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White Chocolate Cranberry Pistachio Cookies

January 8, 2013 · by · Leave a Comment

There must be something about seeing 1/1 show up on the calendar that makes us all crave a little change. All week long I’ve been bombarded with blog posts, magazine articles, and new programs that promise to make me healthier and more motivated..

Healthy means something different to everyone. It’s really rooted in where you are at right now. If you are coming from a meaty standard American diet even the smallest changes will have a big impact on how you feel. But if you are farther down the path, or have been eating consciously for years, you may want to up it a notch.

No matter where you are starting from embrace where you are and be kind to yourself. It’s not always easy to make life changes, but many changes can still be tasty.

Speaking of tasty… Cookies get a bad rap because most recipes are packed full of fat, sugar, refined flour and a single cookie can be 2 to 3 servings. While my White Chocolate Cranberry Pistachio Cookies are not 100% healthy they are a few steps ahead of the typical chocolate chip cookies.

They are light and cake-like instead of a typical crunchy cookie. The banana keeps them very moist too. Leave out the white chocolate chips to make them almost fat-free or you can sub regular chocolate chips if you can’t find vegan white chocolate ones. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Dessert, Vegan, Vegetarian · Tagged: , , , ,

Slow Cooker Vanilla Fig Oatmeal Topped with Baklava Filling

February 24, 2011 · by · 3 Comments

It’s day 9 of love your oatmeal week, I’m renaming it Love Your Oatmeal Celebration so I sound a little less crazy! I am however a little obsessed with oatmeal and i think it’s the continued success of all my crazy flavor ideas that’s keeping me motivated. I was actually excited for the morning to come when I went to bed last night. Not an easy feat on a work night.

If you don’t have orange flower water it’s fine to leave it out. It adds a very subtle sweet flavor and aroma. Before buying any make sure it’s food grade, which most Middle Eastern stores carry. I was unable to find food grade at my local Whole Foods.

You can leave off the topping altogether or just use a teaspoon or two of your favorite nut. Depending on how sweet your figs are you may need to add a little sweetener if you make it that way.

As seen on The Nourishing Gourmet’s Pennywise Platter

Slow Cooker Vanilla Fig Oatmeal

2 to 3 servings

**This recipe uses a smaller slow cooker that’s 1 1/2 to 2 quarts

  • 1/2 cup steel-cut oats
  • 2 cups unsweetened So Delicious Coconut Milk (only 50 calories a cup!)
  • 1/2 cup chopped dried figs
  • 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
  • 1/4 teaspoon food grade orange flower water (optional)
  • 1/2 vanilla bean scraped or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste or 1 teaspoon vanilla

‘baklava filling’ topping

  • 1 tablespoon chopped pistachios
  • 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts
  • 1 tablespoon chopped almonds
  • 1 tablespoon brown rice syrup
  • 1 tablespoon agave nectar
  • pinch of cinnamon

The night before: Spray your crock with some oil to help with clean up later. Add everything except baklava filling topping ingredients to the slow cooker.  Now mix together the ‘baklava filling’ in a small bowl and store in the fridge until the morning. Cook on low over night (7 to 9 hours).

In the morning: Stir your oatmeal well. It may seem watery at the top but if stirred it should become a more uniform consistency. Top each serving with a few tablespoons of the baklava filling, making it as sweet as you like it.

Filed Under: Breakfast, Cooking Time 8 hours, crockpot, Gluten-free, Love Your Oatmeal Celebration, Overnight (8+ hours), Soy-free, Vegan, Vegetarian · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Carrot Cardamom Oatmeal – Inspired by Indian Carrot Halwa

February 21, 2011 · by · 3 Comments

Welcome to part 2 (really week 2) of love your oatmeal week! Yes, that makes it more than a week of love your oatmeal. But I just kept thinking of yummy taste combinations I want to try. This week will have at least a few international flavors that aren’t often seen in your morning oatmeal.

I love Indian food and eat it whenever possible. Carrot Halwa is a thick paste of carrot, sugar and cardamom that’s sometimes topped with saffron and pistachios.

If you’re not sure if you’re a fan of cardamom or not just use 1/2 teaspoon instead of a whole teaspoon. You can always add more before serving.

Slow Cooker Carrot Cardamom Oatmeal

2 to 3 servings

**This recipe uses a smaller slow cooker that’s 1 1/2 to 2 quarts

  • 1/2 cup steel-cut oats
  • 2 cups Unsweetened So Delicious Coconut Milk
  • 1 cup organic carrots, chopped fine or shredded fine
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1 – 2 tablespoons sweetener (I used agave)
  • For serving: a pinch of saffron and chopped pistachios

The night before: Spray your crock with some oil to help with clean up later. Add oats, So Delicious Coconut Milk, carrots, and cardamom. Cook on low over night (7 to 9 hours).

In the morning: Stir your oatmeal well. It may seem watery at the top but if stirred it should become a more uniform consistency.

Stir in agave or other sweetener and the saffron if you’re using it. Top each serving with 1 teaspoon of pistachios and a pinch of saffron if you’re feeling particularly rich).

**See Page Link on Menu Bar to get to Slow Cooker Oatmeal FAQS

Filed Under: Beyond Easy, Breakfast, Cooking Time 8 hours, crockpot, Gluten-free, Love Your Oatmeal Celebration, Overnight (8+ hours), Slow cooker, Soy-free · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,