Chewy Gingerbread Molasses Cookies; Milk Free

Recently, as a guest at my cousin's Christmas themed wedding, I was invited to bake a batch of cookies for a cookie table. It was a cute idea since cookies are quintessentially linked to Christmas (at least in my mind) and coincidentally her new hubby is a dairy farmer. Milk and cookies; what a combo.

It was a bit of a bummer to think about all the other dairy filled treats that would fill those cookie tables; and how I wouldn't be able to enjoy any of them. BIG. FROWNY. FACE.

But, I got over it. Plus, I was baking for two at a minimum, myself and my cousin's little girl, who has recently been experiencing a terrible rash from consuming dairy. They find themselves in the very same place that I found myself a little over a year ago, adapting to a new way of dairy free life. Hopefully this recipe will soften the blow.

My hubby's favorite cookie was the object of my experimentation. Chewy Gingerbread Molasses. It's a perfect holiday cookie filled with ginger, cinnamon and molasses. Last Christmas I tried to adapt the recipe using coconut oil. Hubby was not impressed. This year: SUCCESS!

The final recipe is a combination of the best of three individual recipes, so I'm proud to call it my own!

CHEWY GINGERBREAD MOLASSES COOKIES; MILK FREE
Makes 3 dozen

• 3/4 cup Earth Balance Vegan Spread (Soy Free)
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 egg
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp salt 
• sanding sugar or an additional 1/4 cup sugar for rolling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cream together the Earth Balance and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix until combined. Add the molasses and mix until combined.
In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt.
Gradually incorporate the flour mixture; mixing only until the dough comes together.
Roll into 1 inch balls and roll in the sanding sugar.
Bake on an un-greased cookie sheet for 13 minutes (at least that's the magic number in my oven).
Cool 1 minute on the cookie sheet and remove to cool on a wire rack.

As I passed by the cookie table after dinner I was pleasantly surprised to see a completely empty tray. I felt proud to have contributed a dairy free cookie that myself and my cousin's little girl could enjoy,  and no one else was any the wiser.

Here's to hoping your holidays are filled with peace, love and cookies!

Peace,
Laura

I've got PIE hopes!

I'm not sure when pie became synonymous with Thanksgiving, but in my world it's just not Thanksgiving without a plethora of pie. Of course there are other fabulous things about Thanksgiving; spending time with family, watching the parade, eating turkey, holiday crafting and watching Christmas Vacation, but there MUST. BE. PIE.

My mom is THE pie lady and I aspire to create pies that are as perfect as hers. This task falls to me more often now that I adhere to a dairy free lifestyle and I want to be able to eat pie. This year I decided to try both a dairy free pumpkin pie and a dairy free pecan pie.

I was a little nervous about finding a recipe that would produce the ideal pumpkin pie texture since my sweet hubby is a pie snob. (I say that with love.) Every year he reminisces about the year that he purchased a store bought pumpkin pie with disastrous results. His ideal pumpkin pie has a "tight" texture and he considers my mom's pie to be the height of the pumpkin pie experience.

My inspiration for the pumpkin pie came from one of my sister's good friends. She highly recommended Alisa Cooks "Dairy Free, Soy Free, Pumpkin Pie Perfection." See the original recipe here: http://www.onefrugalfoodie.com/2009/11/05/dairy-free-soy-free-pumpkin-pie/

Thankfully, this pie is appropriately titled Pumpkin Pie Perfection and so it was. Hubby says: "your mom better watch her back." The only change I made was to swap out the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg/allspice and cloves for 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice (my favorite is from the Savory Spice Shop).

I also used my mom's crust recipe, see below.

PATTY ANN'S PERFECT PIE CRUST
Makes 2; 10 inch crusts {I used one for the pumpkin pie and one for the pecan pie}

• 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup shortening (I like Spectrum Organic)
• 1 tsp salt
• 7-8 tbs ice water (may need more if the air is dry)

Combine the flour and salt. Using a pastry blender or two knives cut the shortening into the flour until it is the size of peas. Slowly add 2-3 tbs of water at a time until the dough starts to pull together.
Divide the dough in half and using plastic wrap pull the dough into a circle. Roll out to 10 inch diameter, place in pie plate and chill until filling.

My second pie endeavor was to create a pecan pie. I really enjoy pecan pie so I was the critic this time. I'm not a big fan of the overly sweet pecan pie, so after scavenging the world wide web for a dairy free recipe I ended up adapting my mom's recipe; which was SURPRISINGLY easy.

PATTY ANN'S PECAN PIE (with dairy free adaptation)
Makes 1; 9 inch pie

• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 tbs Soy Free Earth Balance Vegan Spread (melted)
• 2 cups pecans (chopped)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine the corn syrup and sugar. In a separate bowl beat the eggs and vanilla and add to the sugar mixture. Mix in the melted butter and add pecans. Pour into the unbaked pie crust and bake for 60 to 70 minutes. Cool 2 hours before serving.

Both pies turned out beautifully and I will be proud to share them with friends and family this holiday season!

Happy Thanksgiving to all, and to all a good PIE!

Peace,
Laura

Milk Free Menu

It has come to my attention that hubby and I are a bit odd; friends, family and co-workers have been befuddled by our strange behavior.

You see, every week we plan a menu, make a grocery list and go to the grocery store together. Then, we sit down at the dinner table every night for a meal. Totally bizarre right?!

The funny thing is, that we've always been this way. We don't know how to function any other way. One of the most difficult things for us to deal with when traveling is how often we have to eat out.

So, for the first time ever, I'd like to share one of our milk free menu plans. My hope is to inspire anyone who wishes they could have a nice sit-down dairy free dinner or spend one less evening sitting in the fast food drive through. (At the very least this should help to level the playing field between my dessert posts and my main dish posts!)

Sunday: 

Easy Braised Brisket from Cooking Light's 5 Ingredient Collection http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/easy-braised-brisket-50400000110464/
Mashed Potatoes Ore-Ida Steam and Mash (replace milk with rice milk, replace butter with Earth Balance Soy Free Vegan Spread)
Green Beans (Birdseye Steam Fresh) 

BONUS: Oatmeal Applesauce Muffins I found this recipe on Pinterest via Shrinking Jeans and decided I had to try it out! (I swapped out the milk with almond milk and instead of raisins, used dried cranberries, pecans and unsweetened coconut flakes. Also, it is not necessary to soak the oatmeal in the almond milk if you're feeling impatient. These made for a wonderfully filling snack throughout the week!)
http://shrinkingjeans.net/2010/11/taste-of-the-sisterhood-oatmeal-applesauce-muffins/

Monday: 

Kielbasa with Potatoes, Onions and Asparagus from Forkful of Comfort (we just added asparagus)
http://www.forkfulofcomfort.com/2012/03/sausage-potatoes.html

Tuesday:

Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken with Rice from Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen (we substitute brown sugar for white, rice wine vinegar for cider vinegar, and used brown rice.)
http://lakelurecottagekitchen.com/2011/08/30/crock-pot-teriyaki-chicken/
Edamame

Wednesday:

Avocado BLTs (just like it sounds; bacon, lettuce, tomato and avocado on toast, we also ended up adding sliced turkey breast because we had it on hand.)
Fruit watermelon
Fries Alexia Waffle Fries (we always bake them in the oven, they're outstanding!)

Thursday:

Cavatappi and Pesto (store bought or homemade) Check out Ina Garten's recipe, omit Parmesan or sub with milk free Parmesan.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/pesto-recipe2/index.html
Salad

Friday: 

Breakfast Burritos from Yummly, make your own substitutions (we replace the chorizo with turkey sausage and omit the cheese)
http://www.yummly.com/recipe/Breakfast-burrito-362234

Saturday: 

It just so happens that this week we were celebrating my Aunt's birthday, so today all you get is a German Chocolate Cake =)
Check out my post "Chocoholics Unite!" and use Martha Stewart's One Bowl Chocolate Cake. Cover each layer with Coconut Pecan Frosting and voila!

COCONUT PECAN FROSTING
Covers 1 cake

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup canned coconut milk (full fat)
• 3 large egg yolks
• 4 tbs coconut oil
• 4 tbs Earth Balance Soy Free Margarine
• 1 1/3 cups coconut
• 1 1/3 cups chopped pecans

Combine sugar, coconut milk, egg yolks, coconut oil and Earth Balance in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture slightly thickens and is bubbling. Reduce heat to low and continue to stir for an additional 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the coconut and pecans. Allow to cool completely before frosting cake.

I think the hardest part of sharing this week's menu was remembering to take a picture of each meal before I started to devour dinner!

Peace,
Laura

Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate: Triple Chocolate Cookies

Growing up I was blessed with an amazing life. I had (and continue to have) an amazing family who showered me with lots of love..... and lots of food. My grandma showed love with boxes of Little Debbie Swiss Rolls, Fudge Rounds and Oatmeal Cream Pies; my grandpa opted for Wendy's Bacon Cheeseburgers. My mom rewarded us for good behavior with trips to McDonald's for Chicken McNuggets and my dad was the finest Spam and Kraft Macaroni and Cheese chef in the contiguous U.S. My many talented aunts celebrated holidays with vats of bacon laden, cheese laden, butter laden deliciousness and to this day we still celebrate family gatherings with buckets of world famous, lard fried "Barberton Chicken."

It wasn't until many years later, during nursing school, that I had my first class in nutrition and became aware that this type of lifestyle wasn't the way to take good care of my heart or my body. Since then I have been on a continuous mission to educate myself about better food choices and take small but consistent steps to improve my diet.

Now, I won't delude anyone into thinking that these cookies are "healthy," however, they are "healthier" and if you're craving chocolate they absolutely fit the bill. Even better, you don't have to venture into the scary inner isles of the grocery store and pick up anything claiming to be "low fat, 100 calorie, sugar free, or whole grain" and walk away disappointed because everything is laden with disgusting chemicals.

So what makes these cookies "healthier" you ask!? The substitution of whole wheat flour and coconut sugar actually gives these cookies some nutritional value. You get fiber, potassium, magnesium, zinc, iron, Vitamin B1, B2, B3 and B6 in addition to having an overall lower glycemic index from the coconut sugar! Pretty cool right!

The original recipe required very little modification and I'm happy to give credit to GoDairyFree.org for supplying the original recipe { http://www.godairyfree.org/recipes/sweet-dairy-free-sundays-triple-chocolate-brownie-cookies }.  This is a great resource for those of you who are new to the diary free life style as well!

MILK FREE TRIPLE CHOCOLATE COOKIES
Makes a scant 3 dozen

• 2 oz unsweetened baking chocolate
• 1/3 cup non-hydrogenated organic vegetable shortening
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup coconut sugar
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp instant espresso powder (optional)
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Melt the baking chocolate and shortening together and allow to cool slightly. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, espresso powder and salt. In a separate medium-large bowl beat the eggs and sugar together and stir in the chocolate mixture. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture being cautious not to over mix. Stir in the chocolate chips. Drop rounded teaspoons of batter onto a cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.

*Note, this is a 1/2 batch as compared to the original recipe and it required almost double the time to bake, however, if you want a super soft cookie you could try the original. Also, they look NOTHING like the picture in the original recipe. I even tried smooshing down the tops with a moistened glass; no dice.

These triple chocolate cookies are a great substitute when you're looking for a healthier alternative to traditional chocolate treats!

Peace,
Laura

 

Plum Crazy: Milk Free Plum Crumble

Over the years I've accumulated binders full of amazing recipes that are as dependable as the day is long; they're fun to make, fun to eat and fun to share. One of those recipes is Martha Stewart's Plum Crumble. {Check out the original recipe here: http://www.marthastewart.com/356445/plum-crumble?search_key=plum%20tart }

Martha's Plum Crumble is a great summer picnic recipe and a great winter comfort recipe. It's also loaded with butter and heavy cream and served with ice cream or whipped cream. You can see why I love it right!?!?

Last week I was at the produce market and happened upon a haul of plums for $.99! My brain immediately started lusting after Plum Crumble and I raced home to my binders to create a dairy free version of this outstanding recipe.

MILK FREE PLUM CRUMBLE
Makes 1; 9 inch crumble

• 1 1/4 cups sugar divided (plus additional sanding sugar for sprinkling on top)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 1/2 cup vegan buttery spread, non hydrogenated shortening or coconut oil
• 3/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup coconut or almond milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 5-6 plums, pitted and cut into eighths

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Whisk together 1 cup of sugar, salt, and the flour. Using a pastry blender cut in the buttery spread until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Divide the mixture in half and separate into two bowls. Set aside half. In one bowl add the cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder and 1 egg; mix until well blended and press into the bottom of a 9 inch shallow baking dish. Bake 15 minutes or until firm and golden brown.

While the crust is baking, in a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar, the remaining egg, the coconut/almond milk, and the almond and vanilla extracts and set aside.

Remove the crust from the oven, top with the plum slices and pour the cream mixture over the plums. Sprinkle the reserved half of the butter/flour mixture over top and sprinkle the sanding sugar over the top. Bake until the topping is golden brown, about 30-40 minutes.

Can be served with dairy free ice cream or coconut whipped "cream." Devour and enjoy!

I truly feel this adaptation does the original Plum Crumble justice! I hope you'll enjoy this recipe in your own collection for years to come!

Peace,
Laura

Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies Minus the Milk

Hubby has a sweet tooth, and he frequently wants to pick up sweet treats from the grocery store that are full of artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners and are simply not good choices for his health. I feel better with Hubby enjoying his sweet treats when I'm in control of the ingredients.

One of Hubby's favorites is a classic chocolate chip cookie. My challenge was to tame that beast of a sweet tooth without all the butter and milk in the original recipe.

Our original recipe is a well loved, well worn, Alton Brown recipe for "The Chewy." It is chocolate chip cookie perfection! This is a 5 star recipe on FoodNetwork.com with over 1,000 reviews. It strikes the perfect balance between crispy edges and chewy centers.

ALTON BROWN'S "THE CHEWY"
Makes 2 dozen (oversized) cookies

• 8 oz unsalted butter
• 12 oz bread flour
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 oz granulated sugar
• 8 oz light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 ounce whole milk
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 12 oz semisweet chocolate chips

Melt the butter in a 2-quart saucepan over low heat. Set aside to cool slightly.
Sift together the flour, salt and baking soda. Pour the butter into a stand mixer's work bowl. Add the sugar and brown sugar and beat with the paddle attachment on medium speed for 2 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk together the whole egg, the egg hold, milk and vanilla extract in a measuring cup. Reduce the mixer speed and slowly add the egg mixture. Mix until thoroughly combined, about 30 seconds.
Using the paper plate as a slide, gradually integrate the dry ingredients, stopping a couple of times to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Once the flour is worked in, drop the speed to "stir" and add the chocolate chips. Chill the dough for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and place racks in the top third and bottom third of the oven.
Scoop the dough into 1 1/2 ounce portions onto parchment-line half sheet pans. 6 cookies per sheet. Bake 2 sheets at a time for 15 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. Remove from the oven, slide the parchment with the cookies onto a cooling rack and wait at least 5 minutes before devouring.

MILK FREE CLASSIC CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Makes 2 dozen (regular sized) cookies

• 1/2 cup coconut oil or Earth Balance dairy free margarine (I like the coconut oil more and hubby likes the Earth Balance more)
• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tbs coconut or almond milk (I've used both and prefer the coconut)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 12 oz milk free chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional, but not in my house, we prefer our cookies to be "boys")

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit
Cream the coconut oil/margarine with the sugars until light and fluffy. Add the egg, coconut/almond milk and vanilla. Sift together the flour, salt and baking soda and slowly incorporate the dry mixture until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts.
Drop by rounded tablespoons onto a parchment lined cookie sheet (honestly I never do this part because my cookies don't stick) and bake for 11 minutes. Cookies should be lightly browned around the edges and firm in the center. Remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.

You'll notice some big differences between the original recipe and mine. My recipe is technically a half  batch compared to the original. Also, I don't melt my "butter" and I don't chill the dough before I bake it. I've tried both ways and feel that there isn't a difference, so in the interest of taming that elusive sweet tooth post-haste, I opt not to.

Peace,
Laura

Blueberry Pie In the Sky

It's catch-up time! No, not ketchup, I know it's a food blog, but work with me here. This week I'm getting caught up on blogging all the milk free goodies I've created over the past two months.

First up: Blueberry Pie!

A good fruit pie is a thing of beauty and this summer I was excited to try my hand at an amazing blueberry pie recipe that I came across on Inspired Taste. See the original recipe here: http://www.inspiredtaste.net/23159/homemade-blueberry-pie-recipe/ . I was particularly excited about this recipe because it incorporated some fresh new flavors in a traditional recipe and I felt it would be easy to create a milk free version.

MILK FREE BLUEBERRY PIE
Makes 1; 9 inch pie

For the crust:  Makes 2, 10 inch crusts.

• 2 2/3 cup unbleached all purpose flour
• 1 cup non-hydrogenated organic all vegetable shortening (I like Spectrum Organic brand)
• 1/2 tsp Kosher salt 
• 7-8 tbs ice cold water (more if the crust is dry)

For the egg wash:

• 1 egg 
• 1 tbs water

In a large bowl mix the flour and salt. Using a pastry blender work in the shortening until the mixture is crumbly. Slowly add in the water, starting with 7 tablespoons and adding one additional tablespoon at a time until the mixture comes together. The key is to not overwork this dough or it will become tough. Divide the dough in half and dump the mixture onto two squares of plastic wrap. Using the plastic wrap, form the dough into two round flat disks and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (I'm realizing now a picture of THIS would actually be helpful to illustrate what I'm trying to say. I'll work on that!).
Helpful hint: I've been told never to touch the dough with your bare hands or it will make the crust tough. No, I don't know why; it could just be an old wives' tale.

For the filling:

• 2 pints of blueberries
• 2/3 to 3/4 cup of sugar
• 1/3 cup cornstarch (note in the original recipe they call for 1/4 but I didn't feel this gelled well enough).
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground allspice
• finely grated zest of 1 lemon

In a large bowl whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, salt, spices and lemon zest. Add the blueberries and toss gently to combine.

To prepare the pie:

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and place a flat cookie sheet on the middle rack.
Roll out the bottom crust to 1/4 inch thick and gently transfer it to a 9 inch pie plate. Be careful not to stretch the crust. Trim the crust to a 1 inch overhang.
Dump the blueberries and all the sugar/cornstarch mixture into the bottom crust.
Roll out the top crust to 1/4 inch and cover the blueberries with the top crust. Either prepare a lattice crust, or cut several large vents to allow steam to escape. I used a small star shaped cookie cutter to prepare a lattice-type crust. Seal the crust by crimping in whatever style you prefer. Lightly brush the top crust with egg wash (1 egg + 1 tbs water) and a sprinkle of sanding sugar to make a pretty, shiny crust.
Put the pie in the oven on the cookie sheet and bake 20 minutes.
Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for an additional 45-50 minutes or until the center of the pie is actively bubbling. This could take additional time. If the crimped edges begin to brown too much cover with foil or a pie shield and continue baking.
Remove pie to a cooling rack and allow to cool for 4 hours before serving.

The cinnamon, allspice and lemon in this pie give it an amazing flavor that you don't expect in a blueberry pie. It's a great potluck dessert dish or 4th of July pie!

Peace,
Laura