Bakery-style Chocolate Chip Cookies - free of the top 8 allergens

If you have followed Get Allergy Wise for awhile, you know that most of my recipes are adaptations of preexisting recipes.  I definitely need other recipes as road maps and realize how lucky I am to be able to search the web to find much of what I am looking for.  Recently acquired some parsnips but never cooked with them?  Search for recipes on the internet!  Only have carrots, onions, salsa, and a bag of rice in your cupboards?  Get meal ideas on the internet!  Seriously, we are spoiled with convenient, expansive information these days.

Despite the internet's bottomless pit of great recipes, I am still a fiddler by nature.  I can't help but play around with recipes -- sometimes a little and sometimes a lot -- to fit the needs of my milk-allergic, nut-allergic kids or to lower the sugar content, or to fulfill our family's lifestyle choice of eating more plants and less meat.

So it says a lot (and is pretty rare) when I do *not* find a thing to change about a recipe.  One such recipe is vegan author Dreena Burton's recipe for homestyle chocolate chip cookies.  The recipe is a favorite cookie recipe of mine.  When I first discovered it online two years ago, I think I made batches of it for three months straight, I was that addicted.  I love that the cookie uses oil rather than vegan margarine or shortening and also uses a good amount of maple syrup as the main sweetener.  Even Dreena's estimated bake time (11 minutes) was exactly right for my oven.  Okay, the one thing I did change was that I omit the molasses but that is because I never have any on hand.  Besides that, I couldn't find anything to change about this recipe!

I love Dreena's chocolate chip cookies but the tinkerer in me was curious.  I wondered if I might be able to do something about the wheat-based flour that the original recipe calls for.  Could I replace the flour with something that would be safe for those who are allergic to wheat or gluten-intolerant? 

I've tried the popular gluten-free flour blend of brown rice flour, potato starch, and tapioca starch.  But I seized the opportunity to go off the beaten GF trail and combine some flour alternatives that have accumulated in my pantry, flours that I must have bought after seeing recipes that I wanted to try but sadly haven't gotten to yet.  I opted for a more protein-rich mix of garbanzo flour (boy, I have a lot of that around!), potato starch, and quinoa flour.


The cookies turned out delicious!  Texture-wise and tastewise, they were very similar to the original recipe.  These cookies were able to attain a more golden brown color than when I make the original homestyle cookies.  (Perhaps the molasses that I always omit usually helps with browning?)  I think the quinoa flour adds a slight nutty flavor but this works fine with the chocolate.  And I don't know why, but big chocolate chunks elevates these cookies to another level.

Bakery-style Chocolate Chip Cookies - free of the top 8 allergens
Adapted from Dreena Burton's homestyle chocolate chip cookie recipe featured on her Vive La Vegan! blog and cookbook of the same name

Dry ingredients:
1 cup garbanzo flour
1/2 cup quinoa flour
1/2 cup potato starch
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup turbinado "raw" sugar

Wet ingredients:
1/2 cup oil
2/3 cup maple syrup
1 Tbsp vanilla extract

1 cup Enjoy Life mega chocolate chunks or 1 cup of safe chocolate, coarsely chopped
Extra sea salt (flakes are great) for sprinkling, optional

1. Preheat 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Grease or line 2 cookie sheets with aluminum foil.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients.  Make sure any clumps of flour or starch are broken up to ensure even mixing.
3. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients.  Pour oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract into the well and mix the wet ingredients together.
4. Gradually combine wet and dry ingredients, stirring through the dough so that there are no pockets of dry ingredients left.  The dough will be a little thin, not as sticky and thick as a typical gluten-full cookie mix.  Then stir in chocolate chunks. 
   
5. Spoon out 1 to 1.5-inch balls of cookie dough on cookie sheet. Sprinkle with additional sea salt flakes if you so desire.  Leave 2 inches of space between each cookie -- these cookies do spread quite a bit!
6. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-12 minutes or until cookies begin to turn golden.  Promptly remove from oven and let cool.

I find these vegan chocolate chip cookies -- Dreena's original or this gluten-free alternative -- very easy to prepare.  We are planning to do some cookie sales this summer to raise funds for the FARE Walk for Food Allergy.   Adding chocolate chunks versus chips is a fun touch to look more professional.

Baking Therapy--Chewy Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies: No dairy, egg, or nuts

I apologize for how quiet it's been around here.  May means both days and evenings are packed with various end-of-the-year activities and events that are fun and exhausting.  So even though it feels quiet out there, there's plenty going on around here.

Logan is finishing up his soccer season, Tristan is knee-deep into Little League playoffs, the kids are preparing for final rehearsals for their annual dance recital, and I am busy shuttling them around to all of these things.  I am looking forward to lazy summer beach and playground days, trips to the library and museum, and picnics and bike rides in the park; but before the reprieve of summer, there's still so much to do!

A few days ago, I was up all night with a migraine.  My headaches are the one thing that can slow me down.  My body is telling me to drink more water, eat regularly, get more sleep, and reduce the stress!  As moms, we know we frequently become last priority.  So the next day, I headed to the gym, then came home and decided to leave the messy house and piles of laundry alone--some baking therapy was what I needed!

I am always looking for a new and easy chocolate dessert recipe.  I love cookies in particular because they are easy to transport, package, and eat without too much fuss (if you have a four-year-old who only likes the frosting off of cupcakes, and two boys who don't like frosting at all, you know what I'm talking about).  They are perfect for bake sales, teacher's gifts, and cookie jar fillers.  And who doesn't like a good chocolate chip cookie?  Especially when it's a chocolate chocolate chip cookie, free of dairy, egg, and nuts.

I modified this Chewy Double Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe from food.com to make it egg and dairy free.  I feel like it would do well with a gluten-free flour mix, too.  Now if you have been really good at watching your diet in the hopes that your tropical vacation in a couple of weeks will include something remotely resembling a bathing suit (ahem...), you might want to forgo baking these cookies.  They're incredibly addicting, especially for the chocoholic.

Chewy Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies-- NO EGG, NO DAIRY, NO NUTS modified from food.com's Chewy Double Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe

1-1/4 cups Earth Balance

2 cups sugar

2 egg equivalent of Ener-G Egg Replacer (1 T. Ener-G plus 4 T. warm water, whisked together in a small bowl)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups flour (or gluten-free flour substitute)

3/4 cup cocoa (I use Ghiradelli Unsweetened Cocoa)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups chocolate chips (I use Trader Joe's Semi-Sweet Chips.  Try Enjoy Life mini chips or mega chunks for a variation)

Directions

1.  Cream together Earth Balance and sugar.  Add 2-egg equivalent of Ener-G Egg Replacer and vanilla extract.

2.  Stir in cocoa, baking soda, and salt.

3.  Add the flour and fold in the chocolate chips.

4.  Bake at 350 on parchment lined baking sheet for 8 - 9 minutes.

Pepita Fudge - full of indulgence but free of the top 8 allergens

Mother's Day, Father's Day, Teacher Appreciation Week, the end of the school year...in spring there are many events when we celebrate and thank those who make a huge difference in the lives of our children.  I would love to pick out the perfect gifts that truly show how much I appreciate these special people in our lives but I seldom feel like I get it right.  (Oh, how I wish I could give and receive the gift of time!!)  What I have become accustomed to doing is giving a gift card and a homemade treat -- a way for the recipient to choose what is their perfect gift and a personal way for me to show some love.

Cookies are often my go-to gifts but sometimes it's nice to go a little different, a little more decadent.  And with the weather warming up in my part of the country in the 90s this week and last, it's nice to have a treat recipe that won't add 10 degrees on to an already sweltering kitchen.  I recently discovered a 5-minute vegan fudge recipe that fits the bill.   The recipe comes from Hannah Kaminsky, the amazingly talented (and young!) author of the dessert cookbook My Sweet Vegan.  It is a naturally dairy-free, egg-free, wheat-free, gluten-free recipe that I have adjusted to be free of soy, tree nuts, and peanuts as well!

My first batch of fudge using semisweet chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of pepitas

The recipe is so quick and easy, it almost feels like cheating!  As I am wont to do, I tweaked the recipe a bit to fit my tastes.  I cut down the sweetness by reducing the amount of powdered sugar.  I really wanted to decrease the sweetness even more but I know that a certain amount of powdered sugar is needed in order for the fudge to set properly.  In a second batch I substituted unsweetened baking chocolate for semisweet chocolate and sweetened cocoa -- sadly this is all I happened to have at the time -- with pretty good results.  It was hard to melt the baking chocolate and the fudge turned out a little softer but it still holds up pretty well.  I think unsweetened baking chocolate and a mix of unsweetened cocoa with a little bit more powdered sugar could work to achieve a less sweet, soft fudge but I am not positive.  I haven't tried it and we have quite a lot of fudge to get through before I'm ready to make a new batch!  (I will update this post once I try this but do let me know if you try it sooner!)  Instead of adding nuts to the fudge I added roasted pepitas, the edible part of pumpkin seeds. I like to include seeds to counter the sweetness and to add more texture to the fudge.

A perfect way to showcase your fudge and impress that special person in your life is to wrap the chocolates in a candy box.  I found cake slice boxes online at Amazon.com but you can also find them at your local crafts supply store.  Buy some mini-cupcake liners and some ribbon and you now have the makings of a fancy gift!

I thought about cutting the fudge into heart shapes but, really, why complicate things?  It's chocolate. C'mon.  We moms love delicious chocolate no matter what it looks like.  And, to dads who are braving the kitchen to make these treats: we moms will gladly take simple squares instead of an extra pile of cutters, knives, and dishes waiting by the sink to be washed.  (Of course, my husband would never do that to me...except for on Valentine's Day, oh maybe 15 years ago.)

Vegan fudge using 1/3 cup pepitas and baking chocolate instead of semisweet chips

Feel free to double this recipe for thicker chunks of fudge or triple it and pop it in a 13"x9" pan.

Chocolate Pepita Fudge
Adapted from Hannah Kaminsky's recipe from her vegan dessert book My Sweet Vegan

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups powdered sugar
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1/2 cup canned full-fat coconut milk
1 cup of dairy-free chocolate chips or 4 oz unsweetened baker's chocolate squares
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
dash of salt
1/3 to 1/2 cup roasted, unsalted pepitas

1. Whisk together cocoa powder, powdered sugar, chocolate chips (or baking chocolate) and dash of salt in a microwave-safe bowl.
2. In a separate small saucepan, cook coconut oil and coconut milk over low heat.  Stir to melt coconut oil.
3. When the mixture just begins to bubble (it takes just a minute or two), turn off heat and remove from burner.  
4. Add vanilla extract and a dash of salt to saucepan.
5. Add dry mixture to saucepan.  Stir until mixture is melted and smooth.  You may have to try heat the mixture more to melt the baking chocolate.
6. Stir in pepitas.  Then spread fudge in a greased or lined 8-inch square pan.  
7. Cool the fudge completely on counter top.  When it is cool, refrigerate fudge for several hours to set.   Makes approximately 3 dozen 3/8-inch squares of fudge.  
8. For thicker, roughly 3/4-inch fudge squares, simply double the recipe and set in an 8-inch square pan.

*If you are using unsweetened baker's chocolate in place of semisweet chocolate chips, you will need to add your baking squares with the coconut oil and coconut milk.  Heat mixture, stirring occasionally, until squares melt.

Raising kids -- especially kids with food allergies and other medical needs -- takes a village.  It is a weighty task that requires love, understanding, and patience.  No thank-you would be quite as powerful without the voices of our children to echo their appreciation for the work of their teachers, parents, caregivers, and advocates.  Be sure to allow time for your kids to make cards and pictures for that special person!  If your kids are feeling particularly inspired, check out some of our craft ideas for flowers, more flowers, cards, and flower cards.

Kale Mint Chip Ice Cream revisited -- dairy-free, soy-free goodness

St. Patrick's Day is this Sunday.  Do you celebrate it in a big or small way with your family?

My family has no Irish roots but we do use the holiday as a fun way to "get our green on".  I have been on a kale kick lately -- kale in our tacos, kale in our fried rice, kale in our pasta-- so I definitely want to make something with this vitamin-rich leafy green.

With warm temperatures arriving in our area, it was a great excuse to break out the ice cream maker.  I decided to revisit a kale mint chip ice cream recipe I had posted in 2011.  I love to tweak and remember having some issues with the texture of the frozen ice cream so I went right to tinkering with the original recipe.

I subbed in agave sweetener for the refined sugar so that I wouldn't need to heat the mix to dissolve table sugar.  I ended up reducing the amount of agave because it is sweeter than table sugar.  I omitted the extra oil that the original recipe called for since canned full-fat coconut milk provides enough fat to help with the creamy texture.  Adding arrowroot powder is absolutely key to getting a creamy texture.  It is expensive stuff but a little goes a long way -- the same bag of stuff will get you through many, many quarts of smooth ice cream, my friends.

I think it also helped tremendously to be working with a better blender (we have a Ninja) that could really grind up the kale leaves into tiny pieces.  The more the kale is ground up, the easier it is to hide any chewy leafiness among the mini chocolate chips!  And mini chips were much more appropriate in frozen dessert than regular-sized chips.  I love that Enjoy Life offers this size.

Kale Mint Chip - free of the top 8 allergens depending on the type of milk substitute you use

4 cups of packed curly kale leaves (stems removed), washed and dried
15 oz can of full-fat coconut milk
2 cups safe, milk substitute (I used almond milk but soy, rice, flax, or coconut milk should be fine)
1/3 cup agave sweetener
2 Tbsp arrowroot powder
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp mint extract
dash of sea salt

1/2 cup Enjoy Life mini-chocolate chips

1. Except for the mini-chocolate chips, combine all ice cream ingredients in a blender.  Blend until kale leaves are cut into tiny flecks.
2. Prepare ice cream mixture (again, not the mini chips yet) according to your ice cream maker's directions.  Add the mini chips in at the last five minutes of the ice cream making time.
3. Serve immediately.  The ice cream will be a little more solid than soft serve.  Freeze for an additional hour for a more ice-cream-out-of-a-carton texture.
4. Freeze any leftovers in a freeze-safe container.  When serving on another day, let the ice cream container warm up on the counter (room temperature) for 30-45 minutes before scooping.

I completely misjudged how much ice cream to give the kids.  But they
sure enjoyed every last lick of their humungous cones!

The texture is a big improvement over the original posted recipe.  My eldest son, who had not been a fan of the 2011 kale ice cream, absolutely loves this new iteration as does his little brother.

The Pure Pantry Saves Valentines Day

Until this year, I think the kids still truly believed that Valentines Day was all about spending a few weeks creating lovely tokens of friendship for their classmates, and not about candy.  We thankfully still had the homemade cards, which I was so grateful for.  In fact, it was Addi's first year exchanging Valentines cards, and when the morning came, she got a bit teary-eyed over the thought of parting with her 30 painted and glittered hearts.

Who can blame her for not wanting to part with her creations?

 

 

 

 

She begrudgingly brought her Valentines cards to school, but quickly had a change of heart--yes, a change of heart--when she realized she had received 30 lovely cards, many with candy attached. 

Back at home, with all of her cards scattered in front of her, some ripped open envelopes (why is it so difficult for children to open envelopes?), and a pile of lollipops, chocolates, and other confections, I finally relented and gave her a lollipop. 

And then there were two.  Two holidays she now associates with getting a piece of candy.

She's the lucky one without food allergies, but it was heartbreaking after so many years of a strict 'no candy rule' to see the kids wanting it more and more.

As for my MFA (that would be Multiple Food Allergic) boys, I was rushing around the kitchen at 8 am on Valentines Day trying to whip up chocolate cupcakes, only to discover I was low on pantry staples like flour and sugar. 

In a pinch, I dug out one of the mixes I'd picked up at the Gluten & Allergy Free Expo last weekend.  We are not gluten-free, but we do avoid egg, dairy, and all nuts (except coconut), and it was really eye-opening to sample lots of products that were free of the top 8.  I am a gluten-free novice, but found the cake at this booth so incredibly rich and delicious that I had to buy a bag to see for myself.

The Pure Pantry Mixes at the GFAF Expo were beautiful to look at but are even better to bake with.

 

In a blind taste test, I would've never guessed that the Pure Pantry Wholegrain Dark Chocolate Cake Mix was anything free.  How they managed to get such a moist, rich, and delicious cake with a true dark chocolate taste out of this mix is beyond me.  To prepare it without egg, I used Ener-G Egg Replacer according to the directions.  I also opted for coconut oil, as I had used it in Irene's brownies, and was impressed by the results.  I liked how the directions included dietary modifications, and some recipes for frostings.

I topped the cupcakes with an egg and dairy free cream cheese frosting that I made with soy cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract, but quickly found that the frosting wouldn't hold up without remaining chilled.  Nevertheless, frosting-less cupcakes were a hit with the boys, as well as with my littliest sweets monster.  We've been frosting them and gobbling them up for dessert in the last few days.  I've managed to eat my fair share of the two dozen I baked, telling myself I'm doing it for the good of the team.  :)

In the end, I think the spirit of card-making and giving still won out over the candy.  Addi's lollipop was never even finished before it was dumped into the compost bag, and, even after the candy came and went (into the compost bag alongside a half-eaten lollipop), the cards and memory of a day filled with love remain.

I hope you and yours had a fabulous and safe Valentines Day.

Dai Fat Go--Cakes for a Prosperous New Year

Most of our mothers and grandmothers have literally perfected a few to several dozen specialty Chinese dishes; but most do very little home baking.  This is not to say that they are immune to the wonderful smells wafting out of the doors of the Chinese bakeries on Stockton, Clement, or Irving Streets--the don tats (egg custard tarts), char siu baos (steamed pork buns), and the gai mei baos (cocktail buns).  But let's just say that my mother-in-law's oven is most popularly used to store over-sized pots and pans--not for baking.

It's nice to have a big wok with a lid for steaming.  It will fit a 6 muffin tin.

So it was fun to see how her eyes lit up when she realized she could make a simple cake using equivalent amounts of just four simple ingredients, after a friend gave her the recipe.  The "fat" in the name of the little cakes means prosperity [think: gung hay fat choy], so, they are typically made around Chinese New Year.  This year, the first day of the year of the snake lands on Sunday, February 10.

I rivaled my mother-in-law's excitement with the realization that the recipe is naturally egg and dairy free, two of the main food allergens in our household. My mother-in-law has been making the cakes all week, and the kids have been enjoying fresh muffins for breakfast.  I've found they go especially well with my afternoon cup of coffee.  They are really moist, spongy, and slightly sweet.

What gives these cakes their pretty flower shape is that they are steamed, not baked, so I guess my mother-in-law will be keeping her pots and pans tucked safely away in her oven for the time being.  Steaming muffins was a first for both of us.

Before I give you the recipe, you should know a few things about my seldom-baking mother-in-law. When someone says to add 1 cup of something, she uses a dry measuring cup, not a liquid one.  And when someone says to add brown sugar, packing the sugar is optional.  So even though the original recipe said to add one cup of brown sugar, packed it was equivalent to 3/4 of a cup.  This recipe couldn't be easier.

Logan had a blast helping his grandmother with the cakes.  Way too much fun for a sick day.

Dai Fa Go--Big Prosperous Cake  (No Egg or Dairy)

1 cup flour

1 cup water

1 cup dark brown sugar, unpacked (or about 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed)

1 cup Bisquick

Stir the ingredients together, pour into lined muffin pan, and steam on a plate in a large pan or wok covered for 15 minutes.

Makes 6-8 little cakes

A big prosperous Chinese New Year to all of out Get Allergy Wise families!  Time to go clean the house...

Chewy Vegan Snickerdoodles--egg-free, dairy-free

Snickerdoodles are such a fond remnant of childhood.  I rediscovered them on our Sacramento trip on the Polar Express ride, as they served hot cocoa and snickerdoodles on board as a holiday treat for all of the passengers.  Since the boys couldn't partake in the treats because of their food allergies, I was immediately determined to bake my own version.  They were the perfect conclusion to our Christmas Eve dinner, and consequently served double duty as a delicious snack for Santa, alongside some baby carrots based on Tristan's insistence that Santa needed to eat a bit healthier (not going to vouch for that pairing).

When searching for allergy-friendly recipes, I usually search the Web for a top-rated recipe, and see if it's simple enough to try a few substitutions to make it allergy-safe for my kids (egg, dairy, nut, and shellfish free).  Since this snickerdoodle recipe has only 9 ingredients, it was easy to modify.  And because it's a chewy cookie, I didn't have a problem with a crumbly texture as with some baked goods when eggs are omitted.

I replaced the eggs with Ener-G Egg Replacer, and the butter with Earth Balance.  To make it soy-free as well, you may use soy-free Earth Balance.  I thought I had enough cream of tartar for the recipe, but because I only had half of what the recipe called for, I added double the baking soda.  I haven't had time to try it again with the right amount of baking soda, but plan to.

I do hope that Snickerdoodles become one of your children's favorites as they did mine.

Chewy Vegan Snickerdoodles--No egg, dairy, or nuts (can be made soy-free), adapted from Soft Snickerdoodles Cookies

1 cup Earth Balance (regular or soy-free)

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon Ener-G Egg Replacer plus 4 tablespoons warm water, whisked together

2 3/4 cups flour

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons sugar

3 teaspoons cinnamon

1.   Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

2.  Mix Earth Balance, sugar, and Ener-G and water mixture together.

3.  Combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt in another bowl.

4.  Stir the dry ingredients into the Earth Balance mixture.

5.  Chill the dough and the baking sheets in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.

6.  While the dough and sheets are chilling, mix the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.

7.  Roll the dough into one inch balls, then coat with the cinnamon sugar mixture.

8.  Place on the chilled baking sheet lined with parchment, and bake for 10 minutes.


After about 10 minutes, the cookies may not seem done, but if you give them a couple of minutes to cool on the hot baking sheets before moving them to the cooling racks, they will come out perfectly.  Try not to leave them in the oven longer than 12 minutes.  They will be nice and chewy while hot, but will harden too much after they have completely cooled.

Chocolate Coconut Brownies - rich with flavor but not with the top allergens

These brownies taste even fudgier after refrigerating them overnight,
if you can stand to wait that long!

The other day I was browsing (because who has the luxury to read?) through a magazine.  I came upon a restaurant review and a dessert photo, a brownie dolled up with all the trimmings.

Brownies.  Classic.  Decadent. 

I love brownies but I also fear them.  Fear because if I'm making them myself --which I usually do because, dang it, I'm too cheap to shell out $3 for a tiny square of a piece -- I worry that my batch won't live up to my expectations.  And it's hard to tell from a recipe what type of brownie you're going to end up with.

You see, there are two distinct sides in the spectrum of brownie types: the dense, fudgy kind and the more conservative cake-like brownies.  I myself am a fudge-leaning type.  I don't like a greasy brick of heavy fudge but I definitely prefer a very moist, slightly chewy brownies to something that is light and fluffy.  I never like brownies that are covered with frosting or icing, ways that artificially moisten the eating experience in my opinion.  I prefer a naked brownie that can stand on its own chocolaty merits and that can definitely not be mistaken for its cousin, chocolate cake.

One impact on a brownie recipe's texture is in the presence of a leavening agent.  Brownie recipes with more baking powder or baking soda will bring more rise and more of the airiness that cakes exhibit.  The dense, fudge-like brownies and many chewy brownies (I consider the chewies a little left of center) tend to do away with any leavening agents.  Bake time will also affect the texture -- more time in the oven can lead to cake-like treats.

In my life before kids with food allergies and plant-based eating, my go-to chocolate brownie recipe was on the back of the Tollhouse Cocoa container.  Oh my, I LIVED for those brownies!  I tried to find a worthy alternative that was free of milk, eggs, or processed margarine (even if it's vegan) but the texture was always a bit too dry like cake or the flavor just wasn't quite right.

I finally found love in a new recipe that incorporates shredded coconut and coconut oil.  I was hesitant at first because I enjoy my brownies straight-forward, no fuss or fancy ingredients, and including coconut stuff seemed a little faddish.  But I had the ingredients on hand so I gave it a try.  These brownies were not the same as the Tollhouse brownies but they still were terrific!  You can make them with strong coffee to intensify the chocolate flavor or substitute the coffee for additional safe milk.  I have tried it both ways.  While the coffee version definitely does add more punch to the chocolate, I prefer to add less punch (and caffeine) to my kids' bodies!  Just after one piece, they were bouncing off the walls and I was wracked with mommy guilt for exposing them to a heightened amount of caffeine.

Two coffee-infused batches: one using white whole wheat flour
and the other using a wheat-free/gluten-free flour blend.  I forgot
which was which, even when I was eating them!

Chocolate Coconut Brownies (can be made free of milk, egg, soy, wheat, gluten, peanuts, tree nuts)
Adapted from DomesticFits' recipe for Chocolate Coconut Brownies

1/3 cup coconut oil, softened (melted is okay, too)
1 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup safe milk substitute (I have used flax milk, soy milk, or almond milk with good results)
1/3 cup strong coffee or additional safe milk substitute
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 cup dark cocoa powder
3/4 cup flour of your choice - I have successfully used white whole wheat flour and, on another occasion, a GF flour blend with a scant 1/2 tsp xanthan gum added.
1/4 tsp baking powder, optional
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup shredded coconut (I use Let's Do Organic shredded coconut, which is dry and finely shredded)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease or line an 8"x8" square pan.
2. In a medium bowl, combine softened coconut oil, maple syrup, milks/coffee, and vanilla extract.  Do your best to break down any chunks of coconut oil.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, and salt.  Again, break down any clumps of cocoa for more even mixing.
4. Add shredded coconut to flour mixture.
5. Combine wet mixture with flour mixture.  Carefully scrape, spread, and stir the batter just enough so that no lumps or streaks of cocoa/flour are visible.  The batter will not be completely smooth and that's okay.  You don't want to overmix your brownies or it may yield a tough texture. 
6. Pour batter into the square pan.  Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 18-23 minutes or until the texture of the outer edges of the brownies are looking cake-like.  I have baked them for about 20 minutes when about a 1-inch-wide border of brownies looks done (crackly) and springs back from my touch.  The center of the pan should be dry to the touch though it should not be springy or have the cracks that a baked cake would have.
7. Cool brownies completely before cutting.  The brownies taste even richer if you have time to refrigerate them before serving.  For fudgiest results, store in the refrigerator.

I took the brownies above out of the oven at about 22 minutes.  Two inches of the outer edges are cracked and more cake-like.  The depressed square in the middle was nice and fudgy.  Next time I'll take them out at 20 to yield more fudgy brownies.

Happy Girl Makes a Boy Happy

We sort of accidentally stumbled upon Pacific Grove, California as our summertime home away from home.  We love the slow-paced lifestyle of a kid-friendly small town with our big market chains just a mile and a half away for convenience.  The weather is perfect for the kids--similar to San Francisco summers and not too hot for eczema prone skin.  We get foggy mornings, sometimes clearing in the afternoons, making treks to the beach a popular choice for otherwise lazy days.  The local library, natural history museum, plenty of friendly shops, and playground all within walking distance means I don't need to deal with the headache associated with piling kids in and out of the car on a daily basis.  We've been very content playing tourists for almost a month now:

We flew a kite at Asilomar Beach

Riding the glass-bottom boat, we saw otters, sea lions, and jelly fish!

We rode a surrey from Lover's Point Beach to Fisherman's Wharf

A rare sunny morning got us to the beach at low tide.

Biking and scooting along the trail.

There's always something new to see and learn at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.  Their new Jellies Experience is especially fantastic!

But as this is our second summer here, we've had to start doing as the locals do.  Participating in the local activities leading up to the festival at the beach for the Feast of Lanterns, religiously hitting the Monday afternoon farmer's market in downtown PG (four short blocks away), getting a Pacific Grove library card, and a must on every local's weekly list of to do's--frequenting our favorite cafe--Happy Girl Kitchen Co.--for Blue Bottle Coffee and allergy-friendly treats.

Last year, I connected with Stephanie Stein, creative baker and sweetest person from Happy Girl Kitchen Co.  She generously shared her scone recipe and words of wisdom about baking without egg with our readers.  I adapted her recipe to make it dairy-free, and armed with Stephanie's baking advice, experimented with my own scone variation, Coconut Chocolate Chocolate Chip Scones.

So you know I was thrilled when I last visited Happy Girl and noticed a new pre-order form for Stephanie's baked goods.  I promptly placed my order for a dozen berry scones and a chocolate ganache birthday cake for Tristan, all egg, nut, and dairy free.

Stephanie was happy to take a break from her busy morning baking duties to discuss Tristan's food allergies and my specifications, even adjusting the cake to make it less sweet.  The result: a wonderful scone breakfast shared with friends and an even more fabulous birthday celebration for a delighted 8-year-old boy!  As he opted out of a full-blown birthday party with friends this year, having his first store-bought cake more than compensated.  His verdict: "Yummy and chocolately!"  His siblings were equally overjoyed about the allergy-safe cake, both announcing they wanted the same cake for their birthdays!

Eight candles...plus one for good luck!  

Stephanie Stein's chocolate ganache cake was the star of the show!

A dozen berry scones, hot out of the oven--no egg, nuts, or dairy!

Couldn't resist picking up some carrot muffins--all allergy-safe for the kids!

Happy Girl Kitchen Co. at 173 Central Ave, Pacific Grove, CA--stop by before your  Aquarium visit!

As a chocoholic and self-proclaimed sweets critic, the cake was delicious--moist, with a rich dark chocolate taste.  And unlike my egg and dairy free creations, this one held up well and wasn't crumbly.

See you soon Stephanie, and thanks SO much!

Mango Coconut Ice Cream

Looks like my boys found love in a cone!

There's nothing like bowls and cones filled with ice cream on hot summer days.  And boy, have we been having lots of them -- ice cream and hot days.  These summer days can get kind of long for me with the kids out of school (and into each other's hair!) and the relentless sunlight bearing down on us.  I've found myself daydreaming more often about tropical beaches of Hawaii, Thailand, and Mexico, places I was lucky enough to visit before kids and food allergies became huge factors in our travel considerations.

While it would feel too risky and stressful to me to travel abroad, there's no reason I can't bring a bit of the tropics to our house.  The temperatures are already in the 90s so why not just add some fruity flavors to satisfy my beachy wishes? And thus, mango ice cream quickly ascended the "Recipes To Try" list.

Besides being high vitamin A and C content, mango is a great ice cream flavor because it goes well with coconut milk.  (All that tropical goodness!)  I myself used one can of full-fat coconut milk and 2 1/2 cups of flax milk when I made this.  This almost overflowed my 2-quart maker so I reduced the flax milk to 2 cups in the recipe that follows.

I also reduced the amount of sugar that the original recipe called for.  Apparently, fat and sugar are two very important agents in preventing the formation of ice crystals in ice cream. Arrowroot can be helpful in creating a smoother texture, too.   Despite the arrowroot, the ice cream did get a little icy after freezing it overnight.  Truthfully, I am okay with some compromise in texture if it means reducing the fat and calories!  If the texture is of utmost importance and you aren't too worried about your waistline, use all full-fat coconut milk for the creamiest results.

I started off with just these two mangoes but upping it
to three was a big improvement on the mango taste.

Mango Coconut Ice Cream (makes approximately 2 quarts)

Adapted from Enjolinfam's recipe posted on Food.com
14-oz can of coconut milk
3 Tbsp arrowroot powder
Flesh of 3 large, ripe mangoes (this yielded me roughly 2 1/2 cups after pureeing)  
2 cups milk substitute (this could be additional full-fat or light coconut milk, soy, flax, or almond milks)
3 Tbsp lime juice
3/4 cup organic sugar (also known as evaporated cane juice)

1. Mix about1/2 cup of the coconut milk with the arrowroot powder until powder is dissolved.  Set aside.
2. Puree mango thoroughly. 
3. In a medium saucepan, heat up remaining coconut milk, mango puree, the 2 cups of additional milk substitute, lime juice, and sugar over medium heat.  Taste for sweetness and add more sugar if necessary.
4. Stir occasionally as the mixture cooks.  When the mixture begins to boil, stir in the coconut milk/arrowroot powder slurry.  Reduce heat to low and cook for a couple more minutes, stirring constantly as the mixture thickens.
5. Cool mixture completely.  It should thicken more as it cools.
6. Once the mixture is completely cooled, refrigerate for at least several hours.  Then follow the directions of your ice cream maker or, for those without an ice cream maker, simply freeze the mixture!
7. Three options for serving: (1) For a soft-serve texture, scoop and eat immediately after making it in your ice cream maker; (2) Freeze for 1 hour after making it, then serve.  (This is my favorite texture!); or (3)  Freeze until you need it.  Before serving, allow the ice cream to sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes to soften for ease of scoopability.

Mango ice cream shortly after coming out of the automatic ice cream maker

Lemon Snowdrop Cookies

I remember the first time I was introduced to lemon squares.  My classmate and good friend, Amanda, with whom I rode the school bus would have these treats in her lunchbox every so often.  Her mother would wrap these homemade desserts in tin foil.  Watching Amanda open them was like watching someone open a present.  The homemade lemon squares were precious, delicious pieces of love that I was lucky to get a taste of!

A mom from Callan's preschool made lemon cookies for a school function.  They were such a big hit that she shared the recipe with the whole community.  I had not tried them but when I followed the link (to the recipe from the blog Sophistimom) and saw the picture of the powdery white treats, fond memories of Amanda's lemon squares immediately came to mind.  Curious, I checked over the recipe's ingredient list and was pleasantly surprised that, unlike lemon squares or bars, no eggs were needed for these cookies.  I knew then in no uncertain terms that I had to try these!

The recipe did patiently sit on my iPhone for a couple busy, busy months before I finally had time to make them.  But make them I did, for Ryken's birthday party, with a couple of substitutions to make their milk-free and add a little fiber.  The end results were so delicious and easy to make, I made them for a dessert buffet at my brother-in-law's wedding.

Lemon cookies, chewy and oh so refreshing

Lemon Snowdrop Cookies
Adapted from Sophistimom's Chewy Lemon Snowdrop Cookies recipe

1/2 cup vegan margarine (for soy-free cookies, use Earth Balance Soy-Free in the red tub)
2/3 cup granulated sugar (Trader Joe's organic sugars are bone char-free so they are vegan)
1/4 cup agave nectar
Zest of 2 or 3 lemons (limes are fine, too, but you'll probably need to use more limes)
1 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour
pinch of salt
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp baking soda
Powdered sugar for dusting

I tried rolling the dough balls in powdered sugar before baking.  This
didn't work as well as dusting the finished cookies with the sugar.

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.  Grease or line a large cookie sheet with foil or parchment paper.
2. Cream margarine and sugar together in a medium bowl.  Add agave nectar and combine well.
3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, and lemon zest.
4. Stir in flour mixture to margarine mixture until the dough is fairly combined.  Some lumps are fine. 
5. In a small bowl, add baking soda to the lemon juice.  The combination will instantly fizz and bubble.  Stir quickly to dissolve baking soda.
6. Immediately add the lemon juice mixture to the dough and mix or knead until well combined.
7. Hand-roll the dough into 1-inch or 1.5-inch balls.  They will flatten out on their own during the baking process.  Do space them about 2 inches apart so they have room to spread.
8. Bake at 325 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until the bottoms of the cookies are just beginning  to turn golden.  (I took mine out between 8-9 minutes.)  They may appear a little soft and pale but they definitely will continue to cook a little on the pan while they are cooling off and achieve a more golden color.  So important not to overbake!
9. Cool the cookies on its pan.  Then dust or sprinkle cookies with powdered sugar.  Store cookies in an airtight container in a cool place.

Here's hoping that these cookies bring back some fond childhood memories for you.  If you are new to lemony baked treats, bake these and make some new memories with your loved ones!

Bring on the Red, White, & Blue

Fourth of July.  A day for family, picnics, hotdogs, and all things red, white, and blue.  And what better way to celebrate than to make one of America's favorite desserts: Jell-O.  Who could forget a tray of Jell-O chilling in the fridge on a hot day, pudding pop commercials featuring Bill Cosby, or the coveted rainbow layered Jell-O served at parties?

Such a mystery to my little hands, how they got all those colors to line up so perfectly in one little square of Jell-O.  And what was the white layer made of?

Well, Jenn at JustJenn Recipes seems to understand my childhood obsession, with a beautiful tutorial on how to make rainbow Jell-O.  I decided to try my hand at making a dairy-free version for the Fourth of July, using coconut milk instead of condensed milk.

Red, White, & Blue Jell-O
adapted from JustJenn Recipes

Add color and stripes to your Fourth of July party with Red, White, & Blue Jell-O.

1 6 oz. box red Jell-O
1 6 oz. box blue Jell-O
6 packages unflavored Knox gelatin
1 cup coconut milk
hot water
coconut oil (optional)*

1. Combine 1 cup of coconut milk with 1 cup of hot water and set aside.  If you prefer a sweeter white layer, you could probably add some sugar to this mixture.

2. Stir in 2 envelopes of unflavored Knox gelatin with 1 cup of hot water, then combine with coconut milk mixture and let cool to room temperature.

3. Mix together box of red Jell-O, 1 envelope of Knox gelatin, and 1-1/2 cups of hot water.  Pour about half the mixture into 9 x 13 Pyrex pan and let chill in the refrigerator until set, about 30 minutes.  If you are worried about sticking, grease bottom and sides of the pan with coconut oil*.

4. While the red layer is chilling, mix together box of blue Jell-O, 1 envelope of Knox gelatin, and 1-1/2 cups of hot water.  Let it cool to room temperature.

5. Once the red layer has set, add 1/3 of the milk mixture to the pan, and let chill in the fridge for about 15 minutes, or until set.

6. As each layer sets, add a new layer, alternating between red, white, and blue.  I added them in this order: red, white, blue, white, red, white, blue.  This way one side of each square is blue, one side is red.

7. Cut into squares and enjoy!

Slice Jello in half lengthwise and use a star-shaped cookie cutter for stars and stripes all in one treat!

For other festive Fourth of July treats, try Michelle's Red, White, & Blue Fruit Pops,




a simple star pasta dish,

fresh berries over soy or coconut ice cream or yogurt,

or a bowl of red, white, and blue tortilla chips with your favorite salsa.  Happy Fourth!!!