Vegan Pumpkin Breakfast Bars

Yes, yes, I know...but the important part is that I update at all, right? Even if it's twice a year...

Anyway, now that we're living in a state where autumn exists, the kitchen seems like a cozier place and I've been spending more time there.

I also got tired of paying $5 for a box of 6 granola bars, so I decided to make my own. This recipe is similar to my cinnamon raisin granola bar recipe, except pumpkin flavored and accidentally vegan!

Ingredients: 
2 tablespoons organic coconut oil
7.5 oz. organic pumpkin (1/2 a can)
1/3 cup organic sugar
1 tsp. honey
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup  all-purpose flour
2-1/4 cups organic rolled oats
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. chia seeds

1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 13x9 (or similar size) pan with cooking spray.
Combine the wet ingredients and sugar by hand or with a hand mixer.
Add the dry ingredients. Mix again.
Stir in the raisins.
Pour mixture into the pan and spread evenly with the  wooden spoon.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until edges are brown and top is golden. 

I'm considering printing these recipes (since they're mostly for myself anyway) after reading one of those articles about old websites everyone used to use like Xanga and Webshots that are now gone forever with along with all our photos and journal entries. Maybe I'll make a little book out of them some day.

For now, if anyone tries this recipe, I hope you enjoy it! 

Mallory :) 

Glazed Baked Doughnuts

I was originally going to make Irish Soda Bread this weekend to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, but then I just really (really) wanted a (lot of) doughnut(s).

And if I dye the doughnut icing green, that makes them Irish, right? (Note: the food coloring did not work out so great on these....they do not look green at all, so go ahead and ignore that part...thanks..)

I found this recipe on another blog called MomAdvice , but tweaked it a little.

Here are my Ingredients:

2 cups white whole wheat flour
3/4 cup organic (unbleached) sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup coconut milk (this kind from Trader Joe's)
2 organic cage-free eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/2 tsp. almond extract (or you can use vanilla)


Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray doughnut pan. Combine dry ingredients. Mix in wet ingredients with a wooden spoon or mixer. Spoon into doughnut pan. Bake for 10 minutes. This recipe makes a dozen doughnuts, 2 pans of 6 each.
Let cool slightly, then flip onto a cooling rack with foil or wax paper underneath. Mix icing ingredients together. Dip doughnuts (or drizzle) with icing. The foil will catch any icing that spills over the sides.

Pretend these are an Irish tradition and you didn't just want several doughnuts.... and enjoy!

My (soon to be famous!) Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Today, I successfully convinced my boyfriend that it would be much wiser to allow me to bake him cookies instead of going to the gym together.
Best argument win ever.

Anyway, cookies = blog post! YAY!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)

2 eggs 

1 cup+1 TBS. brown sugar

1 TBS. vanilla extract

1 3/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

6-12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips (I used ~6 aka half a bag)

1/2 pecan pieces (optional) 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375℉. In a mixing bowl, use a mixer to beat the softened butter and brown sugar. Add in the eggs and beat until fluffy. Add in the vanilla extract. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder. Mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture a little bit at a time.  Add in the chocolate chips and nuts (we happened to have pecans some so I used them). Drop by small rounded spoons onto sprayed (we use a Misto filled with olive oil) cookie sheets.  Bake for about 9-10 minutes. EAT. 

Homemade Cinnamon Raisin Granola Bars

I have been wanting to try to make my own granola bars for a while now, but haven't been able to find a recipe I liked. This one is a mix of a few I found on the interwebs.

Forgot to take a "before" picture, but here they are in the oven! 

Ingredients: 
2 tablespoons (softened) unsalted butter
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. honey
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour (or all-purpose)
2-1/4 cups rolled oats
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup raisins (or other dried fruit of your choosing)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 13x9 (or similar size) pan with olive oil or cooking spray.
Combine the butter, applesauce, brown sugar, honey, vanilla and flour by hand or with a hand mixer (I have a lovely purple hand mixer I use every chance I get).
Add the baking soda, rolled oats and cinnamon. Mix again.
Stir in the raisin with a wooden spoon.
Pour mixture into the pan and spread evenly with the  wooden spoon.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until edges are brown and top is golden. (see photos).

How freaking delicious do these look!? This is right out of the oven, pre-cutting. 

I'm glad I finally got around to making these! They came out so good and we're ridiculously easy to make. The whole thing probably took about 10 minutes, including clean up (but not baking time). I let them cool for about 30 minutes before I cut them into bars, and wrapped them up for easy breakfast grabbing.

Give them a try and let me know what you think!

Mallory :)

Easy Pull-Apart Rolls!

I'm eating a fresh baked dinner roll right now and it's so good, I cannot form words. You'll just have to look at the photos.

The one roll I couldn't wait until dinner to eat.

It snowed here today and I stayed home from work, (I hate the snow by the way, but that's a story for another day), so of course I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to bake! I am so happy these rolls came out so good!

I got the original recipe from http://www.halfbakedharvest.com/easy-fluffy-pull-apart-whole-wheat-buttery-dinner-rolls/ but tweaked it a little since I have a bread machine.

Here's my version:
Ingredients:
1 cup very warm water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2-3/4 cup white whole wheat flour (I use the Trader Joe's brand)
2 tablespoons honey
1 egg
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

Directions:

Place all ingredients (in the order listed) in your bread machine. I think some bread machines could be different, so if your machine says to put the ingredients in a different order, then by all means, do that! 

Set it to the "dough" setting.

When it's done (mine takes about 90 minutes), pour the dough out onto a floured surface (it will still be a little sticky) and form into a ball. 

Cut it into 9 sections and form a small ball from each one.

Spray an 8x8 inch pan with olive oil spray (we have a Misto!) 

Place the dough balls in the pan.

Cover with a dish towel and let rise for 20-25 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

When the dough is done rising, spray (or brush) with olive oil, and sprinkle with spice of your choice (I used rosemary).

Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown on top. 

ENJOY! :)

The dough right after I took it out of the bread machine.

Dough balls in the pan, ready for the towel and some rising.

Dough balls after they rose, sprayed with olive oil and sprinkled with rosemary! 

Finished rolls! Right after I took them out of the oven! Mmm!