Sticky Kids Stuff -- Vegan Fudge the new revolution

Well, I had my food processor out this morning to make green noodles. Yep, it's that kind of day. Chickpea noodle soup instead of chicken noodle soup for us tonight. Eyeing my food processor I thought ... what if ... what if ... what if ... and before I knew it I was throwing some stuff in and making this sticky amazing fudgey delight that has no crap and no sugar and no gluten and no nothing bad for you and holy hannah it's like eating chocolate frosting in the 70s ... Anyway, I had a couple of pieces after lunch ... after my salad of shredded carrot, tomato, and sauerkraut. Yes, I know I'm weird. But you love me anyway. xoxo

It has that glossy gorgeousness and that intense chocolateyness that screams I can't possibly be good for you ... but alas it is. Yahoooooooooooooo.

ingredients:

2 cups shredded coconut
1 cup cacao

1/2 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp ground vanilla bean
1 tsp stevia powder optional

1/4 cup ground chia seeds
1/4 cup ground flax seeds

1 cup dates

1/2 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp vanilla extract


directions:

1. put coconut, cacao, salt, vanilla, stevia, ground flax, ground chia in your food processor
2. process!!!
3. add 1 cup dates -- pick them over to make sure there are no pits or you will definitely regret it.
4. process!! pulse!!!
5. add 1/2 cup coconut oil
6. pulse!
7. add  1/4 cup water and vanilla and whirl until smooth
8. scoop into 2 square silicone pans and press flat
9. score into pieces
10. chill
11. break apart and store in an airtight container. I like it in the freezer, but that's just me.

Vegan Fudge take Deux

I've been on a chocolate kick again. My son calls these chocolate bars, and hoots with delight when they come out of the freezer. He's 5. What's your excuse? Mine is that I don't get much and ... well, you know.

I call this concoction Vegan Fudge, but it's .... not exactly. But it is good. You'll see.

ingredients:

1 cup dates
1 cup hot water
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup cocoa butter

3/4 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp ground chia seeds
1/4 cup ground flax meal

1 cup cacao
1 tsp stevia powder (I add about 1/4 tsp stevia powder per 1/4 cup cacao, so if you decrease or increase the cacao, please bear this in mind)

2 cups shredded coconut




directions:

1. soak the dates in the hot water, and add the coconut oil so it can melt
2. 10 minutes later, use a hand blender to puree (or use a blender or a food processor
3. mix in the sea salt and vanilla
4. mix in the finely ground seeds
5. stir in the cacao and stevia
6. mix in the coconut
7. press into 2 square silicone pans and score into small bars or squares
8. chill

Sweet Autumn Vegetable soup

It felt like the day for a soup -- one with a rich clear broth, and toothsome chunks of vegetables, and little tasty morsels here and there. Heavy on the carrot and the sweet potato, this soup is sweet but balanced, relying on the tones of celery, salt, onion, and wild rice to hit all the notes and fill in the harmonies. My son has declared that tomorrow he will eat this for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Yes, my baby wolverine.

ingredients

2 tbsp coconut oil
1 cup finely diced purple onion
2 cups finely chopped green cabbage

1/4 cup millet
1/4 cup wild rice
1/4 cup black caviar lentils (or other -- dupuy for example)
1/4 cup moong dal (split mung beans)

4 cups finely diced carrots
1 1/2 cups finely diced celery

4 cups finely diced sweet potato

1 1/2 cups finely diced zucchini

2 tbsp marjoram
1 tbsp sea salt
8 cups water

after add salt and pepper to taste
add 2 more cups of water


directions:

1. load the ingredients into your crockpot in the order listed (omitting the final salt and pepper and 2 cups of water)
2. cook on high for 5 hours
3. stir, add the extra water, and more salt and pepper to taste

We've been serving this will bowls of fluffy quinoa and rich spinach and avocado salads. My husband dumps his quinoa in, my son eats his by itself. Insert bizarre Hudsucker Proxy reference here ...

Spelt Flour Butter Cookies V2.0

ingredients:

1/2 cup butter -- very soft or a little melted
1/2 cup coconut nectar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp ground vanilla bean


1/2 tsp baking soda
2 cups spelt flour




directions:

1. combine ingredients in the order listed
2. chill
3. roll out dough in two parts on lined baking sheets
4. score into squares
5. bake at 345 for 14 minutes


I rolled out in two parts directly onto lined baking sheets and just scored it with a butter knife before baking into squares, which I  then broke along the score marks after baking.

Simple!!

Creamy Leeks and Limas with Sweet potato

2 tbsp coconut oil
1 cup finely diced cabbage
4 cups giant lima beans, soaked
1 bunch leaks, finely sliced (wash well, use only the tender parts. Save the tough parts for making soup broth or stock
4 cups sweet potatoes, diced

1 tbsp sea salt
1 tbsp rosemary
1 tbsp marjoram
1/2 cup coconut butter
2 cups water

Faux Graham crackers

ingredients:

1/2 cup soft butter
1/4 to 1/2 cup coconut sugar
3 tbsp coconut nectar or yacon syrup (or another liquid sweetener you enjoy)
1/4 cup water

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 teaspoon ceylon cinnamon
1 tbsp ground vanilla bean
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 1/2 cups spelt flour

directions:

preheat the oven to 345

1. combine the ingredients in the order listed
2. roll 1/2 the dough on a lined baking sheet (I like to cover it with a piece of parchment while rolling to prevent sticking.
3. score into square pieces before baking. I also pricked them with a fork to make them look cute
4. repeat with the other 1/2 of the dough
5. bake for 12 minutes at 345
6. I  then 'dehydrated them in the oven for a couple of hours at 170 (or use whatever is your oven's lowest setting) so that they were very crisp
7. cool, then store in an airtight container. Can be stored at room temperature.

Banana cookie bars V 2.0

In which banana, oatmeal, and shredded coconut become very good friends! A vegan optional, wholesome cookie with some traditional appeal.

2 cups mashed banana -- try to use very ripe ones
1/2 cup melted butter (or coconut oil -- my personal preference)
1/2 cup coconut sugar (optional) (2 cups banana will make this quite sweet but for something with a rich deeper sweetness, use the coconut sugar too)

1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp ground vanilla bean (plus 1 tbsp vanilla extract if you are vanilla fiend)

2 cup shredded coconut
3 cups oat flakes


directions:

1. combine the ingredients in the order listed
2. pat out the mixture onto a lined baking sheet (I use a silicone baking mat on my baking sheet, but parchment would be fine, too)
3. score into 36 bar shapes (6 x6)
4. bake at 345 for 30 minutes
5. cool
6. make sure bars are cut fully
7. store in an airtight container in the fridge

Cookie Bars, V 3.0 -- the sweet version

ingredients:

1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil
1 cup water
1/2 cup coconut sugar

2 tbsp ground vanilla bean
1/2 tsp sea salt
4 tbsp raw cacao
6 tbsp carob powder
1/2 tsp stevia powder


1/4 cup ground chia seeds
1/4 cup ground flax seeds
1/2 cup shelled hemp seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
2 cup shredded coconut

1 1/2 cup raisins

optional additions: chocolate chips, cinnamon, cacao nibs, goji berries ...



directions:

1. combine the coconut oil, warm water, coconut sugar, vanilla bean, sea salt, stevia, cacao, and carob powder (if you are using cinnamon, add it now)
2. add the finely ground chia and flax seeds
3. stir in the shredded coconut
4. add in the sunflower seeds and hemp seeds
5. stir in the raisins (if you are using chocolate chips/chunks, goji berries or cacao nibs, add them now)
6. flatten onto a lined baking sheet, maintaining nice edges, and score into pieces
mine was about 9 inches by 14 inches, and I flattened it down onto a silicone mat on a baking sheet by pressing it into shape with my hands (I covered the dough with a piece of baking parchment before pressing. I scored it into 36 pieces (6 x 6)
7. bake for about 30 minutes at 345 in the middle/upper part of your oven
8. allow to cool, then cut through fully using a big sharp knife.

Autumn dinner

autumn vegetables:

ingredients:

2 tbsp coconut oil
1 diced onion
2 green cabbage leaves, diced
1/4 cup dried mushrooms, crumbled
1/4 cup split mung beans

1 cup green peas
1 cup diced carrot
4 cups diced sweet potato
1 large pattypan, diced

1 tbsp sea salt
1 tbsp rosemary
1 tbsp marjoram
1 can coconut milk



layer in order into a cast iron dutch oven or covered casserole dish
bake for 2 hours. Stir and add more water if need and bake for up to 1 hour more.



------------------------

socca:

combine:
2 cups water
2 tbsp avocado oil
2 cups chickpea flour
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup sweet potato flour

saute:
1 onion, finely diced
2 tbsp coconut oil


mix the two and cook on a cast iron skillet for 1 hour -- sprinkle with coarse sea salt before baking if desired (and rosemary)

Split Chickpeas and Sweet potato -- vegan, delicious, and comforting

Well, it feels like autumn today. And this hit the spot.  Slooooooooow food. My reliable workhorse of a crockpot rides again. So to speak. This is one of the most flavourful veggie stews ever, and it definitely is one I'll make again soon. My five year old waxed enthusiastic about the veggies in it, and devoured it in record time. Usually, if it ain't pasta or pizza, it lingers a little longer. The sweetness of the sweet potatoes is comforting with the depth of flavour and richness encouraged by the dried mushrooms and coconut butter. A vegan triumph of culinary satisfaction, my friends.

ingredients:

2 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
1 medium onion finely diced
1/4 cup dried mushrooms, finely crumbled
2 cups green cabbage, finely diced
4 cups split chickpeas, soaked but not cooked (or sub in 4 cups whole chickpeas cooked or canned and well rinsed)
1/2 cup coconut butter

2 cups carrot, finely diced

4 cups sweet potato, finely diced

1 tbsp sea salt
1 tbsp marjoram

4 cups water


ingredients:

1. layer the ingredients in the order listed in your crockpot, then sprinkle the seasonings and pour on the water so the seasonings get distributed. Sprinkle a little salt on top after everything else for good measure
2. cook for about 6 hours, or until the chickpeas are melt in your mouth, and everything tastes fabulous
3. serve with an awesome salad or whatever else pleases you.

School Cookie Bars V 2.0

I very much enjoyed the cookie bars that I made yesterday, and judging by the fact that my son ate about 6 of them, they are delicious to him as well. However, I think I'd like them a little chocolate-y-er, but without adding any chocolate chips. So, here goes!! Extra cacao, extra carob, and extra vanilla. Yum!

ingredients:

1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil
1 cup water
1/2 cup coconut sugar

2 tbsp ground vanilla bean
1/2 tsp sea salt
4 tbsp raw cacao
6 tbsp carob powder


1/4 cup ground chia seeds
1/4 cup ground flax seeds
1/2 cup shelled hemp seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
2 cup shredded coconut

1/2 to 1 cup raisins

optional additions: chocolate chips, cinnamon, cacao nibs, goji berries ...



directions:

1. combine the coconut oil, warm water, coconut sugar, vanilla bean, sea salt, cacao, and carob powder (if you are using cinnamon, add it now)
2. add the finely ground chia and flax seeds
3. stir in the shredded coconut
4. add in the sunflower seeds and hemp seeds
5. stir in the raisins (if you are using chocolate chips/chunks, goji berries or cacao nibs, add them now)
6. flatten onto a lined baking sheet, maintaining nice edges, and score into pieces
mine was about 9 inches by 14 inches, and I flattened it down onto a silicone mat on a baking sheet by pressing it into shape with my hands (I covered the dough with a piece of baking parchment before pressing. I scored it into 36 pieces (6 x 6)
7. bake for about 30 minutes at 345 in the middle/upper part of your oven
8. allow to cool, then cut through fully using a big sharp knife.