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Peanut Butter Coconut Cookies

I’ve been holding onto a fierce craving for coconut as of late. I think it’s because the lovely white flakes remind me of snow… which we haven’t actually seen much of in Philly. It’s been 50-60 + degrees almost every day. With sunny skies.

Don’t get me wrong, I prefer flaked coconut snow over the real stuff any ol’ day– but there is something so magical about watching snow fall slowly against the glow of a streetlight. I am really looking forward to seeing some white stuff this year–which is a bold statement coming from a self proclaimed snow loather. They say distance makes the heart grow fonder, and since by now in Ohio I’m positive my family and I would have been pummeled by at least some atrocious freezing rain with me cursing up a storm about how we need to move to Tahiti, I guess it’s true. I think I’m really ready to brace the cold this year, armed with cute scarves and warm toasty beverages. If it ever actually gets here, that is. If not, I’ll happily play along in 60 degree temps.

Whether it’s snowy and cold or sunny and warm wherever you may be in the world, these cookies will fit the bill. Chewy and full of texture like an oatmeal cookie, these are best served completely cooled rather than warm from the oven.

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Chocolate Chip Cherry Brownies

In an organized rush to get everything on our to-do list crossed off before we make the trek to Philly, I’ve  packed most of my beloved dishes, small appliances, pots and pans, silverware and other kitchen necessities. Already I’ve filled up about 6 large boxes aaaannnd there are probably at least 3 more to go (yes, I may have a bit of an obsession). We’re also trying to quickly plow through our remaining produce and pantry staples leaving me with a fun challenge come dinnertime each night. I’m actually kinda diggin’ it.

I’ve yet to pack my favorite brownie baking pan (because lots of brownies are an absolute must for road-tripping), and we had an excess of fresh cherries just begging to be used. And for some reason I have a ridiculous amount of chocolate chips to try and use up in 10 days time… poor me, right? ;)

So, today I decided I should bake some chocolate chip cherry brownies. These guys are easy to make and pretty darned good for you — at least compared to most other things I bake! And they have chocolate! And cherries!

Yay for brownies!

Chocolate Chip Cherry Brownies

Ingredients:

  • 12 medjool dates
  • 1/2 cup almond milk
  • 2 1/4 cup non-dairy chocolate chips, divided
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup superfine brown rice flour
  • 1/3 cup potato starch
  • 1 cup finely chopped cherries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 °F. Lightly grease a glass  8 x 8 inch baking pan.

Combine pitted dates and non-dairy milk into food processor and puree until very smooth.

Over double boiler, melt 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips. Pour the melted chocolate into the date mixture and blend again until super smooth. Transfer to large mixing bowl and stir in vanilla extract and salt.

Add in brown rice flour and potato starch and mix until well combined. The batter will be very very very thick. Fold in cherries and remaining chocolate chips. I used clean hands to more or less knead the mix-ins into the batter.

Press batter into pan and spread as best you can to make a uniform surface on top. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Cool completely and cut into small squares.

Eat!

Lemon Olive Oil Cookies

Friends, today I set out to share a delicious new cashew cream truffle recipe with you, while trying to juggle a multitude of other tasks. And I failed. Miserably. :\ I won’t go into details, but let’s just say my kitchen was definitely a pathetic sight to see.

But! Then I remembered I had this bag of lemons kickin’ around, and the fresh smell of lemon always pulls me out of a funk. So I cheered myself up by baking a batch of these citrusy morsels. And man, am I ever glad I screwed up those truffles; these cookies are really good.

Soft, tangy, and similar to a snickerdoodle in texture, these cookies are a nice treat on a warm summer day — especially alongside a refreshing scoop of lemon sorbet. If you don’t like the flavor of olive oil and would prefer a milder cookie, feel free to sub it out with melted margarine or coconut oil.

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Chocolate Acorn Squash Baked Custard

I woke up this morning determined to create something wonderful with this little acorn squash that had been rolling around on my counter-top for the past few days.

After mixing up all of the ingredients,  I had no idea that I had just created my new favorite Autumn treat. I’m serious! This dessert tastes remarkably like a chocolate pumpkin pie, or a pot de créme,  or simply what it is: an awesome baked custard (no eggs or cream needed). And it’s so easy to make!

Creamy, rich, and chocolatey, I dare you to eat just one bite.

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Cherry Tart-lettes

vegan-cherry-tartlette-2

Over the weekend, the family and I stocked up on plenty-o-cherries. While I was excited about eating them as is- savoring each sweet and juicy bite- my son had another plan for them: cherry pie.

He must have asked me to make cherry pie at least ten times this past weekend.

Truthfully, the thought of rolling out a pie crust in 90 degree weather seemed less than appealing…but I didn’t want to disappoint my little man. So, I compromised with some tiny cherry tarts. Similar to the requested pie, with a little less fuss. These tarts can be made quickly, with relatively little effort. Pitting the cherries is the hardest part.

They are super cute too. Kinda like cookies and pie and muffins- all in one!

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P B & J Parfait

peanut butter and jelly parfait

One of my favorite flavor combinations ever is peanut butter and jelly.  Since gluten is off limits for me, it is difficult to satiate my craving with a simple sandwich.  So,  I have resorted to eating  pb&j straight from a giant spoon every now and again.

Okay, I do it a lot.

The inspiration for this parfait is obvious.  Getting my peanut butter and jelly fix this way assures no odd looks from my husband, and it’s a bit less barbaric. Perhaps even fancy.

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Super Sticky Clementine Cake

vegan gluten free clementine cake

Okay, when I say this cake is super sticky… I mean it is super friggin’ sticky.  See how the cake kinda dips in the center?  I’m not exactly certain why this happened. :|

My guess is: incredibly moist (and heavy) cake with crispier ( therefore lighter) edges = cake that sinks in the middle.  But the taste and texture totally trump any weird looks this thing may get.

I still have a lot of gluten free cake making in my future, but at least now I can say I have mastered a flavorful, wet, gluten free cake that will stick to the bottom of your plate. Good start.

The clementine filling/topping adds an extra layer of super sticky that I find over the top perfect for this cake.

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Meyer Lemon Pudding

meyer lemon pudding

If you are craving sweet, sour and a little bit salty all at once, this pudding will deliver.  It is pretty fast and easy to make… but it does seem to take forever to set up in the fridge.  It is worth the wait though.  The taste kind of reminds me of an Orange Julius… which makes me want to make one of those really badly.

If you cannot get your hands on any Meyer lemons (I couldn’t  find any until I moved closer to a Whole Foods) try combining  the juice of one lemon and one orange along with the orange’s zest.  I’m guessing that would taste pretty awesome too.

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Almondy Chocolate Chip Cookies (GF)

gluten free chocolate chip cookies

Okay folks… they may not look like regular chocolate chip cookies… but you gotta trust me on these.  They are seriously addicting  little bites of awesomeness.

Since I first started eating gluten free, I have been trying to create a replica of my all time favorite vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe.  Well, I finally have come very very close!  But, I wanted to pause for a moment, and celebrate this little gem that I found along the way.

The cookies themselves are a little unorthodox, as they are made with buckwheat flour and almond flour… but the taste is quite remarkable.  I have made these four times in the last week… which proves how much my son and husband enjoyed them.  They loved them.

Not bad for my first attempt at using buckwheat flour– which by the way, is my new BFF. <3

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Sweet Potato Tart with Maple Icing

sweet potato tart

I adore sweet potatoes.  I could go for them any time of day.  Today, I had this sweet potato tart for breakfast.  It was pretty awesome, and went well with my pumpkin flavored coffee that I have been trying to use up.  Although it is easy to make, it would be a royal pain if you did not have a food processor handy.

Spice as desired with this one, the batter is great on it’s own.  For some reason I default into using three particular spices when I bake things that are orange.  Whatever you decide, it is good both ways: super flavorful without lots of sugar…. (from a bag).

Okay, the glaze is pure sugar… but I couldn’t resist.

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffle Cookies

chocolate peanut butter truffle cookies

These are super rich and chocolatey, exist somewhere in between a cookie and a truffle, and are loaded with peanut butter.  Yes, they taste as awesome as they sound.  If you are feeling a little lazy (or are  just out of chocolate chips) the cookies are fantastic if you skip the dipping step.

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Shiraz Ganache Covered Brownies

vegan gluten free brownies

I did something wonderful this weekend… I made brownies, and they tasted amazing.  You see, this is a very rare occurrence in my house, so it was cause for a tiny celebration: hence the red wine ganache.

I have a great trusty ol’ brownie recipe… which I never use.  I am always looking for something better, and wishing I had just left “well enough” alone.  Usually when I attempt to make a new brownie recipe, I set off confident, armed with my flaxseed or my EnerG… ready to take on the brownie world.  But, almost always, something starts to go wrong 2 minutes after I mix the batter… and then it tumbles quickly downhill from there.

Have you ever experienced the horror that is the bubbling brownie of death, just a mere 10 minutes into the baking time????   I have… and it really burns up my oven mitts.

So, yesterday, as I was savoring one of my favorite foods: the Medjool date… I thought to myself  “Now, this is what brownie batter should be like: moist, chewy, sticky and sweet all at once.”

I began mentally combining ingredients, having the utmost confidence that those dates would act as a binder, a sweetener and a base all by their little selves.  Out of sheer excitement for my upcoming brownie success, I opened bottle of Shiraz and went to town.  A few chocolate chips later, a batch of decadent and rich brownies was born.  I was quite pleased with the results… especially with the thick and awesome chocolatey topping.  So super good.

Needless to say, this recipe’s a keeper.  Full of dates, and free of gluten, oils, and added refined sugar (well, except in the chocolate chips)… this brownie will blow your mind.

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