I Believe in Dessert.

Dessert doesn't have to mean unhealthy. It doesn't have to mean lots of sugar or white flour. In fact, there are many ways to make your desserts BENEFICIAL to your health. Using sweeteners other than white sugar is a great place to start. Raw Agave nectar contains lots of vitamins and minerals. Sweeteners such as maple syrup, maple sugar, and brown rice syrup also contain vitamins and minerals; and don't raise your blood sugar as well. Another ingredient to look at is flour. I don't even own white flour anymore. In my pantry there is coconut, oat, spelt, and whole wheat flours; and fine cornmeal (for those delicious cornbread muffins). All of these flours contain lots of protein and fiber; making our bodies and tummies very happy!

The following chocolate chip cookie recipe is not only delicious, it is incredibly good for you! On Friday I made a batch and took them to work. Vegans and non-vegans devour them. I love hearing "I can't believe these are vegan!" and "These are healthy?!?!?! NO WAY!" So lets all eat dessert and stop feeling guilty!

The Healthiest Chocolate Chip Cookies in the World
makes 30 cookies

2 cups walnuts
3 Tbs. canola oil
1 cup light brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups oat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. fine sea salt
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups vegan chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover 2 cookie sheets with foil.
2. Blend walnuts in food processor 30 seconds, or until ground into fine meal. Add oil, and blend 2 or 3 minutes more, or until mixture has the consistency of natural peanut butter. Transfer to bowl.




3. Whisk together brown sugar and 1/2 cup water in saucepan, and bring to a boil.





4. Pour brown sugar mixture over walnut butter, add vanilla, and stir until no lumps remain.
5. Whisk together oat flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon into a separate bowl. Stir oat flour mixture into walnut mixture. Cool dough 10 minutes.
6. Fold oats, then chocolate chips into dough.





7. Shape into 2-inch balls, and place on prepared cookie sheets. Flatten cookies with bottom of drinking glass dipped in water.





8. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until cookies begin to brown. Cool 3 minutes on cookie sheets, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.



Yum!

Don't be afraid to experiment with your dessert recipes you love. Try substituting the sugar, flour, milk, and eggs. A great egg substitute is 1 Tablespoon of ground flaxseeds mixed in a small bowl with 3 Tablespoons of water. This will add extra fiber to your recipe and a nice dose of Omega-3 fats!

Have fun and eat dessert!

Love,
Steph

Sunday Dinner

The tradition continues! This past Sunday it was our turn to host Rich and Sarah for Sunday dinner. On the menu: polenta casserole, salad greens, and coffee fudge brownies. The polenta casserole is great because it incorporates a grain, vegetable and protein ... so its a complete meal! I was a little disappointed with the coffee fudge brownies. They weren't very dense and gooey, which is what I love in a brownie. The texture was more like cake. They tasted fantastic, but would be even better with some frosting. Yum!



Polenta Casserole
serves 6

1 1/2 cups polenta (I like Bob's Red Mill Corn Grits/Polenta)
1 medium-size head cauliflower, cut into large pieces
1 cup frozen peas
1/4 tsp. sea salt
2 links soy chorizo, removed from casing
1 cup frozen corn
6 asparagus spears, cut into 1" pieces
1 1/2 tsp. sesame tahini
1/3 cup soy milk
1 1/2 tbs. shoyu (or soy sauce or Bragg's Liquid Aminos), plus more for sprinkling on top
2 tsp. umeboshi vinegar (available at Whole Foods, you could substitute red wine vinegar)
fresh basil leaves for garnish

Place the polenta in a large pot. Add the cauliflower, salt and 4 1/2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Polenta must be stirred fairly frequently as it cooks to prevent it from sticking. Once cooked, remove from heat, and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil an 8" by 8" casserole dish. Layer the bottom of the dish with the soy chorizo, then corn kernals, then asparagus.

To the polenta/cauliflower mixture add the tahini, soy milk, shoyu, and umeboshi vinegar. Mash the mixture until the texture remembles mashed potatoes. Stir in the frozen peas. Spoon the mashed mixture into the casserole dish over the vegetables and smooth the top. Poke a few small holes in the surface, and sprinkle with a little shoyu (this makes the top crispy).

Bake for 30-40 minutes. Let the casserole cool for 15 minutes before cutting into squares. Garnish with basil, and serve!!


Coffee Fudge Brownies
makes 12 brownies

3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup spelt flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. sea salt
1 1/2 cups agave
1/2 cup soy milk
1/2 cup brewed decaf coffee (or Teechino, more on Teechino later ...)
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup grain-sweetened, vegan chocolate chips (Sunspire!)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Oil an 8" or 9" square baking pan.

Sift together the flours, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In a seperate bowl, stir together the agave, soy milk, coffee, and oil. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and stir to mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for approx. 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the pan comes out clean. Cool, cut, and serve! I recommend frosting as well ... :)

All in all, another sucessful Sunday dinner! Next week is Rich and Sarah's turn to host and plan a menu. I can't wait!

Happy eating!

Love,
Steph

Kristi, Bobcat and Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

I love Wednesdays! My coworker Kristi and I always have Wednesdays off. More often than not, we spend it together doing various activities: errands, shopping, venting our life stresses to each other. Kristi moved to Chicago from Wisconsin last winter. We quickly bonded, both feeling like "misfits" coming from smaller towns and missing our families and friends. I had a tough time adjusting to life in Chicago. It was the hardest thing I have ever been through. Even small things like going to the grocery store were a huge adjustment ... you mean I have to take a train or walk?!?! It all seemed so difficult. I never realized how automatic most things in my life had become. I had to map out every destination. I never saw a soul that I recognized. I felt so alone. I found true comfort in meeting Kristi, knowing we had a certain understanding. We don't judge each other's silly anxieties or our lack of city savvy. We still get lost everywhere we go! Sometimes we just talk about how much we miss trees and open skies! Not only do we have a similar life experience, she is a wonderful person. She has a sweet, honest personality. Enough about our love story ...

This past Wednesday, our plans consisted of a trip to Whole Foods (which is now turning into a once a month occurrence), then heading back to her apartment (which is where my boyfriend Bobcat also lives) so I could teach her to make my delicious Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread recipe!! Not only is this bread completely heavenly, its also healthy!! It makes a great breakfast, dessert or snack. It contains no sugar or dairy products.


Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
serves 4-5

2 1/2 cups canned pumpkin
1 cup of agave (or maple sugar)
1 Tbs. ground flaxseeds mixed in a small bowl with 3 Tbs. water
1/2 cup soy milk or rice milk
1/3 cup safflower oil (or vegetable)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups spelt flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 Tbs. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup grain sweetened vegan chocolate chips (Sunspire makes delicious ones!!)
1/2 cup of walnuts (optional)

Preheat over to 350. Oil an 8" X 8" casserole dish.

Combine the pumpkin, agave, flaxseeds, soy milk, oil, and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. In a seperate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, chocolate chips and walnuts. Add the wet ingredients until just combined.


Fill the casserole dish with the batter. Bake for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes until the top springs back when pressed with a finger.


Bobcat and I snuggled for 1 hour and 15 minutes while the deliciousness baked. We are totally in love!! Someday I'm going to hide him in my purse when I leave. Kristi will never know :) Then us of the human race got to enjoy a slice of heaven:


Moist, pumpkiny, chocolately, yummy!!! It was a great Wednesday. I look forward to seeing what adventure next week holds!!


Love,
Steph