Protein Packed Ginger Snaps

I adapted this recipe from my regular ginger snap recipe that I've been using for years. Make these switches that I have noted for a whole grain, protein packed, no refined sugar, healthy-fat cookie that tastes awesome (and not at all coconutty if you're worried about that)!

Protein Packed Ginger Snaps

• 1/3 c. coconut oil 
• 1/2 c. no salt pinto beans, blended with about 1 Tbs water (measure beans after blending/mashing)
• 2/3 c. coconut sugar 
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 whole egg or 2 egg whites
• 1/4 c. dark molasses
• 1.5-2 c. whole wheat white flour 

• 1/4 c. coconut sugar 
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Using a small food processor, blend the beans with water until there are no chunks remaining. You can hand mash them with a potato masher as well, but you need to keep working them till they are VERY smooth. Will have the consistency of soft PB. Measure 1/2 c into your mixing bowl.

Then combine the coconut oil with the coconut sugar, baking soda, ginger, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, egg and molasses. Blend until all is moist and mostly smooth, then add flour.  Start with just 1.5 cups of whole wheat white flour, then add more as needed to create a stiff dough (I used about 1 3/4 c total for mine). Stir until well combined then cover and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour or until you're ready to bake.

Combine the 1/4 coconut sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon on a plate or bowl. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in sugar-cinnamon mixture, then place 2 inches apart on a prepared cookie sheet (use parchment paper, rubber mat, or non-stick foil). Press down lightly on the cookie with fork tongs. If there's dough that isn't being used during a baking cycle, cover it and return to fridge or freezer.  Bake cookies in a 350 degree F oven for 10 to 11 minutes or until set and tops are cracked. Remove from cookie sheet and let cool on a wire rack.

Applesauce Granola

This granola was such a winner!  Whole grain, low fat, no refined sugars, and best of all, everyone in my family LOVED it!

Applesauce Granola (only slightly adapted from macaroniandcheesecake.com)

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup dry sugar (I used coconut sugar, but brown would also be great here)
1 tbsp. honey
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (or canola would be fine)
1/4 tsp. salt
4 cups old fashioned oats
1 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

In a large microwavable bowl, add the applesauce, sugar, honey, oil, and salt.  Stir together and heat until the mixture is just warm to the touch (about 30 seconds at my house).

Add to the bowl the oats and cinnamon, and stir it around until the mixture is fully incorporated.

Spread oat mixture evenly onto a 9 x 13 baking sheet.  Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 10-15 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool completely.  Store in an airtight container.

ADD INS!!! Once the granola is made and cooled, I added some no-sugar added raisins and dates and ate it with milk like cereal. Some chopped nuts would be great too, and don't forget the potential for super parfaits with yogurt and fruit mixed in.

Food Substitute App for Android and Amazon Markets!

This week my husband and I released the first ever Food Substitute App for Android!  It was first available in the Google Play Store but is now also on the Amazon market!

The food substitutes in this app are researched and written to try to help with anyone's cooking situation - from that moment when you realize you’re out of the one ingredient that you need to finish your recipe, to dietary needs, to allergies, or more budget-friendly alternatives. We hope to help any chef in any kitchen create a delicious dish that meets their needs. Currently we have over 100 foods and over 230 substitutes with more being added all the time!

So, here's the insider's peek of our app, hope you enjoy!

The home screen with the 4 features of this first version:

The Search By Food list that you can scroll through....

 Or type the food you're looking for in the top search bar and watch those letters highlight in the foods that match until you find what you want.

 Each food's page has a list of subs that drop down with more info for using the sub, as well as a Food Details tab that gives background and hints for the food itself.

 

There's also a Submit Ideas Feature that lets the user submit subs that they know, or make requests for foods or subs they need.

 This last graphic is a promo that my husband made for use in the play store.

I'm a little embarrassed to show this last part (because I'm such a lame narrator) but another big feature on the app store is having a video tutorial of the app.  Here I go giving a visual run through of all our app features.




Thanks to all the friends and family that have supported us with this project - it's been so fun sharing it with you and feeling your excitement!

For those of you that have android and/or Amazon phones or tablets, we'd be thrilled if you would download our app (there is a free trial and a $.99 version) and if you enjoy it, we'd really appreciate you taking the time to rate it in the market you used to help our app get noticed.

Even if you can't get our app, we'd love to have help spreading the word. It's amazing how fast and far word of mouth can go in this era of technology, right?  These are the links to the play store for our app:

Paid: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hedgesappdev.foodsubs.ui
Free Trial: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hedgesappdev.foodsubs.free.ui 

And the Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/Hedges-App-Development-LLC-Substitutes/dp/B00873IYSM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1338482800&sr=8-1

By putting one or both of these links on blogs, Facebook, or pinning the images to Pinterest you would really be helping us so much!

Fluffy Pumpkin Biscuits (Vegan)

If you're nervous about vegan food than this is a great place to start, because you'd never know these are "healthy."  I expected them to be over-the-top sweet, but they aren't. They'd go wonderfully alongside a winter stew or slather them with honey for an after-dinner treat.

Fluffy Pumpkin Biscuits (Vegan) (slightly adapted from An Opera Singer in the Kitchen)

• 2 cups whole wheat white flour  
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoon real maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3 Tablespoon Earth Balance margarine (vegan margarine, it's WONDERFUL, but use what you have/like)
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup plain soy milk or another non-dairy milk (original recipe calls for So Delicious coconut milk)
• 2 Tablespoon honey

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, no stick foil, or another non-stick surface.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and spices. Blend in the margarine using a pastry blender, wisk, or other splitting tool (I used an avocado masher, he he).

In a medium bowl, combine the pumpkin, coconut milk, maple syrup, and honey.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until the mixture holds together. Knead lightly on a floured surface and roll out to 1″ thickness. Using a 2″ biscuit cutter (or thin cup edge), cut the dough into circles.

Re-roll the scraps and cut out biscuits until you have used all of the dough. Place on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Twice Baked Au Gratin Potatoes

Growing up Au Gratin potatoes was THE side dish to dream about.  Oozey cheese sauce, onions, & tender spuds was a dream.

But now, with a healthy eye (and a Dad who's lactose intolerant) I set out to harness that lovely favor, but SLICE the excess fat, calories, cholesterol.... even the real cheese.

These were amazing. And even on day 2, the spuds were still creamy out of the microwave.

Twice Baked Au Gratin Potatoes by Kim

• 4 average size baking potatoes
• 1 HUGE sweet onion
• Milk of your choosing (I used soy)
• salt
• 1 Tbs butter of your choosing (I used Earth Balance)
• 1/2 c. cheese of your choosing (I used Veggie Shreds to make this lactose free, but a real sharp cheddar would be fantastic)

Preheat oven to 375. Scrub & pierce your potatoes, but don't wrap them since they need tough skins. Bake them until soft on the inside. Meanwhile, heat a pan to low. Slice your onion in even pieces & put them in the oven.  Let them cook on low, stirring occasionally for about an hour. This is the best way for onions to caramelize. If the pan's too hot & you get black spots, de-glaze the pan with a little broth, scrap up all the dark pieces, & reduce the heat.  Eventually you'll get a honey colored onion glob.  This can be saved in the fridge if you aren't ready to make the potatoes yet.

When the potatoes are cooked, slice them lengthwise & scoop out the flesh, reserving the skins on a baking sheet.  Mash the potatoes with the sweet onions, milk, butter, & salt to taste. Stir in half of the cheese. Refill the potato skins with the mashed potatoes, top with remaining cheese. Bake stuffed potatoes at 375 until heated through & cheese has melted, 15 minutes or more depending on desired consistency.

Pumpkin Pie Granola

Wonderful granola & oil free. Tastes so good I'll eat it year round & not just in Fall.

Pumpkin Pie Granola  (adapted from twopeasintheirpod.com)

• 5 cups rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• ¾ tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• ½ cup pumpkin puree
• ¼ cup applesauce
• ¼ cup real maple syrup (this adds great flavor, but if you don't have it you can probably sub honey or agave with a little molasses)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
   
• Additional add-ins if desired: 3/4 cup dried cranberries, 1/2 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Preheat the oven to 325° F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or non-stick foil and set aside.  In a large bowl, combine oats, spices, and salt. Mix well.

In a medium bowl, whisk together brown sugar, pumpkin puree, applesauce, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth. Pour wet ingredients into oat mixture and stir until the oats are evenly coated. They will be moist. Evenly spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and stir. Bake for an additional 20 minutes. If the granola isn't quite crisp yet, stir & return to the oven for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir in dried cranberries and pepitas if using (I didn't). Let cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Goes AMAZING on yogurt, mixed into cereal, with milk/soy milk, ice cream, or to top baked apples!

Banana & Berry Bread (Vegan)

Don't let the vegan name throw you, this banana bread is awesome.  Hubby and I stood around devouring it while it was still hot all the while saying, "It doesn't taste like health food!"

Banana & Berry Bread (Vegan) - from Chocolate Covered Katie.com, slightly altered by me

• 2 c spelt flour (I did a mix of 1.5 c all purpose & .5 c whole wheat white, but I'm going to play with the ratio & types of flours in the future)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt 
• 1/3 c nondairy milk (I used plain soy milk) 
• 1 and 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 T lemon juice
• 1 T more sweetener (could be agave, honey, syrup, or sugar)
• 1 and 2/3 c tightly-packed, mashed banana (measured after mashing)
• 1/3 cup berries of choice, or more banana (I used the triple berry mix from Costco & some dark cherries as well - I first defrosted them, then pureed them in my food processor)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine dry ingredients, and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine wet ingredients and mix into dry. (Mix by hand, and don’t over mix.) Pour into a greased loaf pan and cook for around 40-45 minutes. Check, if the top is getting dark, but the inside still feels mushy with a toothpick test, cover the bread with foil & bake another 10 minutes & test again (this method worked perfectly for my bread).

When it's done, remove from pan and let cool on a wire rack for ten minutes before slicing. Goes great with natural peanut butter!

After the first day, this bread is best stored in the fridge. You can also cut into slices and freeze for later.