The Most Decadent Oatmeal Cookie

In honor of a beautiful French period play I initiated at my theater company, I decided - for once - to step off the path a bit and design a cookie with a little je ne sais quoi and a lot of decadence. And so, I present, the most decadent oatmeal cookie that I have ever tasted. This is not for the faint of heart, nor is it recommended for massive consumption. What it is is a treat - a delectable one - to tingle your taste buds and make your guests quiver with joy. And yes, this time there's butter.

The Most Decadent Oatmeal Cookie
(makes 32)

1 3/4 tbsp unsalted butter, separated
3/4 cup unsalted melted butter
2 cups slivered almonds (toasted)
1/2 tsp salt, separated
1.1 cups whole wheat baking flour
1 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, separated
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1.5 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp white pepper
1.5 tsp fresh lemon zest
3 tsp honey
2.5 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup applesauce
2 egg whites (+ 1/8 cup egg whites)
2 cups dried fruit of your choice (I used a combination of dried apples, peaches, pears, and raisins)
1 3/4 cup rolled oats (toasted)
45 oz crystallized ginger, chopped finely

Place slivered almonds on a cookie sheet covered in aluminum foil with 1 tbsp butter and broil for about 5 minutes, checking regularly, until the almonds have toasted. Take out, mix up the almonds, shake the pan a couple times, and then put it back in for another minute.
Place old fashioned rolled oats on a cookie sheet covered in aluminum foil with 3/4 tbsp butter and broil for about 5 minutes, checking regularly, until the rolled oats have toasted. Take out, mix up the oats, shake the pan a few times, then put back in for another minute.
Set the oven to 385 F.
Combine flour and 1 cup brown sugar in one bowl, plus all the dry ingredients.
Soften butter in a medium sized bowl. Add wet ingredients.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir well.
Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper and place tablespoon sized droplets of dough. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until browned.
Allow to cool for two minutes on the cookie sheet, before removing to a cooling rack. Enjoy!

Chips and Dip (the healthy & vegan way)

A healthy, filling option for your next peckish afternoon or house party. The crackers are delicious on their own - salty and flavorful - but with the dip they are even better! Go on! Have a peace.



Herbed Crackers (vegan and gluten-free)


1 cup almond flour
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1 tbsp coconut flour
3/4 tsp dried lavender
3/4 tsp dried rosemary
3/4 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp herba salle
1 tsp minced garlic
2 tbsp poppyseeds
2 tbsp roasted sesame seeds
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp olive oil


Add dry ingredients (except sesame seeds and poppy seeds) into a food processor and pulse until all elements ground. Empty ground ingredients into a mixing bowl. Add seeds. Add wet ingredients and stir well with a fork. Keep stirring until the dough forms one thick ball. Split the dough ball in half, placing each between dual sheets of parchment paper. Roll out, between the parchment paper, until each ball is about 1/4 inch thick round. Feel free to cut to shape once it's flattened and press the cut bits in around the edges. It's not going to change shape once it bakes, so what you start with will be what you get.


Slice the dough into the size crackers you want. I cut about 2 inches wide and 3 inches long. 


Bake at 300 F for about 30 minutes or until browned. 


Vegan Veggie Dip


~8 oz steamed spinach
~6 oz steamed baby kale
~6 oz steamed broccoli 
~6 oz steamed cauliflower
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup raw cashews
1/2 cup TVP (textured vegetable protein)
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp celtic sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp white pepper (for a kick)
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup red onions
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup shredded white daiya cheese for folding in, 1/2 cup for topping


Caramelize red onions with olive oil. 
Quick soak cashews in boiling water for twenty minutes.
Set oven to 350 F.
Blend cashews first, then add the rest of the ingredients to a food processor and blend til smooth. 
Pour into a heat safe serving dish, fold in ~1/2 cup white daiya cheese. Top with ~1/4 cup white daiya cheese. 
Bake at 350 F for about 10 minutes, or until cheese topping has melted. 
Serve warm with crackers.

Wilde Chocolate Mousse

This delectable dessert was a wonderful treat my dear friend Abby Wilde made that I just had to share. Protein in a dessert? Surely not! Linger with this decadent mousse and a bowl full of strawberries for a sinless extravagance.

Wilde Chocolate Mousse
(makes 4)

1 10oz bag of semisweet chocolate chips (*for a vegan mousse, use vegan chocolate chips)

1 14oz package silken tofu

2 tbsp maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract (I only used 1/2 tsp)
strawberries (*technically optional, but you won't have the full taste-tacular experience without them)

1) Let the tofu come to room temperature. It will greatly ease your chocolate incorporation.
2) Using your blending contraption of choice, blend tofu until smooth and set aside.
3) Melt the chocolate. I'm sure you have a nifty method for this. I MacGyvered a double-boiler out of a saucepan and a mason jar. Go me!
4) Add maple syrup and vanilla extract to the melted chocolate and mix well.
5) Combine tofu and chocolate mixture in your blender and blend away. You should have a pourable-pudding texture going on about now.
6) Pour mousse into serving vessels, cover with plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge. I don't know exactly how long it needs to firm up -- probably not more than an hour. I prepared mine the night before and let it chill overnight.
7) Eat ravenously.

Go on, have a peace! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Chilled Greek-style Pasta Salad

Pasta salads are a staple for pot lucks, summer picnics, and bag lunches. Why? Because they keep, they're good cold, they're easy, and they fill you up. All good things. Unfortunately, most past salads are also doused in heavy dressings and creams that leave you feeling sleepy. Good for a picnic, maybe, but not so good for a working lunch. Solution? Here's mine.

Simple, whole grain pasta. Plain, delicious virgin olive oil. Fresh herbs, tomatoes, and delectable olives. This one is filling and healthy and goes a long, long way.

Chilled Greek-style Pasta Salad
(12 servings)

1 lb whole wheat orzo (cooked to instructions)
2 handfuls fresh mint leaves, minced
2 tbsp virgin olive oil
1 tbsp kalamata olive juice
2 pints grape tomatoes, halved
2 cups crumbled fat-free feta
1 cup sliced kalamata olives
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Cook the orzo to package directions and strain. While the drained pasta is still hot, transfer it to a large mixing bowl and add the tomatoes and feta. Mix well and allow to sit for about five minutes. That will give the tomatoes some time to cook due to the heat of the pasta and the feta some time to soften and melt a bit.
In a small, separate bowl, combine the olive oil, kalamata juice (poured from the kalamata olive jar), and white and black pepper. Stir well and pour over the pasta. Mix to combine and coat the pasta.
Last, add the mint and olives. Mix to combine, making sure all elements are throughout the pasta. Allow to cool in the fridge, serve chilled.
Stores in a sealed tupperware container for about five days.

Go on! Have a peace! Enjoy!