Oatmeal Apple Cinnamon Cookies (vegan and gluten free)

Recipe from Food Impromptu
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes 12-15 cookies

Quick and easy to make in a food processor, the cookie dough was ready to go into the preheated oven. They are chewy, moist and have excellent autumn flavors, cinnamon, apples and walnuts!  If you use gluten free oats, they’ll be a nice treat for those who can’t tolerate gluten.  

1 ¾ cup old fashioned rolled oats (175g)
¼ cup coconut sugar (47g)
1 cup walnuts (100 g)
½ cup raisins (70g) 
½ cup almond butter (125 g) You can substitute another nut butter, if you wish.
1 medium apple (170g), chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt  
1/4 teaspoon baking soda 
1 teaspoon baking powder 
1 teaspoon cinnamon 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Transfer all the ingredients to a food processor and process until it reaches a coarse consistency. Please note that the mixture will be very sticky right now but don’t worry it’s all good. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and scoop 2 tablespoon of the the mixture on the baking tray. Since the mixture is very sticky at this point, grease your hands with some oil or you can simply flatten it out evenly with a butter knife to 1/2 inch thickness. Preheat the oven to 350F and bake for about 18 minutes or so. The baking time also depends on the heat of your oven so adjust the baking time accordingly. Once baked let it cool and then transfer it on to a wire rack so that the cookies do not collect moisture at the bottom and to prevent it from getting soggy. The cookies are very delicate right after it's baked, so let it cool down completely before handling. Store the cookies in an air tight container to prevent it from drying out. These cookies also freezes well, you can make a back of it and freeze it for later - a grab and go breakfast. 

IMPORTANT TIPS:  The mixture is supposed to be sticky so grease your hands with some oil or you can simply flatten it out with a butter knife to 1/2 inch thickness - the baking time depends on the heat of your oven to adjust it accordingly if needed - use your judgement - some people are not very fond of raisins but it works very well for this recipe. Once the raisins are blended with the other ingredients you won’t notice it at all - the cookies are very delicate right after its baked so let it cool down completely before handling or storing it - Store the cookies in an air tight container to prevent it from drying out - these cookies also freezes well so you can make a batch and freeze it for later - a grab and go

Nutritional Information: (1 of 12 cookies) 211 calories; 7 g fat; 0.6 g saturated fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 1386 mg sodium; 33.8 g carbohydrates; 7.5 g fiber; 10.8 g sugars; 4.8 g protein; 462 mg calcium; 3 mg iron; 1062 mg potassium

Sweet and Spicy Smashed Cucumber/Stone Fruit Salad

Recipe from Rainbow Plant Life

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes 4 side salads

 

This salad is not only gorgeous, but it tastes fantastic.  It’s quite simple to put together.  The smashed cucumbers absorb the vinaigrette.  The flavor of those cucumbers goes perfectly with the sweetness of the stone fruit and golden raisins.  The nuts provide the crunch and the basil finishes this salad beautifully. 

5-6 mini Persian cucumbers or 1 large English cucumber

Big pinch of kosher salt

2-3 ripe but firm peaches or nectarines, sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon pure maple syrup

2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2-3 Tablespoons pine nuts or pepitas, toasted for 3-5 minutes in a dry skillet

2-3 Tablespoons golden raisins

8 or so fresh basil leaves, slivered

 

Using the back of a heavy knife, smash down on the cucumbers using the widest part of the blade (similar to smashing down on a garlic clove when removing its peel) until the cucumber cracks open into a few pieces.  Using your hands (or knife) tear the smashed cucumbers into rough chunks.  Place the cucumber chunks in a colander and sprinkle with a bit of kosher salt.  Place the colander in a large bowl or in the sink.  Allow the cucumbers to rest and release liquid for at least 15 minutes or up to an hour.  Discard any liquid in the bowl. 

Meanwhile, place the garlic, red pepper flakes, vinegar, maple syrup, olive oil, salt and pepper in a jar.  Place the lid on the jar and shake vigorously until well blended.

Add the drained cucumbers to a large serving bowl or platter.  Add the sliced peaches or nectarines to the cucumbers and then toss them with the vinaigrette.  Top with the toasted pine nuts, golden raisins and slivered basil. 

 

 

Kitchen Sink Whole-Grain Cookies

Recipe from http://lifemadesimplebakes.com

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes 20 (3-inch diameter) cookies

These cookies are just scrumptious.  These were originally called breakfast cookies, but I think of them more of a treat to be enjoyed with a hot cup of coffee or tea. When I first made them, I used the exact measurements for the sugar and maple syrup.  We thought they were plenty sweet and next time, I will use less of each. They would be a great addition to any picnic basket or lunchbox.  Because there are quite a few ingredients, I would suggest making a few batches of the dry ingredients and then storing two batches in jars or bags in the fridge.  Then, when you are ready for a little pick-me-up, just add the “wet” ingredients and bake.

1 cup walnuts

1½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats

¼ cup steel cut oats (or ¼ cup more old-fashioned rolled oats.)

1/3 cup whole-wheat flour

½ cup ground flax seed meal

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ cup almond butter or peanut butter

1/3 cup liquid coconut oil*

¼ cup (or less) coconut sugar* or brown sugar

¼ cup (or less) maple syrup or agave

2 large eggs, room temperature

1½ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup dried raisins or cherries or currants

¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut

½ cup chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts or almonds) and/or bittersweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat and then set aside.  Pulse the walnuts in a food processor until a coarse meal or flor forms; transfer to a large bowl.  Add the oats, whole-wheat flour, flax meal, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.  Whisk to combine.  Add the almond butter, coconut oil, sugar, maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla extract.  Using a large spatula, mix until a sticky dough forms.  Fold in the dried fruit, coconut and nuts or chocolate chips.  Allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes.  Scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Lightly press the dough down to flatten a bit (about 3 inches in diameter.) They won’t spread out much at all during baking.  Bake for 7-9 minutes or until the edges become lightly golden brown in color.  Remove from oven and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

*Notes:  If using coconut sugar, allow it to dissolve, in the warm coconut oil for 5 minutes before proceeding with the remaining steps.

Nutritional Information:

(I used the CalorieKing app) 1 of 20 cookies = 248 calories/ 3.5 grams fiber; 1 of 24 = 206 calories/4.2 grams fiber

Energy Bars

Recipe from The Food You Crave by Ellie Krieger

Husband-Tested in Marimar’s Kitchen (Alice’s daughter-in-law)

Makes 24 bars

Back when our son first got married, I was delighted to find that he had chosen an excellent cook for his lifetime mate.  She and I enjoy cooking and baking very much and have shared recipes over the years.  This recipe came from a cookbook that I had given her (I own a copy too).  She made these bars for us to snack on during a recent visit to their home in Mexico.  I love that they are not too sweet.  They are chewy and slightly crunchy and perfect with a cup of coffee or tea and a piece of whole fruit for a mid-day pick-me-up. 

Cooking spray

1 cup quick-cooking oats

½ cup shelled unsalted raw sunflower seeds

½ cup toasted wheat germ

¼ cup whole-grain pastry flour or whole-wheat flour

½ cup dried apricots

½ cup raw almonds

½ cup raisins

½ cup pitted dried dates

½ cup nonfat dry milk

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/3 cup pure maple syrup (not pancake syrup)

2 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Coat a 9” X 13” baking pan with cooking spray.  Place the ingredients, except the maple syrup and the eggs, in a food processor and pulse until everything is finely chopped.  Add the syrup and the eggs and pulse until the mixture is well combined.  It will resemble a coarse paste.  Transfer to the baking pan and spread evenly to cover the bottom.  Bake until lightly browned, about 20 minutes.  Allow to cool for 15 minutes, then cut into 24 bars (each about 3” x 1½”.)  Store in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3 days or wrap individually and freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutritional Info: (per bar) 133 calories; fat 5 grams (1.8 g mono; 2 g poly; 0.6 g sat.); protein 5 grams; carbs 20 grams; fiber 2.5 grams; cholesterol 21 mg; sodium 19 mg.  Each bar is an excellent source of manganese and a good source of fiber, phosphorus, protein, and thiamin.