muffins -- plain-Jane oatmeal muffins

 Sometimes plain and simple is just what you need. These muffins combine the simple pleasing goodness of oatmeal with the powerful nutritious punch of hemp hearts. Lightly sweet and uncomplicated, these muffins are great for everybody. They mix up in about 10 minutes, and bake in 20. And just like the plain-Jane of apocryphal fame, you may realize that uncomplicated and reliable may not be so plain after all.

equipment needed:
oven
mixing bowl
measuring cups
measuring spoons
whisk
spoon
24 muffin cups (I use silicone muffin cups on a baking sheet)


ingredients:

a)
1 cup hot water + 1/4 cup coconut oil

b)
1 cup cold water
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup coconut sugar

c)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 cup oat bran
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1 1/2 cup kamut flour
1 cup large oat flakes
1 tsp baking soda

d)
1/2 cup hemp hearts


directions:

1. preheat the oven to 345
2. mix together the hot water and coconut oil
3. when the oil is melted, add all of b)
4. whisk in the ingredients from c) in the order listed
5. stir in the hemp hearts
6. scoop the batter into 24 muffin cups
7. bake for 20 minutes at 345
8. cool, and store in an airtight container (in the fridge)

Chocolate Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Soft Cookies

What happens when you throw a bunch of stuff together in a bowl? Well, sometimes something like this: soft, vegan, oatmeal chocolate cookies with chocolate chips. You had me at cookie.

equipment needed:
baking sheets
silicone baking mats or parchment
mixing bowl
mixing spoon
measuring cups
measuring spoons
seed grinder


ingredients:

a)
2 cups scotch oatmeal
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup ground chia seeds
1/2 cup raw cacao powder
1 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup date sugar

b)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground vanilla bean
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cream of tartar

c)
2 cups water

d)
1 cup chocolate chips


directions:

preheat the oven to 345

1.  combine ingredients from a) and b) in a large mixing bowl
2. mix well
3. add c) and mix very well
4. finally stir in part d) and mix well
5. scoop by small spoonful onto a lined baking sheet
6. bake for 15 to 20 minutes at 345
7. makes approx 4 dozen small cookies

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip -- 5 ingredients not including the salt/baking soda

Kim, Brooke, and Claire came over to play briefly yesterday. Brooke confessed that Claire had been wishing to make treats for him because in her 7 year old heart she felt it was terribly unfair that he couldn't have treats just because he's diabetic. They'd tried to make some chocolate chip oatmeal cookies from a recipe they'd found online (using krisda chocolate chips which are sweetened only with erythritol and stevia and taste great) but the results were sadly inedible. So I thought I'd put together a batch of something that centred on almond flour. Kim and Brooke don't cook a lot so I wanted to make these with few ingredients. I'm not counting the salt and baking soda, or the water (is that cheating, Kim????????) These whipped up in a flash, baked in 20 minutes, and were out of the oven before the trio had to leave, so everyone got to enjoy some.

So, here they are. Five-ingredient chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. No high glycemic sweeteners. Lots of wonderful, blood-sugar stabilizing almond flour.  And all ingredients easy to come by. If you need nut free, just grind up some raw sunflower seeds into flour and use those instead. That is what I will be doing to transform these into a lunch-box treat come September.

They are super-duper-delicious, which to me is of the point of cookies, diabetic-friendly or no.

1 cup oatmeal (I used large flake)
2 cups almond flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1 cup coconut sugar

1/2 tsp ground vanilla bean (optional. OPTIONAL. DON'T HATE ME. You can use a tsp of extract if you want)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup water

1 cup krisda chocolate chips



1. combine ingredients excluding water and chocolate chips
2. stir well, then add water and mix into dough
3. add in chips, and stir well
4. scoop small balls of cookie dough onto a lined baking sheet (I use silicone liners, but parchment works)
5. flatten with a wet fork into rounds

preheat oven and bake at 345 for 20 minutes

They stuck to the silicone mat a little bit, so it was best to let them cool before removing them with a stainless steel spatula.

makes approx 3 doz depending on size

Banana Cookie Bars -- Best Banana to Coconut to Oatmeal ratio ever!!

My husband and son love butter even though I am vegan myself. These are for them. They love these. Completely healthy, but taste amaaaaazing. Vegan option!!!

ingredients


3 cups banana -- try to use very ripe ones -- pureed
1/2 cup organic melted butter (or extra virgin coconut oil if you prefer)
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract

1/2 - 3/4 tsp sea salt (you'll need the larger amount of salt if you use unsalted butter or coconut oil)
2 tbsp ground vanilla bean
1 tsp ceylon cinnamon

1/4 cup finely ground chia seed
1/2 cup hemp hearts

3 cup shredded coconut
1 cups oat flakes

extra coconut sugar to sprinkle on top


directions:

1. combine the ingredients in the order listed -- if you are using an immersion blender, puree the hemp hearts into the batter, too.
2. divide into 2 square silicone baking pans
3. score into 16 squares in each pan before baking
4. bake at 345 for 45 minutes
5. cool
6. make sure bars are cut fully
7. store in an airtight container in the fridge

Oatmeal Cookies -- Nut free, Wheat free, sugar free, and vegan optional

Requests are welcome!


A reader asked for a healthy cookie recipe that used oats and didn't use nuts or sugar. She specified that either honey or agave would be fine, and I think you could use either for this recipe. Or maple syrup. Or coconut nectar for something a little less sweet. Basically, any liquid sweetener will work very well.

I made a very small batch -- 1/2 dozen -- so as not to be left with lots of orphan cookies that no one would eat if they weren't delicious. It's also nice to be able to make a very small quantity of cookies if you are just one, and not that much of a sweet eater. I will post the quantities for 2 dozen however :).

Anyway, these are sweet and yummy at the same time as being quite good for you.


ingredients:

1/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil (and if you prefer butter, please sub in an equivalent quantity instead of the coconut oil)
1 tsp egg replacer + 1/4 cup cool water (or 1 large or xl egg)
1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup honey (or use maple syrup or agave for vegan cookies!! or my favourite coconut nectar for less sweet cookies)

1 tsp to 1 tbsp ground vanilla (I prefer 1 tbsp ground vanilla bean because I am a vanilla fiend)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 to 1/2 tsp sea salt (different salts have different levels of 'saltiness', if you'd believe it!)

1/4 cup flax meal
2 cups large flake rolled oats
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup coconut flour


directions:

1. melt the coconut oil in the warm water, and add the honey
2. add the vinegar and the egg replacer mixture or egg
3. add the salt, vanilla, and cinnamon
4. add the oat flakes, and let sit for 5 minutes
5. add the flax meal and the baking soda
6. add the coconut flour
7. if you are a rebel, now would be the time to add a handful of raisins, nuts, chocolate chips, goji berries, pumpkin seeds, or diced dried apricots. I personally wasn't feeling very rebellious today.
8. drop spoonfuls onto a lined baking sheet and flatten them with a wet fork
9. bake in a preheated oven at 345 for 12-15 minutes depending on how crisp you like 'em.
10. store in an airtight container once they have cooled.

makes 2 dozen!

Scrambled Oatmeal -- Eggs for Dinner

In my house, we like breakfast foods for dinner sometimes. Pancakes are great in the evening. And this eggs and porridge hybrid that we call Scrambled Oatmeal is always a rib-sticking comfort food. It's simple and super fast to make, filling, and healthy. You can season it up to suit the individual palates involved, or keep it simple. We tend to eat it savoury, with sea salt and pepper, bouillion seasoning, or even sauteed onion, but maple syrup would work, instead, if you prefer your sweet. Or for breakfast.

ingredients:

3 eggs + enough milk to equal 2 cups

1 cup almond flour

1 cup oatmeal

3/4 tsp sea salt

black pepper

1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)

2 tbsp mesquite powder (optional)

directions:

1. beat the eggs and the milk together

2. add the seasonings

3. mix in the almond flour, then the oatmeal

4. for best results, allow the mixture to sit for at least 10 minutes (or up to 30 in the fridge) before cooking

5. cook as you would scrambled eggs (I use a cast iron skillet with a little coconut oil)

6. serve hot for dinner with sides of steamed broccoli and grape tomatoes

This quantity will more than fill 2 adults and a toddler.

We also make it without the almond flour, very successfully.

Organic Chocolate Chip Cookies -- Happy Hallowe'en

These cookies are neither vegetarian -- they contain butter, milk, and eggs -- nor are they particularly healthful, although they do contain all organic ingredients. They are, however, very tasty. This recipe makes a soft cookie that is crisp on the outside when fresh. They keep well, and are enjoyable even a week later. They are also free of chemicals and preservatives, don't contribute in anyway to Big Tobacco (most of the candy companies are actually owned by Big Tobacco), and are thus my Hallowe'en shellout of choice. I'm baking a big double batch of them, and will individually wrap the cookies, and label them with my name, address, and the ingredients used. No doubt some people will opt to throw out rather than enjoy homemade Hallowe'en goods. However, we did the same last year, and they were very well received.


ingredients:

1/2 cup butter (melted)
1 cup organic cane sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp cinnamon

2 cups large flake oats

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 cups unbleached pastry flour

1 cup chocolate chips (our favourite isn't organic -- callebaut morsels ... sooooo good)


directions:

1. combine butter and sugar
2. mix in the eggs
3. stir in the milk
4. add the vanilla
5. add the cinnamon and the sea salt
6. stir in the oats
7. add the apple cider vinegar
8. at this point, it is important to let the mixture sit for a good 10 minutes. This will allow the oats to soften and soak a little, which will help the cookie have a soft and chewy texture instead of a crumbly texture.
9. add the baking soda and stir
10. add the flour, and mix well
11. add the chocolate chips, and stir well.
12. drop by spoonful onto a lined baking sheet. Flatten and shape with a damp fork.
13. bake in a preheated oven at 345 for about 15 minutes

makes 3 dozen (large) cookies