banana breakfast cookies (vegan/gf)

Because sometimes you just get tired of the same old eggs or cereal for breakfast and you need a little treat. These are so yummy and have no added sugar, unless you do what I do and dump in some chocolate chips. But I will leave that decision up to you…and make sure you have them with coffee. My Mom taught me that cookies are always for breakfast, with coffee!

Banana Breakfast Cookies:

2-3 large ripe bananas 

1/4 cup of melted coconut oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups of rolled oats

2/3 cup of almond meal (I used bob's red mill)

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

1/2 cup of chocolate chips

1/2 cup of chopped pecans (or whatever add in's you like)

Mash the bananas with a fork and add in the oil and vanilla. Add the oats, almond meal, salt, cinnamon,  baking powder and stir until combined. Dump in the chocolate and pecans and stir again. Line a baking sheet with parchment and drop by heaping tablespoon and lightly flatten with a fork and bake at 350 degrees for 15minutes. I like to put half the dough in the fridge for fresh cookies the second morning.

Makes 18 (adapted from this recipe)

My little chocolate monster approves :) - hope you are having a great week so far I will be back tomorrow for Ten on Ten!!

sweet potato black bean tacos

Chris is working late again tonight so at about noon I headed down to the kitchen to find something hearty that I could throw together knowing that later in the evening I would not have any relief coming in to help me get dinner on the table and timing would be tricky trying to get Simon from school, nurse the baby, and take care of three others who would be hungry and tired.

And oh boy am I am tired today too. I didn't want to get caught having to shovel some sort of convenience  food into my belly or worse go hungry and get all snappy with my babies while trying to get them fed, bathed, snuggled, read too, homework done and tucked in.

I thought I would make some sweet potato chili with the potatoes I had on hand but realized after I started chopping that I was out of diced tomatoes so I veered and decided to just "wing it" which is so not like me in the kitchen. Not like me at all. I like a recipe, a formula, I don't like to mess up but I was desperate and needed some sustenance quick so I threw some onions and green chilies and garlic into my pot and when those got all caramelized I threw in the sweet potato and then popped it all in the oven for a few to roast. When it came out I added some black beans and ended up with some yummy taco filling that was just the ticket to keep me going well into the craziness of the evening hours!

I decided it was yummy enough to share the recipe tonight and selfishly I don't want to loose this one I can tell I will be making these hearty tacos again and again!

Sweet Potato Black Bean Tacos

1 red sweet potato peeled and cubed
1 can of black beans drained and rinsed
1 yellow onion halved and sliced into thin rings
1 small can of mild green chilies
2 cloves of minced garlic
vegetable oil
dash of cayenne
dash of cinnamon
salt and black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and add some oil to the bottom of an oven safe pot. Saute the onions for a few minutes to soften and then add the green chili's and garlic and saute a few minutes more until it begins to caramelize and the onions get very soft. Sprinkle in some cayenne depending on your taste and a sprinkle of cinnamon too. Generously salt everything as well and add some fresh cracked pepper to taste. 

Toss the sweet potatoes in a little bit of oil and salt and then add them to the pot and cook over the stove for about a minute before transferring it to the oven, uncovered for 20-25 minutes until the potatoes are nice and soft. 

Remove the pot from the oven and add the drained and rinsed beans and let them warm for a minute. Serve inside a warm tortilla over a bed of mixed greens. I topped mine with some dairy free sour cream and chipotle hot sauce. I could totally see this over some blue corn chips too!

I had these for lunch and just finished them off after getting my younger two in bed. Off to get the older boys to bed, hope you had a wonderful Thursday!

pumpkin spice ice cream (vegan/gluten free)

 I confess I am a sucker for anything pumpkin flavored. The second good old Starbucks announces the pumpkin spice latte is back on the menu I am in line with baited breath waiting for that first yummy sip of fall. I love pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin donuts, you get the picture.

One of my very favorite ways to enjoy pumpkin is in ice cream form. I remember the first time I tried it years and years ago with graham crackers and whip cream on top it was love at first bite and I look forward to seeing it pop up in our grocery store when the season is right.

But as of late I have moved to a plant based animal free diet and sadly vegan pumpkin ice cream is not as readily available as the milk based version so I decided it was high time I tried my hand at making it at home. Honestly I didn't know what to expect I have made coconut milk ice cream before but mainly vanilla nothing to fancy. For this recipe I experimented a bit with a base recipe I like and added some spices and pumpkin puree and a little bit of rum too to round it out. What I got was honestly the yummiest, creamiest pumpkin ice cream, seriously so good - the kids went crazy for it!

 Ingredients:

• 15 ounce can of full fat coconut milk
• 1 1/2 cups of organic plain soy or almond milk
• 1/3 + 2 Tablespoons of Sugar
• 1/4 cup of firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 3/4 teaspoon of xanthan gum
• 3 Tablespoons of canola oil
• 3/4 cup of canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 2 teaspoons of bourbon or rum (optional)

In a large pot place the coconut milk, nut milk, sugar and brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt and gently warm over low heat with a whisk until all of the sugar melts. Remove from heat and whisk in the xanthan gum and oil.

Pour the contents of the pot into a blender or food processor and add the pumpkin puree, vanilla and rum if you are using it. Blend on high until everything is smooth and Incorporated.

Pour the cream mixture through a fine sieve to make it as smooth as possible and then place it into a container and freeze for at least two to three hours. Process mixture through an ice cream maker according to the manufactures directions and enjoy!

I served mine with a little bit of honey maple cream that we picked up recently at the fair but I could see sprinkling on some graham crackers or ginger cookies too. Either way this is a super delicious, seasonal treat that I think you will love!

I originally wrote this post for the super sweet girls over at Eighteen25 and their month long Spooktacular September event! There are some really fun projects going on over there so I highly recommend taking a peek to get the creative juices flowing for all those October festivities coming up!!

Zucchini Lemon Cake (dairy/egg free)

My sister in law, Jenny is an urban farmer of sorts. She and her husband have raised chickens and have the most beautiful garden in their backyard in the city, I am always drooling over it whenever we visit! This past summer she has been generous with her bounty of Zucchini and has mentioned to me on many occasions a recipe she fell in love with (HERE) for a Lemon-Zucchini Loaf. Honestly her description sounded so amazing but sadly the buttermilk and eggs are both allergies for me so whenever she talks about it I drool but have refrained from making any for myself sticking mainly to a whole wheat - chocolate version instead.

Today I spotted a few more zucchini in my veggie drawer that were about to go bad and so I decided to go for it and see if I could use my limited but willing vegan baking ability to make the cake with some substitutions - something yummy, lemony and light but without the dairy and eggs.

Folks my four year old no joke let out a little moan when he tried this it is SO GOOD!!!

Jenny you were right this is an ah-mazing recipe thank you for the inspiration...and the zucchini :)

Zucchini Lemon Cake (dairy/egg free) 

(Original recipe found HERE - below is adapted with my substitutions but I can only imagine that the version with buttermilk and eggs is divine!)

• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 teaspoons of EnerG egg replacer plus 4 Tablespoon of warm water mixed well 
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup of organic plain soy or almond milk along with 1/2 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 cup grated zucchini (you don’t need to peel the zucchini before grating it)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9×5″ loaf pan; set aside.

In large bowl, blend flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In medium bowl, mix the egg replacer and water, then add canola oil and sugar, and blend well. Then add the soy milk/vinegar mixture, lemon juice, and lemon zest and blend everything well. Fold in zucchini and stir until evenly distributed in mixture.

Add this mixture to the dry ingredients in the large bowl and blend everything together, but don’t over mix.
 
Pour batter into prepared 9×5″ loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean

Glaze

• Juice of 1-2  lemons depending on the size to get the right consistency
• 1 cup powdered sugar

In small bowl, mix powdered sugar and lemon juice until well blended. Spoon glaze over cooled loaf. Let glaze set, then serve.

make something monday :: chocolate covered cherry bombs

Over the Fourth of July the boys and I came up with these "cherry bombs" cleverly named for the holiday and the smoke bombs Dad was playing with. We wanted something fun, festive and easy and dairy and egg free to share at the BBQ. I realize that chocolate covered cherries is not a new idea and it doesn't really take rocket science to figure out how to achieve this yummy treat but I have made them a few times since and feel like I need to celebrate even the most simple creative moments during this crazy season I am in. They always turn out so cute and are perfect to make with the kids so I thought I would share with you a few little tips to make these cuties.

First of all you don't need anything fancy. Just cherries, chocolate chips and sprinkles. We have tried out a few different kinds of sprinkles and decided that the ones up top, the tiny little round balls look the best but these ones here taste better...not so crunchy.

All you really need to do is wash and dry the cherries and melt about half a bag of the chips in a double boiler over low on the stove. A little chocolate goes a long way with these but you will need a lot of sprinkles so make sure to buy extra of those.

Line a baking sheet with parchment and then get to work dipping the cherries into the warm chocolate and then immediately into the sprinkles. I dip all the cherries with the stems and set aside the ones without to roll in the extra chocolate at the end. Those end up in a separate parchment lined dish as the reject bin...the best ones right :).

Pop them in the fridge for a bit to set up and then share at your next party. They look super cute on top of a sundae as well!

Hope you all have a wonderful Monday!

chai coconut smoothie and a bit of dark chocolate

what was a highlight for you today?

seriously addciting and simple caramel corn!

Years ago I randomly acquired this recipe out of a book for kids. It was before I had any kids of my own but I was working at a publishing house at the time and often I would flip through books just to see what we carried.

When I saw this recipe I made a photo copy and tucked it away for the future. Chris and I have made this yummy caramel corn many times over the years he especially loves popcorn so this is right up his alley. I also love to make a big batch and surprise him with it!

This year the boys were old enough to get in on the fun. This recipe includes a pretty cool science experiment and is made entirely in the microwave. It takes about ten to fifteen minutes to whip up, no candy thermometer or anything fancy necessary. When you add the baking soda into the sugar mixture there is a fun reaction that had the boys ooing and ahhing!

It felt like the right thing to do to share it today - make this for your family and friends they will love it!

Caramel Corn:

2 12oz bags of microwave popcorn or popcorn made on the stove top or in an air popper
1 stick of butter (I use vegan butter and it works great)
1 C brown sugar
1/4 C light corn syrup
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda

Pop popcorn and set aside.

Put the butter, sugar, corn syrup and salt into a microwave safe bowl and heat in microwave until butter melts.

Stir well.

Put back in microwave for about 2 1/2 minutes

Add baking soda to mixture. Stir. Mixture will foam as soda reacts with the ingredients.

Put popped corn into a large brown paper bag (grocery size)

Pour hot mixture over the corn.

Close bag and shake well, evenly coating the popcorn with the caramel mixture.

Put bag back in microwave and heat an additional 1 1/2 minutes.

Allow to cool a bit. Then eat warm or spread in a cake pan to cool.

Enjoy!

fig jam

One of the things I so loved about our old house were the two huge fig trees out back in the yard that would produce amazing fruit each year much to our delight. Apparently they are an Italian fig variety and were a gift to the previous owners from their Italian barber back in the sixties. I am going to miss seeing them ripen each fall. (although it seemed like they produce only a full crop every other year does anyone know if that sounds normal?)

I was able to snag a handful of them just before we began moving and last week threw them on the stove and made some yummy jam! Oh how I have fallen for these sweet and delightful beauties - I am so going to miss my fig trees.

I plan to take a few fig starts in pots with us in hopes that I can somehow bring a piece of our fig trees on our next adventure we shall see how I do with that but I don't really have a green thumb...worth a try in my book though.

This jam is the easiest thing in the world to make, seriously. It's sweet almost like honey and taste so delicious with a salty ham or sharp cheese if you can eat cheese!

Fig Jam: makes about 1 pint

1 pound of chopped ripe figs

1/4 cup of water

1 1/2 cup of sugar
(I also add a sprinkle of cinnamon for extra complex but it's totally optional)

Add all ingredients to a pot and stir over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Raise the heat to medium-high and boil the jam for a good 15 minutes and stir until it has thickened up nicely. Let the jam cool and spoon into a clean jar.

I usually leave it chunky and have had wonderful results canning it but this time I ran it through our food mill and made it a bit smoother and stuck the jar in the fridge to enjoy over the next few weeks!

So does anyone have any amazing recipes to try with fig jam?

I hope your enjoying your wednesday friends!

make something monday :: black bean quinoa salad

I know I just posted a recipe last week for make something monday and had planned on doing a craft tutorial but I have received several email requests for this black bean and corn quinoa salad that I mentioned in my dinner at eight post a few days ago so I thought it would be a fun one to share with all of you today.

This recipe was truly one of those throw it all together and see how it turns out kind of meals and luckily I thought to write it down afterwards because we loved it so much. It makes a huge batch and stores well in the fridge for a few days to snack on or to pack Chris for lunch and it is yummy in a wrap or with some grilled chicken on top. It's really hearty and has a strong Mexican flavor that I love I hope you love it too!!

I also wanted to thank you guys for leaving such kind, heartfelt comments on my last post about being sick and weary they made me teary eyed and so happy to know that I can come and be real and honest in this space too!

I hope you all have a wonderful day today and I will be back shortly with some more fun stuff to share! xo

Mexican black bean quinoa salad

1 cup of quinoa soaked for 15 min or so in water, drain well.

1 ½ cups of water added to the soaked and drained quinoa and a tsp or so of salt bring to a full boil, cover and turn to low and let sit for 15 min. Turn off heat and let sit another five min and then fluff with a fork. (can be made ahead and stored in the fridge)

When ready for salad –

Mince 1 jalapeno, 2 cloves of garlic and 1 small red onion (or half onion if big). Saute in olive oil, for a few minutes. Add two bell peppers that have been sliced thin. Saute a few minutes longer until softened. Add 1 tsp. cumin and 1 tsp coriander, stir and remove from heat.

Add quinoa to a large bowl followed by a can of drained black beans and a can of drained corn. Toss in the sauteed veggies and mix together.

Add 1 diced tomato

For the dressing use the juice of 1 lime (2 Tablespoons), ¼ cup of olive oil (less is fine), tsp or so of salt and a dash of cayenne pepper. Mix well and dress the salad and then top with cilantro if desired!

dinner at eight :: a pretty picnic {and a challenge}

{Dinner at Eight is a special project I am doing with my friend Andi this year - planning date nights at home for our husbands every other week, putting the kids to bed early and being intentional about our marriages! Read more dinner at eight posts HERE!}

Andi and I thought that this Summer needed a little picnic date night at home something simple and pretty and easy to set up in our own backyard. And let me tell you guys this was SO simple - the only thing I was worried about was the weather holding and just after Mr. Gough came in the door the sunshine poked it's sweet face out and it made our backyard so beautiful and romantic. Our boys have vacation bible school this week at church so I told Chris to go drop them off and then hurry home because I had a surprise picnic dinner all ready for him.

I brought out a big toy basket to set some candles and dessert out and used a big vintage quilt that my grandmother made years ago. We kicked off our shoes and enjoyed each others company for awhile.

Little miss Josie joined us on the grass and got to partake in a little bit of everything but she was most excited about the striped straws that I put in the ice tea...can you blame her those straws are seriously so cool :)!

The menu was easy I bought a roasted chicken and made my favorite black bean and corn quinoa salad with french bread. We had strawberries and vegan chocolate chip cookies along with peach ice tea for dessert. I lit some candles in jars as per usual and also picked a handful of daisies from the yard for a little decoration.  

I had planned on us lingering outside to do some star gazing after the kids went to bed but both Chris and I are still sick (getting old) so we opted for a shorter date than usual. It was special nonetheless to be with my sweetheart for a few hours hearing about whats on his heart with work at UGM - ps. any of you local friends would you ever be up for serving with me at the Union Gospel Mission? Let me know I think we could organize something pretty awesome!

These date nights at home are always so much fun even if it is a little bit more of an effort the rewards are truly worth it when I think about how blessed I am to have intentional time as a couple!

So what about you? You guys ready to get involved too - Andi and I are excited to take the Dinner at Eight feature to the next level and challenge all of you to a little intentional date night once a month with your sweethearts too. It's going to be super simple our heart in the project is to really just encourage all of you who might feel tired and weary or not have the means to go out for a date on a regular basis. Dating our husbands at home is possible with a little bit of creativity and a willingness to laugh if it doesn't go perfectly. Each month we are going to come up with the theme for you and set up a linky on THIS PAGE (you can link from the heart on my navigation bar above) so that any time during the month you are welcome to plan a date night at home and then post about it on your blog, add the Dinner at Eight button to the post and then come back and link up so that we can all see and be inspired and encouraged.

For the rest of July the them is "a pretty picnic" we want to see how you guys would stage it. Inside, outside, a surprise, lots of pillows and a fire? The skies the limit and the only rule is you must link back to the Dinner at Eight page. Andi and I will choose a few favorite dates to feature on our blogs too!

 We hope that you all feel really encouraged and uplifted by this project and adding a bit of accountabilty really helps us we thought it might help you too. May you be blessed this month and have fun planning a sweet date night at home!

Read all about the project and get involved HERE!

make something monday :: whipped coconut cream

A few months ago now I mentioned that I was making a much stronger attempt at avoiding dairy and eggs and choosing to eat mostly vegan (minus the fact that I eat some lean meat) because of some really severe food sensitivities. But I have some pretty strong non negotiables on my food list that needed to get squared away before I could make a lasting change - things like my insane love of baking and eating sweets and treats. I have to admit that I have been so pleasantly surprised at some of the amazing alternatives I have found when forced to look. Coconut milk topping the list for sure. 

First of all if you are considering going dairy/egg free you must know about So Delicious - their coconut products especially the ice cream and the creamer will in fact change your life. It is SO GOOD and so readily available at almost all major grocery stores!! Another fun thing I have discovered about coconut milk is how easy it is to make whipped cream. All you need is a can of full fat coconut milk that has been stored in the fridge for several hours or overnight. 

After you have refrigerated the can and it is good and cold it will seperate naturally so don't shake it but instead crack it open and scoop off the top thick part of the milk and leave the water at the bottom for another use. Plop the thick stuff in a bowl and then get creative. 

I have been adding about 1teaspoon of vanilla and a few tablespoons of powdered sugar and sometimes a dash of cinnamon. My friend Kim created her favorite using vanilla, cinnamon, honey and some orange zest which sounds a-mazing and it is on my list to try. I might also give amaretto a try because I am a huge almond lover. It's really super easy to experiment here and seriously the skies the limit. After you have added in all of your extras give it a good whirl with a wisk and you will be amazed and how soft and fluffy it gets. My favorite way to partake is a big blob on top of coffee or a vegan brownie but it's good right out of the bowl.

I think this must be one of the best kept secrets of vegans it is a must try even if you aren't avoiding dairy it is so light and easy - make it you will love it!

Happy Monday friends I will be back soon with more fun stuff to share but I couldn't help but pop in with this simple idea this evening hope you had a wonderful day!

vegan rhubarb oat bars

 My Mother in law shared a recipe with me a few years ago that has become a major favorite. I make it whenever possible while rhubarb is in season I think I love that it is easier than a pie and more of a cookie than a crumble you would serve with ice cream. It has evolved over the years and I have added and subtracted things that suite my taste. 

Most recently though I have made a new commitment to eat vegan (I am using that term loosely) as much as possible simply because I am very allergic to dairy and eggs (also wheat but I am still working on this one). I try to eat plant based but I totally will enjoy chicken and fish often too and even some beef. But the dairy and eggs I am realizing have such a negative impact on my energy level and mood and in an effort to feel better in 2011 (never mind the four rounds of antibiotics and steroids followed by strep throat - geesh) A month ago I bit the bullet and have been so diligent with my diet and it is helping. I suppose this could be a whole separate post in itself but I know you know what I am talking about if you truly have bad food allergies. After about five days of elimination a "fog" lifted and I started seeing clearer. My blood feels lighter, I am not so grumpy. Still working on it but life is always a work in progress.

Back to the rhubarb bars. Something that has deterred me in the past from sticking to my no dairy and eggs diet was my LOVE of baking. I just love it, I bake at least three or four times a week for fun I like treats and sweets and the gratification that comes from baking. So instead of pout and complain I have a new goal of remaking my favorite baked goods into vegan versions (and hopefully gluten free too down the road but still getting my feet wet here). I have made a few yummy things and these bars turned out super yummy too. This was an easy one to do because it already didn't need any eggs so I only had to replace the butter but nonetheless I sent Chris to work with a few this morning to share with a vegan co-worker who also has allergies and he was excited about that and I can feel good knowing that eating a little treat is not going to make me a total mood swing Mama!

These would be perfect for a picnic or BBQ this weekend. We are finally going to have our "Daddy's Day" celebration since last weekend I was too sick to spoil my sweetie...and I might be baking him his favorite NOT vegan breakfast treats but what Daddy wants Daddy gets this time! Have a good one friends enjoying the first official weekend of Summer!

Vegan Rhubarb Oat Bars: slightly adapted from my Mother-in-laws delicious recipe!

1-1/2 cups of quick cooking rolled oats

1 cup of all purpose flour

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup of vegan butter (I like Earth Balance)

1/4 cup of granulated sugar

2 Tbsp. all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

2 cups of sliced rhubarb fresh or frozen (this is key don't overload with fruit 2 cups is just right!)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line an 8X8 with foil extending over the edges of the pan. In a large bowl combine the oats, flour (1 cup) and brown sugar and cut the butter in until the mixture looks like crumbs. Set aside about a cup of the mixture and then press the rest into the bottom of the pan and bake for 25 min. 

While the crust in baking combine the white sugar and 2 tablespoons of flour and ground ginger with the rhubarb and toss it all to coat the fruit. When the crust is done add the fruit to the top of the hot crust and then sprinkle the remaining oat mixture on top pressing it all down a bit. Bake for another 30-35 min until golden brown. 

While the bars are cooling I usually mix up a little powdered sugar and orange juice or  soy milk and another sprinkle of ground ginger so that it is a drizzle consistency pour over the hot bars. When cooled lift them from the pan, cut into squares and enjoy!