Chocolate Smoothie

A lovely chocolate smoothie with loads of good for you nutrients. In one cup 6.6g of protein, 4.9g of fiber, 150mg of calcium, and 2.8mg of iron. All for about 188 calories. (Data computed from USDA nutrient database, plus nutrition facts on my jar of powdered peanut butter.) Powdered peanut butter, the only slightly odd ingredient, can be found online or in some health food stores. I used PB2, a brand out of Georgia.

¼ c coco
4-6 T sugar
2c unsweetened coconut milk
1 carrot
1 ½ c fresh spinach (45 grams)
4 oz tofu
¼ c powdered peanut butter (4T)
1 frozen banana
Put everything in the blender and blend. For best results add the powders after the spinach, so they don't get stuck on the bottom. Makes about 4 cups.

Utah Brownies

These simple and inexpensive brownies are the perfect mix of fudge and cake. I named them after another brownie I used to make in Utah, but have never been able to make again (the altitude must have contributed to the texture).

1 c flour
1c sugar
1/3c coco powder
1/2tsp baking powder
1/4tsp salt
1/2c oil
1/2c water
1/2tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350F. Mix dry ingredients, then stir in wet. Place in greased 8x8 glass pan and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out only holding a crumb. Cook 15 minutes before cutting.

Almond Thumbprint Cookies

Fill this bite-sized treat with your favorite jam or jelly, or do without the jam for an exquisite almond cookie.

Thumbprint Cookies, the front with blackberry jam, the rear with plum jam.

1c shorting, vegan margarine, or your favorite solid fat
1c sugar
1/3c almond milk
2 1/2c flour
ground or finely chopped almonds (about 2/3c)
jam or jelly.

Cream fat and sugar together. Add almond milk and mix. Stir in flour and beat until smooth and dough clings together. Roll into  1 in. balls. Roll in ground almonds and place on cookie sheet. Press each ball down with your thumb, leaving a small impression. Fill impression with a small amount of jam. Bake at 350 for 14 minutes, or until bottom just begins to turn golden. Cool for a few minutes before removing from cookie sheet. Makes about 40.

Hot chocolate

This version of the classic drink is richer and more intensely chocolate flavored than most others.
1T coco
2T granulated sugar
1c rice milk

Mix coco and sugar. Add rice milk and heat. Beat until slightly frothy. Serves one. Larger batches may be made in a saucepan on the stove, stir while heating.

Mincemeat Pie

Mincemeat is a traditional food made of various spices and dried fruits.

pie crust for 1 crust pie (I used this one)
2 c dried cherries
1 c chopped dried pears
1 c raisins
1 whole tangerine, chopped whole
1 c chopped dried mango
2 c pared, cored, and coarsely chopped apples
1 tsp ground cloves
3 c white grape juice
2 T molasses
1/3 c sugar
pecan halves

stir all the fruit, cloves, molasses, and grape juice in a medium pot. Bring to boil and simmer about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat when dried fruit is soft and plump and apples begin to fall apart. Stir vigorously for 1-2 minutes until apples fall completely apart. Let cool and store in refrigerator. When ready to make pie, preheat oven to 425F. Put enough of the mincemeat into the pie crust to fill (you should have plenty left over). Top with pecan halves and sprinkle with sugar. Bake 30-40 minutes until filling bubbles and sugar begins to brown. Cool and serve.

Vegan No-Bake Cookies

1/2 c peanut butter (creamy)
4 T cocoa
2 c sugar
1/2 c water
3 c quick oats

combine sugar, water, cocoa, and peanut butter in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium high heat, stirring occasionally until it comes to a full boil. Boil for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in oats. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper and allow to cool. Makes 2-3 dozen cookies. Store in airtight container.

Cranberry Apple Compote

This simple compote is best served warm, as a desert. If you don't like anise, substitute a small amount of cinnamon instead.


4c sliced, pared, and cored apples
1/2c fresh cranberries
1/4c raisins
1/4c coarsely chopped walnuts
2T brown sugar
5T apple juice or water
2 star anise
dash nutmeg

mix all ingredients in a 2qt saucepan. Heat until boiling. Cook covered on low heat 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool to serving temperature.

donuts, not quite as pretty, but so much tastier

2c lukewarm water
1T dry yeast
2T oil
1c sugar
5-6c flour
oil for frying
granulated sugar, powdered sugar, or glaze (recipe follows)

Mix water, oil, and 1c sugar in large mixing bowl. Sprinkle yeast on and let sit for 3-5 minutes, until yeast dissolves and activates (smells like yeast or starts to foam). Stir in 5-6c of flower until a dough is formed, knead with bread hook or by hand until cohesive and smooth, about 6-10 minutes. Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight, punching down as needed.

In the morning, heat about 3 inches of oil in a medium saucepan (the high sides protect against splatters) to 350 degrees F (use a frying thermometer). With greased hands pull small amounts of dough from the bowl and roll into a short cylinder 2-3 inches long. Carefully drop by ones or twos into oil, being careful to maintain proper temperature. Donuts will turn themselves over partway through cooking. When top and bottom are the same color remove from oil and drain for a few minutes on paper towels. Roll in granulated or powdered sugar, or drizzle with glaze. Eat warm.

glaze for donuts
1c powdered sugar
2-3T hot water

Stir water into sugar until it forms a glaze about the consistency of pancake syrup. Drizzle over hot donuts. Can be saved for a few days in an airtight container, reheat for 5-10 seconds in microwave to return to proper consistency.

caramel apple bake

4 apples, pared and sliced
2T water
1c sugar

Preheat oven to 400, put the apples in two 16oz ramekins. Bring sugar and water to boil on high heat, stirring occasionally. Boil until syrup becomes a light brown, remove from heat and cool until no longer boiling. Pour over apples and bake for 30 minutes. Cool and serve.