Delicious seeds! freezer cookies

The cool thing about freezer cookies -- other than their temperature of course -- is how simple they are and how convenient they are. The beauty of these is that you can make up the dough, roll it into log shapes, and leave those in the freezer well wrapped until you need them. Then you just have to slice 'em and bake up. Presto!!

Plus they taste really good.

ingredients:

1 cup pitted honey dates

1 cup sunflower seeds

1 cup pumpkin seeds

1 cup shredded coconut

1/4 cup ground chia seeds

1/4 cup ground sesame seeds

1/2 cup ground flax seeds

1 cup pitted honey dates

2 eggs

1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp sea salt

1 tbsp ground vanilla bean

1 tsp ceylon cinnamon

black pepper

directions:

1. in a food processor, combine the pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, ground chia, ground sesame, ground flax, and shredded coconut, as well as the baking soda, sea salt, ground vanilla bean, ceylon cinnamon, and black pepper. Process until finely ground.

2. move the ground seeds into a bowl

3. Put the pitted honey dates in the food processor, and pulse until finely ground

4. add the coconut oil and eggs, and pulse to fully mix

5. add the wet ingredients to the bowl of ground seeds, and mix thoroughly.

6. roll the dough into two long logs on parchment paper, and shape carefully. Logs should be appropriate cookie diameter.

7. put the dough in the freezer until you need it

8. when frozen, remove from freezer, cut into disks, and bake on a lined baking sheet at 345 for 12-14 minutes

9. store in an airtight container when fully cool.

Apple Muffins -- a good old breakfast bonanza

Gentle readers, there is really nothing better than apple cake. Unless of course it's apple cake for breakfast. These aren't cake, but apple muffins are a pretty nice alternative to cake. These are full of things that are great for you, and are sweetened with dates, which pack a lot of other things into them besides sweetness. There is an optional addition of 1/4 cup coconut sugar if you want the muffins a little bit sweeter. That works out to a difference of 1/2 tsp per muffin, which isn't a whole lot. Plus coconut sugar is a low glycemic sweetner that's generally well tolerated by even those who are sensitive to sweeteners. So if you prefer it a little bit more dulce, go for it.

ingredients:

1 cup dates

2 cups water

1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil

1/4 cup coconut sugar (optional)

4 eggs

1 tsp sea salt

1 tbsp ground vanilla

1 tbsp ceylon cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup flax meal

1/4 cup chia seeds

1/4 cup hemp hearts (hemp seeds sans shell)

1 cup pecan meal

1 cup almond flour

1 cup chopped apple

directions:

1. preheat the oven to 345

2. combine the hot water and dates in a bowl and allow to sit for 10 minutes

3. puree the date and water mixture with an immersion blender

4. add the coconut oil and coconut sugar

5. add the eggs

6. add the sea salt, vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger

7. add the baking soda, shredded coconut, flax meal, pecan meal, and almond flour

8. add the chopped apple

9. scoop into prepared muffin cups

10. bake in the upper half of the oven for 30 minutes

Socca again -- vegetable soup's best friend

Socca is kind of like a flat bread, but made with chickpea flour, and so spiked with zesty flavour that it's kind of a sinfully tasty treat. I wanted this one to groove nicely with the vegetable soup we were having for dinner, so I added in some organic vegetable bouillion powder. The results were well worth the effort.

ingredients:

2 tbsp coconut oil

1 1/2 cups water hot

1/4 tsp sea salt

1 tsp cumin

1/2 - 1 tsp chili powder

2 tsp organic vegetable bouillion

black pepper

1 cup chickpea flour

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup ground flax seed -- just for fun

directions:

1. combine -- use a whisk if needed to de-lump -- and let sit

2. heat the oven to 345 with the skillet in it so it becomes a little warm

3. oil a skillet and pour it on

4. bake at 345 for 1 hour or so, until crispy and chewy

Salad Sushi

I had no avocado, which is a sushi standard for us. However, matchsticked cucumber and carrot and liberal sprinkling of sesame seeds did the trick.

Sushi rice ingredients:

1 cup of uncooked (very short) short grain brown rice

2cups of water

1 tsp sea salt

1  tbsp apple cider vinegar (or rice vinegar)

directions:

1. put the rice, salt, and water in a pot, and bring to a boil.

2. Turn the heat down, and cook for about 40 minutes.

3. set aside to cool

sushi ingredients:

6 sheet of nori

2 mini cucumber cut into long strips

2 small carrot, cut into long thin strips

cooked rice

2 tbsp black sesame seeds

directions:

1. Spread approximated 1/2 cup of rice on a sheet of nori, on the upper 2/3 or 3/4 only

2. Lay your ingredients of choice across the nori, just towards the bottom of the rice

3. If you like, you can spread a little wasabi across the rice before putting your ingredients on.

4. Roll up the nori, using a piece of parchment paper or a proper bamboo roller (I don't have one), squeezing gently as you go, from the bottom.

5. Cut the rolls into discs using a very sharp chef's knife or a bread knife (I prefer a bread knife -- the serrated edge really helps)

6. Place the pieces on a plate, a serve with soy sauce and wasabi

7. For children, it can be helpful to cut each disc in half, because nori can be a little chewy.

Simple Vegetable Soup

Sometimes a simple vegetable soup is just what you need. Thank you crockpot.

ingredients:

2 tbsp coconut oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup dried split green peas

1 celery heart -- 3 cups coarsely chopped
2 large carrots -- 2 cups coarsely chopped
2 cups frozen peas

1 sheet kombu


1 tbsp sea salt
1 tbsp marjoram
1 tbsp oregano
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
black pepper

10 cups water

3 cups broccoli florets

directions:

1. turn on the crockpot
2. layer the ingredients except for the broccoli
3. cook until the veges are tender
4. add the broccoli and turn off lest broccoli become mushy
5. serve with socca, salad sushi, or rustic bread


variation:

I stir in a little organic miso before serving. Good for the digestion, and delicious.

Very Vanilla Freezer Cookies Cookies -- an alternative sweetner -- a gluten free, low gi treat

I wanted to make some good old sugar cookies. These have good stuff in them and taste good too. These were easy and simple because after I whipped up the cookie dough, I rolled it into 2 logs, wrapped it tightly in parchment (and reshaped it), and put it in the freezer until it was solid. I then sliced it (about 1/2 cm thick) and baked the slices. Really yummy cookies. Yes, I'm a little obsessed with sesame seeds right now.

ingredients:

1/2 cup coconut oil
2 tbsp organic vanilla extract

2 eggs

1/2 cup xylitol
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1 tbsp ground vanilla
1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup ground sesame seeds
1/2 cup flax meal
1 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup chia seeds
1 cup almond flour
2 tbsp coconut flour


directions:

1. combine the ingredients and roll the dough into 2 logs
2. wrap the dough tightly in parchment and put in the freezer
3. when the dough is frozen, slice
4. place slices on a baking sheet, and bake from frozen for 14 minutes

Honey Vanilla Coconut Milk Ice Cream -- dairy free, gluten free, fabulous vanilla

Delicious, creamy, honey vanilla. Dairy free, gluten-free, full of goodness and yumminess. Dig in and enjoy. Serve with apple pie!

ingredients:

2 can organic coconut milk
1/2 cup  honey
1 tbsp ground vanilla bean
2 tbsp organic vanilla extract
1 tsp ceylon cinnamon

pinch sea salt -- or more


directions:

1. combine the ingredients (I like to use my immersion blender for a thorough mix)
2. freeze in an ice cream freezer according to the manufacturers directions

Apple Tart -- gluten free, grain free, sugar free, delicious

Makes 1 pie in a spring form pan, or 24 small tarts

ingredients for the crust:

2 cups blanched almond meal

1 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup coconut sugar

3 tsp cinnamon (I used 1 tsp each of korintje, saigon, and ceylon)

1 tsp ground vanilla bean

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp water

directions for crust:

1. combine the ingredients for the crust

2. scoop the mixture into a springform pan lined with parchment

3. press very firmly 

4. bake at 345 for 20 minutes, until the crust is nice and toasty

ingredients for filling:

2 lbs royal gala apples cored and cut into pieces (5 large)

pinch sea salt

1 tsp ground vanilla

2 tbsp honey

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp arrowroot powder

directions for filling:

1. toss the apple pieces with sea salt, lemon juice, and honey

2. add the arrowroot powder and stir well

directions for combining the two:

1. spoon the filling onto the baked crust

2. bake at 345 for 45 minutes in the upper half of the oven

3. cool and then remove from the springform pan

Lasagna!!!

one of the three layers of pasta rolled and cut into noodles

red lasagna sauce -- enough for 2 large lasagnas

shredded mozarella and parmesan

ricotta and egg mixture

5 of the 6 pieces of dough for 2 large lasagnas -- the 6th already rolled out above

step one, spread 2/3 cup of sauce

step 2, lay one layer of noodles

step 3,  spread another 2/3 cup of sauce

step 4, add 1/2 of the ricotta cheese and egg mixture

step 5, another 2/3 cup of red sauce

step 6, lay the 2nd layer of noodles

step 7, add 2/3 of cup of sauce, step 8, spread 1/2 of the ricotta mixture

step 8, spread 2/3 cup of sauce, step 9, 3rd layer of noodles

step 10, final 2/3 of a cup of sauce

step 11, a thick blanket of shredded cheese

step 12, bake at 345 for 60 minutes, step 13, remove from oven and allow to set before cutting

ariel view

cross section

Yum

plated and ready to eat

count floyd's 3D house of lasagna

I live in a house with a couple of raging pasta lovers. I'm not one of them. So, this is a compromise on a dish that's got lots of veggies and is high in the protein department, but still satisfied my pasta loving boys.

It's a multi-step process, because everything from the noodles to the red sauce is made from scratch. But well worth it, because it tastes amazing. Amazing I tell you.



You will need:

1.  red lasagna sauce

2. green pasta

3. cheese mixture:

1 lb ricotta
4 eggs
1/2 tsp sea salt
black pepper
pinch nutmeg
1/2 tbsp marjoram/oregano

4. shredded cheese mixture:

100 g parmesan, grated
170 g organic mozarella, shredded


 ASSEMBLING one large LASAGNA:

1.  1/2 batch of green pasta dough for one large lasagna
2.  1 liter of red lasagna sauce
3.  1 lb of ricotta mixed with 4 eggs and seasonings -- about 3 cups
4.  100 g of shredded parmesan with 170 g of shredded mozarella

(fyi you can make 2 lasagnas and throw one in the freezer)


directions:

1. preheat the oven to 345
2. using coconut oil or butter, grease your (3 L) lasagna pan

3. divide the dough into 3 parts. Roll each part into noodles for one layer
4. Put 2/3 cup of sauce in the bottom of the pan and layer the first layer of noodles
5. put 2/3 cup of sauce on top of the noodles, followed by 1/2 of the ricotta mixture (about 1 1/2 cups)
6. put 2/3 cup of sauce on top of the cheese followed by another layer of noodles
7. put 2/3 cup of sauce on top of the noodles followed by another layer of ricotta mixture (1 1/2 cups)
8. put 2/3 cup of sauce on top of the ricotta mixture, followed by another layer of noodles
9. put the final 2/3 cup of sauce on top of the last layer of noodles
10. top everything with the shredded mozarella and parmesan mixture
11. bake at 345 for 60 minutes, or until the top is browning nicely
or
can be frozen tightly wrapped and unbaked, and then baked from frozen at 345 degrees sometime in the future (put it in a cold oven then turn on the oven and bake. May take 90 minutes.