Scraps and Snippets ~ Love You Latte Bars or Bites...

Fruit of Recipe Contest # 4

Love You Latte Bars or Bites

1 can white beans or 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups from scratch.

15 pitted dates (I used standard, you'd need less with Medjool) or 3/4

heaping cup raisins

1/2 cup and 1 TBSP Cocoa

1 TBSP espresso powder (or 1 TBSP freshly ground coffee beans)

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla

2 TBSP apple sauce

1/2 Cup vegan and gluten free white chocolate chips and/or dark chocolate chips.

Additional white chocolate chips and/or dark chocolate chips for garnish.

Preheat oven to 350. Combine all items (except chocolate chips) in food processor until all ingredients are incorporated. Stir in chips and roll cookies into balls about 1 TBSP each (makes approx 20. Bake 10-11 mins. When removed from oven press an indentation in the cookies with the handle of a wooden spoon. Fill indentation with two chocolate chips of choice. Cool and store in fridge.

If you prefer bars. Put batter in a greased 8 x 8 and bake for 21-24 minutes.

If you really want to go another layer of decadent. You can add a bottom crust to the bars.

1/2 cup coconut flakes or bits

5 dates

2 TBSP cocoa

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 TBSP coconut oil.

Process all ingredients in food processor until the mixture is uniform and sticks together well. Press into the bottom of the greased 8 x 8 pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips over crust. (1/4 cup or so) dollop cookie layer batter over it, smooth. Bake at 350 for 22-24 minutes.

Scraps and Snippets ~ My Heart Beats for You Sweet Bites...

Fruit of the Recipe Contest # 3

My Heart Beats for You Sweet Bites

1 can white beans or 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups from scratch.

15 pitted dates (I used standard, you'd need less with Medjool) or 3/4 heaping cup raisins

1/2 cup plus 1 TBSP Cocoa

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla

2 TBSP all fruit cherry preserves

1/2 Cup vegan gluten-free white and/or dark chocolate chips

Additional white chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips and cherry preserves for garnish.

Preheat oven to 350. Combine all items (except chocolate chips) in food processor until all ingredients are incorporated. Stir in chips and roll cookies into balls about 1 TBSP (makes approx 20). Bake at 350 for 10-11 mins. When removed from oven press an indentation in the cookies with the handle of a wooden spoon. Fill indentation with additional toppings. A dollop of cherry preserves and two chocolate chips. Cool

and store in fridge

Scraps and Snippets ~ Orange You Glad We've Got Each Other Bars Etc.

Fruit of Recipe Challenge # 2.

Orange You Glad We've Got Each Other Bars

Crust:

1/2 of an orange's zest (zest whole orange, put 1/2 aside

for filling)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 TBSP coconut oil

5 dates (regular sized)

3/4 cup coconut raw flakes

Filling:

1 can white beans or 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups from scratch.

15 pitted dates (I used standard, you'd need less with Medjool) or 3/4 heaping cup raisins

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla

1 TBSP coconut flour (or pulverize shredded raw coconut)

Juice from one orange

Zest from 1/2 orange (zest the whole thing and put 1/2 aside)

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup vegan gluten free white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 if making bars or cookies.

Combine all crust ingredients in food processor until combined, uniform and holding together. Press crust into bottom of 8 x 8 pan.

Filling: Combine all items (except cranberries and

chocolate) in food processor (no need to rinse after using it for the crust) until all ingredients are incorporated.

Stir in chips and cranberries.

Bake at 350 for 21-24 mins. Cool and store in fridge. Can also be rolled into cookie bites. Bake for 9-11 minutes. Press cranberry and white chocolate chip on top. Keep in fridge. Also, unbaked, this is a great dip. Follow all directions for filling, and put in fridge to chill, use gluten free/vegan cookies/crackers. You may also roll the dough into balls, chill, then roll them in the crust mixture and make truffles.

Scraps and Snippets ~ Peanut Butter Mocha Smooches...

Sarah commented about my post yesterday. She said she believes it is a rumor. Interesting. Here's a link she sent me. I will be reading the whole thing. 


http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2012/02/gmo-monsanto-buyout-rumors-untrue/


However, Trader Joe's and Costco could still provide my list of items. :  )


Here is a recipe for you.  Peanut Butter Mocha Smooches (Gluten free, Vegan, and no added sugar/fat)

1 can white beans or 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups from scratch.
15 pitted dates (I used standard, you'd need less with Medjool) or 3/4 heaping cup raisins
1/2 Cup  plus 1 TBSP Cocoa
1 TBSP espresso powder (or 1 TBSP freshly ground coffee beans)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
4 TBSP Peanut butter
2 TBSP Apple Sauce

Additional Peanut Butter (Approx 1 TBSP and dark chocolate chips (Vegan) for cookie garnish.

Preheat oven to 350. Combine all items in food processor until all ingredients are incorporated.  Roll cookies into balls about 1 TBSP (makes approx 20). Bake at 350 for 10-11 mins. When removed from oven press an indentation in the cookies with the handle of a wooden spoon. Fill indentation with a dollop of peanut butter and a chocolate chip. Cool and store in fridge.

If you prefer bars. Put batter in a greased 8 x 8 and bake for 21-24 minutes.  

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ A Harvest of Disappointment

So. I was discouraged to read parts of this yesterday! I didn't have time to read the whole article. And I've been told that it isn't quite as it appears. That I should read Whole Foods's rebuttal. Which I will do.
http://foodfreedom.wordpress.com/2011/01/27/organic-elite-surrenders-to-monsanto/

However. My first response is to say I will never shop there again...that I can no longer trust them. I know this is knee jerk and I don't want to be a jerk.  So I will pause and wait until I have a chance to read it and look into the decision that these corporations made. 


I do feel ashamed to be an Iowan, though. I understand the importance of farming and need for farmers to make money etc. etc. But I also think it's important for farmers to be able to make money producing food that is actually food. 


Trader Joe's. Here is a suggestion for you. Capitalize on the choices made by Whole Foods. I already buy my organic produce (off season) at Trader Joe's. I also buy lots of other organic products. However, Trader Joe's you lack the following items and if you'd sell them I'd not need to go to Whole Foods.


Gluten (organic)
Silken tofu (the shelf version)
Dried beans and lentils (organic)
Organic whole wheat pastry flour
Nutritional yeast
Coconut or almond milk based yogurt


Costco. Take note as well. Add more organic items like oatmeal, beans, lentils, whole wheat pastry flour.... 


Just sayin.

Scraps and Snippets ~ Recipe Score!!!!

 So. Just a teaser. I've got my recipes ready to enter into the contest. Here's the end product in all their glory. 

I'll post recipes, as soon as I know when I can, and I think you are going to love them. Healthy, check. Tasty, two thumbs up. Or six if you count Rob and &. 

Let's just say you won't have a chance to try any if you drop  by because they are officially gone. 

It took about 6 tries to get the tweaking done. One try ended up with & spitting her bite out into the trash can. Seriously. Last night, she was way, way more complimentary.

 The flavors are: cranberry orange, white chocolate mocha, peanut butter mocha and black forest.

 

Scraps and Snippets ~ Vegan "Chicken" Pot Pies

"Chicken" Pot, "Chicken" Pot Pies!"

Crust recipe of your choice. (a double crust one). I used the one from Vegan on the Cheap.

Grease muffin tin cups (12)

Press half the pie dough into cups pie style.

In a saucepan melt 1 TBSP Earth Balance

When "butter" is bubbly add:

1 small dice potato

2 stalks small dice celery

1 small dice chopped onion

1 small dice chopped carrot or other veggie you might have around and want to use.

When onions are cooked add:

1 TBSP flour (I used whole wheat)

When everything is coated and gummy pour in:

3/4 cup veggie broth 

1 cup finely diced seitan

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Cook until mixture thickens.

Place mixture into pic crusts. Take remaining pie crust and form a top crust for pot pies if desired. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. (If you don't use your crust for the pies, and don't want to freeze it for next time, roll it out and sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on it and bake it for about 10 minutes. )