Lemon Lime Coconut Sugar Cookies

Sometimes you just need a cookie.  I recently had the pleasure of spending time with my favourite little cookie monster.  We went to the park, ate peanut butter and jam sandwiches shaped like hearts, drank steamed soy milk while playing with warthogs and beluga whales at a local coffee shop and went to the grocery store (It's probably not the best idea to let a 3 year old place your produce in your grocery cart unless of course you don't mind fruit that looks like it's been through a game of ping pong but you likely already knew that).

It was a very exciting trip to the grocery store. We learned how to grind coffee beans.  We also learned that ground coffee tastes really yucky and that it is really hard to get off of your tongue (don't ask and don't tell his mother)!  The cookie monster didn't get any cookies (or peas, or chocolate bars, or broccoli, or coconuts) but he did get an apple that was about the same size as his head (note to self: double check back seat for decomposing chunks of apple).

I like to feed this little cookie monster cookies filled with whole grains, dried fruit, & nuts (that's how I roll) but since I had no intention of sharing these lemon lime coconut sugar cookies were a great way to use the lemon and limes that survived the last week's refrigerator meltdown.

Lemon Lime Coconut Sugar Cookies

(18 cookies + a few spoonfuls of raw cookie dough)

ingredients

1/2 C unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 C wholewheat pastry flour

1 tsp baking powder

5 Tblsp Earth Balance (butter or margarine work as well)

1/3 cup turbino sugar

1 tsp grated lemon peel

1/8 C fresh lemon juice

1/8 C fresh lime juice

1/4 C grated unsweetened coconut

2 Tbsp turbino sugar (for rolling cookies)

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Place baking stone in the oven so that it can preheat as well.

In a small bowl combine flour, baking powder and coconut and set aside.  In a medium bowl cream Earth Balance & sugar until light and fluffy (you can use a spoon or an electric mixer.  I am way too lazy to dig out the electric mixer).  Add lemon peel, lemon and lime juice.  Add flour mixture to wet ingredients.

Roll dough into 1 inch balls and roll in sugar.  Place several inches apart on baking sheet.  Use the tines of a fork to flatten cookies.  Bake 10-12 minutes until golden.

* In order to maximize the amount of lemon/lime juice that you get from your fruit let your lemons/limes stand briefly in hot water and roll them on the counter before juicing them.  I personally like using a wooden lemon reamer (fancy name for a pretty simple gadget).

Will Run For Sweet Potato Lentil Soup

sweet potato lentil soup

"Allium halitosis infinite" (garlic breath f-o-r-e-v-e-r)!  It's been a pretty busy day around here.  There were garlic incantations (Farmer picked 120 heads of garlic yesterday and she's suffering from Harry Potter withdrawals.  Those two things together make for some very lame jokes!).

Farmer: "I like to call this one daddy"

120 heads!

There was apple picking.

glorious apples from my parents' tree

Jeb: "She couldn't possibly mind if I just lick the apple"

Jeb: "She won't miss one little apple"

There were threats even after I offered to buy pace bunny coffee after our run.   Threats that included a bus (and the possibility of me 'accidentally' falling under the wheel) and a tank top that might have been red and might have had some sort of elasticity at one time (thankfully it went 'missing' this morning.  Now if someone could just hide her shorty shorts.)  

Then there was pace bunny soup.

PB makes this delicious sweet potato lentil soup.  PB's recipes are more of a guide than anything else.  If you are lucky she'll remember all of the ingredients.  It's more likely that she'll e-mail after you've already made whatever recipe you asked for telling you about a key ingredient that she forgot to include or an essential step in the recipe.

On that note, good luck!

Sweet Potato Lentil Soup

(6-8 servings)

1 large sweet potato cut in small chunks

1 can of green lentils 19 oz (drained)

1 can diced tomatoes 28 oz

2 C vegetable broth

2 inch piece of ginger root minced

1 large onion diced

2 large cloves of local garlic

1 Tbsp olive oil

*2 Tbsp chili powder

*pinch chipotlepowder

*2 Tbsp cumin

*2 tsp balsamic vinegar

1.  Warm olive oil over medium heat.  Saute onion, garlic and ginger over medium heat until onions are soft (5-10 minutes).  Add chili powder, cumin & chipotle powder and saute for approximately one more minute.

2.  Add potatoes, vegetable broth & diced tomatoes.  Simmer over medium heat until potatoes are soft (20-30 minutes).  Add drained lentils.  Add balsamic vinegar.

3.  Serve with sliced avocado and tortilla chips.

* adjust spices and vinegar to your personal tastes and add additional vegetable broth if you prefer a thinner soup.

Will Run For Creamy Leek & Potato Soup With Lemon Thyme Biscuits

leaky potato soup

It's 11:00 and I'm making soup and biscuits.  I couldn't have done this at 4:00, 5:00 or even 6:00.  I was too busy eating an entire head of roasted cauliflower with curry, chipotle and sunflower oil and a camino chocolate bar (really I was just having a small piece of chocolate and another and another.  I don't know what happened to the entire bar).

I love creamy leek & potato soup!  However, we don't call it creamy leek and potato soup around here.  It is referred to as leaky potato soup.  You will likely receive some version of this soup (much better than chickenless chicken noodle in my opinion) if you are sick.  A friend of ours once became really ill with a streptococcal infection and had some leaky lesions (all illnesses are now compared to this....at least you don't have leaky lesions ALL over your body!).  We have a dark sense of humour around here so we thought leaky lesions and leaky potato soup were a perfect combination.  So, about the Pope (insert subject that will draw attention away from leaky lesions).....

Creamy Leek & Potato Soup

(serves 4)

ingredients

2 cups new red potatoes (russet potatoes will work too) washed with skin on

1 Tbsp olive oil & 1 tsp earth balance (butter or margarine)

3 small leeks, chopped (2 cups)

3 large cloves local garlic (or 1 bulb roasted garlic), chopped

2 C vegetable broth

1C water

1/2 tsp salt

1 Tbsp dried fresh rosemary crumbled

2 C unweetened soy milk (skim dairy milk, almond milk)

1/4 tsp cracked peppercorns (red, white, black)

1.  Wash and dice potatoes in 1 inch chunks.

red new potatoes from Spill The Beans

2.  In a saucepan or large frying pan with lid warm olive oil & margarine over medium heat.  Add leeks & garlic ; saute until softened, about 10 minutes.  Add potatoes, vegetable broth, water, salt, & rosemary.  Simmer for approximately 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

leek, rosemary and garlic goodness

3.  In a blender process mixture until smooth.  I cannot stress enough how important it is that the lid of your blender is secure!  On more than once occasion I have had a hot potato mess all over me and all over the kitchen.  Add milk and pepper.

secure the lid on your blender!

4.  Add 1/4 cup Daiya mozzarella or cheddar shreds (or your favourite old cheddar or smoked cheese) & a few drops of liquid hickory smoke (really only a few drops).

5.  Return mixture to pot or pan and heat thoroughly until cheese melts and soup is warm.  Serve with rosemary or chives as a garnish.

leaky potato soup

* You may need to add addition milk or vegetable broth to thin this soup if you are planning on eating it over the next couple of days.

Now on to the biscuits.  They have just a hint of lemon and thyme.

Lemon Thyme Biscuits

(12 + 1 biscuits)

ingredients

1 C whole wheat pastry flour

1 C unbleached all purpose flour

1 T sugar

1 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp fresh thyme
1tsp finely grated lemon peel

1/2 C earth balance (margarine, butter or shortening works as well)

3/4 C milk (including 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice)

1. Preheat oven to 450 F with baking stone in oven.

2.  Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, & thyme.  Cut in shortening (you can use two knives, your hands or  my personal favourite a fancy gadget (pastry blender) until you have fine crumbs.  Stir in milk until dough is soft and sticky (it may seem too wet but it isn't).

dough

3.  Place dough on a lightly floured surface.  Kneed until dough is no longer sticky (5-10 times).  Pat down until approximately 1/2 inch thick.  Cut with floured cutter (I used the lid of a mason jar but a glass works too). 

my favourite part

4.  Place on a baking stone approximately 1 inch apart.  Bake for 12-15 minutes.  Serve warm!

biscuits

Will Run For Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes

lemon poppy seed pancakes with maple syrup

When life gives you lemons make pancakes.  The temperature in my refrigerator is currently higher than the temperature in my house.  This is after the refrigerator repair person 'repaired' my refrigerator yesterday.  I am currently impatiently waiting for him to return.

My refrigerator is now filled with warm condiments, one limp head of broccoli, leaks, lemons and more condiments than any family could possibly need.

I thought about making a glorious lemon cake or loaf but decided that it was way too hot to use the oven and I was feeling just a little guilty about postponing my run (how am I going to run 21K if I can't drag myself outside to run 5?).

Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes

(6 medium pancakes)

ingredients

1 flax egg (1 Tbsp ground flax + 3 Tbsp water)

3/4 C all purpose flour

1/4 C whole wheat pastry flour

1 tsp poppy seeds

1 Tbsp sugar

3 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 C unsweetened soy milk (dairy & almond will work as well)

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp lemon juice

9 thinly sliced pieces of lemon

1 Tbsp maple syrup.

1.  Mix flax and water let sit until it thickens (you can speed this along by heating the mixture in the microwave for 10-15 seconds or on the stove).  Add olive oil and lemon juice to flax mixture.

2.  Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl.  Add olive oil, lemon juice & flax mixture.  If you would like a thinner pancake add additional soy milk (1-2 Tbsp).

thick batter

3.  Thinly slice a lemon (washed and preferably organic....mine was not) and place in a bowl with maple syrup.

3.  Heat griddle over medium heat.  It's ready when you sprinkle it with water and the water jumps around.  Coat with olive oil.

4.  For each pancake use approximately 1/4 cup of batter.  Place one thinly sliced lemon on top of each pancake.  Cook until pancakes are bubbly on top.  Turn and cook other side until golden brown.

bubbly, puffed and dry around the edges

5.  Eat with copious amounts of local maple syrup or maple sugar!

lemons and maple syrup

Update: The temperature in the refrigerator is dropping!  I see fresh produce in my future.

pancakes?

pancakes?

Will Run For Grilled Mango & Cashew Butter Sandwiches

What isn't there to love about warm gooey cashew butter with grilled mangoes, coconut, cashews candied ginger and honey between two whole wheat slices of bread?

Earlier this week I offered to make my favourite farmer a skinny elvis sandwich ( Mamma Peas's remake of the grilled banana and peanut butter sandwich).   I was expecting a, "Wow!  That sooooooo nice of you!  Almond butter & strawberries that is possibly the most delicious combination I have ever heard of (maybe my expectations were a LITTLE unrealistic)!" what I got was, "How about bananas and coconut?".  It turns out that it would be a couple of days before farmer got any kind of sandwich and in the end not really the sandwich she wanted.

Grilled Mango & Cashew Butter Sandwiches

(serves 2)

ingredients

1 ripe mango grilled

1 Tbsp maple syrup

1 tsp lime juice

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

1/4 tsp cardamom

1/2 tsp cinnamon 

4 slices of whole wheat bread

4 Tbsp cashew butter

2 Tbsp raw cashews

2 slices candied ginger (thinly sliced)

2 tsp honey (maple syrup, brown rice syrup)

1 1/2 tsp coconut oil melted (margarine, butter, olive oil will work as well)

Begin by slicing the mango into thin slices.  Combine maple syrup, lime juice, & vanilla bean paste in a small bowl.  Marinate mango for approximately 5 minutes (by this time I've probably eaten 1/2 of the mango).  Reserve leftover marinate.

Grill mango for approximately 5 minutes turning when grill marks appear.  I used my George Foreman "Lean Mean Fat Grilling Machine" (makes me laugh).

Add several teaspoons (I used 2) of reserved marinade to the cashew butter along with cardamom & cinnamon and combine thoroughly.  Spread 1 Tbsp of cashew butter on each slice of bread.  Top two slices of bread with grilled mango, coconut, raw cashews, thinly sliced candied ginger, and coconut.  Drizzle with 1 tsp of honey (or more!).  Top sandwiches with additional slices of bread.

Lightly brush both sides of each sandwich with melted coconut butter then place in a preheated skillet.

Grill for several minutes on each side until toasted and cashew butter is gooey but not exploding out of your sandwich.  Gobble up!

* Consider using a variety of nut/seed butters (almond, peanut, sunflower, peanut, cashew) dried & fresh fruit (cherries, raisins, peaches, bananas), nuts & seeds (sunflower seeds, almonds, cashews, pistachios) and sweeteners (brown rice syrup, maple syrup, honey).  

Will Run For Pesto Portobello Pizzas

If you are a mushroom lover this is the recipe for you!  However, it wouldn't be a lie to say that the mushroom is a great carrier for pesto, sundried tomatoes, red onions, black olives and all of my other favourite toppings.  

Pesto Portobello Pizza

Portobello mushrooms

scraping the gills with a grapefruit spoon

more room for toppings

brush both sides with olive oil/pesto mixture

stuff with your favourite toppings 

bake @ 425 F for 10 minutes

serve with your favourite salad

Pesto Portobello Pizzas

ingredients

4 Portobello mushroom caps, stems removed & gills scraped

1/2 C + 1 Tbsp pesto (store bought or your favourite homemade recipe)

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/4 C Daiya mozzarella style shreds (or your favourite dairy/non-dairy mozzarella cheese)

1/4 C black olives

8 sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped (** soaked in just boiled water for approximately 5 minutes and then drained) 

1/4 spinach, finely chopped

2 Tbsp red onions (I used green)

* feel free to substitute your favourite pizza toppings.

**  If you happen to live in the company of someone who is in  the habit of drinking unfamiliar liquids that resemble tea (note to self do not drink unfamiliar liquids even if they are lying around your apartment/house) you may not want to leave the leftover water lying around or that person might just get an tomato surprise!**.

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Using a grapefruit spoon scrape the gills out of the portobello mushrooms.  

Combine 1 Tbsp of pesto & 1 Tbsp of olive oil and brush all sides of the mushrooms.

Place 2 Tbsp of pesto in the scraped out portion of each mushroom.  Top with your favourite toppings ( mozzarella style shreds, black olives, spinach, red onions and sun-dried tomatoes).

Place mushrooms on a baking stone and bake until mozzarella style shreds are melted and mushrooms are cooked.  This should take approximately 10 minutes.

Enjoy with your favourite salad!

Will Run For Rosemary Infused Chocolate Pudding

When I think of rosemary chocolate isn't necessarily the next ingredient that I think of.  You say rosemary I say roasted potatoes, cream of leaky potato soup, rosemary mint soap not chocolate.  When I saw the latest issue of Alive Canada's Natural Health and Wellness Magazine at The Wellness Shoppe the cover recipe was dark chocolate and rosemary pudding and suddenly chocolate and rosemary seemed like a brilliant combination (no I wasn't drinking).

I could have just followed the recipe but I was looking for an excuse to make chocolate avocado pudding and this was it.  Who needs table cream, cane sugar and chocolate when you have avocados, maple syrup and rosemary (and who are we kidding a chocolate bar barely makes it through the front door before it is in my belly)?

Rosemary Infused Chocolate Pudding
(4 small servings)

ingredients

1/2 C unsweetened soy milk (almond, coconut or dairy would also work)

1 heaping TBSP fresh rosemary

2 large ripe avocados

2 Tbsp maple syrup

2 Tbsp cocoa powder

Begin by roughly chopping rosemary. 

straight from the garden

 Combine rosemary and milk in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil and then simmer on low for approximately five minutes.  Remove from element and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes (the longer it sits the stronger the rosemary taste will be).  Strain.

infuse the milk with rosemary

Combine all ingredients in a blender (if you don't mind chunky guacamole texture you can skip the blender).  Blend until well combined.  You will likely have to scrape down the sides (a great opportunity to lick the spoon) and continue blending.

don't cut your tongue on the blender blades

Divide into four small bowl or use avocado skins.  Chill for 1-2 hours or eat immediately if you are impatient like me.