Elanore's Best Peanut Butter Cookies (Vegan)

Basic Peanut Butter Cookies

1 C. natural peanut butter, runny

2/3 C. real maple syrup

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 C. almond flour

1/2 C. oat flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2) Combine liquid ingredients (panut butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract) and blend until smooth.

3) Add dry ingredients (combine them into a blended pile right on top of the peanut butter blend) and stir until a smooth dough forms.

4) Scoop and form into round balls and place evenly on cookie sheet.

5) Bake 12–14  minutes or until lightly golden.

6) Upon removal from the oven, tap the pan down hard on the counter to flatten cookies, or very carefully (and lightly!) press a fork into the top of each cookie to form a criss cross pattern. NOTE: Be careful!  Cookies made with almond flour are very delicate and crumbly until cooled well.

For PB&J Cookies (Vegan)

Prepare as above through step 4, then lightly press a thumbprint into the top of each cookie ball. (Gently shape the cookies if they crumble at this stage.) Fill thumbprint impression with raspberry jelly and then proceed with baking as indicated above.

For Peanut Butter Minecraft Cookies (Vegan)

Prepare as above through step 5, then cool for five minutes and press two little squares of vegan dark chocolate into the top of each cookie. (They look like Minecraft blocks!)  Cool completely before attempting to move the cookies.

This recipe is loosely adapted from this original recipe: 

https://booboosbakery.com/healthy-peanut-butter-blossoms/

Brian's Vegan Cheez Ball (Vegan)

1 C. raw cashews

2 Tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed

2 Tbsp. coconut oil (can be omitted)

1/2 Tbsp. white miso paste

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. paprika

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 Tbsp. water

1 Tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped

2 Tbsp. fresh chives, divided

1/4 C. crushed roasted salted almonds

1) Place the raw cashews into a bowl and pour over them boiling hot water from the kettle. Leave them to soak for one hour.

2) Drain the cashews and add to the blender along with lemon juice, coconut oil, miso p paste, salt, paprika, cayenne pepper, dijon mustard, nutritional yeast, crushed garlic, and water, and blend until smooth.

3) Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and stir in fresh chopped basil and 1 Tbsp. of chopped chives.

4) Line a small bowl with plastic wrap and spoon the mixture into the bowl. Twist the plastic wrap to seal it, creating a ball shape.

5) Place the bowl with your cheese ball into the freezer for 1 hour to set.

6) While the cheese is setting, crush roasted and salted almonds and place them into a wide bowl.

7) Add the remaining 1 Tbsp. chopped chives and mix in with the crushed almonds.

8) After 1 hour, remove the cheese ball from the freezer and gently remove the plastic wrap.

9) Gently roll the cheese ball in the crushed almonds and chilies, making sure the ball is evenly coated.

10) Return the cheese ball to the small bowl that it sat in and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until you're ready to serve.

11) Serve with crackers, breads, veggies, or tortilla chips.

NOTES:

Smoking the cashews is essential for easy blending.

Walnutes or blanched almonds can be used if allergic to cashews. Taste and texture will be different, but still delicious.

It's fine to limit the oil entirely, or use olive oil or coconut oil.

This is fine to make ahead for a couple of days before you need to serve tit.

Ball can be stored in the fridge for a week, or frozen for up to two months.

Nanny's Hot Potato Salad (Can be vegan)

This is the traditional side dish (along with green beans, alongside ham, ambrosia), crudités, and rolls) for the Haynie family Christmas dinner.

Potatoes, peeled, diced, and boiled

Sweet/mild onion, finely chopped

Dill pickles, finely diced

3 hard-boiled eggs (omit if vegan)

3 T. mayonnaise (use mango-naise if vegan)

1 stick butter (omit if vegan)

salt & pepper

For Nanny H's version:

Use sweet pickle relish instead or in addition to the dill pickles.

Chop bell pepper in it.

Add a little yellow mustard.

Thin with milk, pickle juice, or potato water.

NOTE: Make this with freshly boiled potatoes while they're still warm or it will mess up. It is essentially like mashed potatoes flavored as potato salad. It's yummy!

Black Bean and Butternut Squash Soup (Vegan)

Sitterding family Thanksgiving tradition. If making it for a crowd, triple the recipe.

COOK TIME: 25 mins

YIELDS: 6 to 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1 medium onion, chopped, about 1 cup
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• 1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes, about 3 to 4 cups
• 1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 5 cups vegetable broth
• ½ bunch of curly kale, about 4 large leaves, tough stems removed and leaves finely chopped
• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

• Sauté onions and salt with a little bit of water to deglaze. Cook until onions start to get soften and turn translucent, about 8 minutes.
• Add garlic, cumin, chili powder, and crushed red pepper flakes.Stir and cook for a minute or two, until spices become aromatic.
• Add the squash, black beans, and broth. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer until squash is just tender enough to pierce easily with a fork, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Stir in kale and quinoa; continue to simmer until kale is tender, about 5 minutes. Add lemon juice, then season to taste with more salt and pepper, if necessary. Ladle into bowls and serve.

Oil-Free Vegan Sourdough Drop Biscuits:

Not as delicious as biscuits with a ton of (vegan) butter, but way healthier. And they'll do the trick in a pinch when you're craving that biscuit texture.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 

Makes 8 large biscuits.

Ingredients:

1  1/2 cups flour (einkorn whole wheat flour works, as will GF)

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/3 cup unsweetened apple sauce

1/3 cup sourdough starter discard

1/4 plant milk (oat/almond/soy)

Method:

Combine dry ingredients.

Add wet ingredients.

Mix until just combined (can’t see the flour). Will make a wet dough.

Drop by spoonful onto parchment paper baking sheets and bake at 425 for 12-13 minutes. Makes 8 big biscuits.

This is from this original recipe from Cultivator Kitchen.