Chocolate Chip Cookies with Mint and Date Filling

Who doesn't like eating raw cookie dough? This girl does, and thanks to vegan batter you and I can do just that. I have never been much of a sweet or chocolate fan but recently, that has changed. Id consider myself a "cook" who likes to create and prepare dishes, but ask me to bake and that is a whole other topic. Mostly because I just cant follow a recipe; I am always adding extra ingredients or taking something out. I just throw things in a pan or a bowl and keep tasting as I go, but when baking that just does not fly very well.

With these chocolate chip cookies from OhSheGlows.com I just had to add extra ingredients, not because I didn't think the recipe was "good" enough but rather I like adding different ingredients. I added 3 tbsp of raw agave and 4 tbsp of peanut butter. Why peanut butter? As I was placing the dough on the cookie sheet, my dad who loves Chocolate Chip cookies from Nancy B's Bakery in West Homestead, Pittsburgh; walks in the kitchen and goes, Nancy B's uses peanut butter you know? So in went the peanut butter. If any of you are from "Pixburgh" and have visited the bakery, you know why they are so famous in Pittsburgh. nancybsbakery They are HUGE, I mean massive and are so chewy, soft and addictive, but not vegan. The cookies from OhSheGlows, with the addition of a few ingredients, made me forget the taste of my dads favorite cookies which are currently staring at me on the kitchen counter. Don't worry the vegan ones are right next to them!!

As for the filling, it is super sweet and and delicious.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup of powdered sugar
1/4 cup vegan butter (I use original Earth Balance)
6 Medjool Dates
6 fresh mint leaves.

Directions:

Add all of the ingredients in a mixer and mix till smooth. The filling will be sticky and thick. Place between 2

Sun-Nut Butter Cups

Made these delicious cups of goodness in my cooking class this week and made them tonight for dessert. So delicious, creamy and rich. 

½ cup Earth Balance butter

¾ cup Sun-Nut Butter

¾ cup graham cracker crumbs (10 graham cracker squares, smashed into fine crumbs)

¼ cup raw sugar

1 cup vegan chocolate chips

¼ cup Soymilk

¼ cup almonds, chopped

 

1. Line muffin tins with 14 paper liners & set aside.

2. Melt the Earth Balance butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.

3. Stir in the Sun-Nut Butter, graham cracker crumbs and raw sugar and mix well.

4. Remove the mixture from the heat and evenly divide the mixture, approximately 2 tablespoons per cup among the muffin cups.

5. Combine the chocolate and milk in another pan.

6. Stir over medium heat until the chocolate has melted.

7. Spoon the chocolate evenly over the Sun Butter mixture.

8. Top with chopped almonds.

9. Place in the refrigerator to set for 35-45 minutes before serving.

Buffalo Cauliflower Dip

I have always loved the spicyness and texture of buffalo chicken dip, but since I don't  eat animal products I've been thinking of a healthier vegan option that is not only simple to make but delicious. It will have your friends drooling. 

What you'll need:

(I made for a large party; so for a smaller batch, half the recipe)

2 17oz containers of Sabra Original Hummus

1 cup of Sriracha chili hot sauce (I like mine hot so I used about 1.5 cups, use more or less depending on your heat tolerance) 

1 large head of cauliflower

Cashew Cream Cheese:

1.5 cup raw cashews

3 tbsp nutritional yeast

1/4 cup lemon juice 

1/2 tbsp canola oil

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Water (to make cream cheese thinner if needed) 

Directions:

For cream cheese start by soaking the raw cashews in water for at least 3-4 hours.

1. Using a grater, finely grate the cauliflower and place in a large pan on the stove and warm; add about 1/2 cup sriracha and stir. Try to coat all the cauliflower.

2. Transfer the cauliflower mixture into a large mixing bowl. 

3. Add the hummus to the cauliflower mixture along with the remaining hot sauce and mix thoroughly.

Cashew Cheese:

1. After letting the cashews soak, drain them and add to a food processor along with all the other ingredients. Blend until everything is mixed. Add water if needed.

Now add the cashew cheese to the cauliflower and hummus mixture. Mix thoroughly. Add more hot sauce if you like it spicy.

Serve with your favorite dippers. Cauliflower, celery, pita chips, tortilla chips or use it on a sandwich or wrap.

Enjoy, I hope you love it as much as I do! 

Power Nut/Date Balls

1. I'm obsessed with Dates. 2. I'm obsessed with dates....can you guess what 3 is? Yes I love dates and I'm always snacking on these little things that provide so much energy! I wanted something fun so I used the extra walnuts and dates and came up with these!

Yields: 5 large balls

What you'll need:

1 cup of raw walnuts

.5 cup walnuts for coating

10 Medjool dates

Water (optional)

Directions:

1. Add walnuts to food processor and pulse until fine. Set aside in bowl.

2. Take pitted dates and place in food processor and blend till smooth. It will be sticky and depending on how fresh your dates are you may have to add some water to make smooth.

3. After smooth, add the pulsed walnuts and mix together. You will most likely have to scrape the sides of the processor. Very sticky.

4. Take mixture out of food processor and place into bowl.

5. Using a flat surface like a paper plate or cutting board place the extra walnuts onto a plate or flat surface and lightly crush. You can make the walnuts small or large pieces, but I used small chunks.

6. Using your hands roll into ball shapes. I made 5 from this recipe, but you could make them smaller.

7. Now roll the balls through the walnut mixture. Coating all sides. They are fairly soft so make sure not to crush them.

*I have also seen people use goji berries, almonds, chocolate chips, flax and other toppings as well. Totally your performance. 

Chickpea Peanut Butter Cookies

I have always loved peanut butter cookies but always felt guilty after eating them. I saw this recipe on a friends Instagram page and figured why not. Who would think of using chickpeas in cookies, not me. I was so surprised at how amazing they were and that the taste of chickpeas was not there.

What you'll need:
Yields about 25 small cookies

I can of garbanzo beans drained
1 cup plus 1/4 cup organic creamy peanut butter
6 tbsp. raw agave
2 tsp. baking powder
4 tsp. vanilla


Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 350F
2. Place drained and washed beans and all ingredients into a food processor and pulse till smooth. It is very sticky so you may have to slightly stir and continue to pulse.
3. Roll dough into small balls. Mine were a little larger than a quarter.
4. Place on greased baking sheet pan.
5. Using a fork make grooves going vertical and horizontal. Pushing down on the dough.
6. Place in heated oven for about 13-15 minutes or until slightly brown.
(You can eat them when they are warm but they are slightly mushy so may want to let them cool.)