Oatmeal Cookies (for everyone)

You know what always makes me sad? My husband works as a nurse, and 95% of the treats offered at meetings, from patients, and from pharmaceutical companies contain gluten. I'm secretly grateful for his health, but I know it is disappointing to give or receive a gift that cannot be enjoyed.

Here are my oatmeal cookies for everyone recipes. No gluten, no sugar, no dairy. Yes, some of them do have allergens, but you can adapt or make a couple of choices and make something that will please anyone with food allergies, sensitivities, or preferences.

Formula:

1/3 c wet
1/2 c quick cooking oats

+ any mix-ins you prefer

Instructions:
1. Combine wet ingredient and oats, then add in any mix-ins.
2. Scoop into small balls and place on lined cookie sheet.
3. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes.

Suggestions for wet ingredients:
Mashed banana
Pumpkin
Applesauce (you'll need a bit more oats)

My favorite combos are
Banana + chocolate chip
Pumpkin + walnuts + raisins + cinnamon
Banana + white chocolate chip + craisin

Try a variety and see what you like! It is easy to whip these up in just a few minutes, and they are always crowd pleasers. Plus, kids think they're getting "cookies" when they're really just getting oatmeal :)

Split Pea Soup

I have to admit: the first time I made split pea soup it was out of desperation. I needed something that all of my food-allergic friends could sit down and eat together, and cutting meat, dairy, eggs, soy, beans, and nuts made me nervous about a main dish that wasn't just raisins and sunflower seeds.

This recipe is easy, mostly shelf-stable, and meets all the demands of those with food allergies and sensitivities. Plus, it is delicious, makes itself in a crock pot, and freezes perfectly. I often make it for new mamas because it is a simple, complete meal that tastes very good and comforting.

Ingredients:

1/2 c wild rice blend
1 and 1/2 c split peas or a mix of split peas and lentils
1/2 c chopped onion
1 t salt
1 bay leaf
8 c water

1 c chopped carrot
1 c chopped celery
1 t thyme
1 t oregano
1 t parsley
black pepper to taste

Crock pot method:
1. Combine all of the first set of ingredients in a crock pot and cook on high for 3-4 hours.
2. Add the second set of ingredients and cook for an additional 1-3 hours. Add water as needed.

Dutch oven method:
1. Combine all of the first set of ingredients in a dutch oven and cook on low heat for 2 hours.
2. Add the second set of ingredients and cook for an additional hour. Add water and stir as needed.

I like to serve this with corn bread, which can also be made GF

Curry Quinoa Salad

This recipe was inspired by a tofu salad at Whole Foods, but I made it with ingredients I had on hand. If you wanted to add cooked, cubed tofu or tempeh, that would also be delicious!

Ingredients:

1 c quinoa

2 c veggie broth (or water is fine)

1 sweet potato, cubed

1 bunch kale, chopped

1 onion, sliced

1/4-1/2 c pine nuts, almonds, or hemp seeds (optional)

Juice of 1 orange

Juice of 1 lemon

2+ T olive oil

2 t grainy mustard

2 t + honey

1 T curry powder

1/2 c raisins

salt to taste

Directions:

1. Slowly caramelize onions over low heat

2. Saute or roast sweet potato cubes.

3. Cook quinoa in veggie broth (15-20 min), until all broth absorbed

4. Combine all dressing ingredients and mix/shake until uniform texture

5. Taste dressing and add oil, honey, or salt (as needed)

6. Allow raisins to soak in the dressing mixture while the rest of the ingredients finish cooking.

7. Saute kale for a few minutes, just until a bit soft. Toast nuts, if using, and if you prefer.

8. Combine all ingredients, toss with dressing, and chill for a few hours to allow flavors to meld

Pumpkin Muffins with Cinnamon

Dry Ingredients:
1 1/2c flour
1 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 t pumpkin pie spice

Wet ingredients:
1 1/3 c pumpkin
1/3 c oil
2 egg substitutes
3/4
c of sugar

Topping:
1 T granulated sugar
1 t cinnamon

1. Sift together dry ingredients.
2. In a large bowl, combine wet ingredients. I used a bit more than 3/4 c of sugar, and I thought they were plenty sweet. Feel free to decrease the sugar incrementally to see what is necessary. It likely depends upon the sweetness of your pumpkin puree.
3. Combine dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just combined. Do not over-stir.
4. Pour into greased muffin tins/paper liners (3/4 full).
5. Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle over the muffins.

Bake 25-30 minutes at 350 or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Yield: 18 muffins

These were fine the next day, and none survived beyond that!

Millet (bird seed) Granola Bars

If you haven't had millet, you're missing out. These bars offer a great way to sneak a little millet into your life! Crispy little bits with whatever flavors strike your fancy is always a win.

Ingredients:
1 2/3 c rolled oats
1/3 c flour (I use coconut, you can use whatever you'd like)
1/3 c shredded, unsweetened coconut
1/3 c millet
1/2 c sugar (brown or white, or I've used the coconut sweetener too)
1/2 t cinnamon (but who's measuring?)

3 T Earth Balance (or replace with coconut oil)
3 T coconut oil
1/3 c nut butter (I use peanut)
6 T assorted liquid sweetener (molasses, maple syrup, honey, agave)
1 tsp vanilla

1.5 cups nuts, seeds, dried fruits

I usually use some almonds and raisins, but you can use any chopped, dried fruit you'd like. This recipe is a great way to clear out your nut/seed/dried fruit stash.

Method:
Oven at 350
1. Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Soak dried fruit in a little bit of hot water while you work.
3. Melt Earth Balance, coconut oil, and nut butter in a liquid measuring cup. Add liquid sweetener and stir to combine (this really helps the peanut butter situation).
4. Drain the dried fruits and add them to the dry mix. Then stir in the wet ingredients.
5. Bake in a greased 8x8, loaf tin, or 7x11. PRESS the stuff into the pan using a spatula or a coconut-oiled hand. The thinner the bars, the less time they will need. 7x11 probably need only 20 minutes while a loaf pan will need as much as 35. Check for browning edges.

COOL COMPLETELY IN THE PAN. WALK AWAY, I'M SERIOUS. These puppies are prone to crumbling. The original recipe called for corn syrup as a liquid sweetener, and swears that it will prevent the breakage. My friend Kelli adds an egg and says that's a good binder, too. Do what you want.

Other great additions include food grade oils, like orange oil. You could use chocolate chips as some of your mix-ins, even though they are not technically fruits, nuts, or seeds.

Black strap molasses makes these bars even healthier, as do the additions of hemp seeds, flax seeds, and other nutrient-dense options. They never come out the same twice, but they are always delicious.

What is it about roasting (veggies)?

This is not a recipe, but a method. I found my refrigerator teeming with broccoli today, and with two additional heads of cauliflower in the farm share, something had to give.

My most favorite thing used to be broccoli with cheese sauce (you know, the processed stuff that barely passes as cheese but still remains a 'dairy' product?). I still love broccoli, and have learned that cauliflower is delicious, too. Especially when well prepared. There is something unique about the texture of these roasted beauties that makes it difficult to save any for later.

You might have enjoyed my Aloo Gobi and Chard recipe, and that is a tasty trick. But even simpler is the simple act of slowly roasting veggies on a cookie sheet in the oven.

The process is simple:
1. Wash and chop the broccoli and/or cauliflower (you must use fresh for this method).
2. Coat with a thin layer of olive oil by tossing the florets in a bowl with a little oil.
3. Pour onto a cookie sheet and dust with a little sea salt.
4. Roast at 325 for 40 minutes, shaking the tray two or three times in the middle.
5. Serve as is, or toss in seasoned salt, nutritional yeast, or the cheese of your choice (but try it first! It is glorious as is).

Easy side dish for any meal, and so much healthier than anything with the mysterious cheese sauce.

GF Ginger Brownies and Glutenous Ginger Crisps

WARNING: There is no chocolate in this recipe. These are quite tasty, but if you're seeking a real brownie you'll have to head elsewhere.

Ingredients:
1 1/3 c rice flour
1/3 c potato flour
1/3 c tapioca flour
1 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
2 1/2 t ground ginger
1/2 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground cloves
1/2 c oil
1/4 c black strap molasses
1/4 c almond milk
1 c brown sugar
1 t vanilla

1. Heat oven to 350.
2. Combine flours, salt, soda and spices in a medium bowl and set aside.
3. Combine the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and stir to combine completely.
4. Add dry ingredients and stir to combine.
5. Pour into a 9x9 greased baking pan and bake for 30-40 minutes, testing for done-ness about the edges.
Yield: 9 or 16 servings, depending on your needs.

For the Glutenous Cookie version:
Substitute 2 c wheat flour for rice/potato/tapioca flours.
Step 5: Roll balls of dough in sugar and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Note the dough will be very soft, but do not be tempted to add any more flour. You'll be just fine! The cookies will double in size. I yielded 26 and a couple of mine grew together. Don't worry, I ate the bad ones :) *Thanks to Vegan with a Vengeance by Isa Chandra Moskowitz for the original recipe.