Vegan Banana Breakfast Bar

As my daughter gets a little bit older, she's becoming super eager to help me out in the kitchen.

Her 'help' seems to involve dumping flour on the floor, eating chocolate chips by the handful, making cakes that are 1 part wood blocks to 2 parts fridge magnets and of course sampling anything I'm making by the fistful. 

Don't be fooled by those little fists.

A one year old can get a lot of cookie batter in there.

This breakfast bar (anything with oatmeal can be eaten for breakfast, right?) was a good little baking project for her and I.

The batter has no eggs (hello, it's vegan!) so I really didn't mind if she sampled. 

And then sampled again. And again.

And then just took a spoon and shoveled it in, all the while screaming ''MINE!!! MINE!!! MINE!!!!!".

I'd like to say I'm kidding but that is pretty much how it played out.

This is super easy to make and a tasty grab and go.

You can switch up the cranberries for different dried fruits and the chocolate chips for nuts. 

If you're feeling brave and like you want to spend some extra time cleaning the kitchen.... let little hands get involved by squishing the banana, adding in the dry ingredients and mixing.

(But don't say I didn't warn you.)

Vegan Banana Breakfast Bars

Makes: about 9 bars

Adapted from: Eat, Live, Run

1 very ripe banana

1/3 cup canola oil

2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

2/3 cup dried cranberries

2/3 cup dark (pure) chocolate chips

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 cups quick cooking oats (or old fashioned oats pulsed in a food processor for a few moments)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, mash the banana with a fork and then add the canola oil and brown sugar. Mix well until there are no sugar lumps left.

In another (smaller) bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and oats. Mix into wet ingredients and add cranberries and chocolate chips.

Pat batter down into a greased square 8-inch pan. Bake for 25 minutes, or until edges are golden. Let cool before cutting into squares.

German Chocolate Cake Cookies

Do I really need to discuss the merit of joining german chocolate cake and cookies into one glorious baked treat?

Does not the name say it all?

German. Chocolate. Cake. Cookies.

Is this something you think you can handle?

I barely could.

Pecans, brown sugar and coconut on top of a chocolate cookie.

I'm not sure that it gets better than this.

Bake a batch of these and share them with a friend.... just don't skimp on the frosting or you might lose that friend.

German Chocolate Cake Cookies

Source: Peach Cobbler Murder by Joanne Fluke

Cookie Dough:

1 cup butter

1 cup milk chocolate chips

2 cups white sugar

2 eggs

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla

3 cups flour

Frosting:

½ cup packed brown sugar

¾ cup packed shredded coconut

½ cup chopped pecans

¼ cup chilled butter, cut into 4 pieces

2 egg yolks

Directions:

1. Use a doubler boiler or your microwave to melt together the chocolate chips and butter.

2. In a seperate bowl, beat together the white sugar and eggs until well mixed and smooth. Slowly add the cooled chocolate mixture and continue to beat. Add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, vanilla and flour. Mix well. Cover the dough and set aside.

3. In a food processor, chop up the brown sugar and coconut until the coconut is very fine. Add the pecans a butter. Process until the butter is in small bits. Add the egg yolks and continue to process until completely incorporated. Transfer to a small bowl and refrigerate the frosting.

4. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Once the oven is heated, pat the cookie dough into 1'' balls. Place the balls on a greased cookie sheet (leave lots of room for spreading). Press down in the center of each ball to make a deep indentation.

5. Pat the chilled frosting into ½" balls and place in the indentations. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack and allow them to completely cool before enjoying.

Kitchen Sink Cookies

These cookies have a little bit of everything in them.

Dried cranberries, toasted pecans, oats and chocolate chips.

Normally, I'm just a straight-up, no frills chocolate chip cookie kind of girl but occasionally, very occasionally, I get a hankering for something a little bit more interesting.

Given that yesterday the skies decided to open up and release an ocean of rain on Revelstoke, it seemed like a good day to turn on the oven to restock my cookie supply. 

Yes, I am amply supplied with cookies at all times. 

I had seen a recipe for John's Kitchen Sink Cookies from Martha Stewart that piqued my interest but when I checked it out it had corn syrup in it. I don't know why but it doesn't seem right to put corn syrup in cookies so instead, I settled on this recipe from the Food Network magazine and made a few changes (as always).

Make these with whatever's in your cupboard, raisins, toffee chips, butterscotch chips, coconut, you name it! Sandwich them between vanilla ice cream for a quick and delicious summer dessert.

Kitchen Sink Cookies

Makes about 20

Adapted from the Food Network

¾ cup flour

½ cup brown sugar

¼ cup white sugar

½ tsp baking soda

pinch of salt 

½ cup butter

1 egg

1 ½ cup rolled oats

½ cup dried cranberries

½ cup toasted, chopped pecans

½ cup chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.

2. In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda and salt. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and light brown, dark brown and granulated sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix on low speed until incorporated. Slowly add the flour mixture, oats, dried cranberries, pecans and chocolate chips and mix until combined.

3. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. With wet hands, make 20 balls from the dough and put on the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Press down on the dough balls with the palm of your hand to make flat circles.

4. Bake the cookies until golden and still a bit tender in the center, 15 to 17 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit on the baking sheets for 1 minute, then transfer the cookies to a rack to cool completely.

Black Forest Cookies

My jeans have been mysteriously shrinking in the wash.

I refuse to believe it has anything to do with these cookies.

Or the 40 peanut butter cups I ate last week.

You think I'm joking or exaggerating but I'm not.

I have a chocolate and peanut butter addiction.

 It can not be cured.

 I just accept it and try to live my life the best I can.

I made these cookies to try to get myself off 'the cups'.

It worked for about 5 minutes. 

Then I ran out of cookies.

Next time I'll be sure to make a double batch.

Black Forest Cookies

Makes: about 36

Source: Martha Stewart

• 1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup packed dark-brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 package (about 12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chunks
• 1 1/2 cups dried cherries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder; and salt; set aside.
2. Place chopped chocolate and butter in a large heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water; stir until melted and smooth. Remove from heat; whisk in sugars, then eggs, until smooth.
3. Whisk in dry ingredients just until combined (do not overmix). Fold in chocolate chunks and dried cherries; press plastic wrap directly onto surface of dough, and refrigerate until firm, 30 to 45 minutes.
4. Drop mounds of dough (equal to 2 level tablespoons) about 2 inches apart onto prepared sheets. Bake just until edges are firm (but not darkening), 11 to 13 minutes. Cool on baking sheets 1 to 2 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cookies and Cream Square

We're gonna make some magic with 3 simple ingredients.

Oreos, butter, marshmallows.

Oh yeah, you know what we're gonna do.

Marshmallow meet Oreo.
Oreo meet Marshmallow.
You two are going to make some beautiful babies.

If this marriage doesn't sound like heaven to you, you need to walk away, walk away right now and don't come back until you've thought long and hard about what's really important in this life.

I made up a batch of these babies for my lil' bro and my hubby.

Then all this chewy goodness went straight in my belly.

When you make something for someone you don't have to actually give it to them.

It's the thought that counts, right? 

That's a good rule. 

Feel free to use it. 

You can thank me while you're eating chunks of this scrumdillyumcious no-bake bar and thinking about who would love them.

Cookies and Cream Square

Makes about 15 bars

Source: Picky Palate

1 box (350g) Oreo Cookies

¼ cup Butter

5 cups Large Marshmallows

Directions:

1. Place Oreos in a food processor and pulse until ground. 

2.Melt together marshmallows and butter in the microwave until puffed and melty, about 1 ½ to 2 minutes. Add ground Oreos to the marshmallows and stir until combined. Pour into a greased 8'' x 8'' square baking dish and smooth out the top. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes or until firm. Cut into bars. 

Linked to: Sweets for a Saturday

Oreo Cheesecake Cookie

I've been able to think of nothing else since I saw this recipe.

Seriously, who wouldn't be obsessed with making a recipe that has Oreo and cheesecake in the title? (Hannah - you know what I'm talking about!)

These weren't quite as cream cheesy as I'd hoped but they were still pretty darn delicious. Given that the dough is eggless, I had a really hard time not eating it by the spoonful. 

Actually, I sort of gave in and did eat it by the spoonful.

If you love Oreo's and cheesecake you might just want to drop everything and make these right now.

Oreo Cheesecake Cookies
Makes:
Slightly Adapted from Multiply Delicious

½ cup butter, softened
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
½ cup mini chocolate chips
1 cup oreo cookie crumbs (about 8 cookies crushed up)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together butter and cream cheese using a hand mixer until well combined.
3. Add the sugar and vanilla and continue mixing until well combined. Add the flour and mix on low speed until incorporated. Stir in mini chocolate chips.
4. Scoop the dough into 1'' balls and roll in cookie crumbs until completely covered. Place the covered cookie dough balls on the baking sheets and bake for 12 - 15 minutes or until cookies are golden and slightly puffed.
5. Cool on the baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack.

Linked to: Sweets for a Saturday

Frosted B-raw-nies

I couldn't turn on my shower for 3 days. 

It was not a good situation.

I had to use dry shampoo (not dried out shampoo) and I didn't work very well.
I don't recommend it.
Just get your shower fixed if it's broken.
And use wet shampoo.
Always use wet shampoo.

In other news, I made these b-raw-nies. 

Do you get it?

Aren't I clever?

They're a raw brownie. Oh, and they're gluten free.

Don't worry though, they don't have raw eggs in them. 

They're really just ground up dates and stuff.

And they'll rock your world.

Believe me and trust me about the wet shampoo.

Frosted B-raw-nies

Makes: about 12 small pieces

Source: The Rawtarian

For the brownies:

1 cup walnuts

1 cup dates

5 tbsp raw cacao powder (or regular cocoa powder)

4 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut

2 tbsp honey or agave nectar

¼ tsp sea salt

For the frosting:

1 cup dates

¼ cup coconut butter (or cold expelled coconut oil)

¼ cup raw cacao powder (or regular cocoa powder)

¾ cup water

Directions:

1. Process walnuts in the food processor until small and crumbly. Add dates and continue processing until finely ground and mixture sticks together. Add the remaining brownie ingredients and process again until chocolatey brown and only small bits remain. (Don't over process or it'll turn buttery.)

2. Dump mixture into a small cake pan or loaf pan. Smooth out with a spatula and place in the refrigerator. Meanwhile prepare the frosting. 

3. Place all the frosting ingredients in a blender a let sit for about 15 minutes to allow the dates to soften. Turn on the blender on low and gradually increase the speed until the frosting is smooth.

4. Spread over the brownies and refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm.

Linked to: April in the Raw

Brownie Lava Cake

I was needing a chocolate fix the other day and I came up with this recipe.

" 'Cause I've got a Golden Ticket, I've got a golden....."

I'm not gonna lie to ya, this was supposed to be just brownies.

 I got a little carried away with the chocolate and made it into a lava cake.

It was the best 'mistake' I've made all week  year.

Not like when I decided to order a Vanilla Matcha Mocha.

Word to the wise:

vanilla +green tea+chocolate+espresso

is

too much to stomach in one cup.

Please believe me.

You'd think all this chocolate would be too much to stomach.
But no.
It's not.
Too much and chocolate don't even belong in the same sentence.

Chocolate and more belong in the same sentence.

More chocolate, please.

Brownie Lava Cake

Serves: 6

(Original recipe)

½ cup butter

300 g good quality dark chocolate, finely chopped

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 cup flour

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp instant coffee

1 tbsp heavy cream, warm

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.  In a microwave safe bowl, melt together 100 grams of chocolate and the butter. Stir together until completely combined.

2. Pour chocolate mixture into a mixing bowl and beat on low speed for about 1 minute. Add sugar and vanilla and increase speed to medium and beat until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time until well mixed.

3. Dissolve the instant coffee in the warm cream and add to the mixing bowl. Add flour and stir until just combined. Fold in the rest of the chopped chocolate (200g).

3. Pour mixture into a greased 8'' x 8'' square pan or 6 ramekins. Bake for 40 - 45 minutes (for the square pan) or until the top of the cake has turned crisp and dry. The inside will be very gooey and seem under cooked. Serve warm topped with ice cream or whipped cream. As the lava cake cools it will harden on the inside. Reheat in the oven for a few minutes to make it gooey again.

Linked to: Sweets for a Saturday

Whole Wheat Double Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins

I know, I know, this is my second pumpkin recipe this week.

There's no real reason for it except that I have a ton of pumpkin in my freezer; so why not use it? (that's actually a statement and not a question).

These muffins are a bit on the dry side because of the whole wheat flour. They're not saw dust dry, they're more like could use a bit o' butter dry. If you feel like experimenting with the recipe you could always add some more pumpkin for some extra moisture. I personally wouldn't change them though. I love the whole grainy goodness mixed with chocolate that kind of thing is right up my alley.

Whole Wheat Double Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins

Makes: 14

Adapted from Good Life Eats

2 ⅓ cups whole wheat flour (I used spelt)

⅔ cup sugar

⅔ cup cocoa powder

2 tbsp flax meal

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

1 ¼ cup pumpkin puree

⅔ cup plain yogurt

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ cup melted butter, cooled to room temperature

¾ cup dark chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375F. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, sugar, cocoa, flax, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.

2. In another medium bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, yogurt, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk until combined. Stir in the butter.

3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined. Then, stir in the chocolate chips, reserving about 1/4 cup or so for sprinkling on top of the muffins.

4. Grease 24 standard sized muffins cups. Using a large cookie scoop, fill your muffin tins. Each muffin cup should hold about 3 tablespoons of batter. Sprinkle remaining chocolate chips on top. 

Bake for 17-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then remove and cool on a wire rack (or eat).


Linked to: Seasonal Sundays
                Sweets for a Saturday

Cinnamon Hot Chocolate

'Cause baby, 

it's cold outside.

Cinnamon Hot Chocolate

Serves: 2

2 tbsp good quality cocoa powder

3 tbsp confectioner's sugar

2 cups milk 

½ tsp cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick

To garnish (optional):

whipped cream, cinnamon stick, cinnamon hearts 

Directions:

1. Heat milk on medium low until small bubbles start to form on the surface (if using a cinnamon stick take off heat and steep for about 10 minutes or until milk reaches desired strength and return to heat). Whisk in cocoa powder, cinnamon and sugar until dissolved. Allow milk to boil just for a second (you heard me..... it makes it creamier). Garnish with whipped cream and ground cinnamon and enjoy with the one you love.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

So this is what was happening post cookie making:

"Why, hello, babycakes."

"Oh, you're coming to see me?"

"I'm just going to take this quick photo"

"How did that hand get there?"

"I didn't know you could crawl up on the chair".

"Ahh... put that down. That cookie's almost as big as you!"

I can't really blame her. 

They're chocolate chip cookies. 

Crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside.

Gooey.

 Chocolate chip. 

Cookies.

Are you drooling? I am.

Because these are best eaten warm from the oven (duh), I weighed out the dough in 2oz balls and froze them so I could just bake a few at a time. (Thus I could avoid eating the whole batch in one sitting.)

Speaking of which, I'm going to go bake some up right now.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes: 20 

Adapted from Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drives.

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 ¾ cup all purpose flour

½ tsp fine sea salt

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp baking soda

1 ½ cups good quality chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream together butter and both sugars until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add eggs one at a time and vanilla, beat until incorporated. 

2. Add flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda and mix until just combined. Gently stir in chocolate chips. Weigh out dough into 2 oz portions. Gently roll into a ball.

3. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment (or greased) and bake for 19 minutes. (That amount of time was perfect in my oven: golden on the outside, gooey on the inside. You may need to adjust the baking time for your oven, just be careful not to over bake.)

Linked to: Sweets for a Saturday