Amazing Vegan Cookies (Double Chocolate)

Since going dairy/soy/egg free we have tried a lot of vegan baked goods.  Nothing has turned out nearly as good as these cookies.  These are A-MAZ-ING.  Recipe is here and here are my adjustments:

VEGAN DOUBLE CHOCOLATE COOKIES

• 2 cups flour
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil (CANOLA)
• 1-1/4 cup sugar
• 4 teaspoons ground flaxseeds
• 1/2 cup nondairy milk, like soy or almond RICE MILK
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup nondairy chocolate chips or chunks. TRADER JOES (they are manufactured on equipment that processes dairy but that is ok for me)

Instructions for Making Vegan Chocolate Cookies

Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix the ground flax seeds with the non-dairy milk, and whisk them together well. Set this aside for a few moments to thicken.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir them together with a whisk until well-blended and there are no lumps of cocoa powder remaining.

Combine the sugar and the vegetable oil in a large bowl, and whisk them together until the sugar is nice and moist. Now add the flax seed mixture, and the vanilla extract, and mix them into sugar until it thickens into a smooth, shiny batter.

Add all the dry ingredients at once and stir carefully, mixing until everything is incorporated and you have just a few spots of flour remaining. Finally, add the chocolate chips or chunks and mix them into the cookie dough along with the last of the flour. The dough will be stiff.

Use a cookie scoop to form 1-inch balls of dough and use your palm to gently flatten them slightly into discs, then place them on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.

Bake the cookies at 350 degrees F for 9-10 minutes, until they're puffed and have lost the raw shine in the middle. Remove them from the oven and let them cool for 2-3 minutes on the cookie sheet, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.

These double chocolate cookies have a soft, rich brownie-like texture, with little pockets of melted chocolate throughout. They're so decadent, no one will believe they're vegan

Vegan Chocolate Frosting

This is the best vegan chocolate frosting I've ever made.  I adapted a regular frosting recipe:

1/4 c. butter either vegan butter or some combo of palm oil/coconut oil
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. RICE milk
1/2 c. VEGAN chocolate chips
1 tsp. vanilla

Bring butter, milk and sugar to a boil, add chocolate chips and vanilla. Beat until cool. Will frost a 9 x 13 cake.

Nicole's Amazing Zucchini Bread

This was just about the yummiest thing I've had in a while.  I wonder if it'd work with a flax egg?

The zucchini bread recipe:
In a bowl, sift 3 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt and 3 teaspoons cinnamon

In a big bowl, add 3 eggs, 2 1/4 cup sugar, 1 cup oil (I used canola), 3 teaspoons vanilla extract. Beat well. Slowly add mixture above until well blended

Stir in 2 cups of grated zucchini and 1 cup of walnuts (I substituted almond slivers... the walnuts are better)

Grease pan and add flour to Pan to prevent sticking.  Bake at 325. I set timer for 45 minutes. Then do the toothpick test. If it's not clean I bake it longer at 5 minute increments.

No-Bake Fudgy Snow Balls

These are really yummy, easy and great to make together with kids (Lillian loved shaking the confectioners sugar on using a closed container. Must keep in mind for next year's cookie exchanges!

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2010/12/no-bake-fudgy-snow-balls.html#more

No-Bake Fudgy Snow Balls
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 21 • Serving Size: 1 cookie • Old Points: 1 pt • Points+: 2 pts
Calories: 69.5 • Fat: 3.8 g • Carb: 9.2 g • Fiber: 2.2 g • Protein: 2.1 g

• 15 pitted dates
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup whole roasted unsalted almonds
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp water (or more if needed)
• 3 tbsp confectioner's sugar

Add almonds to your food processor and pulse until ground. Add dates, cocoa powder, honey, and water. Mix until it forms a sticky mass. If it seems too dry, add a little water, 1 tsp at a time. Wash hands and using damp hands (keep sink running) measure 1 tbsp and roll into a ball with the dough. Set balls on parchment paper.
Put confectioner's sugar in a bowl. Roll balls in your hand and then roll in sugar.
Can be stored in the fridge for up to a week.

Chocolate Recipes worth keeping

"Better-For-You Brownies"
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 c. pitted chopped dates
1 tsp. instant coffee granules (I use decaf)
1/2 c. boiling water
1/3 c. walnuts
2/3 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 T ground flax with 1/3 cup water egg substitute
1 C plus 1 Tbs. sugar
2 T vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract

-preheat to 350, coat 9 inch sware baking pan with cooking spray
-combine cocoa, dates, coffee. add boiling water and stir until cocoa has dissolved, let stand for 10 minutes or until completely cool
-meanwhile, spread walnuts in shallow baking pan and bake until lightly roasted and fragrant (4-6min). Set aside to cool. Keep oven on.
-In a food processor, combine flour, vaking powder, salt and toasted walnuts; process until walnuts are ground. Transfer mixture to large bowl and set aside.
-With a rubber spatula, scrape cooled cocoa mixture into food processor. Add egg substitute, 1 c sugar, oil an dvanilla and process until smooth, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides of work bowl. Add to reserved flour mixture and stire just until dry ingredients are moistened
-pour batter into prepared baking pan, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with remaining 1 T sugar. Bake until brownies are firm around edges and just set in center, 25-30 minutes.
-Transfer pan to wire rack and cool completely. To serve, coat sharp knife with cooking spray and cut into 16 squares.

The Best Vegan Chocolate Cake
3 C. four
2 C. Sugar
1/2 C. cocoa
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2/3 c. oil
2 Tbsp white vinegar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 C. water

-mix dry ingredients
-add water, oil, vinegar & vanilla. Mix well
-put into greased/floured cake pans (2 9"rounds) or muffin cups or any shape you'd prefer. Cake pans take 35 minutes in 350 oven, muffins less. Check by inserting toothpick.

Vegan Chocolate Frosting
1 C. sugar
6 T corn starch
4 T cocoa
1/2 t salt
2 T oil
1 C. water
1/2 t vanilla

-mix sugar, cornstarch, salt and cocoa in medium sauce pan. Whisk in water. Heat over medium utnil it gets thick and starts to boil. Boil for 1-2 minutes (not too long or it will set like taffy) Remove from heat and stir in vanilla & oil. Cool and spread on cooled cake (OR, freeze and use later)

Oatmeal Cookies

This recipe is a keeper:

1.5 C Flour
1 t Baking Soda
1 t Salt
(mix, set aside)
3/4 c Canola Oil
1 1/3 C Sugar
(cream)
2 T rice milk
(mix)
2 egg replacer eggs (Ener-G works great)
(add slowly & mix)
1.5 T Vanilla (yes, that is right- TABLEspoons)
(add & mix until constant color)
2.5 C Quick oats
Chocolate Chips
(add & mix)

350 for 9-15 minutes- don't wait for them to brown, they won't.

Yummy mexican meal

Today is cinco de mayo and despite the fact that I have no really good reason to celebrate it I thought I'd pull out some Mexican-ish recipes. Both of these turned out awesome

Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas:
http://kalynskitchen.blogspot.com/2005/08/chicken-fajitas-in-crockpot-from.html

Cinnamon Treats (I didn't make jack-o-lantern faces in mine):
http://www.mexgrocer.com/348-jackolantern-cinnamon.html

Oatmeal Fudge Bars

These are awesome!! Thanks, Evie, for finding this recipe

http://www.foodallergymama.com/2010/04/11/dairy-egg-and-nut-free-oatmeal-fudge-bars/?utm_source=Food+Allergy+Mama+News&utm_campaign=8a2d8c506a-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email

DAIRY, EGG AND NUT FREE OATMEAL FUDGE BARS

OATMEAL LAYER

1/2 c. dairy free shortening

1 c. brown sugar, firmly packed

1/4 c. unsweetened applesauce

1 tsp. vanilla

1 c. unbleached all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 c. old fashioned or quick cooking oats (I prefer old fashioned but use whatever you have)

FUDGE LAYER

1/2 c. unbleached all purpose flour

1/4 c. granulated sugar

1 1/2 dairy free chocolate chips (Enjoy Life or Divvies)

4 T. dairy free margarine (I use Fleischmans)

1 T. water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray an 8 inch glass Pyrex baking dish with dairy free baking spray. Set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or use a medium bowl with a wooden spoon) combine the shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add applesauce and vanilla and thoroughly combine. In a small separate bowl combine the flour, baking soda and salt with a wire whisk. Add to shortening mixture and stir well. Stir in oats. Reserve 1 cup of oatmeal mixture for topping. Spread the rest into the prepared glass dish using the back of a spoon or your fingers. Set aside.

Make Fudge Layer: In a microwave safe bowl combine the chocolate chips and dairy free margarine. Heat in the microwave 20 seconds at a time until the chips are just melted. Add 1 T. water and stir with a rubber spatula until combined. In a small bowl combine the 1/2 c. flour and 1/4 c. sugar with a wire whisk. Add the chocolate mixture to the flour mixture and stir until combined. Spread the fudge layer over the oatmeal layer. Sprinkle top with the reserved oatmeal mixture and spread with the back of a spoon or your fingers. Bake 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Scones

BROWN SUGAR SCONES

2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/4 Cup Dark Brown Sugar, loosely packed + 1 Tablespoon
1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 Cup Vegetable Shortening
3/4 Cup Soy Milk
1/2 Cup Maple Syrup

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, 1/4 cup of brown sugar and salt.
Add and cut in the shortening with either two knives or a pastry cutter to a coarse crumb texture.
Add the milk and maple syrup and stir well with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together, finishing up by hand if necessary to form a ball.
Transfer the dough ball to the parchment lined baking sheet and flatten to 3/4″.
Cut the dough into 8 wedges and sprinke with the 1 tablespoon of remaining brown sugar.
Bake for about 20 – 25 minutes or until golden.

I substituted rice milk for the soy milk, honey for the maple syrup and a mix of palm oil/coconut oil for the shortening. And I threw some raisins in too.