Chocolate Chunck Healthy Crunch Everything cookies :)

Okay so this is a recipe that I have kicked around for ages: Dorinda's Everything cookies.  These have been through a few quite a few modifications over the years as our family tastes have changed.  This morning I decided to try and tweak these again to include some 'healthier' whole food options.

These are a bit of a pricey cookie if you use the organic ingredients I did so save them for a special occasion or feel free to substitute for anything on the original recipe list.  Keep in mind that baking your own cookies is ALMOST ALWAYS cheaper and healthier than store bought cookies witch are loaded with gross things like corn syrup, rendered pig's fat, and preservatives. YUK!!

Chocolate Chunk Healthy Crunch Everything Cookies:
2 1/4cups whole wheat flour (original recipe called for unbleached flour)
2 cups old fashioned rolled oats (original recipe called for quick oats)
2 cups brown sugar
1 teas baking soda
1/2 teas salt
1/2 cup unsalted almond butter (original recipe called for 1/2 cup peanut butter)

1/2 cup butter softened (original recipe called for 1cup butter)
1 med banana mashed (not in original recipe)
2 teas vanilla
2 organic cage free eggs (original recipe called for just plain ol' eggs)
1 cup chopped raw walnuts (original recipe called for 1/2 cup toasted sunflower seeds)
2 bars (3.5oz) each organic dark chocolate chopped into chunks (original recipe called for 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips)
1 cup shredded coconut

These are RICH, decadent, soft cookies with a great nutty, crunchy texture.  Hope you try them :)

8 grain banana blueberry muffins

It seems like all I do is post recipes that are adaptations of other recipes - and the truth is - I do!!  I love getting inspiration from interesting sounding recipes. I don't know if you are like me - but I love to experiment in the kitchen! I have my own tastes and ideas about what goes well together and basically I HATE having to measure everything so precisely!  Cooking should be fun and an expression of who you are!

That said, baking is one of those areas where you have to at least understand the properties of what goes into a muffin - what goes into a cake - what goes into a cookie before you start messing around with things.  A poorly executed cake can quickly turn into a sweet lump of goo- or a nice smelling brick :)

So when I fool around with baking recipes I am cautiously optimistic as I put things into the oven.  This morning I played around (a bit) with a recipe on the back of my Bob's Red Mill 8 Grain Hot Cereal package.  And it was a hit!

Here is the original recipe for Ruthie's 8 Grain Muffins:
http://www.bobsredmill.com/recipes.php?recipe=913

And here is my Adaptation:

1 1/4 cup light vanilla soy milk
1 cup Bob's Red Mill 8 Grain Cereal

1 egg
1/4 cup olive oil (could use butter but I didn't have any)
1 med banana
1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp salt
2 teas baking powder (1 teas baking soda would also work but I was all out)
1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup blueberries (I used frozen)
2 Tbs flour (I used whole wheat) to coat the berries

In a bowl combine milk and cereal - let sit on counter at least 10 mins (to soften the grains).  Preheat oven to 400.   Toss berries in flour in a small bowl to coat. Cream together egg, oil, banana and sugar on med.    Add salt, powder, flour and milk and cereal mix stir until just combined.  Gently fold in berries.  Cook in well-sprayed muffin tin - about 15mins.  Makes 12 good sized muffins.

New breakfast favorite!

I just read the book 'engine 2 diet' which is basically the story of a Texas firefighter who helped his fellow firemen at his station change their diets to a 'plant-strong' way of eating. So they all showed vast improvements in weight & health etc.  Its worth a read find it here:  http://engine2diet.com/

In the book are a bunch of recipes and one that came up as an overwhelming fan favorite is now one of mine.  Funnily enough I am not a huge fan of cereal - but this is just so versatile and yummy!

I changed it slightly to suit my own tastes - you can see the original recipe here:
http://www.managercomplete.com/engine2
/recipe.aspx?category=Breakfast&id=24

Here's Mine:
1/3 cup Kashi Go Lean Crunch
1/3 cup All Bran Cereal
1/3 cup Special K
1/2 kiwi cut up
1/2 med banana sliced
1/3 cup blueberries (frozen is fine)
1 cup unsweetened Almond Milk
1 oz raw walnuts

Toss all in a bowl - top with milk and enjoy!!  You'll be surprised at how yummy this is!

Green on Green soup!

Everyone in our house is either recovering from or coming down with the same stupid cold today - so I am making some comforting yummy soup FULL of all sorts of good things to make us feel better.


This is what I am making today - I adapted this recipe from the FatFree Vegan Kitchen  http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/  blog - tons of good recipes on her site  - check it out!

Green on Green Soup:
1 large sweet onion chopped
1 Tbs diced garlic (about 3 cloves)
2 ribs celery chopped
4 carrots (not baby) coined
2/3 cup dried green split peas
3 large handfuls of spinach
1 sweet potato chopped
2 teas dried basil
2 pieces dried seaweed crumbled (opt)
4 cups veggie broth
4 cups water
1 veggie bullion cube
1 teas Mrs Dash seasoning
2 teas nutritional yeast (opt)
1 Tbs lemon juice
ground black pepper and sea salt to taste

Saute veggies in order, add liquids and seasonings. Bring to a boil (about 6mins) and then reduce and simmer at least one hour.  Blend in batches or use immersion blender to blend soup until thick and creamy.

Serve with sour cream or plain yogurt and/or lemon slices.