store well and can be used in nearly any smoothie or frappe, instead of ice.

Preheat oven to 350°, spread coconut for drink plus a bit more on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 3 to 5 minutes, checking often and shaking pan. Remove when golden toasted, let cool.

Add the espresso, coconut milk, toasted and cooled coconut, chocolate syrup, cocoa powder and frozen coconut milk cubes to a high-speed blender. Process on high, tamping as needed, until smooth.

Pour into a large cup, top with extra coconut and drizzles of chocolate syrup. Serve with a wide straw.

Makes 1 large drink, filling a grande cold cup.

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Cold Brewed Espresso

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup medium-ground Arabica bean coffee, preferably organic
  • Cold filtered water

Directions:

Add the filtered water and coffee grounds to a 1 quart narrow mouth mason jar, seal and shake till mixed. Set aside and ignore for 4 or more hours.

Strain through an unbleached coffee filter or a fabric Jelly Strainer Bag (these work really well) into a second mason jar (if you have a canning funnel, this helps the pouring and can support the jelly bag). If using the jelly bag, you can squeeze out the grinds for even more coffee. Dump the grinds into a compost bin if you have one, and rinse the bag out. Fill mason jar up to the top (if 32 ounces, 1 quart size).

Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks, tightly sealed. Use in place of espresso, 2 fluid ounces per shot.

Notes:

What type of coffee roast you use is up to you. We like a darker roast, paler blends are just as nice.

~Sarah

Filed Under: Drinks, Plant Based Diet, Vitamix Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Gluten-Free Bread Pudding

March 14, 2013 4 Comments

On Sunday I was out and about, walking the boys in their stroller…in the dumping rain…running errands and I stopped by a neighbor’s house to drop off some goodies. Natalie asked me if I had tried a gluten-free bread line from Franz.

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I hadn’t and she gave me two loaves to try, one of each flavor. The bread does have eggs in it, but I don’t mind eggs here and there. Funny is Walker (The Toddler), got into the sack of bread and was happily munching on it plain! He thought the Mountain White bread plain was tasty. Which boded well for my idea, since the bread has eggs in it, I would have an old-fashioned bread pudding. Just with some of my twists in it. The light flavor of the coconut oil and milk gives a deeper flavor than butter and dairy milk.

When I indulge in eggs, I like enjoying them. This was very much enjoyed!

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Gluten-Free Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Tear bread into small pieces, add to a 8×8″ glass baking dish, set on a rimmed baking sheet. The bread should nearly fill the pan. Drizzle the melted oil on top and gently stir to coat bread. Add in raisins, toss to coat.

Whisk the eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla till smooth, pour over the bread, push bread down till bread is covered. Let rest for 5 minutes.

Bake for 45 minutes, until top is golden. Let cool on counter, then chill.

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Notes:

The Franz bread is a small loaf, with each slice about half the normal size. I used most of a loaf up in the recipe (15 slices in a loaf).

While delicious warm, the pudding shines served cold with a bit of pure maple syrup drizzled over. Makes a fantastic breakfast! Or dessert ;-) Seriously, cold is the way to eat this bread pudding!

~Sarah

Filed Under: baking, cooking, Dessert Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Vegan Coconut Condensed Milk

March 12, 2013 8 Comments

As I read through my copy of 150 Best Desserts in a Jar, I realized that this was a glorious cookbook. Indulgent, luxurious and so not how I should be eating.And all 150 recipes are presented in jars. If there is one thing I don’t lack in, it is mason jars in many shapes and sizes.

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This for me…was a dream cookbook – 2 or 3 years ago. Heavy whipping cream loitered in the corner, whispering to me “Hey you, come on…no one will know. I have an ice-cold mixing bowl waiting for us“. OK, maybe it didn’t really happen that way. But after reading the recipes many times I wasn’t sure I could review the book as there were few viable recipes for me. Although who I am lying to? The recipe that called for whipped cream-crumbled Oreos-sour cream with a ton of sugar-then frozen? That was hard to turn away from. Except for I know that whip cream is just liquid butter ;-) Keeps me honest.

Anyhow, I decided to look at the book and see if there were recipes I might adapt to a vegan/plant-based way (which, no, this book is not an easily adaptable book). And what I picked out was not a dessert, but more a sweet smoothie. The only issue was it called for sweetened condensed milk, which is from a can – and yes, is dairy (there are vegan options out there….but they are ummm…weird). And well….I went and cried on Facebook for help and was rewarded with a link to a recipe for making it at home vegan. Thank you Rhonda for posting that link. I decided to try the recipe out using the slow cooker method. I have a medium slow cooker and I needed 2 cups worth, so I doubled the recipe. Yes, it takes time. A lot of passive time. Put it on and ignore at least, so there is that. And it can be done organic simply. No thickeners or gums either!

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Vegan Coconut Condensed Milk

Ingredients:

Directions:

Add to a medium size slow cooker. Turn to high, cook uncovered for 10 to 15 hours and on, whisking periodically, till reduced to 2 cups. You can put this on before bed, leave it on overnight and watch it the next day, for best results. It thickens up when cooled in the refrigerator. Use for any recipe calling for sweetened condensed milk.

Makes 2 cups.

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The condensed milk turned out wonderfully. It was everything a girl could hope for. But……

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What I used it in? Ouch. Ford (The Teen) liked it and drink his glass, but wow, it was sweet. So sweet I could only take one sip. Chocolate milk + condensed sweetened milk + pears + pear juice + ice. It didn’t need the sweetened milk, the chocolate milk was plenty! I was let down by the recipe but maybe it is because I expect more out of blender drinks (I like mine thick and frosty). The ice was lost in it. Oh well, I was happy enough that while my recipe failed for the drink, the condensed milk was a huge success. I’ll pass the book to my barista, she loves cooking as much as I do (she is one of the women who gets all my cookbooks after I am done). It wasn’t the right fit for me…still, it was a pretty cookbook.

~Sarah

FTC Disclaimer: We received a review copy of the cookbook.

Filed Under: Book Reviews, Cookbooks, cooking, Plant Based Diet Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,
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