Vegan Teff Spice Cookies

I don't know if it's the cold weather but I've been in severe hibernation mode.  Instead of hiking or engaging in any winter sports, my weekends have mostly been spent curled up with my dogs on the couch with blankets and tea and a massive pile of books that have been on my reading list since last summer. 

Sure, a hot cup of tea is great on it's own, but it's much better when accompanied by a little something sweet. Lately, I've been craving all sorts of cookies but instead of breaking out the butter, sugar and flour I try to keep things on the healthy side. When I was cleaning out my freezer the other day, going through various flours, nuts and frozen fruits, I came across a bag of teff flour that had been kicking around for a year or so, since my failed attempt at making injera, a spongy, yeast risen flatbread.  Since this was the only way I've ever seen teff used, I wondered if I could somehow incorporate it into a muffin, quickbread or cookie, because my injera making days were o-ver. Since teff is a gluten free grain, I wasn't sure if I could substitute it for all or part of the flour in any given recipe.

So, naturally I went on wikipedia and here's what I found...

Teff is a teeny tiny ancient grain native to Ethiopia that is packed with protein, calcium, iron and fiber. There are few different varieties that vary in color from light to dark. White teff has a chestnut like flavor while the darker varieties are more earthy reminiscent of hazelnuts. More common is red teff which has more iron and has gained popularity in recent years due to it's amazing nutritional profile.

In some recipes, it can be used to replace all the flour with the exception of baked goods that depend on gluten for struture (i.e. bread), in which case up to 25% teff flour can be substituted.  I happened to come across a recipe for a spiced teff loaf that looked pretty amazing but settled on a these teff spice cookies, due to the fact that they took less time to throw together and I already had everything on hand to make them.  Bonus.. they were vegan and gluten free, which somehow makes me think I can eat more of them without the calories going straight to my ass.

Teff Spice Cookies (Makes 1 dozen cookies)
Slightly adapted from Natural Noshing

1/4 c. + 1 T. unsweetened applesauce
1 t. chia seed meal (ground chia seeds)
3/4 c. teff flour
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. ground ginger
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
small pinch ground cloves
1/8 t. sea salt
1/4 c. maple syrup
1 t. vanilla extract
1/2 c. peanut butter (or almond butter)

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, mix together the applesauce and chia seed meal and set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the teff flour, sea salt, spices, and baking powder and set aside. 
In a separate bowl, heat the peanut butter in a double boiler (a small glass bowl placed over a pot of simmering water) until softened, about a minute or so. Stir in the maple syrup, vanilla, and applesauce-chia mixture into the warm peanut butter.
Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients, then stir to combine.
Use a cookie scoop to portion the dough into 12 cookies and roll each one. Set them on the prepared cookie sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart from each other. Use the tines of a fork to press down the center of the cookie (optional, or you can slightly flatten). Bake for 10 – 13 minutes until the cookies are set, mine took 10 and a 1/2 minutes.
 *Make sure not to overbake, the cookies will be soft in the middle and chewy.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature or freeze.

Chai Tea Mix

This post goes out to my mom... a true chai addict, with the hopes that she will one day read this handy post and make a batch all by herself.

But...  I know my mom better and I've accepted the fact that it's probably never going to happen.

So for the rest of you die hard fans out there, I'm going to hook you up with a recipe for the most delicious chai tea mix... ever.

I recently did a post on how to make masala chai tea from scratch. It's super awesome.  But..... it's one of those things that takes a little advance planning (steeping spices in water for a period of time before adding your tea, milk and sweetner). This chai tea mix is one of those things that you can make a big 'ol batch of so when a craving hits, you can have a mug of hot, milky, spicy tea in less than ten minutes.

If you've ever prepared any type of curry you've most likely come across recipes that call for toasting and grinding whole spices before adding them to the final dish. Toasting spices in a dry pan or oven helps to release their essential oils and intensifies the flavor of the final dish.  The same logic applies to making chai.

Cinnamon sticks, fennel seeds, cardamom pods, coriander seeds, black and pink peppercorns and star anise are toasted in the oven for five minutes.  After the spices have cooled a bit, you're going to crush 'em up a bit (trying to cram a whole cinnamon stick in your tea bag isn't gonna work).  Then, all you have to do is stir it in to some black tea.  Ginger is commonly used in most chai tea blends, but using ground or fresh ginger was a little impractical in this preparation. The next best thing: crystalized ginger!  Chop it up and add it to the tea and spices and you have one badass jar of chai tea!

Chai Tea (makes approximately 12-16 teabags
From The Kitchn

12 green cardamom pods
1/2 teaspoon whole red peppercorns (optional)
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon whole cloves and/ or star anise
1 4-inch cinnamon stick
3 tablespoons chopped candied ginger
1/2 cup loose black tea

Preheat oven to 350°
With a sharp knife, split the cardamom pods in half. Place in a pie tin along with the peppercorns, fennel, coriander, cloves and cinnamon. Toast in the oven for about 5 minutes, or until the spices are fragrant. Remove and cool.
Crush spices lightly with a rolling pin or in a mortar and pestle. You may have to crumble the cinnamon stick with your hands.
In a bowl, toss the spices, candied ginger and tea together until blended.


Brewing Instructions
tea for one
1 cup of water
1/2 cup of milk (I use almond milk)
1 tablespoon of Chai Mix placed into a tea bag
Honey to taste

Bring the water to a boil and add the teabag. Turn off the heat and let steep for about 5 minutes. Add the milk, turn on the flame and reheat until hot. Remove from heat, discard teabag, sweeten to taste, enjoy!

Chermoula Eggplant with Bulgar and Yogurt

Eggplant is soooo not in season right now, but when I saw the recipe for Chermoula Eggplant in Yotam Ottolenghi's beautiful new cookbook, Jerusalem, there was no way I could hold out until summer to make it.  Chermoula is a marinade used in North African cooking, usually used to flavor fish and meats but it is also a wonderful brushed over vegetables as well. This delicous marinade usually incudes preserved (pickled) lemon, fresh herbs, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, coriander and salt; the propotions and spices vary from region to region.

I love eggplant in all forms, grilled, fried or roasted to death and made into the ever popular dip, baba ganoush.  My husband on the other hand had a difficult time with the texture and has only ever really enjoyed it when fried and slathered with sauce and cheese to make eggplant parmesan.
Despite his fickle attitude towards eggplant I went ahead and made the recipe anyways...

The eggplant it brushed with a mixture of preserved lemon, olive oil, garlic, cumin, coriander, chili flakes and paprika then baked until tender.  A delicious bulgar pilaf studded with toasted slivered almonds, golden raisins and green olives with fresh herbs was spooned over the eggplant and served with a side of thick greek yogurt.

Although this was meant to be served as a meal on its own I felt like I needed something else to round out the dish.  I tossed some cauliflower with lots of spices, cumin, black pepper, turmeric, coriander, crushed red pepper, olive oil and breadcrumbs and roasted until crispy.

....and the husband approved...

Boom!

Chermoula Eggplant with Bulgar and Yogurt
From Jerusalem

2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon chili flakes
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
2 tablespoons finely chopped preserved lemon peel (recipe below)
2/3 cup olive oil, plus extra to finish
2 medium eggplants
1 cup fine bulgur
2/3 cup boiling water
1/3 cup golden raisins
3 1/2 tablespoons warm water
1/3 ounce (2 teaspoons) cilantro, chopped, plus extra to finish
1/3 ounce (2 teaspoons) mint, chopped
1/3 cup pitted green olives, halved
1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
3 green onions, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
Salt

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. To make the chermoula, mix together in a small bowl the garlic, cumin, coriander, chili, paprika, preserved lemon, the olive oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

3. Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise. Score the flesh of each half with deep, diagonal crisscross cuts, making sure not to pierce the skin. Spoon the chermoula over each half, spreading it evenly, and place the eggplant halves on a baking sheet, cut side up. Put in the oven and roast for 40 minutes, or until the eggplants are completely soft.

4. Meanwhile, place the bulgur in a large bowl and cover with the boiling water.

5. Soak the raisins in the warm water. After 10 minutes, drain the raisins and add them to the bulgur, along with the remaining oil. Add the herbs, olives, almonds, green onions, lemon juice and a pinch of salt and stir to combine. Taste and add more salt if necessary.

6. Serve the eggplants warm or at room temperature. Place 1/2 eggplant, cut side up, on each individual plate. Spoon the bulgur on top, allowing some to fall from both sides. Spoon over some yogurt, sprinkle with cilantro and finish with a drizzle of oil.

Almond Meal Cookies with Coconut and Cacao Nibs

I'm usually not a huge fan of sweets, but once in awhile I get a fierce craving, which can easily be satisfied by some good quality dark chocolate or a couple dates stuffed with almond butter or a mug of hot cocoa.  When I'm feeling particularly energentic, I'll even bust out some cookies.  Sometimes I'll go all out and make something like triple chocolate chunk cookies.. the kind with a pound of butter and entirely too much sugar.. Paula Dean style. Most of the time, though, I like to use more nutrient dense ingredients in my sweet treats so I can enjoy them with a little less guilt.

Whether it's using coconut oil, chia seeds or dates to replace butter, eggs and sugar I'm always looking for ways to make things a little bit healthier.  Eating a cookie with butter, sugar and refined flour is going to make you feel way different than a cookie made with almond meal, coconut, eggs and raw cacao nibs.  Sure, the latter of the two might not taste AS decadent but it also won't give you that weighed down, spaced out feeling that often accompanies eating sweets.

I ran across this recipe in The Sprouted Kitchen Cookbook and instead of bookmarking it to make sometime in the near future I immediately preheated my oven and got to work. This was exactly my kind of cookie, mostly because I had everything in the kitchen to make it and it looked mad simple to throw together.

The base of these cookies consists of almond meal, an ingredient that is becoming more common in gluten free baking.  Almond meal is essentially finely ground almonds and when added to baked goods it adds a slightly sweet and nutty flavor.  Coconut flakes, muscovado sugar, coconut oil, an egg and some raw cacao nibs thrown in for crunch made these little cookies a great afternoon snack with a cup of tea or coffee.

Almond Meal Cookies with Coconut and Cacao Nibs (makes 20 cookies)
From The Sprouted Kitchen Cookbook

1 1/4 c. almond meal
1/4 c. cacao nibs
1/2 c. unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. sea salt
1/3 c. muscovado sugar
1 egg
3 T. coconut oil, melted
1/2 t. vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the almond meal, cacao nibs, coconut, baking powder, salt and sugar.
In another bowl, beat the egg very well until it is a uniform color and doubles in volume. Whisk in the coconut oil and vanilla extract.  Add the wet to the dry and and mix until just combined.  Put the bowl in the fridge and chill for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Using your hands, roll the chilled dough into balls no larger than one inch in diameter and place on a baking sheet with 1 1/2 inches of space between, giving them a gentle press on the tops to flatten just a bit. Bake until edges just begin to brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool before serving.

Seeded Whole Grain Crackers

Last year I made crackers and I vowed to never, ever make them again...

After spending a couple hours in the kitchen making and rolling dough only to be left with crackers that were either burned or chewy, I became a firm believer that some things are just more convenient to buy. 

Whenever possible I try to make most of my food from scratch.  It's usually cheaper, healthier and fresher than what you would purchase at the supermarket and I enjoy the satisfaction of turning ordinary ingredients into something nourishing and delicious.

Some shredded cabbage and salt will yield a nutrient dense crock of saurkraut. Some oats, nuts, seeds, dried fruit and sweetner will give you a hearty bowl of granola to enjoy every morning.  Flour, yeast and some salt will give you a loaf of delicious bread. Throw some dried beans, vegetables and spices into a pot and you've got a steaming bowl of soup.  Once you get the hang of making most of your food from whole, unprocessed ingredients, it becomes second nature. 

I've replaced almost all pre-packaged food with healthier counterparts with the exception of a few items, crackers being one of them.  From time to time I make these delicious, raw buckwheat flax crackers, but since they require time for soaking and dehydrating they take a couple days from start to finish.  After finishing my last box of crack- a- lackas, I decided to give cracker making another go.  This time around I would find a different recipe from a reputable source and have a glass of wine while I made them so if they didn't turn out perfect I would be less likely to fling the entire batch across the kitchen in a bout of frustration.

Months ago I ran across a recipe for whole grain gluten free crackers from one of my favorite blogs, My New Roots.  I added the recipe to my favorites, but since I was still in the "homemade crackers are too much damn work" mode I didn't have any intentions in making them anytime soon. 
I happened to have some leftover cooked quinoa and brown rice in my fridge and was looking through my saved recipes for some inspiration. I pulled up the cracker recipe and was pleased to find that it called for quinoa and brown rice AND i had everything else on hand, so I figured I would give it a try one more time.

I'm not gonna lie... these were still a time consuming project, but the end result made it so worth it.  The "dough' came together in no time, throw everything in a food processor and you're done.  Attempting to roll out the dough evenly was the most difficult part.  Roll the dough too thin and you're left with burned crackers, but when it's too thick the crackers take forever to cook.  Don't be discouraged if you face this problem.  Just keep your eye on them.  If you notice some of them start to crisp up (usually the ones along the edges), simply break them off and remove from the oven.  The rest of the crackers will eventually crisp up it just might take alot more time than the recipe calls for. The original recipe said they should take 25-35 minutes, but mine took anywhere from 35 minutes to an hour.  In the end your patience is rewarded when you are left with delicious, unprocessed crackers that put anything you would buy in a box to shame.

The bulk of these crackers is cooked brown rice and quinoa.  Soaked flax seed helps bind the mixture together and toasted sesame seeds are thrown in for crunch.  After creating a base dough, you can pretty much add in whatever you like.  I chose a mixture of poppyseeds, pumpkinseeds and sunflower seeds because that's what I had on hand.  I added some fresh chopped thyme and rosemary to one batch and they came out awesome!  Although I really loved this combination, I could see myself making these again with a couple variations, like adding some finely chopped black olives or garlic or topping the crackers with some fleur de sel, or adding some caraway seeds. 

Seeded Whole Grain Crackers (aka Happy Crackers)
From My New Roots

2 cups cooked brown rice
2 cups cooked quinoa
2/3 cup unhulled sesame seeds
½ cup flax seeds
2 Tbsp. tamari
1 tsp. sea salt
3 Tbsp. olive oil

1/2 c. Add in's:
Choose any variation of the following:
Nuts/Seeds: sunflower, pumpkin seed, almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, poppyseeds, etc..
Spices/Herbs: thyme, rosemary, garlic, oregano, smoked salt, black pepper, chipotle, etc..

Place flax seeds in a bowl and cover with 1/2 c. water. Let soak for at least 20 minutes. 
In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast seseame seeds until fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside.
Blend the cooled rice, quinoa, soaked flax, salt, tamari and olive oil in a food processor until a dough is created- it should form a ball in the food processor (add water if too dry, one tablespoon at a time). Then add the toasted sesame seeds and pulse to incorporate. The dough will be very sticky.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
Take out the desired amount of dough you want to work with and place it on top of parchment paper.  Add the desired nuts/herbs/spices  (I used poppyseeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seedsand fresh chopped thyme) and knead to incorporate.  Season to taste.  Place another piece of parchment on top and use a rolling pin to flatten into a very thin even slab.  Remove the top layer of parchment and using a knife or pizza cutter, score the top of the dough into desired shapes. Slide the parchment on to a cookie sheet and place in the oven.  Bake 25-35 minutes until crispy and golden (cooking time will depend on thickness of dough)
When the crackers are done, remove from oven and let cool five minutes.  Break crackers along score lines, let cool completely and store in an airtight container.  If the crackers have baked unevenly (some are crispy and others are not) place the uncooked ones back on the baking sheet and in the oven until completely dry.  
Crackers keep one week stored in an airtight container.

Herbal Profile: Lemon Balm

Lemon Balm (Melissa Officinalis)

Lemon Balm is a perennial herb in the mint family native to southern Europe and the Mediterranean. In North America, the herb has escaped cultivation and has spread into the wild... literally, this stuff spreads like wildfire! 

All of the parts of the plant can be used (flowers, stems and leaves) for medicinal purposes. It's role in medicinal treatments dates as far back as the time of the Roman Renaissance man, Pliny the Elder (A.D. 27-39).  The plant has a very pleasant scent and can be made into a tea, salve (topical ointment) or used in aromatherapy.

Due to the polyphenol tannins in lemon balm, it is regarded as an effective anti-viral treatment, especially the herpes simplex virus. The high selenium content in the herb assists with it's ability to regulate thyroid function and helps raise antioxidant levels, promoting immune system health.

Lemon balm is a calming herb for those who suffer from stress and anxiety. It is believed that the essential oil in lemon acts upon the part of the brain that controls the autonomic nervous system and can protect the brain from excess external stimuli. In addition to reducing stress it has been proven to improve mood, including mental preformance and memory.

The herb can also be beneficial for the gastrointestinal system. It can help to relieve flatulence, bloating, nausea, vomiting and cramps due to colitis. Sipping on a cup after dinner can alleviate the uncomfortable feeling you get after eating a large meal. Lemon balm also contains a pain reliever called eugenol.  Consumption of the herb may help to relieve headaches and muscle spasms including menstrual cramps.

Lemon balm is one of the few herbs that I will make into a tea for the taste alone (most others are used strictly for their medicinal value).  It has a very mild lemon flavor with a hint of mint.  I haven't had much sucess with it relieving menstrual cramps, but it definately helps calm me down when I'm feeling a bit stressed!
For a soothing cup of tea, bring one cup of water to a boil.  Pour water over 1-2 tsp. lemonbalm (in a teabag or tea ball).  Cover and let sit 10-15 minutes. Sip and feel the stress melt away...

gRAWnola

There have been periods in my life where cereal was my go to breakfast and nothing could break me out of my rut.  At any given time I would have five boxes of the stuff in my cupboard.  There would always be something sugary like peanut butter panda puffs and something uber healthy, like sprouted seven grains for those mornings after I drank several beers and somehow managed to eat an entire pizza and felt the need for some redemption.  Raisin bran, cornflakes, shredded wheat.. I loved it all!

For anyone that eats cereal, you know that the stuff is EXPENSIVE! These days, I just can't fathom paying six dollars for a box of that will be gone in no time, because we all know that serving sizes for cereal are straight up whack.  Who eats 3/4 c. of crispy rice cereal?  I mean, really...

I thought that buying granola in bulk would be cheaper than cereal because it's alot more filling and I would eat less, but that stuff is even more pricey, especially when it contains high quality organic ingredients. I stopped buying cereal and granola and decided to eat other things like muffins, quickbreads and oatmeal.  I was doing great for awhile and then my cravings for the stuff came back.  I refused to buy boxed cereal and decided to be all DIY and start making my own granola. 

Most homemade stuff is way cheaper and more delicious (and nutritious) than anything you would buy at the store.  I experimented with lots of different granola recipes and got hooked on this one made with olive oil.  I ate in for weeks straight and then fell into a rut.  I needed something different. 

Years ago I worked in a raw food restaurant that had the BEST granola.  It was filling, super healthy and tasted amazing.  Luckily I had the recipe stowed away and decided to try making it at home now that I had a fancy shmancy food dehydrator.  Grated apples make up a bulk of this granola instead of oats.  Raw almonds, sunflower seeds and buckwheat groats are soaked and mixed together with the apples, along with some date paste and agave nectar.  The end result was a crunchy not too sweet granola that was relatively inexpensive and oh soooo good for you. 

gRAWnola (makes 8 c.)
Barely adapted from I Am Grateful

1 1/2 cups soaked almonds
1/2 cup soaked sunflower seeds
1/2 cup soaked whole buckwheat
5 cups grated apple
1/2 cup pureed dates (about 7 large dates)
1/2 cup raisins (or other dried fruit)
1/2 cup dried coconut
1/2 cup agave nectar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/3 teaspoon salt

Rinse and drain the seeds. Place in food processor and quickly chop to reduce size of seeds only. Place mixture into large bowl. Grate apples, add to nut mixture. Puree dates in food process with the "S" blade attachment, if the dates are a little dry, add a little apple while pureeing. Add all the ingredients to the nut mixture and stir.

Prepare three dehydrator trays with Teflex sheets. Spread the mixture out on each sheet in a single layer. Dehydrate at 145 for 1 hour and then reduce temperature to 115. When your granola is dry enough to peel off the Teflex sheets, do so and place onto the grid sheets. Continue to dehydrate until dry (48-60 hours total).