Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

Makes 12-14

Ingredients: 

2 cups of almond flour 

1/4 tsp sea salt 

1/4 tsp baking soda 

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled 

1/4 cup maple syrup 

1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips * See note

12-14 whole almonds to garnish 

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 150C (300 F). 

2. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. 

3. Mix together the almond flour, salt and baking soda. 

4. Stir in the coconut oil and maple syrup. 

5. Fold in the chocolate chips. 

6. Use a small cookie scoop or a tablespoon and make a ball. Slightly press the cookies down before baking. Press an almond on each cookie for garnish. 

7. Bake for 12-14 minutes until lightly browned. 

Notes: 

The chips can be halved and you can make some with chocolate and some without. 

Thai Pumpkin Soup with Coconut Milk

 

Pumpkin simmering in stock.

Serves 4 

Ingredients: 

2 TBS olive oil 

1 brown onion (or 1/2), diced 

2 tsp minced garlic

2 tsp minced ginger 

2 or 3 TBS red curry paste 

1 kg of pumpkin chopped into 1/2" inch pieces (1.5 cm) 

4 cups vegetable stock 

400 ml (1 can) coconut milk 

juice of 1 lime (about 2 TBS) 

Directions: 

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. 

2. Saute the onion until translucent and soft. Add the minced garlic, ginger and curry paste
and cook for 1 - 2 minutes. 

3. Add the chopped pumpkin and stock.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. 

4. Add the coconut milk and lime juice and cook for a further 5 minutes. 

5. Allow to cool slightly before pureeing in a food processor or with a stick blender. 

Notes: 

You can use coconut cream if you prefer a thicker consistency. 

You can adjust the spice by adding more curry paste. 

If you find the soup is too spicy, add more coconut milk or vegetable stock.  

Reference: bakeplaysmile.com website.  (for more notes)

Lentil and Sweet Potato Stew

 

Serves 2-3 

This recipe is from www.deliciouseveryday.com. 

A few modifications were made and notes were added. It is an easy stew to put together and it has a sweet taste with the potatoes. The smoked paprika gives it an amazing flavor. 

Ingredients: 

2 carrots peeled and sliced 

2 TBS olive oil

1 yellow or white onion finely chopped (use less if you prefer) 

3 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced 

2 fresh tomatoes, chopped (or  1 can of chopped tomatoes, drained) 

4 bay leaves (dried) 

1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped into bite sized pieces 

1 cup of dry lentils (I used Green), rinsed well and soaked for 8 hours *

1/2 tsp smoked paprika 

1 tsp salt 

1/2 tsp ground black pepper 

1 tsp dried oregano 

4 cups of vegetable broth (add more if needed) 

1 cup of fresh spinach, packed 

1/4 cup of fresh chopped parsley 

Directions: 

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot.  Add the carrots and saute on medium for about 5 minutes . 

2. Add the onion and garlic and cook until tender (about 2 minutes). 

3. Add the tomatoes and bay leaves and saute for a few minutes. 

4. Add the sweet potatoes and soaked lentils. 

5. Add the paprika, salt, pepper and oregano. 

6. Add the 4 cups of vegetable broth. Add more if the stew is too thick. 

7. Simmer the stew for 30-40 minutes until the sweet potatoes are tender. 

8. Add the spinach and parsley and stir till spinach is wilted, but still bright green. 

9. Serve with crusty bread or Turkish bread 

Notes: 

This recipe is best with dry lentils as they have a nice finished texture. 

Rinse the lentils first, and then put them in a bowl and cover with plenty of water. If you don't have time to soak them for 8 hours or even just a few hours, rinse them well before adding them to the broth, and check them to test for doneness. It could take about 10 minutes longer.