Blissful Bites (52 page)

1 teaspoon arrowroot

¹
⁄
₂
cup vegan grain-sweetened chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. In medium mixing bowl, beat margarine, maple syrup, and applesauce until smooth and creamy. Add the rest of wet ingredients and mix well. In separate bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder and soda, flax, salt, and arrowroot. Mix wet into dry ingredients until well combined. Fold in chocolate chips and stir well.

Drop spoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheet. Using wet fingertips or the bottom of a glass, press down each cookie evenly (continue to dip fingers or glass in water to prevent sticking). The cookies will not spread much, so you can put them close together on the cookie sheet. Take a fork and press lightly on the top in two directions, to create a grid on top of the cookie. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool cookies on a wire rack.

• Makes about 2 dozen cookies

Many gluten-free cookies tend to be dry, but these have a nice rich taste and texture without much oil. These are a big hit for my clients looking for a healthy, tasty, gluten-free treat. Depending on how long your flour has been sitting out, the mixture may be too wet and you may need to add a touch more flour. You want the dough to be solid and not sticking all over your hands.

1 cup almond flour

2 cups brown rice flour

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon sea salt

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon baking soda

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

1 tablespoon vanilla flavoring

¹
⁄
₄
cup safflower oil

¹
⁄
₄
cup unsweetened applesauce

¹
⁄
₂
cup coconut palm sugar

1 tablespoon flax meal, whisked together with 3 tablespoons water

¹
⁄
₂
cup grain-sweetened chocolate chips

Combine the first four ingredients plus cinnamon, if using, in a medium bowl. Whisk together the remaining ingredients, except chocolate chips, in a small bowl until well combined. Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Fold in chocolate chips. The batter may seem dry, so use your hands to make sure the dough is well mixed. Let sit in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place one-inch balls of dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet about two inches apart from each other. Wet the bottom of a glass and press down the balls of dough gently, or use wet fingertips. Bake about 10 minutes, until tops are golden brown. Let cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

• Makes 6 to 8 servings

You'll find that this is the easiest pie crust to make, with a nice delicate crumb. You can use whatever fruit is in season, so enjoy it year-round!

pear pie filling

4 D'Anjou pears (or any fruit), cored and sliced

¹
⁄
₂
cup raisins

1 cup apple juice

Dash cinnamon

Dash nutmeg

Pinch sea salt

1 tablespoon arrowroot, dissolved in 3 tablespoons water

flaky pie crust

3 cups whole-wheat pastry flour

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon sea salt

¹
⁄
₂
cup plus 2 tablespoons oil

¹
⁄
₂
cup water

Place all filling ingredients but arrowroot in small saucepan. Bring to boil and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes or until pears are cooked. Turn off flame. Dissolve arrowroot in water and stir until no lumps remain. Stir arrowroot into pears until well coated.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Meanwhile, make the pie crust by placing the flour and salt in a medium bowl. Slowly add in the oil while stirring with a fork. You should get little beads of flour. Stir in water and knead with hands until the dough forms a ball. Roll out on parchment paper in a thin circle about two inches thick and 10 inches in diameter. Place pie pan on top of dough and gracefully flip dough and parchment over. Remove parchment and press dough into pie pan. Prick dough a few times with a fork and bake for 15 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Pour pear mixture into pie pan and use the leftover dough to make a lattice or another design on top. Bake for 15 minutes.
 

When you sit down for lunch or dinner, show gratitude for the meal you are about to eat. Show appreciation for the many people that took part in getting that food to your plate: the person who planted the seeds, drove the produce to the store, and the person who stocked the shelf. Even give thanks to those who crafted the chopsticks or silverware, and the plate you are eating on!

• Makes 9 servings

I haven't had coffee cake in ages because it's typically full of oil and sugar. So I chose to make my own with coconut oil and applesauce to reduce the oil greatly. This makes the cake so moist and delicious! You could try to go sans oil in the cake part and add more applesauce.

topping

³
⁄
₄
cup barley flour

¹
⁄
₂
cup coconut palm sugar

2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup pear, small cubes

cake

1 cup barley flour

¹
⁄
₂
cup brown rice flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon flax meal

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon sea salt

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon cinnamon

¹
⁄
₄
cup coconut oil, melted

³
⁄
₄
cup coconut palm sugar

¹
⁄
₂
cup applesauce

2 teaspoons almond extract

¹
⁄
₂
cup rice milk mixed with 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

Prepare topping by mixing together all the ingredients, except pear, until well combined (I like to use my hands for this). The texture will be crumbly and dry. Stir in pear and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. For the cake, whisk together first six ingredients in a medium bowl. In another bowl whisk together the coconut oil and sugar. Stir in the rest of the wet ingredients until well combined. Fold in wet to dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Pour in lightly oiled 8x8 baking dish (or similar size). Sprinkle topping mixture evenly over the top of the cake and gently press in. Bake uncovered for one hour. Test with a toothpick and if it comes out clean the cake is done.

pear-almond coffee cake

• Makes 4 to 6 servings

This is a healthy yet tasty dessert that is great on a cold night. Ginger is great for warming you up, and when paired with coconut, it makes a rich, soothing treat.

1 cup long-grain brown rice, washed

Pinch sea salt

2
¹
⁄
₂
cups filtered water

1 can (13
¹
⁄
₂
ounces) light coconut milk

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced

¹
⁄
₄
cup maple syrup, or more to taste

¹
⁄
₃
cup raisins

Dash cinnamon

Shredded coconut, for garnish

pressure cooking method

Place all ingredients except cinnamon in a pressure cooker. Lock lid and bring to pressure over medium flame. When up to pressure, cook for 30 to 40 minutes. Turn off flame, let it come down from pressure, open, and stir in cinnamon. Garnish with coconut.

boiling method

Place all ingredients except cinnamon in a medium pot and bring to a boil. Simmer, covered, for 30 to 40 minutes, or until rice is cooked but not dried out. Stir in cinnamon. Garnish with coconut.
 

• Makes 9 servings

You will not believe that this dessert has no oil! It's so rich, delicious, and moist that you would never guess that it's good for you. The chocolate chips are optional, but I think they are perfectly paired with the pumpkin flavors of this holiday time bread.

Oil, for baking dish

1 cup brown rice flour

1
¹
⁄
₄
cup barley flour (spelt or other whole-grain flour is fine)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons pumpkin spice mix

1
¹
⁄
₂
cup coconut palm sugar

3 tablespoons unsweetened plain soy yogurt

1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin

¹
⁄
₄
cup unsweetened applesauce

2 teaspoons vanilla flavoring

¹
⁄
₂
cup vegan grain-sweetened chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Whisk together first six dry ingredients in a medium bowl. In another bowl whisk together the rest of the ingredients except chocolate chips. Fold in wet to dry ingredients and mix until well combined. If using chocolate chips fold them into the batter. Pour into lightly oiled 8x8 baking dish and smooth over the top. Bake for 60 minutes. Test with a toothpick and if it comes out clean the bread is done.
 

pumpkin hot chocolate

• Makes 2 servings