I must confess: I'm a really good procrastinator. For the last couple of days, I have been working at home to concentrate on writing an intense feature article for work. My brain hurts, and my dark, unlit kitchen is lonely and is calling my name. I can't bare it anymore.

But what kind of creation is worth the time I will be taking away from my precious work? Delectable raw sandwich cookies, that's what. Oh, yes.


In the time it takes to change the laundry, check the mail or have a shower (scratch that...I'm still in my pajamas), I threw together a few key ingredients in the food processor and now I'm listening to the hum of my dehydrator doing the rest of the work as I continue clicking away at my article. Four hours later, my kitchen is satisfied and so am I.


Raw chocolate + peanut butter sandwich cookies
For the cookies:
2 cups raw oats
1/2 cup raw cacao powder
2 tbsp coconut butter
1/2 cup raw agave nectar

1. Place the oats in a food processor and process into flour. Add cacao powder and pulse to combine.
2. Add the coconut butter and agave nectar and process until well combined.
3. Roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thickness in between two pieces of parchment paper.
4. Cut out cookies using a round cookie cutter and transfer them to a dehyrdrator tray.
5. Dehydrate at 115 degrees for about 4 hours, or until dry but not brittle.

For the filling:
1 cup peanuts, soaked for 1 hour
2 tbsp raw agave nectar
2 tbsp raw almond butter
1 tbsp coconut butter
1 tbsp water (optional)

1. Drain and rinse the peanuts and process them in a food processor until crumbly.
2. Add the agave nectar, almond butter and coconut butter and process to combine. It should be the consistency of thick peanut butter. If it seems too thick, add water and process until smooth.
3. Using an icing bag and a large, round tip, pipe the filling on half of the cookie batch and top each with another cookie. Store sandwich cookies in the fridge for up to one week.

I'm pleased to announce that I have completed my first Daring Bakers challenge! One of the reasons I started blogging is to challenge myself to be more adventurous and creative in the kitchen, and so I welcomed the idea of joining the Alternative Daring Bakers and indulging in ongoing challenges that would take me beyond my usual baking repertoire.


The September 2010 Daring Bakers challenge was hosted by Mandy of What the Fruitcake?! Mandy challenged everyone to make decorated sugar cookies based on recipes from Peggy Porschen and the Joy of Baking. I'm not a fan of sugar cookies at all–mostly because they don't contain one single healthful ingredient. And, they're just plain boring!
That being said, this month's challenge involved more than just a basic sugar cookie recipe. What intrigued me was the idea that, with just a little imagination, a simple sugar cookie can be transformed into a gorgeous bakery-style treat that is perfect for special occasions. It is definitely something I will keep on file for my Christmas gift baskets.

Since it's the beginning of autumn, the most gorgeous time of the year, I envisioned vibrant shades of red, orange and green that mark the transition from summer into winter. To spice up these autumn-style cookies, I also added a touch of freshly ground nutmeg and orange zest. My veganized versions of the recipes are adapted from one of my favourite books, The Joy of Vegan Baking. 


Vegan sugar cookies
1 cup unbleached flour
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup nondairy butter
3/4 cup Sucanat
1 1/2 tsp Ener-G egg replacer
2 tbsp water
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp fresh orange zest

1. Sift the flours and baking powder in a large bowl and set aside.
2. Grind the Sucanat briefly in a spice or coffee grinder. In a separate bowl, beat the Sucanat and vegan butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Add the egg replacer, water and vanilla and beat for another minute.
4. Add the flour mixture and beat until the dough is smooth.
5. Divide the dough into two flat disks and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour, until firm.
6. Roll out the dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. (I roll mine out between two pieces of parchment paper to prevent sticking.)
7. Cut out the cookies with cookie cutters and carefully transfer them to a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
8. Put the cookies in the fridge for 10 minutes before baking to help them keep their shape.
9. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes, or until they start to brown around the edges.
10. Cool on a wire rack and decorate with royal icing (recipe below).

Vegan royal icing
1/2 cup vegan powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp lemon juice
Food colouring (optional)
2 to 3 tsp nondairy milk

1. In a medium bowl, sift the powdered sugar and cornstarch together.
2. Stir in the lemon juice and optional food colouring.
3. Add nondairy milk 1 tsp at a time until the mixture becomes smooth.
4. Do the toothpick test to get the correct consistency: Drag a knife through the royal icing and count to 10. If the surface becomes smooth within 5 to 10 seconds, the icing is at the correct consistency. If not, add more powdered sugar or nondairy milk for desired results.
5. Decorate cookies as desired and let sit for several hours to dry. Store cookies in between pieces of parchment paper in a tightly-covered container for up to one week.

In case you haven't noticed by some of my recent posts (here and here), I've been on a bit of an apple craze lately. I blame it on the beautiful abundance of apples that I came across at a recent trip to a local market. As soon as I saw them, I immediately started visualizing new ways to use them in my baking to make the most of their great taste and juicy appeal.


One concept I came up with involved the use of apple butter, which is similar to applesauce but more concentrated in texture and flavour. It is produced by slow cooking apples and apple cider to the point where the sugar in the apples caramelizes, turning the apple butter a deep brown. Cinnamon or other spices are often added for extra flavour. I found a simple sugar-free recipe here, but you can also buy it commercially (Eden Organic apple butter is widely available in Toronto).

I also had a large supply of local, organic strawberries in my freezer (I tend to stock up on berries when they're in season), so I got into my mad scientist mode and went to work on creating a healthy new treat. After two interesting trials, I ended up with a sugar- and gluten-free treat that will most definitely please any sugar addict. The natural sweetness of strawberries and ripe bananas, combined with oats, almonds and spiced apple butter, make for one delicious evening treat–it's particularly good served with banana soft serve and sliced fruit. This became my second entry to the September SOS Kitchen Challenge, hosted by Ricki of Diet, Dessert and Dogs and Kim of Affairs of Living. 


Fruit 'n' oat squares
For the base and topping:
1 very ripe banana
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 cups rolled oats*
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp coconut oil, melted

Topping additions: 1/4 cup each rolled oats, unsweetened coconut flakes and chopped nuts

1. In a food processor, blend the banana and applesauce until smooth.
2. Add the oats, coconut, cinnamon and salt and blend to combine.
3. Add the coconut oil and nuts and pulse a few times to combine.
4. Press the batter evenly into the bottom of an oiled 8 x 8 inch square pan, reserving 1 cup of batter for the topping.
5. Put the remaining 1 cup of batter in a medium bowl and break it up into small chunks with a spoon or fork.
6. Mix in the additional topping ingredients (oats, coconut and nuts) to the batter. Set aside.

For the filling:
3 cups chopped strawberries, fresh or frozen
1/2 cup unsweetened apple butter
1/4 tsp each cinnamon and nutmeg (optional, if using plain apple butter)

1. Blend the strawberries, apple butter and optional spices in a food processor until smooth.
2. Spread the filling evenly over the oat base in the pan.
3. Drop small pieces of the topping over the fruit filling, spreading out evenly. Press down gently with the back of a spoon.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes or until golden brown.
5. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes before cutting into squares. Serve warm or at room temperature and store leftovers in the fridge.

*If you have celiac disease or a gluten intolerance, use oats that are labeled as gluten-free, like Bob's Red Mill. Oats don't naturally contain gluten, but commercial brands can be contaminated by contact with grains that do.

If you think about it, lemons are an amazing fruit. They are always available (despite not being local, unfortunately), reasonably priced, long-lasting, vibrant and beautiful. They are just as useful in cooking as in baking, and they have an outside peel and inside juice that are equally useful. Lemons are also used as a natural stain remover, a household cleaner, and a remedy for sore throats, upset stomachs, asthma and even rheumatism. At work, I often sip on a mug of warm water with fresh lemon juice, which is known to have a number of health benefits, including eliminating toxins from the body.


 In my kitchen, lemony desserts are always welcome, no matter what time of year it is. There's something about that fresh citrus fruit that is just as refreshing on a hot summer day as it is after a warm winter meal.  My most trusted lemon recipe comes in the form of muffins that are full of vibrant, fresh lemon and crunchy poppy seeds. I reduced the sugar significantly from my original test recipe, and when I took them to work the next day, they were a hit. They stay moist for several days and also freeze well, so feel free to double the recipe and freeze them for morning snacks or unexpected company.


2 cups spelt flour
1/2 cup Sucanat
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup poppy seeds
zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup nondairy milk
1/4 cup sunflower or canola oil
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. Grind the Sucanat briefly in a spice or coffee grinder. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the spelt flour, Sucanat, baking powder, baking soda, salt, poppy seeds and lemon zest.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, nondairy milk, oil and vanilla extract.
3. Pour the liquid mixture into the dry mixture and mix just until no large clumps remain. Don't overmix.
4. Spoon the batter into an oiled muffin pan, filling each muffin cup almost to the top. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar or Sucanat if desired.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

It's that time again! This month's SOS Kitchen Challenge features one of my favourite fall foods–a fruit that is delicious, nutritious and has more varieties than I count–apples!

Hosted by Ricki of Diet, Dessert and Dogs and Kim of Affairs of Living, the SOS challenge invites bloggers to create new recipes based on one key ingredient. But there are requirements: it has to be vegan and contain only natural, whole foods and no refined sugars.

There are a million and one things that can be done with apples, but since this is a baking blog, what other than a sweet apple treat?  My mini doughnut pans have been feeling quite neglected lately, so I decided to come up with a healthier version of traditional deep-fried apple cider doughnuts. These mini treats have a light, cakey consistency and highlight the flavours of fall–cinnamon, nutmeg and apple cider–much like the cider doughnuts that are sold at local cider mills as part of the annual harvest tradition. Break out the cider and enjoy!

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/3 cup Sucanat
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup apple cider
1 tbsp sunflower or canola oil
2 tbsp nondairy milk
1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
2. Grind the Sucanat briefly in a spice or coffee grinder. In a separate bowl, whisk together the Sucanat, maple syrup, applesauce, apple cider, oil, nondairy milk and vinegar.
3. Slowly add the flour mixture to the liquid mixture and mix until no large lumps remain. Be careful not to overmix.

When the weather starts to cool down, much like this past week, I start craving my favourite cold-weather treat: a warm chai latte with almond milk and cinnamon. And nothing complements a steaming cup of joe like a delicious wedge of cinnamon spice crumble cake. This recipe is reminiscent of a coffee shop classic scented with cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg, but I kicked it up a notch by garnishing each slice with tart Granny Smith apples that have been roasted to caramelized perfection. This cake has a great crumb and is not too sweet, so if you prefer to go with sweeter apples, substitute two Fuji apples, which deliver a fragrant bonus and add a noticeable depth of flavour.

This will most definitely make you the star of your next Sunday brunch. Enjoy!



For the crumble topping:
1/4 cup spelt flour
1/4 cup Sucanat
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of sea salt
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
2 tbsp sunflower or canola oil

1. Whisk together the flour, Sucanat, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl. Stir in the walnuts and oil and set aside.
 
For the cake:
1/4 cup nondairy milk
1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 cup + 2 tbsp spelt flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup Sucanat
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup sunflower or canola oil
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 tbsp ground flax + 1 tbsp water
1 tsp vanilla

1. Whisk the soymilk and vinegar in a small bowl and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the spelt flour, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
3. Grind the Sucanat briefly in a spice or coffee grinder. In a separate bowl, whisk together the ground Sucanat, maple syrup, oil, applesauce and vanilla, and then add the soymilk mixture.
4. Whisk the flax and water separately until foamy and then add to the liquid mixture above. Finally, add the flour mixture and mix until just combined.
5. Pour the cake batter into an oiled 7-inch springform pan. Crumble topping evenly over the cake batter.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool completely before serving. Garnish each piece with a spoonful of roasted apples (recipe below) and drizzle with 1 tsp of maple syrup.


Roasted apples
4 small Granny Smith apples
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup agave nectar
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1. Peel, core and dice the apples into 1-inch cubes.
2. In a medium bowl, toss together the apples, cinnamon, agave nectar and lemon juice until the apples are completely coated.
3. Spread the mixture on a parchment lined baking pan. Bake the apples at 350 degrees on the center rack for 30 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through. Cool completely. Roasted apples can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.

Raw foods are a growing trend these days, and I've been having a lot of fun with the new concept of germinating, sprouting, processing and dehyrating. It seems raw foods are mainly a focus for the health-conscious crowd and more open-minded foodies, but for me, it's also a way to learn a new and fascinating approach to vegan dessert-making. It certainly has opened up a whole new world of ingredients and processes that are unlike anything I have tried before. After years of practising precision and care required to bake deliciously moist vegan cupcakes and flaky pie crusts, I have realized a handful of this and a dash of that can take my desserts to a whole new level–and without even turning on the oven.


When my sister came to visit a few weeks ago, she brought the perfect gift for a newbie raw foodie: a dehydrator! I went to work on a new batch of goodies, which required some prep time–germinating walnuts and almonds for several hours and sprouting buckwheat and sunflower seeds for about three days. But when all is said and done, it was just a matter of throwing the ingredients into a food processor and then placing them on the teflex sheets of my dehyrator. By the time I came home from work the next day, I had a beautiful assortment of healthy snacks just waiting to be gobbled up.

The goodies included raw granola made of buckwheat and sunflower sprouts, pumpkin and poppy seeds, apricots, dates, bananas, currants, lavender, ginger and cinnamon; soft banana bread chips made of almond flour, walnuts, dates, bananas and cinnamon; and rosemary crackers made of flax seeds, almonds and rosemary (to go with my homemade raw cilantro salsa).

For the filling:
3 cups cashews, soaked overnight
3 cups blueberries, picked over and rinsed
15 dates, soaked for 1 hour
juice of 1 lemon
seeds of 1 vanilla bean (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
2 tsp dried lavender (optional)
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup raw agave nectar
1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1 tbsp lecithin granules

1. Rinse cashews and dates and blend them in a food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients, except the coconut oil and lecithin granules, and blend until smooth. Finally, add the coconut oil and lecithin granules and blend to combine. Pour onto prepared crust and place in the freezer. 

For the crumb topping:
1/2 cup walnuts
1/4 cup dates
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup oat groats
1/8 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of sea salt

1. Chop the walnuts and dates briefly in a food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients and pulse lightly to combine. Crumble the topping evenly onto the cheesecake filling, pressing gently. Keep the cheesecake in the freezer until ready to serve.

Alisa has done it again. Just two weeks ago, she was compelled into action after seeing a "back to school" flyer from a local grocer that didn't advertise a single real-food item. She immediately put a call out to healthy food bloggers and cookbook authors to contribute recipes for an e-cookbook that focused on wholesome, family-friendly foods. This FREE e-cookbook was created to encourage whole foods living for families, while offering ample alternatives to prepackaged meals and snacks.


Within it, you will discover 125 healthy recipes and over 100 full-colour photos for quick breakfasts, on-the-go snacks and portable lunch items. Although the recipes are not entirely vegan, there are many choices and substitutions provided for anyone with dietary restrictions, including gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, raw and vegan. Because it is such a noble cause, I contributed my editing services for this book, so feel free to download it and get cooking!