Birthday Cookies

My dad had a big birthday last month... I guess I'll be nice & not say just how big ;) 
But I felt it was an occasion worth celebrating. 
So I made his favorite cookies & sent a package! 
These are my favorite cookies to make because everyone loves them. Everyone!
They're a crispy-yet-still-chewy oatmeal cookie packed with craisins & walnuts and topped with white chocolate. 
What's not to love? 
They're also really fun for holidays because they're pretty :) 
And since the holidays seem to be upon us I thought I'd share the recipe. 
Send some to someone you love. 
Or maybe to someone you whose love you're trying to win... 

Sugar Mama Cookie

1/2 c Spectrum organic shortening1/2 c Earth Balance vegan butter

1 c dark brown sugar

2 TB agave nectar (not neccessarily required but it makes them super chewy!)

1 TB flax meal mixed + 3 TB hot water

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp xanthan gum

2 c gluten free flour mix

2 c gluten free oats

1/2 c craisins

1/2 c chopped walnuts

white chocolate

Cream shortening, butter, sugar & agave. 

Add flax+water mixture. 

Mix in dry ingredients. 

Stir in oats, craisins & walnuts. 

Drop by tablespoon or ice cream scoop onto cookie sheet. 

Bake 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees F. 

Cool on a cooling rack. 

Melt white chocolate (or dark chocolate is also delish) and drizzle on top of cookies. 

Enjoy!

Banana Caramel Cupcakes (+a recipe)

Yo. I made some boooooooomb cupcakes this week.
Like seriously very very delicious.
We're talkin' Banana+Caramel+Toasted Almonds delicious.

You're excited right?
Don't worry, I took notes :)
I've got recipes for you.
Quick disclaimer: These are not healthy treats.
Sometimes I like to make healthy desserts that I can feel really good about serving my family and friends.
Aaaaaaaaand sometimes I like to eat sugary, buttery goodness. Lots of it.
When I'm in that mood I usually like to bring others down with me :)
These babies are totally indulgent, so you may want to save them for a special occasion,
but dang they're good!

   

Banana Cupcakes:

(Inspired by Annie's Eats) 

• 3/4 c sorghum flour
• 3/4 c tapioca flour
• 1/2 c coconut flour
• 1 c organic fair trade sugar
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp xanthan gum
• 1 c plain soy milk (or any kind you want... just unsweetened)
• 3/4-1 c water
• 3 TB oil 
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 3/4 c smashed bananas (about 2 medium)
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Whisk together dry ingredients.
• Add in everything else and mix!
• Scoop into cupcake liners.
• Bake for 20 (ish) minutes.
• (They should be slightly brown on top and spring back when touched.)
• Cool on a cooling rack and then store in air tight container. 

Vegan Caramel Sauce:

• 1 stick Earth Balance vegan butter
• 1/2 c plain soy milk
• 1 TB arrowroot starch
• 1 c brown sugar
• Whisk together milk & arrowroot in a small bowl.
• Add all ingredients to a small saucepan. 
• Bring to boil over med-high heat (stirring constantly).
• Once it boils, turn heat down to med-low.
• Boil & stir for 8 minutes until caramel thickens. 
• Let cool for a bit in the pan and then transfer to a sealable container and store in the fridge.

Caramel Buttercream Frosting:

• 1 stick Earth Balance vegan butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3-4 TB plain soy milk 
• 3 1/2 c powdered sugar
• dash of salt
• 1/4 cup caramel sauce 

• Cream butter.
• Add vanilla, 3 TB soy milk, salt.
• Slowly add powedered sugar until fluffy.
• Fold in the caramel sauce.
• Yuuuuum.

Enjoy, my friends! 

--->Pin this post! 

B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

I'm going to let you in on a little secret.
I looooooooove banana bread.
Ok it's actually not a secret at all.



Banana walnut muffins.
Banana blueberry bread.
Giant banana chocolate chip muffins with streusel topping (the only way Hunter will touch them).
I honestly think I could eat banana bread in some form every single morning for breakfast.



However.
I can not afford a whole new wardrobe and I would prefer not to buy one 2 sizes larger anyway...
So I went searching (pinteresting) for a healthier version and found this bad boy.
Banana bread with NO sugar and NO oil...
I'll tell you what. I was skeptical.



But I'll try anything once. Seriously, anything.
Once I had an oyster on the half shell and nearly gagged it right back up in fancy restaurant.
But that's beside the point... and embarrassing... so we'll move on.
To my modified version of these fabulous muffins that came in around 125 cals and less than 2 grams of fat each :)
So you can eat them EVERY day. Hurray!




No Sugar or Oil Banana Muffins. Say What!?!
printable version
(makes 12-15 muffins)
2 cups gluten free flour mix 
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp xanthan gum1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup agave nectar
1 tsp vanilla
2 TB flax + 6 TB warm water
3 overripe bananas, mashed

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a muffin pan.
• Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt; set aside.
• Also combine flax and water in a small bowl and set aside. 
• In a large bowl, combine applesauce, agave, and vanilla. Stir in flax mixture and mashed bananas; mix well.
• Add flour mixture and stir just until combined.
• Stir in anything your heart desires... Or a little of everything if you're like me and your heart desires chocolate chips, walnuts, blueberries and cinnamon :) 
• Pour into prepared muffin pan and bake for 15-20 minutes.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Listen, since we're on the subject of comfort food...

I really think I need to bring up peanut butter cookies.

I don' t know if these are on anyone else's comfort food list?

But no matter how many fancy schmancy desserts I find (or make),

Plain old peanut butter cookies always seem to stay at the tip top of my very favorites.

Here are some elements that make up good comfort food to me:

-Nostalgic. These always take me back to 12-year-old Ashley whipping up cookies for my brothers after school :)

-Simple. I know that lots of people want triple-death-by-chocolate-overload-t0-the-max when they're looking for some lovin' from the oven. But not me. I just want something I can mix up without much thought. I actually love to stir these by hand without the trusty kitchen-aid. Part of the comfort for me comes from the whole creation process, not just the tasty outcome!

-Delicious. Yeah, this one goes without saying. I just wanted to make sure you knew. These are dang good. Do a test. Make a batch & give them to your friends, but don't them they're gluten free/ vegan until AFTER they rave about the goodness ;) I bet they'll be surprised.

Oh yeah, you want the recipe right?

Peanut Butter Cookies

(I made you a printable version.)

ingredients:

• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 3/4 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup Earth Balance vegan butter (or Spectrum shortening)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 1/2 cups gf flour blend (I love Bob's Red Mill)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp xanthan
• organic cane sugar

instructions:

• in a small bowl whisk together flour, soda & xanthan and set aside
• with electric mixer combine all other ingredients and mix until smooth
• slowly mix in dry ingredients
• roll dough into balls and roll in cane sugar
• flatten cookies with palm or use fork to make traditional cross marks
• bake at 375 for 6-8 minutes
• Enjoy!

Well, there you have it.

My thoughts on comfort food.

By the way, this recipe won me a front page feature at The Flaming Vegan.

Have you hear of it?

You can add your favorite bloggers and vote for the posts you'd like to see featured!!

I would love for you to check it out and add me to your blogger list.

I'll be posting new recipes there before they even show up here so you'll be like VIP ;)

So what are your comfort foods?

Banana Bread {sans sugar}

**I posted about how I sell mixes for this banana bread... but forgot to add a link. Oops :) Just click here if you're interested!**

Let's talk about banana bread for a minute, shall we?
I believe it to be a truly essential baked good.
The ultimate in comfort food, a fresh loaf of banana bread can say

"I love you"

"I'm sorry"

"Feel Better"

"Good Luck"

and so much more.

It is perfect warm or cold, with chocolate chips or walnuts, buttered or not.

(This recipe is also GREAT as muffins!)

But what if you took out the gluten, dairy, eggs and sugar?
I'm glad you asked :)
Because it's wonderful!
I'll even dare to say that this delicious, wholesome banana bread might just be better than your mama's (but your secret's safe with me).
In fact my husband, who happens to be a gluten and dairy lover (& is not a big fan of banana bread), requests this often!
So without further ado...

Banana Bread {sans sugar}

This recipe is brought to you by my 5 day sugar fast. It's the one and only reason I'll survive ;)

ingredients
-1 3/4 cup Bob's Red Mill gluten free flour
-2 tsp baking powder
-1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp xanthan gum
-1/4 tsp salt
-1 TBSP flax meal
-1/4 cup spectrum organic shortening (or vegan butter)
-1/2 cup agave nectar
-1/4 cup vanilla coconut or soy milk
-1 tsp vanilla
-1 1/2 cups very ripe bananas (about 3 medium)
-optional: 1/2 cup walnuts or chocolate chips

instructions

-preheat oven to 350

-whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, xanthan gum, salt & flax (set aside)

-(in a separate bowl) with electric mixer cream: shortening or butter, agave, soy milk & vanilla

-mix in bananas

-add flour mixture slowly

-stir in optional ingredients

-bake in a greased loaf pan for 55 minutes OR muffin tin for 20 minutes

PS if you're looking for quicker and easier I also sell mixes for this bread. All you add is butter, agave and bananas :)

(Linking up here.)