Chocolate Almond Cookies

I was craving chocolate. You know those kind of cravings ladies. I don't know if it's all in my head, but I needed chocolate. Thankfully, I had a bag of dark chocolate chips stashed away. When I pulled them out, I remembered that these were the ones that spent a hot afternoon in the trunk of my car and melted into a massive block. No problem, I simply grated up the chocolate and mixed it in. Making these again, I get chocolate bars to grate...unless I have another meltdown in my trunk.

1/4 cup water

1 Tbsp ground flax seeds

Mix ground flax and water. Set aside for about 10-15 minutes until it thickens.

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/3 cup almond flour

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

1/8 cup agave

Add agave and water/flax mixture. Stir to combine.

Handful of sunflower seeds, shredded unsweetened coconut, etc.

Fold in mix-ins. I used what was in my cabinet - a handful of sunflower seeds and a couple of Tablespoons of shredded, unsweetened coconut. Nuts would also be good.

These are vegan and could easily be gluten-free by subbing gluten-free flour. 

Okra Stew

Summer in the South means a lot of things: long days of humidity fading into beautiful sunsets, munching mosquitoes, cold drinks. It also means okra. Lots and lots of okra that love the sun and grow tall under its intense, summer gaze.

I love okra. Growing up, the only way I ever tasted it was fried. My Granny fries the best okra. She puts it in a cornmeal mix and pops it in the hot oil waiting on the stove. But in the past few years, I've discovered that I love okra in several form. I can't get enough of it raw. Just washed and eaten whole, dipped in hummus, or chopped in salads. It's also great pan roasted. Next summer, I want to try grilled.

Cooking the okra whole contains the slime. Frying also does this, as it helps the meal to stick and thus makes the perfect fried vegetable. But to be healthier, and still stay away from slime, cooking it whole works.

For this dish, simply put the okra in a frying pan over medium heat. Cover the bottom with water to prevent sticking. Cover with a lid and cook for about five minutes or until the okra is soft but still holds it's shape. Then add a tomato, salt, pepper, and cayenne, and cook it another minute, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and add about one tablespoon of Bragg's or soy sauce to taste.  

I served this over brown rice. This would be a great side dish with a bean entree.

Neiman Marcus Cookies vegan gluten-free

This is a vegan, gluten-free recipe based on a version of Neiman Marcus cookies.

The legend is that a woman ate at a Neiman Marcus café and loved their cookies. When she asked if she could get the recipe, the waiter said it was for sale, for two fifty. The woman bought it and later saw the bill for $250…not the $2.50 she was expecting. So she decided to get back at Neiman Marcus by circulating the recipe. Now whether or not this is true, it is a delicious cookie. I came home from work today in a mood. Work has been very stressful and has managed to spill over into all of six days of the week. I like work, but not that much. I’m leaving on vacation next week (oh blessed, promised land of vacation, aka Nepal) and have a million and one things to do before then, including some pretty important presentations, an interview, an annual report, and a grant proposal.

But first, before I create another PowerPoint or finagle another budget line, I’m going to bite into a warm cookie with the chips slightly melting and the crispy outside giving way to a soft center. I’m going to sip a steaming cup of coffee, and have another bite. I’m going to relax and enjoy a few minutes of peace. And then, with sugar and caffeine, I’m going to tackle that proposal and straightened out that budget and just generally kick butt before it kicks mine.

Neiman Marcus Cookies

½ granulated sugar

½ brown sugar

1/8 cup coconut butter

¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons canola or coconut oil

1 Tablespoon ground flax mixed with ¼ cup water

½ tsp vanilla extract

1 cup gluten-free flour (Bob’s Red Mill)

1¼ cups blended oatmeal (Bob’s Red Mill)

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp cinnamon 

6 ounces chocolate chips

Nuts, optional

Combine sugars. Add coconut butter and oil and mix. Add flax water and stir until well mixed. Stir in the vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and mix. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts.

If you are vegan, be sure to use vegan sugars and chocolate. If you don’t want to use coconut butter, omit it and increase the oil by 1/8 cup. Bake on 375 degrees F for 8-10 minutes.   

Over-the-top GF Vegan Birthday Cake

A cloud hung over my mom's birthday this year. Her two daughters had gone vegan and one was gluten-free as well.

Am I even going to have a birthday cake this year? She cried over the phone.

Yes, don't worry, I tried to sound reassuring, but where in the world was I going to get a vegan, gluten-free birthday cake recipe that would actually taste good?!

Why, the internets of course. Where everything is true and the world is at your fingertips.

I found some great mimic recipes for momofuku's cakes and treats and tweaked them further into this awesome, totally over-the-top birthday cake. Would you believe it was gone in two days? 'Cause actually it was a day and a half.

Vanilla Cake

1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 1/4 cups Bob's gluten-free flour mix
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup canola oil
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Put liquid ingredients plus sugar in a bowl and mix well.
In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. 
Add liquid to dry and mix well.
Pour into two cake pans oiled, floured, and covered in parchment paper.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until the top is golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool completely before frosting. 

Cookie Crumbles


3/4 cup Bob's gluten-free flour mix
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2  teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons rainbow sprinkles
1/4 cup coconut oil1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, xanthan gum, and baking powder. Add in the sugars, salt, and sprinkles and whisk to combine.  Stir the oil and vanilla extract into the flour mixture (use your hands if you find it easier), working until completely moistened and crumbs begin to form.

Transfer the crumbs the prepared baking sheet.  Bake for 20 minutes, pausing halfway through to break them up a bit.  The crumbs will become hard when cool, so avoid leaving very large chunks.  Cool completely on the baking sheet.  Crumbs can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for a week, or up to a month in the refrigerator.

Caramel

The caramel was not the best part. I used almond milk, sugar and vegan butter. The consistency was good at first, but then went gritty. It was too sweet not didn't have enough of that golden caramel taste. I will keep trying for a better vegan caramel! 

Black lentils and ripe plantains

I love quick meals that I can fix after work. Let's face it, if it has a lot of prep or takes a long time to cook, my stomach usually won't let me wait long enough to make it. I usually go to the gym after work, unless I have to work late, which is really too often.  Either way I walk in the door famished!

I also love ripe plantains! They are sweet, cheap, and quick, a magical trio. This dish took a total of about 20 minutes from start to finish. I used a just ripe plantain. The skin is still mostly yellow with a motley crew of black spots. I don't measure out the ingredients so add more or less depending on your taste or to increase the serving size. The below makes two servings.

Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
Add 1/4 onion, chopped.
While the onion is cooking, chop one just ripe plantain into bite size pieces.
Add the plantain to the pan.
Let the mixture cook for a few minutes, stirring and flipping the plantain occasionally, until it starts to deepen in color and get shiny. This will take about 3-5 minutes. Reduce heat if the plantain starts browning or the oil stars smoking.
Chop half of a red bell pepper into bite size pieces and add to the pan.
Add salt, pepper, and ground ginger to taste. I added 1/2 tsp of ginger.
Let cook for another few minutes, stirring frequently, until the pepper is a little shiny. It will not be sautéed completely but will remain crisp and crunchy.
Add 1/2 cup cooked black lentils. I used Trader Joes lentils. These things are good and hassle-free.
Continue cooking until the lentils are hot.
Dish up and enjoy!

Slow Cooker Oatmeal

A big steaming bowl of oatmeal just hits the spot sometimes. I could eat oatmeal almost everyday. I usually have a box of instant oatmeal stashed in my desk at work for those days when I only have five minutes to eat and didn't bring anything.

I've seen and heard about steel cut oats for years, but this is the first time I've had them. Surprising, given my love for oatmeal. I put this in my crock pot before I went to bed, and woke up to a bowl of comfort food just waiting for me to dig in.

Slow Cooker Oatmeal 

1 cup steel cut oats
3 cups liquid (I used 1 coconut milk + 2 cups water for a creamy oatmeal. Almond, soy, etc., or all water would work well too)
salt
mix-ins (I used cinnamon, 1 tsp of gingeroot, minced, raisins, almond slivers, and then topped with chia seeds)

Put the oats, milk and/or water, salt, and any other mix-ins you want cooked in a crock pot. I put in the raisins so they would be nice and plump, ginger, almonds and cinnamon. Cook on low for three hours. I topped my with chia seeds for some extra omega 3s.

This makes about four servings. I put the leftover in a silicon muffin tin and baked on 350 degrees for 40 minutes. It's still moist, but is muffin shaped and will be great for breakfast this week.

I'm already looking forward to trying different combinations: cranberry, strawberries and cream, pumpkin in the fall, peanut butter and jelly. I'll probably end up with some pretty funky ones.

Buckwheat Porridge

I work with two women who grew up in the former Soviet Union. One day at lunch, they talked about having buckwheat as children. Made into a porridge, it was the quintessential kids' breakfast throughout the bloc.

I love oatmeal and hot breakfast cereals so I had to give it a try. I put the groats in a saucepan and lightly toasted. Then I added water and salt, brought it to a boil, and cooked until soft. Then I added cinnamon, dried cranberries, a few almonds, and a little agave.

It was really good and really filling. Perfect for the winter. Surprisingly, buckwheat isn't a grain at all; it's a seed related to rhubarb and sorrel, which means it is gluten-free.

It's also scores pretty high on the healthy scale having lots of amino acids and having a positive impact on cholesterol. It sounds like I need to eat more buckwheat porridge in the new year!