Pumpkin Oatmeal Power Pucks

These aren't cookies or muffins.. perhaps a scone? OR, a POWER PUCK! 

I had a pumpkin to roast, so I scoured all of my cook books looking for the base of a recipe that would help me with my craving of the pumpkin oatmeal cookie they bake at Flying M. I found nothing in my cookbooks, so I went to the inter webs and created a mesh mash of several recipes. Here's mine. Enjoy~

Preheat oven to 350

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, silplat sheets, or lightly oiled

1 C oat flour

1 C rolled oats

1TBSP ground flax meal

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp soda

1/2 tsp salt

dash of each ginger, cardamon, clove and nutmeg

~ Mix together until combined with a fork

1/3 C coconut oil (refined) melted

1 C pumpkin or squash puree

1/2 sugar (I used sucanat) you could use maple syrup or honey or..

1 tsp vanilla

~ Mix together until well combined, add dry ingredients to wet

1/2 C chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, sunflower seeds)

1/2 C dried fruit (raisins, cherries, choc chips, coconut)

~ Let mixture sit for 5 minutes

~ scoop out 1/4 C onto cookie sheets, pat down to flatten into 1" pucks

~ Cook for 15 minutes, rotating pan halfway through cooking.

These pucks are moist and may be a bit crumbly. Let them cool a bit before you transfer to a cooling rack

Amazeballz

 

In an effort to slightly reduce the amount of packaged foods we consume, I've adapted this recipe from www.theorganicmomma.com Thank you!

These have replaced granola bars, energy bars and sometimes the desire for a cookie.. sometimes.. like in a pinch. Cookies cannot be replaced.

This is the foundation of the ball and I will include variations at the end of the recipe. Let me know your ideas and feedback.

I hope you love popping these balls in your mouth as much as I do.

~Enjoy

Makes about 15-20 balls

In a medium bowl combine :

1 c rolled oats

3/4 c shredded unsweetened coconut

1/2 c hulled hemp seeds

1 TBSP chia seeds

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

In a small bowl, combine :

2/3 c nut or seed butter

1/3 c honey

1 tsp vanilla

Mix wet into dry ingredients

Add :

1/2 c mini chocolate chips

Combine well and chill for 1/2 an hour

Roll and press into 1" balls

Keep refrigerated or in the freezer

Make a double batch and share a few

Variations :

Sub sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, raisins for any of the other ingredients

Lentils

I'm back! It's time to start cooking again. Trying to be my own inspiration. Hope to inspire you too!

These lentils are so tasty and easy. They would be lovely to bring to a potluck, enjoy as an entree or a nice addition to a salad fiest. I like them on hand to feed me anytime.

1 cup brown lentils, picked through and rinsed
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 celery rib, diced
1 small potato, scrubbed and diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
4 cups veggie stock

Sort and rinse lentils, set aside
Heat oil in medium pot, add onions over medium heat
Sauté onions until fragrant and translucent
Add carrot, celery and potato, stirring often
Cook for 5 minutes until slightly tender
Add garlic, oregano and pepper, cook for 1 minute
Add 1 cup of stock to pot, scraping bottom bits
Add remaining 3 cups of stock and lentils
Cover and cook until lentils are tender 20-30 minutes

Garnish with sour cream

Enjoy!

Gluten Free Almond Mocha Cookies

Oh man, these are some good cookies... make a double batch, because they don't last long.
Thais recipe is adapted from a great site called Elana's Pantry.  Check it out.

2 1/2 c ground almond meal
1/4 c cacao powder
1 Tbsp espresso powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp  kosher sea salt
1/3 c grapeseed oil
1/2 c maple syrup
1 Tbsp vanilla
3/4 c dark chocolate chips

Mix together dry ingredients.
Mix oil, vanilla and syrup.
Combine wet and dry, stir in chocolate chips.
Drop by tablespoon on a cookie sheet lined with parchment.
Bake @ 350 for 8 min.

Let cool a couple minutes before removing from pan.

~Enjoy!

Soba Salad with Peanut Cilantro Sauce

Peanut Cilantro Sauce

1/2 cup dark/toasted sesame oil
1/2 cup reduced sodium tamari
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
4 tsp chili oil
2 Tbsp fresh peeled ginger, minced
2-3 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup nut buter

Put all above ingredients in a food processor and process until blended.
Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Salad

Cook soba noodles according to package.

Top noodles with:

Diced tofu
Sliced scallions
Chopped cabbage
Diced cucumbers
Shredded carrots 
Toasted sesame seeds


Adorn with Peanut Cilantro Sauce and toss together!

~Enjoy

Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins with Ground Pecans and Pecan Topping

These muffins were modified from what may be my new favorite cookbook, Once Upon A Tart.  I happened upon this cookbook while spring cleaning through my cookbooks.  After reading through it, it spoke to me, and made me very hungry... Check it out, Once Upon A Tart...  by Frank Mentesana and Jerome Audureau.

MUFFIN BATTER
11 Tbsp unsalted melted and cooled to room temperature.  Plus more for for tins.
3 1/2 cups gluten free flour, I used 1/2 cup of each... white rice, sorghum, buckwheat, teff, cornstarch, brown rice, and tapioca
3 tsp zanthan gum
1 1/2 c finely chopped pecans
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup cold milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups blueberries, rinsed and dried

PECAN TOPPING
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp pecans, finely chopped
2 Tbsp rolled oats

Preheat oven to 400, arrange rack in center of the oven.  Smear 12 muffin tins with butter.

Stir toppings together in small bowl.

Whisk flour, zanthan gum, ground pecans, baking powder and salt together in a medium size bowl.

In a separate big bowl, whisk the eggs, add sugar gradually.  Whisk for a couple minutes, then add milk, vanilla and melted butter.

Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet.  Before last bit of flour, gently fold in the blueberries.  Finish with the last of the flour.

Use two spoons to fill muffin tins up.  Sprinkle muffins with the topping.

Place muffins in the center rack, bake for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Remove tin from oven, place on a wire rack.  When muffins are cool enough to touch, remove and eat them up!

NOTE:  The original recipe is not gluten free,  if you don't want gluten free, use regular flour and omit zanthan gum.  Also, if you use regular flour, they will rise more.  You might want to put a cookie sheet under the muffin tin

~Enjoy!

Lemon Pepper Pasta with Bok Choy, Peas, and Sausage

Tonight I received my CSA share.  In it were many delicious greens.  I wanted to make something from some of the goods in it... this is what happened.

3 cups dried pasta
3 fresh sausage links, cooked and sliced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 bundle of bok choy, 4-5 separate bunches... about 4 cups, chopped
2 c snap peas, trimmed and cut in half
1/2 c chopped fresh parsley
juice of 1 juicy lemon
course sea salt
lots of fresh ground black pepper
olive oil

Cook pasta according to directions in plenty of salted water.  Drain and rinse with cool water.  Toss with olive oil.

Cook sausage until done.  Slice and add to pasta.

Heat pan with olive oil to medium heat.  Add garlic cloves, when they start to brown add chopped bok choy.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Cook until wilted and most of the moisture is absorbed.

Add bok choy and garlic to pasta. Add peas, and parsley, lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Add more olive oil if needed. 

Taste to adjust salt, pepper, lemon, and olive oil.

This would be tasty with some feta, I think!!

~Enjoy!