Spiced Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

I did not appreciate my mother enough growing up. She would make dinner from scratch every night and more often than not it would include dessert. I didn't realize at the time how much work and planning went into it. I loved all her homemade goodies and am so glad I grew up watching someone cook. I learned to cook from her...she would let my sister and I make cookies on our own when we were just 8 and 10 years old and always welcomed our company in the kitchen.

The upside is I learned to cook, the downside is I still love dessert at the end of the day. Something sweet to top of my evening meal. To minimize the damage to my health I am always looking to include whole grains and cut back on the oil and sugar as much as possible in my dessert recipies. This way I can indulge and still feel great. It's a win-win.

These Spiced Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies are just the right blend of good and good for you.

Spiced Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup oats
1/2 cup natural sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp ground flax seeds
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup soy milk
1/4 cup brown rice syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup raw shelled sunflower seeds

Directions:

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl (the flour through the allspice). Mix the wet ingredients together in a mixing cup (from the oil to the vanilla). Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well to combine. Finally, add the cranberries and sunflower seeds and fold them in. Drop by tablespoons onto a greased cookie sheet and bake for 7-10 minutes. Really watch them, because once they start to caramelize they can burn quickly.

These were great with milk, really chewy and rich with the tangy cranberries.

Makes 18 cookies
Nutritional info from caloriecount.about.com

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 31 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 113 Calories from Fat 42

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 4.6g 7%

Saturated Fat 0.6g 3%

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 120mg 5%

Total Carbohydrates 17.0g 6%

Dietary Fiber 1.1g 5%

Sugars 8.4g

Protein 1.8g

Vitamin A 0% • Vitamin C 0% Calcium 3% • Iron 4%

Nutrition Grade C

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Gardein Stir Fry

I am a fan of Gardein products. They provide an easy way to get some protein and I think it all tastes great. Meat substitutes have come a long long way in the past few years. The beefless tips have a recipe on the package that I have made several times now and adapted a bit for my taste. If you can't find Gardein in your area, I imagine it would work just as well with Seitan.

Gardein Stir-Fry

Beefless Tips Marinade Ingredients:

1 clove garlic minced
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp agave nectar
1/4 tsp pepper

Marinade Directions:

Add the marinade ingredients to the bag of beefless tips and shake. I do this right as I take them from the freezer. The package has a ziptop so its very convenient. Let them marinate for at least 10 minutes.

Stir Fry Ingredients:

1/2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1/2 medium onion, sliced thin
1 bag frozen stir fry vegetables
Gardein Beefless tips

Stir Fry Directions:

Heat the oil in a pan and add the tips to brown them on all sides...this takes a few minutes. Then add the onion and stir fry until the onion begins to soften. Next, add the stir fry veggies and cook until they are heated through.

Sauce Ingredients:

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp agave nectar
1 tsp miso paste
5 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp chili garlic sauce
1 tsp Chinese 5 spice blend
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 tbsp black and/or white sesame seeds
1 tbsp cornstarch

Directions:

Mix the sauce ingredients together and pour over the stir fry, be sure to whisk it well to break up any clumps of cornstarch first. Continue to stir fry until everything is well coated.

I like to serve this over brown rice. Even with the three steps this recipe is easy and comes together fairly quickly.

For 4 servings. Nutritional information from caloriecount.about.com.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 272 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories  279 Calories from Fat  83

% Daily Value*

Total Fat  9.3g 14%

Saturated Fat  1.2g 6%

Trans Fat  0.0g

Cholesterol  0mg 0%

Sodium  1857mg 77%

Potassium  318mg 9%

Total Carbohydrates  26.6g 9%

Dietary Fiber  6.8g 27%

Sugars  10.4g

Protein  20.2g

Vitamin A 71% • Vitamin C 40% Calcium 7% • Iron 25%

Nutrition Grade B

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Potato Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

My son is allergic to dairy, and although there are great replacements out there, he has never taken to them. He doesn't like anything that has a creamy texture, and while I think he is missing out, I do try to make recipes that will appeal to him.

This recipe was made with him in mind, and so I wanted to make a potato salad without mayo. He liked it, and so did everyone else that tried it. It has a subtle, yet complex flavor that is really good, and a nice change from classic potato salad (which I also love). I had it with a garden salad and some leftover scrambled tofu - it was a perfect summer lunch.

Potato Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

2 pounds potatoes

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp prepared mustard (dijon or regular, they are both good in this)
1/3 cup fresh basil leaves
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp whole peppercorns (or 1/2 tsp ground pepper)
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 cup olive oil

parsley
paprika

2 stalks of celery, washed and diced (include the celery leaves, they have great flavor and add more color)

Directions:

Wash the potatoes and place them whole in a large pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10-15 minutes. You want the potatoes to be tender when pierced with a fork, but not falling apart. Drain and set aside.

Put the dressing ingredients in a blender. Start with the vinegar, mustard, basil leaves, salt, peppercorns, onion powder, and garlic powder. Turn the blender on to low and then increase the speed to medium. Slowly pour in the olive oil while the blender is on and let it run until everything is blended and the oil is incorporated. I find using a blender, and slowly adding the oil in last, gives you the best result with the oil completely mixed in.

Next, peel the potatoes and dice them into bite sized pieces. Place them in a large bowl. Add the diced celery and the dressing and toss to combine. Then sprinkle with parsley and paprika. Enjoy at your next picnic or barbecue.

For 6 servings. Nutritional information from caloriecount.about.com.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 208 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories  180 Calories from Fat  78

% Daily Value*

Total Fat  8.6g 13%

Saturated Fat  1.2g 6%

Trans Fat  0.0g

Cholesterol  0mg 0%

Sodium  227mg 9%

Potassium  642mg 18%

Total Carbohydrates  24.3g 8%

Dietary Fiber  3.8g 15%

Sugars  1.9g

Protein  2.7g

Vitamin A 2% • Vitamin C 50% Calcium 2% • Iron 5%

Nutrition Grade B+

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Blueberry Peach Pie

The other night I found myself watching cooking shows on public television and was inspired by a show on making pies with Martha Stewart. So starting with this crust, I made pies with one of my all time favorite fruit combinations, blueberries and peaches.

Blueberry Peach Pie

Crust Ingredients:

3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar

1 1/2 sticks vegan margarine
1/3 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup ice cold water + 4 to 6 more tablespoons of water

Crust Directions:

The main thing to remember here is to barely work the crust. Keep all the ingredients as cold as possible and work quickly. As soon as the crust comes together you want to wrap it and refrigerate it.

Combine the flour, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Add the cold margarine, coconut oil and cut them in with a pastry blender or fork. Add the 1/2 cup of water and mix quickly, adding a few more tablespoons of cold water as necessary until it starts to pull together. As soon as you can get it to stick together, form the dough into a ball and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Let the dough rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Filling Ingredients:

1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup instant tapioca

zest and juice from 1/2 a fresh lemon
3 cups frozen peaches
3 cups frozen blueberries

Filling Directions:

Mix the salt, sugar, tapioca in a large bowl. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, peaches and blueberries and toss to combine.

Pie Assembly:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. 

Divide your chilled dough in two, and roll out one half. You want to roll it fairly thin, so be prepared to trim off the excess. Lay the rolled out dough over your pie pan and pour in the fruit filling. Roll out the second half of dough and lay it across the top. Then trim the edges* and crimp them together to seal. Cut a vent in the top of the dough.

You can also brush the top with a little bit of soy milk and sprinkle 1/2 tsp of sugar over the top.

Lower the heat of the oven to 375 and bake the pie for 55 - 60 minutes. After 30 minutes, check it and cover with foil if the top is already browned. Once the pie is done, let it cool completely and serve. It is wonderful with non-dairy vanilla ice cream.

*The extra dough you trim is wonderful rolled out, brushed with margarine, and with cinnamon and sugar sprinkled on top. Bake in the oven with the pie for just a few minutes, until golden brown (about 10 minutes should do it, but it depends on how thin you rolled it...just keep an eye on it).

For 12 slices. Nutritional information from caloriecount.about.com

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 154 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories  339 Calories from Fat  162

% Daily Value*

Total Fat  18.0g 28%

Saturated Fat  7.2g 36%

Cholesterol  0mg 0%

Sodium  379mg 16%

Potassium  153mg 4%

Total Carbohydrates  41.9g 14%

Dietary Fiber  2.4g 10%

Sugars  12.5g

Protein  4.1g

Vitamin A 13% • Vitamin C 17% Calcium 1% • Iron 11%

Nutrition Grade B-

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Cooling Cucumber Salad

I picked three ripe cucumbers from the garden this weekend and decided I wanted to use them in a simple cucumber salad. In the summer I crave light, cool, dishes. This is one of those recipes. It is easy and refreshing.

Cooling Cucumber Salad

Ingredients:

3 cucumbers
1/4 medium onion
salt and pepper
1/2 cup vegan mayo (I use Vegenaise)

Directions:

Wash and peel the cucumbers while leaving a small strip of green peel between the peeled sections for
color. Thinly slice the cucumbers into rounds and then cut those in half to make bite sized pieces. Blot the cucumber slices with paper towels to remove any excess moisture and then sprinkle the cucumbers with salt and pepper.

Thinly slice the onions and add them to the the cucumbers mix in the vegan mayo and enjoy.

For 6 servings. Nutritional information from caloriecount.about.com

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 174 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories  144 Calories from Fat  110

% Daily Value*

Total Fat  12.2g 19%

Saturated Fat  0.7g 4%

Trans Fat  0.0g

Cholesterol  0mg 0%

Sodium  117mg 5%

Potassium  228mg 7%

Total Carbohydrates  5.9g 2%

Dietary Fiber  0.9g 3%

Sugars  2.7g

Protein  1.0g

Vitamin A 3% • Vitamin C 8% Calcium 3% • Iron 2%

Nutrition Grade C+

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Vegan Spinach Lasagna with Hemp Seed Sauce

In my pre-vegan days, spinach lasagna was a dish that I loved to make. Layers of thick pasta with marinara and spinach filling was always so satisfying.

Since going vegan 5 1/2 years ago, I have tried many vegan cheeses with mixed results. Some things I like them on but many I don't. For me, lasagna was one of those things that did not work with the vegan cheeses so I stopped making lasagna and my love for it was forgotten.

Until now. A couple weeks ago I discovered hemp seed sauce, and knew right away that using hemp seeds in this way was life-changing for me. Seriously. The hemp seeds provide the rich creaminess that lasagna calls for. With a hearty spinach filling this lasagna is the perfect balance of freshness from the marinara and spinach and hearty richness from the pasta and hemp seed sauce.

My love affair with lasagna has been officially rekindled.

You can make your own ricotta and marinara; I suppose you could even make your own lasagna noodles. In this recipe I used some store bought ingredients and some homemade to save time... I made this on a Monday night after work. But if you want to make more from scratch you should go for it! Tomatoes are in season now and you can't beat fresh tomatoes in marinara sauce.

Vegan Lasagna with Hemp Seed Sauce

Ingredients:

1 package lasagna noodles
1 jar marinara sauce

Spinach Filling:
16 oz vegan ricotta (I tried tofutti brand ricotta and it was good in a pinch to save time, but the tofu ricotta recipes floating around the internet are just as good if not better)
10 oz package frozen spinach
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 cup vegan parmesan (I like Go Veggie brand)
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Hemp Seed Sauce:
1/3 cup hemp seeds
1/4 cup fresh basil
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil
1 rounded tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp tahini

*if you are big on creamy pasta you may want to double the hemp seed sauce. This sauce is a distant cousin of alfredo sauce and a first cousin of cashew cheese.

Directions:

Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees.

Cook the lasagna according to package directions and then drain and set aside. I knew this recipe was going to be great when I didn't break a single lasagna noodle....unheard of, right? I usually end up patching the layers with torn pieces; oh well, pretty doesn't always equal tasty.

Spinach Filling:
Thaw the spinach and squeeze out the excess water. Combine all the ingredients listed for the spinach filling and mix well. I just used my hands. Getting tactile with your food is fun!

Hemp Seed Sauce:
Place all the ingredients for the hemp seed sauce into a blender and blend well. Taste to adjust the seasonings if needed or just spend your time trying to resist eating the sauce straight from the blender (or maybe that's just me).

Assembly:
Spray the bottom of a lasagna dish with cooking spray and spread a thin layer of marinara on the bottom of the pan. Then layer 5 lasagna noodles over the sauce and put 1/3 of the ricotta filling over the noodles, spreading it out as evenly as you can. Then add a layer of hemp seed sauce - using about 1/3 of the sauce - and spread it over the ricotta layer. Add the next layer of 5 noodles, followed by marinara, spinach filling and hemp seed sauce. Repeat once more to make 3 layers. Then finish with the last 5 noodles and remaining marinara sauce.

Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Then take out of the oven to sprinkle some vegan parmesan on top then cover and return to the oven for 10 more minutes.

Once it is done let the lasagna rest for 5 or 10 minutes before digging in.

Layer Marinara, Pasta, Spinach Filling and Cheesy Hemp Seed Sauce

For 12 servings
Nutritional Information from caloriecount.about.com

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 185 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 265 Calories from Fat 75

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 8.3g 13%

Saturated Fat 2.6g 13%

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 26mg 9%

Sodium 359mg 15%

Total Carbohydrates 34.1g 11%

Dietary Fiber 2.8g 11%

Sugars 5.9g

Protein 13.5g

Vitamin A 57% • Vitamin C 15% Calcium 18% • Iron 12%

Nutrition Grade B+

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet