Vegan Bark with Pumpkin and Sunflower Seeds

I found organic, non-GMO pumpkin seeds at the market today, another sign that autumn has arrived.   Pumpkin seeds are good on their own, but better with chocolate!

Enter chocolate bark!  Bark is among the easiest candies you can make.  You can add so many toppings to bark, try dried fruit, seeds, and even sprinkles!

Ingredients:

1 bag of vegan chocolate 

1 cup organic non-GMO pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup organic salted sunflower seeds

Method:

Line a baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper; set aside.

Melt chocolate, pour all of the chocolate in the middle of the lined baking sheet,  and spread evenly.

 Immediately sprinkle with toppings.

Place in the refrigerator for 2 hours to set-up.

Remove and break into small pieces. 

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Vegan Beer Crust Pizza

How many different  ways can you make pizza?  It's really endless when you think about it.  The topping combinations are infinite.  The only limitation is the crust. You can have thin or deep dish, just two choices; however, the crust will make or break a pizza.  Too thin of a crust won't support the toppings, too thick a crust and you loose your toppings.

This recipe for beer crust can make both thin and thick crusts.  But that's not the best part; the best part is this dough doesn't need to rise for a hour like traditional pizza dough.  That's the magic that the beer brings to the recipe.  Beer has so much active yeast and with the addition of baking powder, poof!  Instant fluffy dough.

I use a vegan non-alcoholic beer because I prefer not to have a strong beer flavor in the crust, also I am straight edge!  

Try this recipe you'll love it!

Ingredients for dough:

3 1/2 cups organic unbleached all-purpose flour

2 1/2 t non-GMO aluminum free baking powder

1 t sea salt

1 3/4 cup vegan beer

Method:

In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients, add beer.  Stir using a wooden spoon until dough forms.  The dough will be sticky, but it should be workable.  You can add 1 T of flour at a time if needed.

Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface and place into your pizza pan or onto your stone.

Load up your sauce and toppings and bake in a 400 degree oven.  The baking time will depend on the type of pan you use.  A pizza stone will take 20minutes, a deep dish pan 25-30 minutes.

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Kohl's Department Store Caught Again Selling Real Animal Fur

The Humane Society of the United States has caught Kohl's selling real animals fur again!  This time the fur was apart of a mens parka that was advertised as having a faux fur trimmed hood.

In my opinion, Kohl's needs to investigate exactly where their "faux fur" is coming from.  It is a known fact that a few countries are selling actual dog fur and passing it off as faux fur, or even passing it off as genuine fox and mink fur.  The manner in which these countries obtain fur from dogs is horrific; the process is inhumane, ghastly, torture, and it has to STOP!

The Humane Society wants us to contact Kohl's and tell them to stop selling fur.  I, for one, have boycotted Kohl's for sometime, not only for selling fur, but for selling hunting gear in the mens department.

For more details, please follow this Humane Society link here.

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Vegan Red Wine Braised Mushroom Sauce

This mushroom sauce just looks like autumn, with the deep brown color of the mushrooms and the aroma of the red wine.

Serve this mushroom sauce over flat noodles, rice, or as a topping for a veggie burger.

Recipe adapted from Eating Well magazine.

Ingredients:

2 T organic extra virgin olive oil 

1/4 cup organic red onion, minced

2 T organic unbleached all-purpose flour

Sea salt and pepper to taste

1 pound organic baby bella mushrooms, quartered 

3/4 c organic low-sodium vegetable broth 

1/2 cup vegan, organic red wine

1 T non-dairy butter

Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet, add onions and cook unti tender.  Add flour, salt, and pepper, stir to coat.  Add mushrooms, broth, and wine.  Bring to a boil, stirring until the sauce has thickened, and mushrooms are cooked through (roughly 15 minutes).  Remove from heat and stir in butter.

Serve warm.

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Dead & Breakfast Halloween Sign

My friend and I where shopping a few weeks ago. One of the boutiques we visited had many cute fall and Halloween decorations.  My friend pointed out a sign to me, I commented on how cute it was and looked at the price.  Unfortunately, the price wasn't so cute, $42.00!  I immediately said, "I can make that!"  My friend hears this reply a lot from me. I consider myself a crafty person so I took this idea and ran with it.

Supplies:

Wood - board-my board is approximately 1.5' x 3'

Sander or sandpaper - to rough up the edges of the board

Letters - I used stickers, you can free hand the lettering also

1 crow - printed from the website Thegraphicsfairy.com

Craft paint - white and black 

Brush

Mod Podge

Method:

This is how I did my sign, you can change anything you like to suit your tastes.

First, sand the sides roughly to give the sign some character.  

Paint the front of the board with white paint. 

 When white paint is dry, draw lines across the length of the board with black paint.  I also lightly brushed the sides with black paint.  I was going for a rustic/shabby look. 

Next, using a ruler, lay down your stickers.

Lightly, brush Mod Podge on the stickers only, brush Mod Podge on the back of your crow and gently lay on board and brush with Mod Podge.  I gave a total of two coats for the sign.

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Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Sandwich Cookies

These sandwich cookies are made from spelt flour which makes them light and pastry-like.  The filling is peanut butter that is slightly sweetened with powdered sugar.

Bake a batch and enjoy them on an autumn picnic this week!

Ingredients for cookie dough:

2/3 cup organic brown sugar

1/4 cup organic pure cane sugar 

1/2 cup non-dairy butter 

1/2 t sea salt 

2 t organic pure vanilla extract

1 t organic apple cider vinegar

1 t baking soda 

1 1/2 cups organic spelt flour

2 cups organic oat meal

1/2 cup organic almond milk

1 cup vegan chocolate chips 

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Line 2 baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper; set aside.

Using a hand-held mixer, beat sugars and butter until fluffy.  Add salt, extract, vinegar and baking soda. Mix until thoroughly combined.  Beat in flour and oatmeal. Gradually add almond milk.  Stir in chocolate chips.

Scoop out approximently 2 T of dough for each cookie, roll into a ball, and flatten in between your hands. Place on lined baking sheets.

Bake for 15 minutes.

Filling ingredients:

2/3 cup organic peanut butter 

1/4 cup organic confectioners sugar

1/4 t sea salt 

Method:

Using a hand mixer, beat together peanut butter, sugar, and salt until completely smooth.

Method for cookie assembly:

When cookies are completely cooled, take 1 cookie flat side up, spread 1 T of filling over the entire cookie, take another cookie with the flat side down and place on top of cookie with the filling. Repeat with remaining cookies.

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Vegan Oven-Baked Carrot Fries

The potato french fry makes an appearance in our household on a regular basis.  As much as I would be very happy eating a plate of french fries with meals it's time to find a less carb-y option.  Enter these delicious baked carrot fries!  You actually can't tell the difference! The carrots become tender and fluffy in the inside just like a potato fry.

Bake some today with your dinner, you'll thank me!

Ingredients:

10 medium organic carrots

2 T organic extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt and pepper to taste 

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.

Line a large baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper. Set aside.

Wash and dry carrots.  On a cutting board, cut off the tops and bottoms and peel each carrot.

Cut each carrot in half lengthwise, then cut each half in half lengthwise. 

In a large bowl, combine carrots, oil, sea salt, and pepper.

Spread carrots on the lined baking sheet.

Bake 20 minutes, or until tender and browned.

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Vegan Caramel Apples

Happy Autumn!  It's here, it's finally here! My favorite season!  Time to wear tights, sweaters, soft fluffy scarves that hug your neck, and fingerless gloves, for those especially cool days.

To celebrate the arrival of autumn, I have made caramel apples.  This recipe has a twist though.  The caramel is made from dates! I know what your thinking.  You say to yourself. "how can that be?"  I too said the same thing, but it does work and it tastes fantastic!  These caramel apples will be the healthiest ones you'll ever eat!  So live it up! 

This recipe was adapted from Vegan Health & Fitness magazine.

Makes 4 medium apples.

Ingredients for caramel:

4 organic apples

17 organic dates, pitted and cut into small pieces

1/3 cup organic coconut oil, melted 

2 t organic cinnamon 

2 T organic agave 

Method:

Wash and dry 4 apples.  I used branches from my apple trees for the sticks that are inserted in the top of the apples.

Blend dates, oil, cinnamon, and agave in a food processor or blender until smooth and has a thick consistency.

Cover apples completely with the caramel.  I used a small flat edge spatula to do this.  Set aside, and make chocolate sauce.

Ingredients for chocolate sauce:

3 T organic raw cacao

2 T organic agave

1/4 T organic coconut oil, melted 

2 cups chopped walnuts

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, mix thoroughly.

Drizzle chocolate sauce over the caramel apples, then roll in nuts.

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Vegan Poppy Seed Muffin

Warning! These muffins are scrumptious little clouds, so I hope you have great will power to eat just one, because I didn't!

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup organic unbleached all-purpose flour

2 T organic poppy seeds

1/4 t sea salt 

2 t non-aluminum, non-GMO baking powder

1/2 cup organic pure cane sugar, plus 3 T extra

3/4 cup organic almond milk

1/4 cup organic sunflower oil

1 organic flax seed egg

1 t organic pure almond extract

3 T non-dairy butter, melted 

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Line a muffin pan with liners; set aside.

In a large bowl combine flour, poppy seeds, salt, baking powder, and 1/2 cup

sugar.

In a small bowl, combine milk, oil, flax seed egg, and extract.  Stir into the flour mixture.

Spoon batter into the muffin cups, filling each half-way.

Bake 15 minutes.  In the meantime melt 3 T non-dairy butter and place in a small bowl.  In another small bowl place 3 T sugar.  Let muffins cool for 5 minutes.  With a small spoon drizzle melted butter over each muffin and sprinkle with sugar.

* Recipe adapted from the cookbook, perfect muffins.

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Vegan Mini Pizza Pies

Just when you thought pizza couldn't get any better!  These mini-pizza pies are packed with sauce, veggies, and cheese.

As vegans, you know when you travel either for a few hours or a day trip you usually pack a vegan goodie bag of food in case of emergencies.  How perfect would these mini's be?  You can easily drive and eat one, also they don't have to be warm. Cold pizza is still good pizza!

Ingredients for dough:

2 1/4 t yeast

1 cup warm water

2 cups organic unbleached all-purpose flour

1 t sea salt

1 t organic garlic powder

1 t organic onion powder

Pizza filling:

Organic pizza sauce 

Non-dairy cheese

Organic veggies

Method for making pizza dough:

In the bowl of a mixer, add yeast and warm water.  Let sit for 5 minutes.

Add flour and seasonings, mix on medium speed until dough forms and pulls away cleanly from the bowl.  Knead for 3 minutes.

Cover bowl with a clean cotton kitchen towel and let rise for 1 hour.

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Lightly grease a standard cupcake pan.

Place approximently a golf ball size of dough into each muffin section.  Press dough down and push dough up the sides.

Place 2 tablespoons of sauce into each, top with cheese and veggies.

Bake 20-25 minutes.  Remove with tongs.

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Vegan Raw Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese

I was very excited to try this raw cheddar cheese recipe that I found on One Green Planet.  Making vegan cheese is THE food I am determined to concour.

The vegan cheese that is available at the store is good, but I think it's missing in a couple categories.  The shredded cheese I could not live without, but the block cheeses are a little too bland for my taste.  Nut based cheeses add texture, creamyness, along with extreme flavor.

Do try this recipe; it's simple and you'll be able to add one more homemade vegan food to your repertoire.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups organic raw cashews, soaked in purified water for 4-6 hours

2 T organic sun dried tomatoes

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1 T dry sherry (opitional, I did not use)

1 heaping tablespoon white miso ( I used chickpea miso)

1 T organic raw apple cider vinegar

1 t sea salt 

1 t organic onion powder

1/2 t organic dry mustard powder

1/2 t organic paprika

1/4 t organic turmeric

1/4 t organic cayenne

1/2 cup organic unrefined coconut oil, melted 

Method:

Drain cashews and rinse; place in your high powdered blender.  Slice sun-dried tomatoes into small pieces, also add to blender.

Start at low speed and continue to gradually increase speed until the mixture starts to form a paste.  I used a Vitamix, you will have to scrape down the sides a few times to blend properly.

Add remaining ingredients, with oil being the last added.

Process until smooth.  You will have to stop and scrape the sides and to free the blades of the mixture a little.

Remove cheese from the mixer and place in a glass bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until firm.

Shape into a log or leave as is.

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Vegan Frozen Banana Ice Cream

I can eat ice cream any time of the year.  Ice cream is not just for summer!  This recipe is amazing; you'll be making ice cream everyday!

So, save those over ripe bananas, they have another purpose other than banana bread!

Ingredients for plain banana ice cream:

4 organic over ripe bananas, frozen and sliced into small pieces 

Ingredients for chocolate chip banana ice cream:

4 organic over ripe bananas, frozen and sliced into small pieces

1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips, melted 

1/4 cup vegan chocolate chips

Method for plain banana ice cream:

I used a Vitamix, so I started on level 1 and gradually increased to level 6.  You will need to use the tamper to push down the frozen bananas so they bend properly.  Continue for 10 seconds.  The ice cream should be thick when done.

Method for banana chocolate chip ice cream:

Place sliced bananas and melted chocolate into the Vitamix container.  Start on level 1 gradually increase to level 5 blend for 10 seconds.  Use the tamper to push down the frozen slices of banana.  While machine is running add chocolate chips and blend for a few seconds more.  Ice cream will be thick with specks of chocolate chips.

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Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies

I didn't begin to enjoy eating pumpkin until after I became vegan.  Growing up, I would cringe at the sight of a pumpkin pie during the Thanksgiving holiday.

Becoming vegan though, has changed my view of the versatile, orange gourd.  You can add pumpkin to almost any dessert, from cookies to cheese cake, pumpkin purée has got you covered.

I do have to admit though, I need to have chocolate with my pumpkin, or a ever so slight a cringe will come back.

Ingredients:

1 cup non-dairy butter

1 cup organic pure cane sugar

1 cup organic pumpkin purée 

2 cups organic spelt 

1 T organic pumpkin pie spice 

1 t organic baking soda 

3/4 t sea salt 

1 organic flax seed egg

2 t organic pure vanilla extract

2 cups vegan chocolate chips 

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a 9"x9" baking pan with unbleached parchment paper, leaving an overhang on all sides.

With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until smooth.  Add pumpkin purée, flax seed egg, and vanilla.  Continue beating until well combined.  The batter will look clumpy.

Beat in spelt flour, baking soda, pumpkin spice, and salt.  

Fold in chocolate chips with a large wooden spoon.

Spread batter evenly in lined pan.  Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until edges pull away from the sides of the pan.

When brownies have cooled, lift from the pan using the edges of the parchment and place on a large plate.  You can remove the parchment if you like, or gently peel off the brownies and place back on the plate.

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Vegan Goulash

Cooler weather has come and that means warm and hearty dinners will be served at my dinner table.  For as long as it stays cool, at least. With our crazy weather we could have temperatures in the 90's next week.  

Just as we switch over our wardrobe in perperation for the coming cooler weather, I have begun to change over my recipes to do the same.  I bring out my sweaters to keep me warm on the chilly evenings and tonight I bring out my Goulash recipe to warm my family.

Ingredients:

2 T organic extra virgin olive oil

1 medium organic onion, diced

2 organic carrots, cut into 1/4 rounds

1 large organic potato, cut into 1" pieces 

1 organic green pepper, coarsley chopped 

1 cup organic button mushrooms

1/2 cup organic white wine 

28 ounces of organic diced tomatoes 

2 cups organic vegetable stock 

1 package of Gardein Beef Tips

3 organic garlic cloves, minced

Sea salt and pepper to taste

1 T organic paprika

Organic flat noodles* 

*flat noodles work best, but I can never find any that are vegan they are always egg based.  So I use lasagna noodles, just break the long sheets into 2" long pieces.

Method:

In a stock pot over medium heat, add oil, onions, carrots, potato, green pepper, and mushrooms.  Stir occasionally, until vegetables are tender.

Add wine, tomatoes, and stock.  Bring to a simmer, add beef tips, garlic, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste.

Simmer for 15 minutes.

Serve over noodles.

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Vegan Rustic Apple Pie

Making pie is a high pressure dessert to me.  The crust, I believe, is the real star of any pie, be it sweet or savory.

Pie crusts should be buttery and flaky, which is the easy part.  The difficult part is making the crust pretty.  If you choose a lattice top, the strips of dough should be perfectly woven.  Or, even if you just lay a top crust. it should be nicely crimped. 

Now, a rustic pie is right up my alley.  When you bring this pie to the table and tell your family, this is a rustic apple pie, the pressure is off; this is a casual pie, a pie that's laid back, it goes with the flow.

Relax and enjoy!

Ingredients for crust:

1 cup organic unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup non-dairy butter, cold and cut into small pieces

3 T cold water

Ingredients for filling:

8 medium organic apples, cored, peeled, and cut into small pieces

2 T organic vanilla infused sugar

2 T organic pumpkin pie spice

2 T non-dairy butter, cut into small pieces 

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper.

Peel, core, and chop apples into 2" pieces; set aside.

Combine flour and butter with a pastry blender until a crumbly meal forms.  Add water and combine until a dough forms.  

Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface; the dough doesn't have to be a perfect circle, the edges can be uneven.  Transfer to your lined baking sheet.  Pile apples in the middle of the dough, dot the non-dairy butter pieces over the apples.  Sprinkle with vanilla sugar and pumpkin spice.

Fold the edges of the dough up and over the apples towards the middle of the pie.  

Bake 45 minutes, or until the crust turns a golden brown.

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Vegan Chicken Pot Pie

When I was younger, I ate chicken pot pie on a regular bases.  Unfortunately, it wasn't homemade but the frozen kind.  My mom cooked and baked a lot but nothing too fancy.  Pot pie isn't exactly fancy, and the name defiently isn't, but it does take some time to prepare.  It is not the kind of dinner you can just throw together on a busy night, but the extra effort is so worth it!

Ingredients for crust:

1 cup organic unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup non-dairy butter, cut into small pieces

1/4 cup ice water

Ingredients for filling:

1 T organic extra virgin olive oil

1 small organic onion, diced 

2 organic celery ribs, diced 

2 organic carrots, diced

2 organic garlic cloves, crushed 

1 large organic potato, diced

1/2 cup organic peas

2 T organic tamari

1/4 cup organic unbleached all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cup organic vegetable stock

Sea salt and pepper to taste

Method for crust:

Use 1 pie dish.

In a large bowl, add flour and cut in butter with a pastry blender until you get a coarse meal; add ice water and mix until a dough forms.  Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until filling is ready.

Method for filling:

In a large skillet heat olive oil, add onion, celery, and carrots; cook until tender. Add potato and cook until tender.

Stir flour and soy sauce into the vegetables.  Add peas, salt, and pepper. Spoon the filling into the pie pan.

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Remove crust from the refrigerator.  On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 12" circle.  Carefully place over filling.  Crimp edges and make a few slits on the very top of the dough.

Bake 45-50 minutes, or until the crust becomes lightly brown.

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Vegan Orange Pumpkin Muffins with Chocolate Chips

Here come the fall baking recipes.  Sorry, but I can't wait until the official start of fall to start posting my favorite fall desserts.  Think of this as a preview of ideas for your upcoming fall baking!

Ingredients:

2 cups organic unbleached all-purpose  flour

1 t non-aluminum non-GMO baking powder

1/2 t organic baking soda 

1/4 t sea salt

1/3 cup organic unsweetened applesauce 

1 1/2 t organic cinnamon 

1/2 t organic pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup organic orange juice

1/2 cup organic pumpkin purée 

1 organic flaxseed egg

1 cup vegan chocolate chips 

Topping:

1 cup vegan chocolate chips, melted 

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees 

Line a muffin pan with muffin liners, set-aside.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, applesauce, and cinnamon in a large bowl.  Add pumpkin, flaxseed mixture, extract, and orange juice.  Mix until smooth and well-combined.  Mix in chocolate chips.

Fill each liner two-thirds full.  Bake 25-30 minutes.

While the muffins are cooling, melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler.  Drizzle the melted chocolate over each muffin.

Enjoy!

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Chalkboard Paint Pumpkins

These aren't your typical pumpkins, there not round, fat, or for that matter orange!  I consider them an abstract version of the typical orange gourd.  You can use orange chalkboard paint; but to be honest, I had black already, so that's what I used.

Oh well, all I know is I am the only one in my neighborhood who has one, and I love that!  My neighbors can't run down the street to our local big box store and purchase one.  Mass produced goods are not appealing to me.  Come on people, let's be creative!  

Autumn is my favorite season and Halloween is my favorite holiday.  

This project will be among the first of many! So get ready for some unique craft projects!

Materials needed:

1 piece of 4x4 lumber (I repurposed some railing posts)

*My pumpkins are 1 foot tall, you can make them any height you prefer.

Saw (circular saw or a power miter saw makes it easier)

White spray paint 

Chalkboard paint (any color you prefer)

Paint brush

Thick branches

Drill

Screw (the double ended thread type like used on furniture or I used a deck screw)

Chalk or chalkboard markers

Ribbon (opitional)

Method:

Cut the 4x4 to your desired length.

Drill a hole in the top center for the screw that holds on the stem.

Spray with white spray paint, I used this as my primer.

Paint with chalkboard paint, several coats  will be needed.

Drill a hole in your branch.

When paint is dry, drive the screw into the hole in the top of the 4x4. If using a deck or wood screw, drive the screw in about half way then cut the head off right at the last thread (I used a dremel tool with cutoff wheel, but a hacksaw would also work).  This way you can thread the branch on from the top for the stem.  Add ribbon and display.

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Vegan Spelt Pumpkin Cinnamon Walnut Streusel

It's time for pumpkin recipes!  Even though we still have temperatures in the 90's, I know cooler weather will soon be here. With that, hearty comfort foods will be welcomed with open arms.

Here is the first of many desserts that will include the popular autumn fruit, pumpkin!

Ingredients for dough:

3 1/2 cups organic spelt flour 

1/2 cup organic pumpkin purée

1/4 cup organic pure maple syrup

1 1/2 T organic oil 

1 organic flax seed egg

1/4 t sea salt 

Ingredients for filling:

2 T non-dairy butter, melted 

1/2 cup organic pure cane sugar

1 T organic pumpkin spice

1 cup finely chopped organic walnuts

Ingredients for icing:

1/2 cup organic confections sugar

1 T organic almond milk

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees

Line a baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper.

In a small bowl combine sugar and pumpkin spice; set aside.

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients thoroughly until a dough forms.

On a lightly floured surface roll dough out into a rectangle.

Brush the entire surface with half of the melted butter.  Sprinkle pumpkin spice sugar mixture and 1/2 cup of the walnuts evenly over the entire surface of the dough.

Using a pastry wheel, starting at one end of the rectangle, cut dough 3 inches towards the center.  Repeat on the other side.

Braid streusel, brush with remaining butter, and sprinkle remaining walnuts the entire length of streusel.

Bake 25 minutes.

While streusel is cooling make the icing.  Mix confectioners sugar and milk until

smooth.  Drizzle over the cooled streusel.

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Vegan Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Granola

Granola is perfect in everyway.  It caters to everyone's taste.  Granola is crunchy, it's superb as a snack, scrumptious as a topping for vegan yogurt, vegan ice cream, and fruit salad; it's also a great cereal.

I never used to like granola.  Growing up, my only encounter with granola was a granola cereal that was as hard as pebbles.  I could pour a gallon of milk in my bowl and these pebbles would soak up every last drop. I tried to eat healthy, but it hurt my teeth too much.

This is where the advantage of age helps.  You live and learn; I've learned that granola can be delicious, just make it yourself!

Granola can be sweet when made with chocolate, dried fruits, maple syrup, or agave.

You can add spices to alter the taste of granola very easily.  For the coming autumn, I will be adding cinnamon, allspice, and pumpkin spice.  Perfect for the cool weather and the perfect treat to take along on my next hike.

Ingredients:

2 cups organic oatmeal 

1 cup organic shredded coconut 

1/2 t sea salt

1/2 cup organic coconut oil, melted 

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup organic peanut butter

1/4 cup organic maple syrup

1 cup vegan mini chocolate chips

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine oatmeal, coconut, and sea salt. Add melted coconut oil, water, peanut butter, and maple syrup.  Stir in chocolate chips.

Evenly spread the mixture on the lined baking sheet.  Bake for 35-40 minutes, occasionally stirring with a wooden spoon.  

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Vegan Pome-berrie Banana Smoothie

I decided to change up my morning raw drink using a new juice. Pomegranate provides so many positive health benefits that I have wanted to include it in a smoothie recipe. Maintaining blood pressure,strengthening the immune system, improving digestion and increasing iron absorption are just a few of theses benefits. Enjoy this sweet/tart drink!

Ingredients (Makes 1 Serving):

1 banana
2 ounces organic almond milk
6 ounces organic pomegranate juice
1/3 cup frozen organic blackberries
1/4 cup frozen organic blueberries

In a high speed blender or Vitamix, combine the ingredients in the above order. Vary the speed slowly up to high for 20 seconds.

This post was written by guest blogger Jeff.

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Vegan Almond Shortbread

Going on a picnic today in Chicago on Lake Michigan.  For dessert I will bring these buttery gems.

Ingredients:

1 cup non-dairy butter, room temperature

1/2 cup organic pure cane sugar, plus 3 tablespoons for sprinkling

1 3/4 cups organic unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 t organic pure vanilla extract 

1 t organic pure almond extract 

Pinch of sea salt

3/4 cup ground organic almonds

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugar.  Add flour, extracts, salt, and ground almonds.  Mix until a dough forms.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 1/4 inch thickness.  Using a cookie cutter of choice, cut cookies and place on a lined cookie sheet.

Bake for 10-12 minutes.  Remove and let cool before enjoying.

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