Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have adapted and "health-ed up' this recipe from a fantastic cookbook (ThePerfect Chocolate Chip Cookie) my roommate Cynthia gave me in business school.  She knew when I was overwhelmed because ...  I would start baking!   This was in 1989!  It was the start of my alternative baking and cooking career.  I updated this recipe, multiple times, with the help of my kids, who have learned my 'techniques for years, and fully approve of this version!  This is the latest version based on a double recipe of the original.  If you only wan half the batch, do NOT just cut the amounts in half,  email me and I'll let you know a smaller version.  You can always contact me through the FB page:  My Healthy Path * Manger Bien Etre Bien  (Jennifer Triger).  I make this quantity, then freeze what I do not want to bake that day. Typically I bake 6 at a time.

Makes 29 LARGE cookies

INGREDIENTS

Dry
515r whole flour (I use  50:50 buckwheat & einkorn (sarrasin & petit epeature)  )
2  tsp (10gr) baking soda
1 tsp (6gr) seasalt
2 cup (300 gr) coconut sugar or rapadura
3 cups (600 grams) dark chocolate chips


Wet
4 eggs
2 TBL (25gr)  pure vanilla extract
375gr butter- melted with the white foam (milk fat) skimmed off the top and put aside  -
Measure out 285gr of this liquid.  (or use ghee or clarified butter- which is what you have done here if you follow the instructions)

Method
Melt butter. As it melts you will see a white foam (the milk fat) rise to the surface. Skim this off. Let it simmer a few more minutes, you will hear popping noises.  This is the water evaporating out of the butter.  This takes about 10 minutes + . Put aside to cool a while you prepare the rest.

In a large bowl, sift flour with baking soda and seasalt.  Mix in the 2 types of sugar.  Make suer you press out and hard lumps of sugar with a fork or you hands.

In a separate bowl/container, blend all WET (liquid) ingredients together well.  Clarified butter (ghee) + 4 eggs  + vanilla.  I use a very tall cup and blend with an immersion blender.

Pour blended liquid ingredients into dry. Mix.
Add chocolate chips.

I like large cookies. Scoop up batter with an ice-cream scoop.
Place on a cookie sheet and refridgerate for 1-3 hours.

Heat oven to 375F (175C).
When ready to bake place balls on cookie sheet well spaces. I put 6 per sheet.  Press with the heel of you hand, so they flatten a bit.
Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cool. ENJOY!
I freeze them most of them for the future once I have flattened them a bit.

Chocolate Coconut Bars (gluten, dairy, grain free!

Chocolate Coconut Bars...
Mounds Bars used to be my favourite as a child,
but THESE are a true explosion of happiness.



Prep Time:  15 minutes
No cooking needed




Ingredients:

3/4 cup / 160 gr coconut oil
1/4 cup / 85 gr  coconut butter or coconut cream concentrate
2 tsp / coffeespoons vanilla extract
3 cups / 225 gr shredded coconut
4 oz / 95 gr high quality dark chocolate

Instructions:

1. Place coconut oil & coconut butter in a pan, and melt over low heat.
2. Remove fro heat and add 2 tsp vanilla, whisk to combine.
3.  Add the shredded coconut & mix well.
4. Put into a 8x8, square baking pan.
5. Place in fridge.
6. Once the coconut layer is completely chilled and hardened, it is time to melt the chocolate!!
7. Melt chocolate in a bain-marie/double boiler  (one pan inside another pan of water). Do not let water boil over into the chocolate pan.
8.  As soon as the chocolate is melted, remove it from the heated water. Pour or spoon over the coconut layer. Spreading it as you go. I used a frosting spatula.
9. Place back in the forge for a few hours until firm.
10. Cut into small squares.. it is rich and you can eat way to much!

FUDGY Brownies

Gluten- Sugar & Diary Free and still delicious   

The verdict after our cooking class--- incredible, especially when we added the RAW chocolate frosting! The most important part of the recipe is to watch the baking time!  When they get over baked they are D.R.Y …  Or No longer fudgy! So once you start to smell that gorgeous chocolate aroma, rush to the oven and check them. It is better if there is a bit left on your toothpick after you check it, when you take them out.  Please do not leave out the 30 min rest period before cooking, if you do, be warned, they will be grainy.

4 oz/ 3/4cup + 2 TBL / 140gr ATK Gluten free flour blend (see recipe for this blend, or use the ATK Whole grain gluten free blend or just use spelt!)

½ tsp sea salt

½ tsp xanthan gum

7 oz / 200gr semisweet chocolate, chopped coarse

8 TBL / 75 gr coconut oil

3 TBL / 30 gr unsweetened cocoa powder

8 oz / 1 cup / 250 ml maple syrup

3 large eggs or 4 med-small

2 tsp vanilla extract

Pre heat oven to 350F/175C.

Line 8-inch / 20 cm square pan with 2 sheets of aluminum foil so they overlap the sides. Pushing well flat along the sides and into the corners.

Melt chocolate, cocoa powder and coconut oil together in a bain marie

Whisk flour, salt,  and xanthan gum together in a large bowl. Set aside.

Whisk maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla together with whisk or immersion blender.

Whisk in slightly cooled chocolate mixture. Stir all into flour mixture.

Scrape into prepared pan and smooth top.  Cover pan with plastic wrap and let sit for 30 minutes.

Remove plastic wrap. Place pan in middle oven rack. Bake around 45 minutes* remember the hint above- when you smell the chocolate check it! There should be some batter that sticks to your checking skewer!

Let Brownies cool completely in pan (it will be hard to resist!), about 2 hours. Using foil overhang, lift out of pan.  Cut into squares and serve, maybe with a nice cold glass of oat milk!?

These are best eaten the same day but maybe be stored in an airtight container for a few days.

Pina Colada Bites with Pineapple, Coconut & Pine Nuts – RAW !

This is a new family favourite, bringing us the feeling of sunshine treats in the middle of winter.  A great sweet snack for mid afternoon, after school or after workout. Full of good fats and super fruits & flavors !

½ cup / 70gr raw pine nuts

½ cup / 75gr dried pineapple (unsweetened)

½ cup / 43 gr unsweetened shredded coconut

1 TBL/ 1 soupspoon melted coconut oil (or as needed)

¼ cup / 28gr Goji berries

Pulse the pine nuts into flour in your food precessor/Thermomix. Then add the rest of the ingrédients and process until they start to stick together.  If it is too dry, add a bit more coconut oil.  Adjust mixture according to taste. Roll into balls and let sit in refridgerator for a few hours.  Eat. J

GingerBread / Pain d’Epices

The Pumpkin puree in this gingerbread makes it so moist and fresh, you those cold winter mornings with a cup of spicy tea, will warm your heart and soul.  It lasts for days!  In place of the mix of spices you can substitute 3-4 TBL of a spice called “Pain d’epice.*   VANILLA FROSTNG (see other recipe)

DRY

2 cups/ 300 gr  ATK gluten free flour or Spelt Flour

2 tsp / 8 gr baking powder

2 tsp / 10 gr baking soda

1 tsp / 2 gr xanthan gum

1 tsp / 6gr seasalt

1 tsp / 5 gr cinnamon (or more to taste!  I double it.)

2 TBL / 30 gr powder ginger

¼ tsp / 3gr powdered nutmeg

WET

½ cup / 105gr coconut oil, melted

2/3 cup / 174 gr agave syrup

¼ cup / 66 gr molasses

2/3 cup / 155 gr rice or soy milk (or any kind of grain or nut milk)

1 TBL / 12 gr  vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean

1 1/3 cups / 300 gr pumpkin puree (unsweetened)

¾ cup /  XXX gr hot water

Pre- heat oven to 325F/150C. Lightly grease a loaf pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk all DRY ingredients together.

In a very large mixing cup, emulsify all the wet ingredients, EXCEPT PUMPIN and WATER, together with an immersion blender.  Pour into DRY ingredients and mix until smooth.  With a rubber spatula, gently fold in pumpkin puree and hot water, just until batter is smooth.

Pour into prepared loaf pan. Bake on center rack for 40 minutes, rotating 180 degrees half way. When cooked the gingerbread will bounce back in the middle when pressed, and a stock will come out clean.

Let the gingerbread stand fro 20 minutes, the gently run a knife around the edges and take out to cool on a wire rack.

If you want to make to a real treat, frost with the Vanilla Frosting!

Store in an airtight container for 4 days.  You can also slice and freeze. Toast to defrost and have as a perfect coffee, tea or breakfast time!

Chia Vanilla Pudding aka "Raw Rice Pudding"

I Love rice pudding.  I mean, I LOVE it.  I have recipes on this blog for a more typical (cooked) rice pudding but using coconut milk, muscavado or rapadura (unprocessed) sugar, and brown rice.  But this takes it to a new level. Of course, it is not rice pudding, but you do feel great after you eat it, and....IS good...

1/4cup / 145gr raw almonds
3/4cup / 177ml water (or as needed)
1/4cup / 174gr pitted dates
2 TBL / 21gr chia seeds
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 1/2 TBL / 23gr raisins

Blend the almonds, water and dates together until smooth and creamy.  You are looking for a thick, sweet nut milk kind of mixture.

Add the chia seeds, cinnamon, and raisons. place in refridgerator for an hour or so so the chia seeds can absorb the liquid.

Adjust flavors according to taste. Sprinkle with your chosen toppings like nuts, more raisins & cinnamon, berries, coconut, chopped apples, etc. And enjoy.


this recipe seems to be best served when cold. A tip from it's creator, Rawsome Vegan Baking

Berries & Cream Mini Tarts (RAW)

I have just begun experimenting with raw, sugar free desserts.  My desire to non-bake like this started on a trip to Bali, where we encountered some of the most amazing raw food ever.  The raw coconut chocolate treats were literally worth swimming to Bali from France.  As for my children, ages 10 & 13…. Let’s just say… there was no sharing. Ha!

Here is my first attempt. Totally successful. Taken from a great book called Rawsome Vegan Baking.  What I loved about this experience was that

It took 30 min to make them, and even though we ate dessert close to midnight they didn’t give us that sugar-belly-hangover feeling.

Ingredients

Crust

1cup/ 145gr  raw pecans

1 cup/ 175gr pitted dates

Cream

1 cup/ 145gr raw cashews

2 Tbl / 30 ml melted coconut oil

1 Tbl / 20 gr liquid sweetener (maple syrup, rice syrup, barley malt, honey..)

1 tsp vanilla extract or the inside of 1 vanilla pod

Topping

Any kind of berries. I prefer Strawberries but I have used blueberries, raspberries and cut grapes!

Finely ground dried coconut to garnish

CRUST

Pulse the pecans into a flour in your food processor. Add the dates and process until everything begins to stick together. Press into tart molds and put in fridge.

Cream FILLING

Blend all ingredients until smooth and thick, adding water if needed to process.

Spread into your tart shells and refridgerate 4 hours to overnight.

Before serving top with sliced berries and sprinkle with coconut.

Like-Reese's Peanut Butter Bars!

OOO lala, that is all I have to say.  I am so faraway from home when it comes to tasting treats like these... and I do not even LIKE Reese's anymore. Justin's does much better job, but what I LOVE about making my own is that I can choose my ingredients!  I am still paying with this modified recipe, so sit tight and I will update my non-butter version soon!

Watch out because a whole tray is easy to eat, but a lot for your hips! I cut half the tray in smaller squares and froze them for ... !!!

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup/125gr salted butter, softened (1 stick)  (if you only have unsalted, no matter just add some salt)

1 1/2cups (250gr) creamy peanut butter (I use all natural only peanuts in it but made sure it was fresh enough it had not seperated, you can also use a more typical brand like JIF or whatever)

2 T/soupspoon coconut oil - divided

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup unrefined sugar ( I used Rapadura. You can also use powdered sugar!)

3 cups/450gr semi sweet chocolate (chips) divided in 2


INSTRUCTIONS

Prepare a square (8x8inches or 20comx20cm) baking pan with parchment paper.

Place half of chocolate and 1T coconut oil in double boiler/bain maire. Let melt, stirring often until smooth.  Spread into prepared pan, smoothly and evenly. Refridegrate until hard, about 30 minutes.

While that is hardening, add the softened butter, creamy peanut butter, vanilla extract and sugar into a mixer, Thermomix or large mixing bowl.  Beat until smooth and creamy. Taste and add more sugar to taste.

When chocolate is hard, spoon peanut butter mixture over it. Spread evenly.  Put back in fridge.

Melt remaining chocolate and 1 T coconut oil in bain maire/double boiler. Stirring often, until smooth.
Pour over peanut bitter layer, spreading evenly.

Place in fridge for 1-2 hours or until ready to serve. Slice into bars and keep refridgerated.

AMAZING Pumpkin Pie with GingerSnap or Speculoos Crust 

Typically, I do not like Pumpkin Pie, actually I HATE Pumpkin Pie. I make it every Thanksgiving for people I love who Love it! Today, I had a Pumpkin Pie request at my Healthy Cooking class. So, I went for it. What a surprise! It was fantastic. I had 3 French, 1 Spanish and a non-cooking American raving. I used a straight edge cake pan instead of a typical American pie pan, like a small french art pan. This made it easier to press in the crust, and held more filling. You gotta try it.

Pumpkin Pie 
1 small cooking pumpkin (NOT a Halloween pumpkin)
3/4c raw cane sugar
1/4c maple syrup
3 eggs
1 cup soy milk or regular milk
1/2 cup soy cream or regular milk
1 Tablespoon melted coconut
1 teaspoon cinnamon (or more to taste)
1/4 teaspoon ginger (or more to taste)

GingerSnap Crust 
24 gingersnaps or speculoos cookies, ground to a crumble
4 Tablespoons melted coconut oil or butter
2 tablespoons raw cane sugar (use only if cookies are not overly sweet)
pinch of seasalt

Start by preparing the pumpkin... 
Preparing Pumpkin 
Pre heat oven to 400F/200C.
Cut pumpkin in half. Take seeds out. Place flesh down (skin up) on a cookie sheet. Poke a few holes in the skin. Add a few TBLS of water to tray. Place in oven and roast until pumpkin is soft. Be careful when you open the oven door, the steam will shoot out in your face!

Now, prepare the crust... 
GingerSnap Crust
Add melted coconut oil/butter to the cookie crumbs.
Stir in sugar and seasalt.
Press into pie pan. Cook for 10 minutes. 350F/175C.
Cool in fridge until filling is ready.

Now make the filling...
Blend all ingredient together until very smooth. Pour into cooled crust. Cook at 350F/175C for 30-35 minutes, until the center is not liquid-y when you touch it. Serve warm!

ThinMints- the vegan kind...

My daughter was playing around with my cookbooks recently, and lover of mint and chocolate that she is, she discovered and successfully vegan-ized these amazing cookies from the Tassajara CookBook. Just makes it easier to eat them! Who says we need to wait for the girls in green to come by....

 2+1/2cups (375gr) flour (I use spelt/epeautre)
1/2cup (125gr) cocoa powder
1+1/2 tsp (coffee spoon) baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)
1/2 tsp seasalt

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted (de-aromatized is the best)
1 cup maple syrup
1+1/2 tsp mint extract
1+1/2 cups chocolate chips

 Preheat oven to 350degrees F/ 175degrees C.
 Combine all dry ingredients, except chocolate chips, in a large mixing bowl.

In a large tall mixing cup, combine all wet ingredients with a stick mixer to emulsify. Or just whisk them together until smooth.

 Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until all the flour is combined. Then gently mix in chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto baking sheet covered with baking paper, and flatten with the back of the spoon. Bake 12-16 minutes- wait for the chocolate-y smell and then check them! Cool.

In our home, since we no longer have store bought cookies, we make batter, ball it all, bake only 1-2 trays and freeze the rest of the balls for another day's instant warm cookies!

Ultimate Banana Bread

This recipe is a take on The Ultimate Banana Bread in Cook's Illustrated Magazine (July/August 2010). Always a source of inspiration and science for me. This one is really quite extraordinary. It reduces the JUICE of the bananas to increase the flavour....Plus, only good fat, and no sugar, eggs or dairy. :) The flax(lin) seeds not only replace the eggs as a binder but they add an amazing nutty flavor that you cannot exactly put your finger on....Nature as it can be.

1 3/4 cups (300grams) unbleached flour (I use spelt)
1 teaspoon (coffeespoon) baking soda
1/2 teaspoon (coffeespoon) seasalt
6 very large ripe bananas peeled, frozen and defrosted (save the juice!!--it is the KEY!)
or fresh and microwaved (see instructions)
8 tablespoons (125 grams) coconut oil, melted & slightly cooled
3 heaping tablespoons of ground flax seeds (lin)
3/4 cup (175ml) maple syrup or rice syrup or agave syrup
1 tablespoon (soupspoon) vanilla extract
1 cup (250gr) chocolate chips (optional)

1. Prepare ground flax (lin) seeds by whisking them in a small bowl with 7 tablespoons water. Let stand to get a gooey in texture.

2. Pre heat oven to 350F/175C. Oil whatever pan you are using, sprinkle a bit of pure unrefined muscovado sugar (or what you have) on the bottom. Slice a banana and arrange on the bottom of the pan. Ones that work are loaf pans, bundt pans, square pans. Just add on more cooking time for a loaf shape as it is thicker. Set aside.

3. If using defrosted bananas, save the juice!!! Put it in a small pan and heat on low to reduce into a thin syrup. Usually about 5 min but do it just as long as you can.

4. Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Flour, baking soda, seasalt.

5. Mash bananas and re-incorporate the reduced juice. Mix in all wet ingredients adding the flax (lin) seed last- melted coconut oil, maple/rice/agave syrup, vanilla extract and flax seed/water mixture. Pour into the dry ingredient mixture.

6. Stir in chocolate chips if using.

7. Pour into pan and shake and bang pan until it is evenly distributed.

8. Bake for about 45 minutes but check it! My oven is hot so time maybe a bit more in yours.
This can also be made as muffins.

9. See if you can keep it on a plate longer than an afternoon....

By the way, for you France enthusiasts... this cake is great to hide a feve in during Galette de Roi saison!!

Rasberry Glaze

I am always looking for quick, delicious substitutes for frosting! If I hadn't already mentioned it, I have an innate dislike of creaming butter and sugar. It started when I started baking, around 12 years old as far as I can remember. As the years went on, I just left off the frosting and cooked with oil.. NOw, with French husband who loves pastry & baked goods, kids and party cakes to make, leaving it off just doesn't cut it!

So when I was making a huge heart cake for the end of the school year party I stumbled across a most excellent idea... GLAZE. Thank you Fanny Farmer, my Gramma's and Mum's cookbook standby. Yes, sugar, but no butter. And SO EASY.

Ingredients-
Confectioners powdered sugar (I make sure to have a whole box on hand to adjust viscosity)
hot water or juice or espresso of choice

Basic Method:
Heat the water or juice, take off heat before boiling.
Add in small amounts to however much confectioners sugar you choose. I usually start with about 1 cup for a regular sized cake. Until you reach the consistency you like. I prefer my glaze a bit thicker, but not spreadable, otherwise it al just ... glazes off and gets too thin.

If you get it too thick, add some more warmed water. If it gets too thin, just keep adding sugar!

In this instance I used raspberry juice. Usually I defrost about 1 cup of raspberries. Then smash them through a sieve so all the seeds stay in the sieve.
Heat the juice. Add slowly into the confectioners sugar as described above.

I have used this glaze on a HUGE heart cake, on 36 cupcakes decorated with sprinkles and one fresh raspberry. Usually on chocolate cake, Next time, I'll try and espresso version.... MMMMMmmmm

Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla-Coconut Frosting

This is by far been my best dairy free, sugar free chocolate cake recipe ever. And the frosting! To die for. No more too sweet, to rich buttercream. I knew there had to be a filler, a bit like a flour-milk base is the thickener for soup or salad. Full credit goes to me finally really looking at a book I bought years ago, The Vegan Cupcake, by I.C. Moskowitz & T. H. Romero. Two of the original cupcake heroines, before it became so trendy. I love this book as it still using the basic ingredients you can find at any grocery store.
Makes and Frosts 12 cupcakes.

Simple Chocolate Cupcakes

2/3 cup soy milk
1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
2/3 cup agave syrup
1/3 cup vegetable oil (I use de-aromatized Sunflower Oil, or melted coconut oil)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup flour (I use white spelt, you can use whole spelt)
1/3 cups cocoa powder (unsweetened)
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Mix soy milk with Apple cider vinegar in a large bowl and let sit 5 minutes to curdle.
TIP: If you are doubling or tripling the recipe DO NOT increase the vinegar in the same fold. DO NOT exceed 1 tsp vinegar. It works the same and won't make the cakes asidy tasting)

Meanwhile, line muffin tins with cupcake liners.
Pre-heat oven to 325F/160C.

Into milk/vinegar mixture, beat in oil, agave syrup, and vanilla extract.
Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
Mix until smooth.

Fill liners 2/3 full.
Bake 20-22 minutes until a knife or toothpick put in center comes out with a very few crumbs on it. DO NOT over bake or they will be dry. If baking more than 1 tray at a time, be sure to switch the trays top/bottom-bottom/top after 12 minutes.

Let cool FULLY.

Vanilla-Coconut Frosting

This frosting is not quite as fluffy as a real buttercream, it has a creamy, custard like consistency. Make sure you cool the milk/flour mixture FULLY to ROOM TEMPERATURE, not cold refridgerator temperature, before you add the coconut oil, or you'll get... soup. If the mixture is cold from the fridge, it won't blend into the coconut oil properly and will look a bit curdled. Although it won't be curdled and tastes fine, and you will have a few small lumps of pure coconut oil in there. It happened to me today, and I could not get them out. I sent them onto my daughter's Pony Club anyway! Covered with a few sprinkles...

2 TbL white flour
1/2 cup soy milk
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup margarine or butter or coconut oil (the margarine or butter makes it creamy-er, I usede all coconut oil)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup superfine sugar or castor sugar

In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together flour and soy milk. Stir constantly until it starts to thicken, about 3-4 minutes. If you under cook or your frosting will taste like raw flour. Remove from heat and let cool 2 minutes.

Transfer to a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap so the custard doesn't get that skim on top. Let cool FULLY, at room temperature. Do not refridgerate. It will take time. Therefore, I did this before I started making my cupcakes!

With a mixer, as coconut oil is pretty hard, cream together coconut oil, margarine/butter, vanilla and sugar. Watch out! When you taste this mixture it becomes addictive!

Then beat in the COLD custard. Beat with electraic mixer for 4-6 minutes. It should get lighter in color and have a very creamy texture, similar to very thick whipped cream.

Frost on cooled cupcakes and decorate as you love!
Enjoy!

Poached Pears

A simple, healthy dessert that sounds and looks... special.
You can upgrade it to an adult version by using red wine or Muscat wine.

500ml/2cups red or white grape juice/ or wine as above!
100gr/1/2cup raw sugar or maple syrup
2 Tbl/soupspoons lemon juice
4 Conference pears (if possible, but really any hard-ish pear will do) peeled, cored & halved
1 stick cinnamon (optional)
3 cardamon pods (optional)
2 anise stars (optional)

In a heavy sauce pan, bring grape juice or wine amd sugar/syrup to a boil. Add which ever spices you are using. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Add lemon juice and pears. Cook for 10 minutes over medium low flame.
Cool and refridgerate.
Bring to room temperature. Serve with a dollop of yogurt or ice cream.

Extreme Banana Bread

This isn't just any banana bread. Its like eating a banana split, with out the ice cream of course. Then again, you could add that on the side! Its the intensity of the banana flavor that sets it apart, and the lack of sugar and cream and butter that make it actually light enough to eat, well, to eat alot!

The way the banana flavor is formed is a tip from my favorite cooking/baking authority- Cook's Illustrated. They test recipes as if they were in a science lab, tell you waht happens at each step so you can USE the knowledge elsewhere, adn then inject thier passion for flavor.

The trick is in the banana prep I will describe. But as I do not have, nor will ever have, a microwave, I freeze bananas in bags of 4-5. Then I defrost them in the bag, so to keep the juice that comes out, in a bowl of hot water. Quick and easy. The microwave version is below.

Extreme Banana Bread

2 cups whole wheat flour (I use spelt)
1 Tabl baking soda
1/2 tsp seasalt
4-5 large very ripe bananas (if possible, frozen then thawed)
1 large ripe banana for topping
1/2 cup melted coconut oil (cooled a bit)
1/2 cup agave syrup or maple syrup or rice syrup
2 eggs
1 Tbl vanilla
3/4 cup chocolate chips or nuts or both! or none!

Pre-heat oven to 325F/160C.
Prepare pan. Use either loaf pan or a 6 inch round spring form. "Paint" with some of the melted cocnut oil and dust with flour.

In large bowl whisk flour, baking soda and salt.

If you are not using frozen then thawed-in-the-sink bananas as described above.
Place 4-5 large bananas in a microwave safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and poke in some steam vents. Microwave on high until bananas are soft and havce released liquid, about 5 minutes.

Now you who used frozen-thawed bananas can rejoin us...
Saving the liquid that has come out, place soft bananas in a sieve OVER a bowl and let the liquid drip out of them for 5-10 minutes. Then smash them down & stir around to get anymore liquid out. You should have 1/2 - 3/4 cups) Just use whatever you have.

Place bananas in another mixing bowl. Transfer liquid to a small sauce pan and cook over medium-high heat until it is reduced to about 1/4 cup. About 5 minutes. Now mix that liquid into the smashed bananas, smashing some more until fairly smooth. Whisk in coconut oil, eggs, agave/maple or rice syrup and vanilla.

Pour banana mixture into the flour mixture. Stir just until all flour is wet. You can even still see a few streaks of flour in the batter. Gently fold in chocolate chips and /or walnuts of using. Pour into prepared pan. Shingle banana slices on top as you like. For a treat I sometimes put a bunch of chocolate chips on top too.

Bake 1 hour. until wooden toothpick comes out clean, but rememebr to poke all the way down to the bottonm-center.

Spicy Rice Pudding

As is often the case, I was in the mood for rice pudding one recent evening. I usually start cooking it just after dinner so it is ready when the kids are just in bed! They get their fiar share the next day!
In this version, I use the spices most often found in December baking. Others might recognize this as Pepernoten Rice Pudding. In anyway, it WOWed me.

For you Busboom-Maitland family.1 cup whole grain brown rice, rinsed (and if you think ahead, soaked as long as possible)
1/2 cup whole grain sweet rice, rinsed (ditto)
1 inch (5 cm) piece of konbu dried seaweed, optional
(this aids digestibility and adds lots of minerals)
1 can of coconut milk
equivalent of 1 can of soy milk
(or use another can of coconut milk or water if you don't want soy milk)
water
dash of seasalt
1/2 cup agave syrup or rice syrup or maple syrup (or more to taste)
1/2 - 1 vanilla bean

Spices- all are optional and should be used to your taste. You can add more during and after cooking but you cannot take any away! But be bold, the strenth wanes as it cooks.
3 Tbls cinnamon (canelle)
2 Tbl nutmeg (muscat)
1 tsp cloves (girofle)
1 Tbl ginger
1 tsp cardamon
1/2 tsp anise powder

Place medium size pan on smallest burner on lowest heat.
Place all rice & can of coconut milk in pot. Refill can from the coconut milk with soy milk, add to pot. refill again with filtered water, add to pot. Keep can on side to add liquid as you go if needed.
Then stir in all spices.

Keep on the low heat and stir in thre milk scum that rises to the top as often as you think about it. The less it is there the better. It creates a seal and cooks the rice as if it were in a covered pan and this is NOT how you get the right consistency. SO keep stirring it in.

After about 1/2 hour, check the spices and see if there is enough. Add if necessary. Watch the liquid level. You want it to stay with a "sauce" as when it cools it soaks back into the rice.

It takes a good hour or more to cook, be patient. Keep stirring off and on and keep tasting. It is done when the rice is soft.

To reheat, place in a pan with a bit of water. Stir it up and heat. The fat from the coconut will melt and go back into the rice pudding.

If it doesn't work out, write me!

Chocolate Chip Brownies

Sounds decadent? INDULGENT even? It is! That's what this blog is all about. LOVING what you eat in all the senses of the word Loving it during the making, loving the eating, and loving how you feel after you have eaten it. This is a no-sugar, no egg, no dairy recipe!

Eat.Love.Enjoy.

Chocolate Chip Brownies

DRY
2 cups flour (I use spelt/epeautre)
1 cup cocoa powder
1/4 tsp seasalt
1 TBL + 1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda

WET
3/4 cup melted coconut oil
1 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup almond butter
1/4 cup soy milk
2 Tbl liquid vanilla extract
1/4 cup espresso or water

1 cups chocolate chips
1 cup roasted walnuts or almonds (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 325F/165C.
Oil a square baking pan.
In large bowl, combine all DRY ingredients.
In another bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together all WET ingredients.
Pour WET into DRY.
Mix until just blended.
Blend in chocolate chips and nuts, if using.

Pour into pan. Shake pan to make flat.
Bake for 20-30 minutes. Check at 20 min, when you really smell the chocolate. Then add on baking minutes slowly. They can easily go to overcooked.

Leave in pan to cool throughly. They longer they stay in the pan the more brownie-lke dense they will get.


Oh yes.... Sometimes, when i am in a really festive mood, I add a "Rocky-Road" kind of topping. In a small bowl I mix up chopped nuts, coconut, and cut up marshmellows and sprinkle on top after 15-20 minutes of cooking.

Gingerbread (Pain d'Epice) Muffins

This is an adapted recipe from on of the original whole gain baking books from the 80s - Uprisings. I have been inspired by their recipes for years, indeed I think I understood the art of recipe adaption from the wisdom I learned in this book.

Gingerbread Muffins

Dry:
2 cups whole wheat flour (I use spelt/epeautre)
1/2 cup dry milk powder (I use soy milk powder)
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 TBL ground ginger (more or less to taste)
2 tsp cinnamon (kanel)
1/2 tsp ground cloves (girofle)

WET:
2/3 cup molasses (sirop de melasse)
1/3 cup honey or agave syrup or rice syrup or barley syrup
1/3 cup vegetable oil (I use de-aromatised sunflower oil)
1 egg
1 cup water

Heat oven to 350F/170C.
Line muffin tins with muffin papers.

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Whip molasses, honey, oil, egg and water in another bowl or large measuring cup.
Stir wet ingredients into dry. DO NOT over mix.

Fill muffin tins 2/3.
Bake for 12-15 minutes. When you will smell their gingery wonderfulness, check them. Check them by touching one of the middle ones to see if they spring back.
Let them cool halfway in the tins, take out and finish cooling on a rack.

Great with Chai or Rooibos or well, anything.
Last time we made them my 8 yr old daughter sold them at the local park with lemonade! She made 14euro/$ that afternoon!

Chocolate Chip Muffins

These are a AWESOME dairy free, sugar free, wheat free snack.
Makes 12-13 large muffins!

DRY Ingredients
1.5 cups whole flour (I use whole spelt)
2 cups white flour (I use spelt)
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 Tbsp baking powder
1+ cups chocolate chips

WET Ingredients
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup barley malt or rice syrup or maple syrup or agave syrup
3/4 cups soy milk
3/4 cups fresh pure water
2 Tbsp liquid real vanilla

PreHeat oven to 325F/165C.
Line muffin tins with paper liners or brush with oil.
In a large bowl mix all dry ingredients except Chocolate Chips.
In a seperate deep bowl or very large measuring cup blend all wet ingredients together.
Pour into dry and blend until just mixed. Do not over mix!
Then add the chocolate chips, blend barely.
Fill muffin tins until almost full.
Bake 20 minutes until golden brown.
Let muffins sit in pan until cool.

MMMMMMMMMMMMM

Spice Balls (Dutch Pepernoten)

This cookie ball is eaten all over the Netherlands from November through December. Santa's elves throw them to kids in their parade, they are stocked in every grocery store aisle, bowls appear in every office. You just can't get enough. They are a small, dry cookie that crunches in your mouth. This is by far the best and simplest recipe I know for a great winter treat.

Kids of all ages love to roll them into balls. I try not to coach the rolling too much, and just adjust later so that there are tiny ones and huge ones on the same tray. Feel free to add as much of the spices as your palate prefers. Watch out for too much clove or cardamon as too much will taste soapy.

PEPERNOTEN

Dry-
500grams flour ( As always, I use spelt. A mix of whole and white)
1 tsp (coffee spoon) cloves (girofle)
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
2 tsp cinnamon
Optional-pinch of anise powder, 1/2 tsp cardamon, 1-2 tsp cocoa
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp seasalt

Wet-
200 ml maple syrup
150 ml vegetable or corn oil

Mix all dry ingredients into a big bowl.
Place wet ingredients into a tall cup or bowl and mix with a staf mixer (Braun) until emulsified.
Add wet to dry. Mix.
It can be a very dry batter. It is often easiest, and more fun, the mix it with your hands. If you wet your hands first it won't stick to them so easily.
Push the batter into a ball like shape in the middle of the bowl. Cover well with
plastic wrap. Refridgerate for 1 hour or overnight.
Take out and make into hazelnut size balls. This is the size that can get nice and crunchy. But when kids (or I!) are making them, they end up more the size of walnuts. Its OK, just try and arrange similar size balls on the same cooking tray.

EAT and distribute liberally among your friends!