Rosemary-Cherry Cindy Flatirons

A while ago, I promised my long-time and wonderfully supportive reader Cindy Cupcake a healthy cookie recipe named after her. I have been experimenting for a while, trying to find something that's as unique and lovely as she is. This is what I've come up with: wide, flat, moist cookies with subtle flavors of rosemary and cardamom offering a rich, flavorful tapestry to your tongue even after the cookie is gone, and cherries that are warm bursts of honeyed sweetness in an otherwise gentle setting. Each of these is a filling, protein-rich, and densely flavorful. One is enough for a serving (but you'll want more). I hope that you all enjoy these as much as I have.

Rosemary-Cherry Cindy Flatirons

6 tbsp vegan margarine
3/4 cup soft dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp flaxseed meal
3 tbsp water
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/4 tsp cardamom
2 cups whole wheat flour
6 oz rosemary needles, minced fine (bundle the leaves together and snip them into bits with scissors)
8 oz dried cherries

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Cream the margarine, sugars, honey, vanilla and almond extracts, salt, and cardamom together until smooth.
Add the vinegar, flaxseed, baking powder, baking soda, and water. Mix until all are smoothly combined. Add the minced rosemary needles. Mix on low.
Sift the flour in. Continue to mix until consistent.
Fold in the dried cherries.

Drop heaping tablespoons of the batter onto the cookie sheets. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Allow to cool for about five minutes, then move to a cooling rack. Enjoy warm!

Thank you, Cindy, for reading!

Almond Cherry Cardamom Cookies, or "Mike-Friendlies"

After a day of baking cookies for the theater I work at, I remembered that I was going to see a film with my roommate and her began boyfriend. And so, three batches of cookies made with egg whites down, I took out a fresh bowl and made a whole batch of completely vegan and delicious cookies. Now I've made vegan cookies before - I've even posted them here - but these are completely awesome. I highly encourage you - if you like things that are not too sweet and have the lovely texture of a scone, while being completely delectable - to make these and munch on them yourself.

Almond Cherry Cardamom Cookies, or "Mike-Friendlies"

1/4 tbsp agave nectar

3/4 cup baker's sugar

5 tbsp flaxseed meal

3/4 cup vegan margarine (I like Earth Balance)

6 tbsp water

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla extract

1.5 cups bleached whole wheat pastry flour

1/4 tsp almond extract

1/4 tsp cardamom

1.5 cups dried cherries

1 cup sliced raw almonds

Preset oven to 350 F. 

Blend flaxseed meal, water, margarine, vanilla extract, almond extract, sugar, and agave nectar with a hand mixer until all elements are well combined. In another bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and cardamom. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, use your hand mixer on a low setting to get it smooth. Next, stir in almonds and cherries with a spoon, getting the additions throughout the dough. 

Scoop spoonfuls (about 3 thumbs by three thumbs) onto parchment-paper covered cookie sheets. Bake for about 17 minutes, until golden brown on top. 

Go on. Have a peace!

Ginger Pear Cobbler

This is a healthy, fall-themed spin on one of my aunt's recipes. Enjoy the subtle flavors and delectable texture with a cup of tea or spiced cider, or just eat a slice for breakfast. Enjoy without guilt. :)

Ginger Pear Cobbler
(serves ~ 12)

2 cans light sliced pears

½ cup flour (minus 1 tbsp)

¼ cup whole wheat flour

1 tbsp flaxseed meal

1 tsp baking powder

½ cup brown sugar

¼ cup unsweetened almond milk

3-4 tsp ground ginger, divided

Preheat oven to 375 F.  Coat 9” square dish with baking spray.

Drain pears, reserving ½ cup of the liquid. In a small bowl, stir 2 tsp ginger into pears until evenly mixed.

Combine all dry ingredients in a separate mixing bowl. Add reserved pear liquid, almond milk, and ginger. Stir well, pour batter evenly over pan. Then spoon the pears over the batter. Do not stir.

Bake 35-40 min. Or longer, if you like it a little more browned. 

Tasty in my Tummy OSM Crumble Cookies

Tasty in my Tummy OSM Crumble Cookies
(About 50 cookies)

1/2 tbsp agave nectar

3/4 cup organic brown sugar

1 tbsp flaxseed meal

4/3 cup chopped prunes

1/2 cup canola oil

1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk

2 1/3 cup sorghum flour

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp kosher salt

2 cups OSM hot cereal mix (you could also use plain rolled oats)

water for shaping (I used about 2/4 cups, but you'll want to add it bit by bit)

Preheat 350 F. Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper. 

Combine all the ingredients. Wet first. Dry second. Mix until well-combined and "doughy". 

Add water a little bit at a time if the dough is too dry. 

Roll the dough into golf-ball sized drops between your palms and place them on the tray. 

These will not expand as they cook. They'll be the same size when they come out as when they went in.

Bake for 12 minutes, then move to cool on a drying rack. 

These are tasty, crumbly, and awesome. They have a consistency sort of like soft shortbread. Go on. Have a peace. :)

Note: OSM Hot Cereal is a warm tasty treat made of oats, cracked-wheat, oat bran, millet, and sunflower seeds. That's it. It makes for a great oatmeal substitute in the mornings and it also makes these cookies very, very tasty. OSM products are available from The Bunnery in Jackson Hole. They are also soon becoming available in certain independent grocery stores in Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, and Nevada.