Toasted Nuts and Seeds Breakfast Cookies

started the week with breakfast on cake plate. excited for the sun to come up with these

It was time to try out the breakfast cookies from my Yum Universe cookbook.  We were in need to mix it up with something different to start the day. I ended up grinding up the mixture more than the recipe calls for.  I also added in a little more moisture with some almond butter and tablespoon of honey. All nuts and seeds and dried fruit are from Trader Joe's. Oats and buckwheat are Bob's Redmill gluten-free/organic. Spices are from Penzy's.

What you need:
1 cup rolled oats, toasted
1/2 cup flaked coconut, toasted
1/4 cup buckwheat groats, toasted
3/4 cup almonds, toasted
1/4 cup sunflower seeds, toasted
1/2 cup dried cranberries 
1 cup diced red apple
2 tablespoons coconut oil (or extra if needed)
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 teaspoon of coconut sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pink salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon/some nutmeg and orange zest as well if you'd like
*needed mixture to be more moist, so I added in TJ's almond butter and some local honey to moisten

What to do:
 Toast oats, coconut, buckwheat, almonds, and sunflower seeds in oven, 5-7 minutes at 400 degrees.

Lower oven to 325 degrees

Add to TM bowl along with the wet ingredients.  Blend until well mixed.

Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place cookie cutter on parchment lined baking sheet and fill with dough.  Left and repeat until you use up all the dough.

Bake for 35 minutes or until dry and slightly browned.

Allow to cool.

breakfast table:includes ghee and cashew butter for spreading

topped with ghee and warmed frozen wild blueberries

This Year's Hannukah Cookies

Making Cookies for school party

Little Brother blended his frosting: sunbutter, blacksrap molasses and coconut oil, blue Maggies Natural sprinkles for topping

 

Carrot Molasses Cookies

Who doesn't love breakfast cookies? I sometimes make these on Sunday afternoon for tea time when I have a little bit of homemade coconut milk that needs to be used up. Then I have a batch of cookies for breakfast the following day. If you prefer to use sprouted oats, you can order them here. These cookies use all of our family favorite pantry items and exclude all top allergens. 

What you need:
2 cups oat flour
2 cups rolled oats
1-2  cups shredded carrots  (1 giant carrot or 2 medium carrots)
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 teaspoon salt 
1/2 cup homemade coconut milk
1/2 cup unsulphured blackstrap molasses 
Handful of raisins or chopped unsulphered dried apricots
Handful of shredded unsulphured coconut 

What to do:
Set oven to 350 degrees

Prepare baking sheet with baking paper

Grind oats to oat flour in TM, 30 seconds, speed 9.  Set aside.

Chop carrots in TM bowl

Add back in the oat flour to TM bowl as well as the rest of the ingredients

Mix on reverse blade, speed 3 for about 15 seconds

Form into balls, flatten slightly, and bake for 15 min at 350 degrees

Oatmeal Rusks

We recently introduced Baby Brother to oatmeal: "hello, Baby Brother, please be able to eat me without a reaction!"  We started this introduction process with a skin test with his allergist using both the serum and natural oat: no reaction.  I was nervous to introduce oats and barley after reacting to the wheat skin test.  The first way I made oats was a simple porridge using just oats and water.  Then I mixed in a little homemade coconut milk.  He ate a few bites for a few days,  but wasn't very interested after that.  I did make some leftover soaked porridge pan fried cakes that were successful.  I will be posting that next.  From there I wanted to make two ingredient oat cookies; something to nibble on really. I found this recipe and gave it a go.  They are actually made similarly as these oat biscuits I used to make a few years ago. These particular rusks are cooked for some time, yielding a very hard biscotti-like log biscuit.  I like that they are shaped perfectly for little hands.  I didn't intend for Big Brother to like them them more than Baby Brother.  Then again, Baby Brother is at a toddler stage that makes introducing new foods even more challenging. More than actually eating the rusks, Baby Brother reaches for one like he wants it and then just leaves it or throws it at my head.  I'll keep trying, but hopefully not for long before I can try our family oatmeal breakfast cookies with egg.  One thing I'd like to do to improve this recipe is to soak the oat flour overnight before baking.  Do I need to add something acidic like lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, or do you think that water is enough to help with digestibility and nutrition? 

What you need:
250 grams oat 
100-200 grams of boiled water, cooled.

What to do:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper
3. Blitz oats in TM, speed 9 for 30 seconds. Scrape down. Repeat
4. Add 100 grams of water
5. Blitz speed 5
6. Drizzle more water until you form a dough. It should feel a little sticky and hold its shape when rolled into a ball
7. Shape into logs, I make around 12-14
8. Make dents with your finger so that it's easier for toddler to hold on to.
9. Bake for 30 minutes
10. Turn down oven to 300 degrees
11. Bake until hard: 45-60 minutes
12. Store in brown paper bag.  I like these.  They stay dry stored this way, even in humid Houston :)

Chocolate Quinoa Crackers

We have been quite busy moving, yet again.  This time just down the street though and not internationally. Between pregnancy and moving to-do lists, I am just starting to get back into looking for new recipes to try.  I bookmarked these chocolate quinoa crackers a while ago because I liked the short list of ingredients.  I also liked that they are vegan and gluten free.  Since I would like to share these with a friend who does not tolerate gluten, I wiped down my counter top 3 times, made sure to inspect all cooking utensils out of the dishwasher, and used parchment paper on bottom and top of dough when rolling out as well as a parchment paper lined baking sheet.  I just didn't trust that my rolling pin was totally free of traces of gluten.  I still need to calibrate the oven since I'm sure the temperature is off some; let's hope that the 390 I set the oven to worked out ok.  Off to try one now!

Original recipe found at: http://chockohlawtay.blogspot.com/2012/07/chocolate-quinoa-crackers.html

                                                                  

What you need:
1 cup of quinoa flour (Ancient Harvest Organic Quinoa Flour)
1/2 cup cocoa powder (Trader Joe's Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: "Our Vendors Follow Good Manufacturing Practices To Segregate Ingredients to Avoid Cross Contact With Allergens Made on Shared Equipment With Milk.")
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup sugar (please note that recipe calls for other sweeteners)
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon canola oil
1/2 cup water

What to do:
Tape down a large square of parchment paper onto your counter

Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Take out third parchment paper and set aside for putting on top of dough for when rolling out

Measure the oil and water in different bowls and set aside.

In bowl, whisk together the quinoa flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.  

Drizzle the oil over the mixture and rub in with your fingers until it looks a little like sand 


Slowly add in the water, still mixing using your fingers.  Add enough water to form a ball (should not be too moist and should not be too dry where pieces crumble off).  Pat the dough into a ball and place on the taped down parchment paper.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Roll the dough out , making sure that it doesn't tear.  If it does, add a little bit more water, re-pat into a ball and roll out again.  Roll out to about 1/8" thickness.  Slice using a pizza cutter.  Transfer squares individually onto the prepared pan--about 1-2" apart--and poke holes into them using a toothpick or fork.  Bake for 10-11 minutes (they will be soft out of the oven but will become crunchy once cooled), and cool on a wire drying rack.

poking holes

Today, Cats!
Tomorrow, Trains!

                                                       

Passover Inspired Anytime Carrot Coconut Macaroons

ready to eat and to take on the go

This is a good time of year to post my favorite coconut macaroon recipe.  This is my first post from our new home in Houston.  I have a lot of thoughts and things to share about major moves with multiple food allergies, but that's for another post. The macaroon recipe is from the April 2010, Canadian Family magazine.  I love these! They are delicious and have just the right balance of sweetness and flavor, I contribute this to the grated carrots and ginger with maple syrup and apple juice and no added sugar. This recipe is vegan and nut-free (coconut is ok for us) but not necessarily kosher for passover.  This is my go-to recipe for macaroons without eggs.  I froze a dozen, they defrost nicely.  It is tricky shopping for coconut oil without worrying about sesame and tree-nut contamination.  I use Artisana coconut oil, http://www.artisanafoods.com/, but please check the label and determine if it is safe for your family. There is a great article on reading labels for allergy information at: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/04/06/consumers-often-ignore-food-allergy-labels/
I am going to make coconut butter with my Thermomix for the next batch and see how these turn out.  But first I have to get a better understanding of the difference between coconut butter and oil. For Thermomix coconut butter instructions, please visit: 
http://www.superkitchenmachine.com/2011/11949/make-coconut-butter-thermomi.html


 What you need:
1 cup  grated raw carrots (one large carrot)
1/4 cup apple juice
1/2 cup coconut oil (I use Artisana brand)
2 cups coconut flakes (I use Let's Do Organic brand, it's unsweetened and contains no sulphites:http://www.edwardandsons.com/ldo_shop_coconut.itml)
2/3 cup whole wheat flour (I suppose you could play around with types of flour according to allergy restrictions)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
2 tbsp maple syrup (Oh how I miss buying giant bottles locally from St. Lawrence market on Saturday mornings!)


What to do:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Line cookie sheet with silicone baking mat
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl
Roll into approximately 24 balls with the help of your children
Transfer to rack to cool, but I skip this part 
I then listen to my toddler scream as he always does when baking: "no oven!" which means he wants to eat them right away


For original recipe, please visit: http://www.canadianfamily.ca/recipe/carrot-coconut-macaroons/

Chocolate Crinkles and Friendship

dip it!

This time of year can cause much anxiety for allergic parents.  So many holiday treats baked with eggs, nuts, dairy, gluten.....  Oh, the mental check-list I go through before taking a cookie off of a holiday tray, especially those without labels or ingredient lists. Once I find something I am comfortable with I still remember to take a tiny, just-in-case, better-be-careful bite.  I think about how our little ones also can experience feeling left out when they can't help themselves like all the others.  Personal experience makes me avoid treats in front of my son that he can't enjoy as well, it adds insult to injury.  I remember feeling so sad when I couldn't eat the dessert being enjoyed by everyone else when I was a child.  I still feel that way sometimes!   


This year, a good friend went out of her way to make an allergy friendly batch of cookies for us.  And she even went over the cocoa powder's ingredient list over the phone ahead of time.  The "may contain traces of eggs" is a source of much confusion.  


I am going to share the magazine recipe she used-and gave me to take home with a big bag of cookies-so that you can make them for your next holiday party.  


If I were hosting a holiday party and serving these cookies, I would put them out with a piece of paper listing all the ingredients and brands used. I would put them out on a separate plate to avoid cross-contamination.  I'd even store some away just in case the ones out for all could be cross-contaminated with allergens in the other foods being served.  And some pre-party conversation usually makes the allergic person/allergic parent that much more comfortable and able to make an informed/safe decision.  If you can find the on-line recipe link, a simple email ahead of time is marvelous!


Lisa, our friend that made these cookies, wasn't too sure that they came out all that well.  Yes, they are soft and have a soft texture, but that is not a bad thing.  Our little guy loved them.  Well, he didn't really like the first one he tried.  But the next day he was asking for them: "More Lisa cookies, please".


Thank you for going out of your way for us!


The recipe comes from the December 2011 Todaysparent.  Check out this recipe and more at: http://www.todaysparent.com/activities/4-delicious-allergy-sensitive-holiday-treats


What you need:
13⁄4 cups granulated sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (brands' allergy information varies!)
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1⁄2 cup canola oil
2 tsp vanilla
21⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1⁄4 tsp salt
1 cup icing sugar


What to do:
Using an electric mixer, combine granulated sugar, cocoa powder, applesauce, oil and vanilla until well blended.

In another bowl, whisk flour with baking powder and salt.

Add flour mixture to cocoa mixture in 3 parts, mixing each addition well with an electric mixer for a soft, wet batter.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in fridge for 2 hours. It must be well chilled to roll, so don’t skip this step!

Preheat oven to 350F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Sift icing sugar into a shallow bowl.

Scoop spoonfuls of dough and roll between your hands to make 11⁄2-in. balls.

Roll them in icing sugar until well coated. The more sugar on the outside, the better the effect. 

Place on the baking sheets about 2 in. apart.

Bake for 10 min — but check at 8. They should be puffed and just set, so they’ll have a soft, brownie-like texture.

Cool completely on a rack. Repeat with remaining dough.

Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Makes 4 dozen.

yummy!

More vegan chocolate inspiration:

http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/vegan/recipe-vegan-chocolate-ginger-orange-cupcakes-110949

http://gracefulfitnessblog.com/2011/12/15/chocolate-ganache-pie/

Chocolate Fudge Cookies

These cookies are perfect, both the recipe and the final product: great ingredients and simple preparation. I must mention that this recipe yields a lot of cookies, that's not a bad thing.  I halved this recipe and still got about 30 cookies.   You can make these to bring over to your friend's house and still have about a dozen left over.  I enjoy keeping some in the freezer for future chocolate cravings, I actually like them frozen.   These cookies happen to be both vegan and wheat free.  In case you haven't yet baked with barley flour, check out Bob's Red Mill: http://www.bobsredmill.com/  They do have sesame and tree nuts present in their facility; however, I have been baking with their flours for years. It wasn't until my son's sesame allergy that I even thought about cross-contamination with basic baking ingredients.  For some reason, I am still generally comfortable with their products.  I just recommend, if you or anyone in your family have food allergies, that you inquire personally with the company since we all have different comfort levels.  

What you need:

2 ½ cups maple syrup

1 cup canola oil

1 ½ cups chocolate chips (I use Enjoylife brand)

2 ½ cups dark cocoa

5 cups barley flour

¼ tsp sea salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract


What to do:
Combine syrup, oil, chocolate chips in a bowl.
In separate bowl, combine cocoa and barley flour.
Combine  2 mixtures in large bowl.  
Slowly add remaining ingredients.
Using a teaspoon, scoop batter in portions onto waxed cookie sheet.  
Slightly flatten each ball of dough with the back of spoon.
Bake 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees.  
Remove cookies when still a bit soft.  They harden as they cool.


More vegan chocolate inspiration:
http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/vegan/recipe-vegan-chocolate-ginger-orange-cupcakes-110949
http://gracefulfitnessblog.com/2011/12/15/chocolate-ganache-pie/

Tapioca Gel, An Eggciting Egg Replacer

Thank you, Tastespotting.com, for directing me to this recipe for vegan and gluten-free chocolate crinkle cookies.


http://www.cakeandcommerce.com/cake_and_commerce/2011/04/chocolate-crinkle-cookies-my-favorite-gone-gluten-free-and-vegan-.html.  


I just came across this recipe today as well as the idea of using tapioca gel as an egg replacer. Flax seed gel appears in many eggless baking recipes, but tapioca gel?  I had not seen it until today.   I cannot wait to try it out in leu of flax gel. This is great for both egg and seed allergies alike!  I am including a link for you to read and understand more about it.


http://www.cakeandcommerce.com/cake_and_commerce/eggs/

Sawdust Cookies

This is a toddler-friendly adaptation of our favorite healthy cookies. The original recipe, with egg, remains a family secret.  This new egg-free version for toddlers should be shared.







what you need:
1 cup whole wheat or spelt flour
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
freshly ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup butter (made in Thermomix)
equivalent of one egg EnerG egg replacer
enough juice to make batter consistency, wet but holds together to form cookies
optional: mix in raisins, chocolate chips and/or desiccated coconut

what to do:
preheat oven to 350 degrees

mix ingredients in big bowl in order of appearance according to above ingredient list.  I am currently playing around with soaking the oats ahead of time.

spoon out onto silicon mat lined baking tray

slightly flatten each cookie

bake for about 10 minutes or until golden brown

Allergy Warning Change: Whole Foods 365 Ginger Snaps. Please Read Before You Eat!!

Here is proof that one must read ingredient lists and allergy information every single time!!!!!!  Poof, out of no where, the Whole Foods 365 Ginger Snaps allergen label changed on us.  In an earlier post I explain why we love and buy these ginger snaps.  As of today, I am not sure if they are safe for my toddler.

The allergen information used to read:  Contains wheat and soy ingredients.  Good Manufacturing practices used to segregate ingredients in a facility that also processes milk, egg, peanut and treenut ingredients.


The allergen information now reads:  Contains wheat and soy ingredients.  May contain milk, egg, peanut and treenut ingredients.


I am currently investigating the issue.  I have been in contact with Customer Service at the Toronto Whole Foods location.  I have left a message with The Austin, Texas Corporate Office asking that they contact me.

I will be posting any learned information!

Shortbread Hearts

picture taken from marthastewart.com

I spotted this good idea thumbing through the February issue of the Martha Stewart magazine.  I like the idea of presenting the chocolate covered hearts in a pretty box. Many shortbread recipes naturally do not include eggs.  I started to make shortbread when I learned of my son's egg allergy.  I enjoy making different shapes using cookie cutters for special occasions and holidays.  


This post includes two different sets of ingredients and two very different methods.  The first is from Martha Stewart.  The second is from the Thermomix guide, Every day cooking for every family.  I have only made shortbread using my Thermomix.  I like that I can use my Thermomix to do everything: grind granulated sugar to make caster sugar, grid rice into rice flour, churn cream into butter and melt chocolate for dipping.


Recipe #1


What you need:
1 cup (3 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cups sifted confectioner's sugar (I use Wholesome Sweeteners sugars)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped ( I use Enjoy Life chocolate chips)
1 teaspoon canola oil or pure vegetable shortening


What to do:
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter, sugar, and vanilla until combined. On slow speed, beat in flour and salt until combined. Wrap dough in plastic wrap; chill until firm, at least 2 hours, or overnight.


On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough until 1/16-to-1/8 inch thick. Cut out hearts with a 2-inch heart cookie cutter. Transfer cookies to an ungreased baking sheet; chill for 30 minutes.


Heat oven to 300 degrees with a rack in the center. Press the tines of a fork into each cookie to make designs. Bake until just beginning to brown around the edges, about 18 minutes. (Cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for about 5 days.)


In the top of a double boiler or in a heat-proof bowl set over simmering water, melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally. Stir in the oil. Dip half or one third of each cookie into the chocolate mixture. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack to dry, or place them on a piece of parchment paper in the freezer for 10 minutes. Serve.


Read more at Marthastewart.com: Chocolate-Dipped Shortbread Hearts - Martha Stewart Recipes 


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Recipe # 2:


What  you need:
100 grams plain flour
50 grams rice flour or cornflour
50 grams caster sugar
100 grams hard butter, cut into cubes


What to do:
Preheat oven to 300-315 degrees (shortbread should be pale golden brown so you need to lower the temperature accordingly. )


Put all ingredients into TM bowl and mix for 10 seconds on speed 6 to combine.


Set dial to closed lid position and mix for 20 seconds on Interval speed.  The mixture will still appear dry and crumbly.


Tip mixture into greased cake tin or shortbread mold.  Press down evenly with palm of hand.  If using tin, flute edges.  You can press marks using fork at this point.  Alternatively, wrap in plastic wrap and put in refrigerator to rest before rolling out and cutting into shapes.  Bake in center of oven for about 20 minutes or until pale golden color and firm to touch.  Mark top into portion while still in baking tray.  Dredge with caster sugar.  



I need to make these soon: 
http://drizzleanddip.com/2012/06/26/shortbread-biscuit-balls-with-chocolate-middles

Anzac Biscuits-my new favorite treat

anzac bicuits

What I like most about the Anzac biscuits is that they are naturally egg-free.  No need to think through and adapt the recipe.  I could write a long list of why I like them:  they are a great mix of crispy and chewy, they are really easy to make using Thermomix, they freeze beautifully and they are great for making ice cream sandwiches.  I am sure I will add more reasons why at a later time.  If you can keep it in your kitchen, we can at this point, these are delicious with a good spread of peanut butter.  It is not easy to find peanut butter without "may contain traces of tree nuts and seeds.  So far, The Whole Foods 365 brand has the warning I am most comfortable with.  


The recipe below is the recipe as it reads in the Thermomix guide, Everyday cooking for every family.  I am sure you can find a method for making them without Thermomix.


You can make these for your child if you are comfortable with coconut as an ingredient.  It took me a while to try.

What you need:
120 g butter

100 g golden syrup (we use local, dark maple syrup)
1 tsp baking soda
100 g rolled oats
150 g plain flour
75 g sugar (we use Wholesome Sweeteners)
75 g dark brown sugar (we use Wholesome Sweeteners)
50 g desiccated coconut (check package carefully for allergy warning)


Method:
Pre-heat oven to 335 F (160 C) (I am still working on the prefect temperature between 335-350 F).  Place baking paper on baking tray


Place butter and syrup into TM bowl.  Heat for 2 minutes at 60 degrees C on speed 2 until fully dissolved.  Place baking soda into TM bowl and mix for 5 seconds on speed 3.


Add remaining ingredients and set dial to closed lid position and mix for 30-35 seconds on Interval speed.


Place one tablespoon of mixture onto baking tray and push down to flatten.  Make sure to leave room between each one for spreading.


Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.  I find that they firm up when cooling.


Remove from oven and allow to cool on tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks (I just put on plate) to cool completely.