Blueberry Peach Oat Muffins (vegan)

Two weeks from today I will be in Ireland.

 

In other words, my family has only two weeks left to enjoy being spoiled by a private chef.

I get to cook all day, they experience the good life, you get all the recipes.

It's a Win-Win-Win.

But they are seriously burned out from oatmeal, with still over a month of winter left.

And waking up while it's still dark to make them breakfast isn't likely to happen.

 

Luckily these Blueberry Peach Oat Muffins can be whipped together the night before

and ready when the sun comes up.

Or, in this case, before.

Peach and ginger add a burst of warmth to these hearty blueberry oat muffins.
Enjoy while counting down the days until spring!


Yields 1 dozen muffins

Add some sunshine to these gray winter mornings.

3/4 cup soymilk plus 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons flaxmeal mixed with 6 tablespoons warm water

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch of nutmeg
Pinch of ground ginger

1/2 cup baking oil (I use sunflower)
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 cup diced peaches

Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare muffin baking tin with paper liners.

In one cup, whisk together the soymilk and the apple cider vinegar, and in another cup, the flaxmeal and warm water. Let both set for ten minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir the oats, whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, salt, nutmeg, and ginger. Set aside.

In a medium bowl combine the soymilk/vinegear mix with the flaxmeal slurry and stir in the baking oil, blueberries, and peaches. Add to dry ingredient mix, stir until no large flour lumps remain. Distribute batter equally among the lined muffin pan and bake until lightly browned and an inserted toothpick comes out clean, about 15-17 minutes. Remove from oven and enjoy warm or cooled.

Millet and Sweet Potato Pilaf - Vegan + Gluten Free

It's a new year, and I think it's time to be completely honest with you.We all deserve the truth:

I do not actually live out of the cookie jar. Believe it or not, I cook legitimate meals.

But there is a sweetness to be found outside of the bakery.  Of course, fruit can do the trick. Almonds and cinnamon are helpful too. But I'm also talking about squash, onions, beets, carrots, parsnips: vegetables with a relatively-high sugar amount.

Before calling me a "wack-a-doo hippie" and snapping open a leftover candy cane, try caramelizing onions or roasting carrots - the brown color they turn, that's the sugar visibly releasing.

A balanced meal contains all five flavors: sweet, spicy/sharp, bitter, salty, and sour. When there's no sweet on that dinner plate, guess who going to be caught munching on chocolate or cereal an hour later?

When the amount of naturally-sweet and nourishing foods in the diet increases, the white-sugar addiction will diminish and eventually vanish as added sugars are eliminated. And, being post-holiday season, this is a great time to start.

I would pick the naturally-sweet yams and apricots over sugary pastries any day of the week. The ginger, cayenne, and soy sauce in this Millet and Sweet Potato Pilaf give it a nice boost to help you power through those resolutions. And did I mention there's no fat?

Millet and Sweet Potato Pilaf
Serves 2-4

3/4 cup water mixed with 1/2 cup vegetable stock (or 1 1/4 cup water with 1 tablespoon tomato paste)
1/2 cup dry millet
1 large sweet potato, medium-dice
5 dried apricot slices, slivered
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

Bring stock/water to a boil in a 4-quart pot. Add millet, sweet potato, apricot, garlic, ginger, vinegar, soy sauce, salt, and cayenne pepper. Cover and simmer over low flame for 20 minutes, until sweet potato is soft and all liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork, let stand covered for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley.

Vegan Gingersnap Cookies

'Tis  the season

Without a doubt the best foods are the seasonal ones. They add variety to your diet and are a great way to live in the moment. And when it comes to Christmas cookies (which are indisputably the best cookies), all raise your nog to the Gingersnap.

A satisfying crunch, a warm burst of spice, and a sparkly, crinkled top perfect for the holidays. I am always drawn to the words "chai" and "spiced", and this is their time to shine. Because thinking about molasses, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves at the beach just makes me uncomfortable.

Normally when I have a recipe that I've made repeatedly, I have a bunch of hand-written notes along side to what I've changed each time and how it turns out. Well, with Isa's recipes, there are no notes. I have made this recipe several times since October (when cookie season starts) and have never felt even a slight desire to change a thing about it.* So unfortunately, I cannot pass them out claiming to be my own original recipe. Fortunately,  I have no problem giving her all of the credit.

* I have used whole wheat flour in place of white, and have used brown, turbinado, and demerrara sugars in place of white. Evidently, I do not like any white in my cookies.

In Vegan With a Vengeance, Isa Chandra Moskowitz calls them Sparkled Ginger Cookies, I call them Gingersnaps. Tomayto, tomahto, right?
Yields 2 dozen cookies

2 cups white whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup baking oil (I used extra-light olive oil)
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup nondairy milk (I used vanilla unsweetened almondmilk)
1 cup brown sugar (Use demerrara sugar, finely ground in the food processor, if you want a crispy cookie)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Demerrara (or any coarse-crystal sugar) in a bowl for dipping dough

Heat oven to 350F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, or use a Silpat liner.

In a small bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Set aside.

In a large bowl beat oil, molasses, nondairy milk, sugar, and vanilla extract. When well mixed, add dry ingredients in and mix with a large spoon. Scoop out a tablespoon of dough, roll into a ball with your palms, and flatten a bit as you dip it into the bowl of demerrara sugar for a nice crystal-y top coating. Separate an inch apart on baking sheet, as they will spread. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until bottoms are slightly browned. Let cool on tray for a few minutes before transferring off onto wire rack to cool completely.

Carrot Sunflower Oat Cookies

It's hard enough to say no to a cookie. When I bake, I do everything possible to make it so you have no reason to pass. I'm sorry, but that whole "eat to taste" thing just doesn't cut it for me. I don't eat sweets as a rebellion, or to test my willpower. I'm here to help destroy their bad rep. These are packed with fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals, and taste. Not to mention the warming power of ginger! I swear my widget read 1 degree F this morning! I need all the warmth I can get.

This is adapted from these Carrot Oatmeal Cookies. I used sunflower seeds instead of walnuts to give them a more sunny glow, swapped the coconut oil for applesauce to give a crunchy outside, gooey inside. One more thing, I didn't grate the ginger too thin, I like the powerful burst in the unsuspecting bite.

I secretly call these Yes U Can Have Cookies.

Carrot Sunflower Oatmeal Cookies

Yields about 2 dozen

1 c whole wheat flour
1 c rolled oats
1 t baking powder
scant 1/2 t sea salt
1 c shredded carrot (I processed 1 and 1/2 large carrots)
2/3 c raw sunflower seeds
1/2 c maple syrup
1/3 c unsweetened applesauce
1 t freshly chopped ginger

Heat oven to 375F, line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Combine flour, oats, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in carrot and seeds. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Pour into large bowl with dry ingredients, mixing well. Use a tablespoon to measure out each cookie, placing them 2 inches apart on the sheet. Bake for about 10-12 minutes, until tops and bottoms are golden brown.