Eat: Dad's Heart Healthy Banana Rhubarb Loaf

A year is an insignificant amount of time in relation to the decades of light years lived by the universe. Yet, in a year castles can be built and empires can crumble. I believe that in crisis is their is opportunity: In destruction their is rebuilding. In the past year my world was turned upside down. My dad, whom is one of my favorite people, was diagnosed and hospitalized with a serious heart condition.  His illness terrified me. I prayed for his health, asking for a miraculous recovery. Life is a gift that should be honored. Yet ultimately the only life we can have some aspect of control over is our own. We can be encouraging and supportive to others but it is their decision to fight. My dad's health is improving each and every day. I am so blessed for his strength and his commitment to recovery. I would be a mess with out him.

 Happy Fathers Day Dad! I love you. 

Dad's Favorite Banana Rhubarb Loaf
(Heart Healthy)


Ingredients:

I cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 cup bulgar flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp allspice

1 1/2 cup super ripe bananas (3 large)

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup vanilla soy milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 cup chopped rhubarb 

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350F.

 In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients: flours, baking powder, baking soda, and spices. Mix well.

In a separate bowl mash the bananas and combine with the maple syrup, soy milk, and vanilla.

Once smooth add the wet mixture to the dry and stir until well combined.

Add the Rhubarb, pecans and the oil as the mixture begins to come together.

Pour into a lightly oiled 9"x 5" loaf pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, until golden.

(You'll know the loaf is done if a toothpick pricked into the center of the loaf comes out clean.)

Eat:Vegan Berry Grunts

I'm on a bit of a baking kick; there is something so uplifting in home made goodies. There is a comfort and an aroma that fills the entire house, (or apartment). I love it, a warm treat for a somewhat moody day. 

This Berry Grunt recipe is ridiculously easy; and devilishly good. 

Ingredients: 

Berry Filling:

4 cups frozen berries ( I like Stahlbush Island Farms berries best because they are sustainable grown and relatively local.)

3/4 sucanat or raw cane sugar

1 lemon, juiced

1 tbsp vanilla

1/2 cup water

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp ginger

Pastry Mix:

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup spelt flour

1tbs baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon, 

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup coconut oil, or earth balance margarine

1 cup vanilla soy milk (or alternative)

2 tbsp agave syrup

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 400 F

In a large sauce pan combine the berries, lemon juice, and the water. Stirring until the berries are thawed and the mixture is beginning to simmer. Add the sugar, vanilla, Cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Remove from the heat, and mix until the sugar is dissolved. Set the berries aside. 

In a large mixing bowl combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Cut the coconut oil or margarine into the flour mix. Until you get a crumbly mixture. 

Transfer your berry mix to a baking friendly dish. I tend to use a loaf pan. 

Add the soy milk, and agave syrup to the flour/margarine to form a soft biscuit dough. Break the dough of in clumps and layer it on top of the berries. Sprinkle with some extra sugar and bake for 20 minutes. 

Serve warm, and enjoy!

Eat: Pumpkin Pie Brownies

I'm taking a persuasion course right now, and the course focuses more on the innate and intuitive manipulations and observations of persuasive messages in action. Because, persuasion, is seen as a communication variable the course is classified as a speech class. As the class name would suggest speeches and presentations are a crucial component of the course. I gave my presentation just before the weekend on scarcity and its effects on persuasion. The question being, do we value what is scarce, or what has recently become scarce. Social Scientist, Stephen Ward, conducted an experiment to test the effects of scarcity on the desirability of an item. The test, being: "The Cookie Test."

Stephan Ward, had two test variables. The first being a cookie jar, jam packed with cookies, and the other being a cookie jar with only 2 cookies. In every situation, and with every participant the cookie jar with fewer cookies was considered more desirable. The scarce cookies were exactly the same, and had no proof of enhanced taste. Since my presentation, dealt with persuasive concepts and with cookies-I thought what would be a better way to "persuade" my class mates to pay attention to my presentation; then through the subtly bribery of freshly baked treats. 

I was inspired by a can of  Farmer's Market Organic canned pumpkin pie, and a recipe I found for Pumpkin Pie Brownies. I felt strangely inappropriate baking with pumpkin in March, sort of like wearing white after labour day. There is no law against pumpkin consumption and it is just so tasty. Pumpkin is loaded with antioxidants and in  anti-inflammatory. The high levels of beta-carotene in pumpkin are great for health and skin health 

Vegan (GF) Pumpkin Pie Brownies:

Preheat the oven to 350 F

Brownie layer

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (melted)

1/2 can Farmer's Market "pumpkin pie"

3/4 cup sucanat or brown sugar

1/4 cup coconut oil

1/4 cup non-dairy milk

1 tbsp vanilla

1/4 cocoa powder

1 tbsp arrowroot powder

1 cup spelt flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

In a small microwavable bowl, nuke the chocolate chips for a minute and a half, or until melted. Set aside.

In a large bowl combine the pumpkin, sugar, oil, milk, and the vanilla. Stir until well the coconut oil is well cut in and the mix is combined. 

Shift in the cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, arrowroot powder, and the salt. Then stir in the melted chocolate until smooth. 

Pumpkin Layer

The remaining 1/2 can Farmer's Market "pumpkin pie"

2 Tbsp arrowroot powder

1/2 cup non-dairy milk

1/4 cup molasses

1tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Mix all the pumpkin layer ingredients together and stir until evenly combined.

In a lightly greased  9" square baking pan pour the brownie mix into the pan. Then with a spatula pour the pumpkin mix on top of the brownie mix. Try to really evenly spread out the pumpkin layer. 

Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until the pumpkin layer looks firm. Remove the brownies from the oven and let them cool. 

Eat: warm and freshly baked, or chilled. Make sure to store these tasty treats in a refrigerator.

-Enjoy!

Eat: Vegan Carrot Cake

I love carrot cake! This vegan interpretation packs massive amounts of the coveted flavour in a more nutritious bite. The cake is light, moist, and like your plate good. 

Vegan Carrot Cake

1/2 cup safflower oil

3 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 cup brown sugar or sucanut

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tbsp baking soda

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp sea salt

3 large carrots, grated ( I like to use a food processor)

2 cups unsweetened applesauce

1 tbsp vanilla

1 cup chopped wallnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 F, and oil a bunt pan. 

In a large bowl shift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, and salt. Set aside. 

In another large bowl combine the oil, carrots, applesauce, and vanilla. Stir until smooth. Slowly fold in the flour mixture and until well combined. Add the walnuts, stirring until they are equally distributed within the batter. 

Pour the batter into the cake pan, and bake for 45 minutes, or until the cake in golden and pulling away from the pan. 

Let the cake cool for at least 10 minutes before removing it from the pan.

Glaze the cake, 

With a light cream cheese frosting:

12 ounces vegan cream cheese

1 tbsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

4 cups powdered sugar

1 tbsp lemon rind

In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, vanilla, salt, and lemon rind. Slowly stir in the sugar until smooth. 

Enjoy!

Gingerbread Men

Nothing kicks of winter holidays better that holiday backing, fresh snow, and gingerbread men. I love dressing my edible friends up with frosting, cinnamon hearts, and whatever else catches my fancy. 

ingredients:

3 cups pastry flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tbsp ground ginger

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup non-hydrogenated margarine, or coconut oil softened

3/4 cup molasses

1 1/2 cup brown sugar backed

1/4 cup soy milk

1 tbsp ground flax powder

1 teaspoon vanilla

(Preheat the oven to 325 F, and grease a couple cookie sheets.)

In a bowl combine the dry ingredients and mix well (flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, salt).

In a separate large bowl combine the margarine, molasses and brown sugar. Whisk until smooth. 

In a small bowl combine the ground flax powder the soy milk, and the vanilla. Then add to the sugar/butter mix. Whisk well. 

Slowly fold in the dry ingredients, and mix well with a spatula to form a dough. The dough should be moist and a little sticky. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. 

When ready, preheat the oven to 325 F, and roll the dough out onto a floured surface. The thicker your cookies are the chewier they will be. Cut into shapes and place on the cookie sheets. Bake for 12-15 minutes. 

Decorate em however you want! 

Enjoy!

Bakery Steezed Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

A healthy cookie is somewhat of an oxymoron. Sugar, flour, sugar, oil, more sugar, and it is no surprise why the cookie monster is such an addict. Baking, is a fun lazy day endeavour, especially around the holidays when you are already a little overwhelmed with chaos. The beautiful thing about baking cookies is how easy it is to create vegan varieties of all time favourites, while substituting in somewhat healthier ingredients. 

Super Soft Bakery Steeze Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

2/3 cup soften coconut butter, (or spread)

3/4 cup sucanat

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 tbsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp non dairy yogurt

2 1/2 cups whole wheat all purpose flour

1/4 ground flax meal

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp nutmeg

1 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 375 F

Line 2 cookie trays with wax paper

In a large bowl cream together the coconut spread, sugar, maple syrup, vanilla and yogurt until it becomes a smooth texture. 

In a separate bowl combine together the flour, flax meal, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. 

Slowly fold the flour into the sugar mixture, mix until smooth and thick. 

Add the chocolate chips, and mix well. 

The dough should be a sticky texture, and should flatten easily was spooned onto the cookie trays. 

Bake for 8-10 minutes. The cookies should still look slightly doughy when you take them out of the oven. Once they cool they will solidify into a soft/chewy texture. 

-Enjoy!