Chocolate Chip Cookies

~Health food makes me sick.~
-Calvin Trillin

Thank you to Vegetarian Times for this recipe. With simple and healthy ingredients, chocolate chip cookies can be a staple in your diet!

The Heart-Healthiest Chocolate Chip Cookies in the World

 Ingredients:

Makes 30 cookies

• 3 Tbs. canola oil
• 2 cups walnuts
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1½ cups oat flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 3 3.5-oz. bars bittersweet vegan chocolate, chopped, or 1½ cups vegan chocolate chips (12 oz.)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray, or line with parchment paper.

2. Blend walnuts in food processor 30 seconds, or until ground into a fine meal. Add canola oil, and blend 2 to 3 minutes more, or until mixture has the consistency of natural peanut butter, scraping down sides of food processor occasionally. Transfer to bowl.

3. Whisk together brown sugar and ½ cup water in small saucepan, and bring mixture to a boil. Pour brown sugar mixture over ground walnut butter, add vanilla extract, and stir until no lumps remain.

4. Whisk together oat flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in separate bowl. Stir oat flour mixture into walnut mixture. Cool 10 minutes. Fold in oats, then chocolate chips.

5. Shape cookie dough into 2-inch balls, and place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Flatten cookies with bottom of drinking glass dipped in water. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until cookies begin to brown and tops look dry. Cool 3 minutes on baking sheets, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

all the rave

~We are indeed much more than what we eat, but what we eat can nevertheless help us to be much more than what we are.~ 

-Adelle Davis

I have heard about Black Bean Brownies for a couple weeks now, but haven't had a chance to make them.  I found this vegan recipe online, and am challenging you all to make them and report back! Apparently they are divine, and you can't taste the black beans at all, but get the nutritional benefits! :) Keep me posted!

Vegan Black Bean Brownies

Ingredients:

• 15 ounces black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 whole bananas
• ⅓ cup agave nectar
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup raw sugar (optional)
• ¼ cup instant oats 

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease an 8x8" pan and set aside. Combine all ingredients, except oats, in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth, scrapping sides as needed. Stir in the oats and pour batter into the pan. Bake approx 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool before slicing.  Note: if you find these brownies are too soft or too fudgey, add another 1/4 cup oats or flour.

Vegan Pasta

~Those who forget the pasta are condemned to reheat it.~

-Author Unknown

Not for the carnivore, but it would be easy to make the pasta, then separate it into two batches before adding vegetables. Top with tomato sauce for carnivore, complete recipe for vegan.

Quick Pasta Recipe

1/2 pound orecchiette
EVOO
1 box of Birds Eye “Tuscan Vegetables in an Herbed Tomato Sauce” (in frozen vegetable section)
1/2 bunch fresh asparagus
1/2 bag fresh or frozen corn

Cook the pasta in salted and oiled water for 10 minutes, or until al dente. Meanwhile, clean the asparagus, break off the ends, and steam until cooked, but slightly crisp. Strain pasta and return to pot. Put two turns of the pan of EVOO into pasta and stir, making sure all orecchiette gets coated. Add asparagus to pasta, stir. Warm up corn and add to pasta. Steam the Birds Eye vegetables in the microwave for 4 minutes, add to pasta. I do not add more tomato sauce, because I like this dish with more of an EVOO dressing than tomato sauce covering. Pepper to taste.