Cranberry Applesauce Cookies

These simple trail mix-esque drop cookies were invented from a need for a quick cookie to bring to my grandmother, who seems to subsist mostly on orange juice, bananas, and packaged items from Trader Joe's.  She'll eat almost anything I make so I like to supply her with hearty granolas, bars and cookies.  I packed various seeds and nuts in these in order to sneak in some nutrients and protein for her, while still making her think she is enjoying dessert.

(Side note: Apparently when you're over 85 you get a little testy if your family tries to push veggies and healthy foods on you).  Basically, she does what she wants.  She loved these though, and they are a good cookie to "trick" people into enjoying dessert that's a little healthier and lighter than your average cookie.  The applesauce also lends a great fluffy chewy texture, and replaces most of the sugar.  Feel free to reduce or omit the sugar for a hearty little cookie--just be warned your granny may not approve.

Cranberry Applesauce Cookies

Ingredients:

1/4 cup + 2 tbsp coconut butter or other nondairy butter
1/3 cup coconut palm sugar
1/2 cup applesauce
1 tablespoon flax or chia mixed with 2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup oat flour
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup cranberries (preferably apple juice-sweetened)
optional: 1/3 cup sunflower seeds
optional: 1/4 cup nondairy chocolate chips
1/3 cup walnuts or pumpkin seeds

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 325 and line or grease two cookies sheets.
2.  Cream nondairy "butter" with sugar and add in applesauce and flax/water mixture.
3.  Add in dry ingredients, stirring just until combined, and then fold in cranberries and seeds or nuts of your choice.
4.  Bake for 10-12 minutes and let cool on a wire rack.

Yields about 25-28 small to medium-sized cookies.

Cacao Power Smoothie

Super easy light breakfast or snack: the Cacao Power Smoothie!  I enjoyed a midmorning break while attempting to knit (a new skill I am trying to learn...so far, a pretty pathetic attempt--it looks like my little 25 lb poodle mix will be wearing a new scarf soon).

Anyways, throw these ingredients in a blender and boom!  Instant breakfast.

Cacao Power Smoothie

1 medium banana
1 tablespoon raw cacao powder
1 teaspoon chia seeds
1-1/2 tablespoons unsweetened sunflower seed butter
3 dates
5 ice cubes
1/4 cup water (or more as needed)
3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla coconut milk
optional: 1/4 of a frozen avocado..mmmm!

Directions:
Blend!

Vegan Carrot Muffins

Oh, carrots.  You are so delicious, and so good for me.  I've always loved baking with carrots, and the most amazing ones are the sweet and crunchy ones fresh from my mom's vegetable garden, though organic carrots from any grocery store will also suffice.

Somehow I seem to either have no carrots or about 5 lbs of them, so this recipe was thrown together just to use up carrots, and it turned into surprisingly delicate and fluffy little carrot muffins.  (In fact, they disappeared within the hour amongst several siblings, and I am now tempted to make them again).  They are great for a breakfast muffin, and keep well for a couple days in an airtight container, although they seem to vanish too fast for storage, usually.  I've learned when my brothers are around that if I want to enjoy my own baking, I have to hide them in the back of the freezer or actually in my kitchenaid mixer underneath the paddles.  (I am confident they never read my blog, so hopefully my hidey place is still safe).

Vegan Carrot Muffins

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon cloves (opt)

2-1/2 cups carrots, shredded

2 tablespoons flax meal plus 6 tablespoons water (or chia seeds)

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray muffin tin with nonstick spray.

2.  Sift together flour, baking soda, powder, salt and spices.

3.  In a small bowl, set aside flaxmeal and water to thicken.

4.  In a larger bowl, whisk oil, vanilla, maple syrup and carrots.

5.  Fold dry ingredients into wet. Divide batter into 12 muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool a minute or two before transferring muffins to a wire rack.

Raw Sunflower Protein Bites

These were created on a whim when I wanted "dessert" yet needed a little protein post-trail run.
Simple and fast, almost anything can be thrown into the food processor with enough delicious sunflower seed butter and banana and still taste good.  (I have yet to make a raw bean cookie; I'll let you know how that turns out).

I popped these into the freezer to firm up before eating; you can remove them right away and enjoy as is or roll them in additional cacao powder for a prettier and more nutritional snack.

Raw Sunflower Protein Bites

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1 tablespoon sunflower seed butter
1/2 of a banana
1/2 tablespoon raw cacao powder
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2-4 tablespoons water or nondairy coconut milk as needed

Direction:

1.  Food process sunflower seeds and chia seeds until coarsely ground.  Add in sunflower seed butter, 1/4 to 1/2 of a banana, coconut, splash of water or nondairy milk, vanilla, and cacao.

2.  Roll into little balls and freeze for at least an hour to firm.