(Almost GF) Chocolate Chip Cookies

     I have to say ALMOST gluten-free chocolate chip cookies because the chocolate chips I used were sweetened with barley malt (not quite gluten-free). These cookies are a nice sweet tooth fix. :-) I found the recipe in babycakes - such a fun, adorable, inspiring book! I only changed two things...yes, to all who know me, this is not surprising. :-) I even captured some of the process...the recipe is at the end...I know that's what you'll be looking for!

(Almost Gluten-Free) Chocolate Chip Cookies

The great thing about vegan cookies is you get to
taste the batter with no worries of raw eggs!

...excitedly awaiting my goodies!



...just right!

The final yummies...I only ate two though!! :-)

The Sweet Treat Ingredients:

1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup safflower oil
6 Tbsp applesauce (homemade or store-bought)
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup + 1 Tbsp agave nectar
2 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free All Purpose Baking Flour
1/4 cup flax seed meal
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1 cup vegan chocolate chips (be sure to purchase gluten-free chips to ensure purity for GF cookies)

Steps to take to get to your yummy treat:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, combine the oils, applesauce, salt, vanilla extract, and agave. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, flax seed meal, baking soda, and xanthan gum. In three batches, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing together with a rubber spatula between each batch until all dry ingredients are added and well-mixed. Fold in chocolate chips until evenly distributed.

Using a tablespoon or a melon baller, scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Space each dollop of dough 1 inch apart. Bake the cookies on the center rack for 15-18 minutes. Half way through the baking time, rotate the pan 180 degrees. For a crispier cookie, bake at least 18 minutes.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5-8 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack. Once completely cooled, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. Makes 36 cookies.

May your sweet tooth thank you for the treat!

Ginger-Lemon Quinoa

     If you haven't tried quinoa (pronounced ki-nwa) or if it has been a while since you've picked this grain off the grocery store shelf, I urge you to get a supply and try out my newest recipe! It's perfect for summer as it includes ginger, lemon, & fresh corn. Quinoa is also full of good-for-you fiber & protein.

Ginger-Lemon Quinoa

The Nourishing Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water or vegetable stock
pinch of sea salt
¾ cup red onion, chopped
½ cup sweet potato, chopped into thin quarter moons
1 ear fresh corn, cut off the cob, or 1 cup frozen corn
2 scallions, thinly diced
Parsley for garnish

Dressing:
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, grated, squeeze out juice (about 1 tsp)
1 lemon, juiced (about 2 Tbsp of juice)
1 tsp ume vinegar

Directions:

Rinse quinoa before cooking to remove the saponin, a natural enzyme inhibitor, to reduce the bitter flavor. Over high heat, bring to a boil the quinoa, water, sea salt, red onion, sweet potato, and corn. Cover and simmer on low for 15 minutes, until all water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let cool.

To juice the ginger – remove the peel by taking a spoon and simply peeling off the outer layer to reveal the yellow flesh of the ginger. Grate the ginger and squeeze out the juice into a small bowl. Add the lemon juice and ume vinegar and mix together.

Once the quinoa mixture has cooled, add the dressing and sliced scallions. Toss and serve warm or as a cold salad. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

Great served in a nori sheet with fresh vegetables & a hint of Dijon mustard – roll up like a burrito & enjoy! A perfect dish to serve at your next meal or summer potluck!

Nori Wrap filled with Ginger-Lemon Quinoa,
Blanched Vegetables, & Tahini Sauce

It is HOT here in Texas, so I am definitely eating light & cooling foods, such as this dish! May you all be well...choose something each day to improve upon! Hugs to all.

The latest...

     Time gets the best of me...it goes by so quickly, yet so slowly...all at the same time. Hm. Well, I'm back, and hoping to make up for my lack of postings the past few weeks! :-) I went to a surprise birthday party a few weeks ago for one of my classmates and here is what I created....it needed a little work, but with practice maybe I can sell them in the future! ;-) Ah, here begins the brainstorming process of potential business opportunites...


What to do with all this fruit?!

 

...make an edible fruit & vegetable bouquet!

All the ladies at Dani's Surprise Party! :-)

    
     This goes back to the Raw Food section of my program. Here I am with my instructor, Alicia, and my very own homegrown wheatgrass! How domestic, right?! :-) Just one ounce of wheat grass is equal to over 2 lbs of fruits and vegetables!! Wowza! It is also helps rid the body of harmful toxins. So easy...you just have to start sprouting and growing winter wheat berries!

Taking shots of wheatgrass - can you tell our skin is simply glowing?

    

     My culinary program is nearing the end. Our last day of cooking was today... bitter-sweet... well, mostly sweet since today was full of desserts! ;-) Honestly though, I couldn't be more pleased that I took this step to pursue one of my heart's desires (a desire that was perfectly planted by God...for more reasons than I presently realize, I'm sure). :-)

     The next couple of months will be spent completing my externship hours. I've chosen two locations to invest my time. One is a chef's academy for young children where I will help assist and teach children how to cook whether it be during birthday parties, scout's field trips, or one of the many themed camps. I'm really looking forward to being in this environment to bring out my inner-teacher and to bring joy to a child's heart through cooking. The other location is a raw food business where I will be assisting in producing their raw food products. Both experiences should be fantastic! Stay tuned for what becomes of these experiences and where my little footprint goes next...

     Blessings on your health...Katie

My heart is smiling!

     My dear friend, Kara, came to visit me from Indy for the weekend!! We had such a beautiful time together! We volunteered at an organic, vegan, macrobiotic restaurant, Casa de Luz, and enjoyed a lovely meal after our hard work as chefs. :-) We also shopped at the amazing Whole Foods (the global headquarters - right here in Austin!!), attended a phenomenal Indian dinner hosted by one of my culinary instructors, and simply relaxed at what Kara called "Katie's Oasis." She commented on how relaxed and peaceful she felt the last few days...my heart is full of smiles! :-) It may appear that all we did was eat this weekend...well, maybe we did...that's what cooking buddies do though!

...so blessed...

Watermelon Wonder! Our favorite treat! ;-)



Sun-Brewed Tea!
Simply put a few tea bags in a jar of water and
let the natural light & energy of the sun brew your tea!
Delightfully refreshing!



Our Sensational Sunday Brunch for the Soul Sistas! - Macrobiotic Style! Blanched greens seasoned with ume vinegar & avocado; Sweet Potato Hash;
Oat & Buckwheat Pancakes (flourless!); and Terrific Tempeh Patties (recipes below)



"Chocolate Pudding Paradise Parfait"  
delightfully eaten with a Celery Spoon!
(the celery helps to balance the sugar from the pudding
as celery has naturally occurring sodium)

 

Treated like a Queen & loving it!



     I feel so blessed - a part of home came to visit! :-)

     Please try making these pancakes & patties - they are delicious!!

Enjoy your Memorial Day!

Oat & Buckwheat Pancakes (flour-free!)

2/3 cup oat groats (the whole-grain!)
1/3 cup buckwheat groats (the whole grain!)
1 1/2 cups non-dairy "milk"
1 Tbsp brown rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
3 Tbsp flax seeds
1/4 tsp unrefined sea salt
2 Tbsp brown rice syrup (or other natural sweetener)
1 Tbsp safflower or coconut oil
1 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Combine the oat groats, buckwheat groats, and "milk" in a blender container (do not blend). Let soak in the refrigerator overnight, covered. After soaking, blend until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients & blend well.

Heat a griddle & brush lightly with oil. Drop the batter by 1/4 cups and cook for 2 minutes on each side. Serve warm with fresh fruit or a drizzle of natural sweetener.

Terrific Tempeh Patties

8 oz organic tempeh
1/2 onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp flour (I used 1 Tbsp chickpea flour & 1 Tbsp quinoa flour)
2 Tbsp shoyu (unpasteurized soy sauce)
1 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
2 Tbsp filtered water
2 Tbsp sesame oil

Cut tempeh in quarters and steam for 20 minutes (improves digestibility). Once steamed, mash tempeh with a fork and place in a separate bowl. Saute the garlic and onion in 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil until translucent. Add the onion/garlic mixture, flour, herbs, and spices to the tempeh. Stir until well-combined.

Add enough water to form patties (about 1/8 cup for each patty). Heat the rest of the sesame oil in a heavy skillet. Saute the patties and brown on both sides (about 3 minutes each).

**Serve in place of sausage or store-bought veggies patties. You'll be glad you did!

Coolin' Carrot-Raisin Muffins!

     Not sure why I decided to describe these as "coolin" but...I whipped these up this evening since I had carrot pulp leftover from my carrot juice yesterday morning - no waste here! :-) Perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack...not too sweet, but just right! Whip up a batch in no time for a delicious, guilt-free treat (unless you eat too many of them - hehe)! :-)

Recipe adapted from Vegan with a Vengeance

You, the baker, will need:

1/2 cup raisins
1 1/2 cups flour (I used spelt flour - lower in gluten than other flours)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
dash of cloves & ground ginger (optional)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup agave nectar
1 cup non-dairy "milk"
1/4 cup mashed banana
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups grated carrot

How to carry out baking these delicious muffins made with your love:

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F and prep your muffin tins by using a non-stick cooking spray.

To have "plump" raisins, soak the raisins in hot water for 10 minutes. Drain water once raisins have plumped.

In a large bowl, sift and combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt. In another bowl, combine the agave nectar, "milk", mashed banana, and vanilla extract. Add the wet mixture to the dry to combine. Fold in the carrots and the raisins.

Fill your muffin tins about 3/4 full. Bake for 15-18 minutes depending on your oven. Cool on a cooling rack.

*Spread with applesauce or a smidge of Earth Balance (non-dairy butter).
*Some optional add-ins : shredded coconut, substitute dried cherries for raisins, chopped nuts, etc.
With love,
Kate the Cook (or Chef, either or)...

A plentiful week in life!

     30 = the number of mosquito bites I so lovingly received while I volunteered on a farm this Saturday! Ah - itchy & swollen!!! I must be allergic or something...or perhaps, just so sweet the mosquitos couldn't help themselves...eh, I don't know if I'd go that far! :-) Anyhoo, I had a great opportunity to spend Saturday morning at Urban Roots Farm. This farm is dedicated to sustainable farming and provides an experience for highschoolers to help manage the grounds. It's energizing to watch these kids take time out of their week (especially Saturdays) to learn more about sustainable agriculture and how to live off the land...amazing! What a great time I had - I felt blessed to be a part of the day!

Happily weeding the fields!



Awesome bunch of youth doing some seeding, planting, & weeding!



All the love and care that goes into the farm allows
beautiful food to be produced! Eggplant!

     
     My dear friend, Allison, came to visit me this weekend! It was so great seeing her and catching up on life! We made homemade tamales with a filling of black beans, onions, scallions, cumin, & chili powder; alongside a fresh batch of corn tortillas, guacamole, and a garden salad! Yum! She said it was one of the tastiest meals I've made for her... good to hear that my education is paying off! :-) And we can't forget to mention our trip (in the downpouring RAIN) to Redbox to pick up our chick flick (Confessions of a Shopaholic) and our fancy schmancy sorbeto! ;-)

Thanks for coming my friend! :-)

    
     Last week in my little culinary world, we started our Raw Food portion of the program. Raw food is not only uncooked fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts & seeds, but it is living food that if planted - it will grow! It is definitely a lifestyle that takes much preparation, but what healthy lifestyle doesn't take time?! That's the fun part of it anyway...put your love and energy into your food so you can feel at your best!

     Our instructor & Raw Food Vegan Chef, Alicia, taught us so much this week! We sprouted wheatgrass, sprouts, legumes, nuts & seeds. She made us superfood smoothies & soups and showed us how to make more non-dairy beverages along with dehydrated seed snacks and kale chips! Everything was so flavorful & delicious! She is a new instructor to the school & her passionate energy for healthful living is beautiful!

     Fresh squeezed juice is also recommended by Raw Foodists as the benefits are immediate - the nutrients go right to the blood stream for energy & it is easily digested by the body! *Note - I said fresh squeezed juice ... not juice from juice box that is about 4% juice. :-) Thankfully, my roommate has a really nice juicer (p.s. I scored on my present living situation - love it here - what more could a girl ask for - a vitamix & a juicer - nice! Oh and of course, a really wonderful roommate!). So I picked up some organic carrots, celery, greens, and fruit for my first fresh squeezed juice that I enjoyed this morning! It turned out very tasty! If you're interested, this is a Centrifugal Juicer that is pretty simple to operate & to clean.

Organic Carrot, Celery, & Apple Juice...and some lemon too!

     Well, I'm on my way into another week of learning about Raw & Living Food! My list of kitchen ware and ingredients just keeps growing!!! Blessings to you all - be kind to your bodies!

Sunshine in the Rain!

      Yes, we finally got rain here in Austin last week - we needed it! Perhaps not during the best time for me and Alison, my bike riding buddy, though! We were 10 minutes into our ride to school when it started to DOWN POUR on us! Yikes - I could barely see! After turning back around to head home (so we could drive my car to school), we were soaked to the bone...including my phone! Ah, well... We had some good laughs and considered it a symbol of being showered with blessings in the upcoming days! :-)



Still smiling though... :-)


     We learned how to make naturally-leavened breads this week - such a neat learning process. Who knows - maybe I'll start my own bakery! :-) It really was fascinating to learn and I hope to make some fresh loaves of bread in the upcoming weeks...stay tuned!

     What better way to start a Saturday morning off than a special breakfast with friends?! I made these two "French" toast (so simple - dip your choice of bread in a blended mixture of 1 cup non-dairy milk, 1 banana, and spices to taste - so yummy - and grill until cooked), Rainbow Chard & Leek Saute, and the little patties are Veggie Morningstar patties.

Lovely Roommate of mine :-)

Matt described the Rainbow Saute as "Friendly!"
It is full of such friendly-good-for-you ingredients! :-)

    
     Be creative this week with your eating plan! May you all be well....hugs!