Vegan Pumpkin Cranberry chip muffins

Vegan Pumpkin Cranberry chip muffins

1 3/4 cups wheat flour
1/4 cup ground flax
1 cup sugar
1/4 t salt 
1 T baking powder
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
1/2 t ginger
1/4 t allspice
1/8 t cloves
2 T chia seeds
1 cup pureed pumpkin (not pie mix)
3/4 cup almond milk
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
2 T molasses
chopped fresh cranberries
chopped walnuts
carob chips

Preheat oven to 400.Just cover chia seeds with water to soak. Sift together all dry ingredients. In a separate bowl whisk together pumpkin, almond milk, coconut oil, molasses and chia seeds. Mix wet and dry until just mixed. Fold in chopped cranberries, walnuts and carob. Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake 18-20 minutes until a knife until comes out clean. Allow to cool before eating.

 

Loaded Choc Chip cookies

Loaded with goodness cookies

Chocolate chips (dark)                          1 teaspoon baking soda

Craisons or dried cherries                                  1 teaspoon sea salt

shredded coconut                                                        1 3/4 sticks butter

1 cup brown sugar                                              1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla                                               3 eggs

Combine the following to make a total of 3 cups ( whole wheat flour, almond meal, oats, ground flax and wheat germ).

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In small bowl combine the 3 cups of flour mix with baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In large mixer bowl ( I use my Kitchen aid stand mixer) beat butter, sugars and vanilla until well blended. Add eggs. Gradually add flour mixture. Then the chips, dries fruit and coconut. Drop by spoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 8 minutes until puffy.

Heart smart cookies

Heart Smart Cookie

I love altering recipes to create my own. My cookie has the cholesterol lowering benefits of oats, all the benefits of whole wheat flour and omega-3's from flax. I have eliminated most of the butter, increased the whole wheat and reduced the sugar.

2 Tablespoons Smart Balance buttery spread

3-4 mushy bananas (or thaw frozen ones to make mushy)

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 farm fresh egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

shredded coconut

2/3 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cup whole oats

1/2 cup flax

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

chopped dates

chopped walnuts

mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in banana, brown sugar,egg, vanilla, coconut and dates, one at a time until smooth.

In another bowl mix remaining ingredients. Mix both bowls together. Drop spoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Cookies don't spread so you can size or shape them artistically if you like!

Bake for about 12 minutes or until they bounce back when the top is touched.

These cookies freeze well and travel well, perfect for taking along on adventures! Enjoy.

Christmas cookies

Scout loves helping in the kitchen. She made cookies this Christmas to give to her friends.

Mixing...with Amanda

spreading flour

covered in flour!

improvising...using the Pam spray cap as a cookie cutter!

unwrapping chocolates

covering dough in sugar

pressing chocolates onto dough

covered in chocolate...yum

making cookies

We made cookies together for the first time, peanutbutter chocolate chip. I always make from scratch but we bought that dough in a tube stuff from the dairy counter. I thought it would be perfect to practice "cutting" with her play knives. Then she pressed the lumps down with a sugar covered fork. Finally she had a bowl of chocolate chips to place intp each of the cookies (of course many went into her mouth!!) Lots of fun.

We have read a lot about how your tastes develop in your first two years of life. Therefore, she rarely is given sweets. I can only think of once before that we gave her a cookie. After the cookies were done she took one, licked the chips and then handed the cookie back. Daddy and Zach loved them though!!