"Healthier Than Average" Chocolate Chip Cookies

But they still taste like regular chocolate chip cookies! :) Now these aren't healthy by any means, just healthier... haha. You could probably replace some of the oil/margarine with applesauce, it will just result in a softer cookie. What I've done is replaced some of the white flour with sprouted whole grain flour, replaced some of the sugar with stevia (but not enough to be detectable), cut the amount of chocolate chips by half, and replaced half of the margarine with grapeseed oil. I also used ground chia and water as the "egg" in place of the egg replacer powder. This of course adds some extra fiber, omega 3's, and other great nutrients! :) You could add some chopped walnut or raisins, or both to this recipe if you'd like as well! My recipe is based on this recipe  from About.com

You will need:

1 cup sprouted organic spelt flour
1 1/4 cups all purpose organic flour
1 tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup raw sugar
1/2 cup coconut sugar
40 drops stevia
1/2 cup grapeseed oil
1/2 cup vegan margarine
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp groung chia seeds
4 Tbsp warm water
3/4 cup vegan chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 2 large cookie sheets or line with parchment or a silpat mat.
Mix the ground chia seeds and the warm water in a small dish and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flours, sea salt, baking powder. In another bowl, beat together the oil, margarine, sugars, vanilla, stevia and chia mixture. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture, and add in the chocolate chips. Mix until all ingredients are combined. Roll into balls, about 1.5 inches in diameter and place on cookie sheet (should make about 28-30). Gently press down to flatten (to about 1/2 inch thick). Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Store in an airtight container. They should last for 5-7 days, but chances are they will get gobbled up before then!

Artichoke Dip

Don't let the name fool you.. it is MUCH more than an artichoke dip... haha. I just wasn't quite sure what to call it since there are so many elements to it. This is a great alternative to the traditional spinach and artichoke dip, and it is far more healthy! It would be great served with chips, bread, pita, whatever you have! Unfortunately I didn't plan ahead, and I have none of those, so I have nothing to eat it with! haha. A trip to the store is in order!

Before baking 

For this recipe you will need cooked white navy beans (soaked and cooked, or canned), and soaked raw cashews (soak for a couple hours at least in warm water). So make sure you have that ready before you start.

You will need:

1.5 cups cooked white navy beans

1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked (measured before soaking)

1/2 cup Sour Supreme (vegan sour cream)

1/2 Tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1.5 tsp Italian seasoning (mine has salt in it)

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

3 cups of baby greens (once cooked it is about 1 cup) (I used Earthbound Organic Power Greens, but just spinach will do too)

3/4 cups sliced black olives

1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped (I used the kind packed in oil)

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1 tsp salt

oil and salt for sauteing 

Optional ingredients:

1 cup vegan cheese, shredded

Jalapeno slices, chopped up OR 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

In a frying pan on medium heat, add about 2 tsp oil and saute onions until golden. Add in garlic and cook a couple of minutes more. Add in the greens and cook until just wilted. Add a couple pinches of salt while cooking just to season it a bit. Set aside.

In a food processor, add the navy beans, soaked cashews, sour cream, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and salt (and cayenne is using). Turn on high, and puree until smooth. This might take a few minutes.

To the food processor mixture, add in the chopped artichokes, the onion/garlic/greens mixture, sun dried tomatoes, and black olives (and jalapenos if using). Pulse a couple of times, just to incorporate and chop slightly. Don't pulse too many times, or else you will have a completely smooth mixture. You want it to still have small chunks of everything visible. If you are using shredded vegan cheese, mix it in by hand. Transfer mixture to a baking dish and bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees. If you aren't adding the "cheese" you can serve without baking, but I like mine a little warm. Serve with your favorite dippables! :) 

One of the best veggie burger's I have ever created! Mmmm

This is my latest creation, and I could not be happier! I love veggie burgers, but I don't always like the ones you get at the store, and until now, my attempts at making a delicious and satisfying one have not been so successful. This baby changes everything! You I have made these a few times, and changed a couple of ingredients each time, but they turned out great every time.

You will need:

2 cups cooked rice cooked in veggie stock (I used sprouted brown rice, but any kind will work)

1 cup chickpeas

1.5 cups chopped mushroom

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1 Tbsp maple syrup

2 Tbsp tamari or soy sauce

2 Tbsp oil, divided

1 chia "egg" (1 Tbsp ground chia mixed with 2 Tbsp warm water)

1 cup walnuts, ground (measured before grinding)

1/3 cup bread crumbs (or panko)

1/8 cup nutritional yeast

2 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

Oil 2 baking sheets and preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cook your rice if not already cooked. Grind walnuts in food processor. Caramelize onions. Saute mushrooms (using 1 tbsp of the oil for the onions an mushrooms... add a little salt too!). In food processor, combine half of the full amounts of the following ingredients: rice, chickpeas, mushrooms, and onions. Put the other half of all these ingredients in a bowl. In the food processor add the lemon juice, tamari/soy/ 1 tbsp oil/ maple syrup, and chia "egg". Puree until you have a paste. Add to you bowl with the other half of these ingredients. Add in the rest of the dry ingredients (everything left on the recipe list), and combine until well mixed. Scoop out approx. 1/3 cup at a time and form into a ball. Put onto baking sheet, and then press into a patty shape. Drizzle with oil. Bake fore 30 min, flipping half way through.

Before baking

After baking

Tonight I made this recipe, but subbed the breadcrumbs for panko, and half of the walnuts for cooked lentils (added to the food processor part). Turned out great! You could add whatever spices you'd like I'm sure too! These are just so yummy! I had mine on a whole wheat bun with bbq sauce, vegenaise, lettuce, tomato and avocado. So good! Enjoy!! :)

Yummy Banana Loaf

Last night I made Chef Chloe's delicious Chocolate Chip Banana Cake. I have made it before, and stuck right to the recipe, and it was super good, but I wanted to try and make it a little healthier this time, so I did, and it turned out great :) Basically I subbed some of the white flour for whole wheat, and replaced some of the sugar with medjool dates.

Don't mind the picture.. there isn't much of the loaf left! haha 

You can see the original recipe by clicking on the link above, and below is the recipe with the changes I made:

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 5 medjool dates, pits removed
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 cup mashed bananas (approximately 2 very ripe bananas, mashed on a plate using the back of a fork)
• 1 cup canned coconut milk, mixed well before measuring
• ½ cup canola oil
• 2 teaspoons white or apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (dairy-free)

Combine flour(s), sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg in a bowl. 

Combine dates (pits out), bananas, coconut milk, oil, vanilla, and vinegar in a blender (I used my Vitamix), and puree until the dates are no longer chunky. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and fold in chocolate chips. Mix until just combined. Spread the batter into a greased and floured loaf pan, and bake at  350 degrees for 50-60 min (until a knife/toothpick comes out clean). 

"Chicken" Noodle Soup

Now that the weather is cool, today felt like a chicken noodle soup day..... So I made some!:) Chicken free of course! And the kids actually ate it, so that's always a bonus. They have both been on a bit of an eating strike lately, so if they eat anything at all I am extremely happy! So if you are feeling the chill in the winter air and are craving a nice warm bowl of something nostalgic, try this!

You will need:

1 Tbsp oil
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1 cup finely chopped carrot
1 cup finely chopped kale
6 cups veggie stock
1 cup diced "chick'n", seitan, or crumbled tofu (Your choice)
1 tsp poultry seasoning (I used Mc Cormick brand)
1 tsp italian seasoning (I used Clubhouse brand)
1/2 cup (approx 44 noodles) linguine or spaghetti, broken into small pieces

Heat oil on medium heat. Add onion, celery and carrot, and cook until onions are translucent, being careful not to brown them. Add veggie stock, noodles,"chick'n", poultry seasoning and italian seasoning, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until noodles are almost done. Add the kale in for the last couple minutes of cooking (just so it doesn't get overcooked). Ladle into bowls and serve with crackers if desired. Makes about 4-6 bowls, depending on the size.

Healthy and Delicious Breakfast Cookies

Yikes it has been awhile! My apologies! Two kids sure keeps a girl busy! This recipe is great for all you busy moms out there, but also great for anyone who wants a good on-the-go breakfast.
Many mornings I make a pot of oatmeal for breakfast, and usually add raisins, hemp hearts, a couple dates (for sweetness), and sometimes nuts or other dried fruit. There are many times though, when I just don't have the time, or motivation, (especially if both of my kids are in less that happy moods!), or I just want something different. So, I came up with this recipe for oatmeal in cookie form, but healthy! An oatmeal cookie is no new thang, but with these, there is no refined sugar, no egg, no butter, and they are pumped full of healthy ingredients. Make a batch or 2, keep extras in the freezer, and you are set! Fast, delicious, and nutritious. Great for kids or adults.What more could you ask for?

You will need:

1.5 medium bananas, mashed (approx 3/4 cup)
2 Tbsp coconut oil
2 medjool dates, pitted
1/4 cup hot water
1 Tbsp ground chia seeds
3 Tbsp warm water
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup hemp hearts
1/4 cup raisins
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1.5 cups quick oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp xanthan gum (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly grease a cookie sheet, use a silpat mat, or line with parchment paper.
Add the pitted dates to the 1/4 cup of hot water and let soak for a minute, and then puree using a magic bullet or something similar. You can do it by hand too, just make sure that it is a nice paste when you are done.
Add the 1 Tbsp ground chia to the 3 Tbsp warm water and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the bananas, coconut oil, vanilla, date puree, and chia/water mixture.
In a separate bowl, combine the coconut, hemp hearts, raisins, walnuts, oats, flour, baking soda and salt.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and combine thoroughly.
Form into balls (about 1.5 inches in diameter), and place on cookie sheet.
Lightly flatten with a fork.
Bake for approximately 15 minutes. This will produce a cookie that is soft on the inside. If you prefer a harder cookie, add 2 or 3 minutes on to the baking time.
Makes about 20 cookies (mine only made 16 because my 2 yr old couldn't wait, so he ate a little bowl of the batter for breakfast! haha).

Hudson's Healthier Version (Apple Cinnamon Loaf)

Hi all:) So I decided to make my Apple Cinnamon Loaf again, but this time I wanted to make it in muffin form, and also make it less sugary so that I could give it to my son without feeling like a horrible parent! haha... NOT saying that people who give their kids sugar are horrible parents, I just feel horrible when I know I can do better. You could probably make this with agave nectar or brown rice syrup etc, I just haven't had a chance to try yet. For this version, I reduced the overall sugar, reduced the salt, upped the whole wheat flour, and added ground almonds to the mix. Here is the healthier version:

1+1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup raw sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1+ 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/3 cup ground almonds
1 chia egg (I ground my chia seeds. 1 tablespoon chia + 3 tablespoons water)
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1+1/4 cups applesauce (unsweetened)
1/3 cup canola oil
1 apple, peeled and chopped (I used a Gala apple)
3/4 cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease a 12 tin muffin tray.
Toast walnuts for approximately 10 minutes on a cookie sheet. Just be sure not to burn them.
Combine 1 tablespoon of  ground chia with 3 tablespoons water and set aside (you want it to become slimy and jelly-ish).
In a large bowl, combine all of your wet ingredients (applesauce, maple syrup, oil, and chia egg), plus the chopped apple and walnuts. In a separate bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
Bake at 350 for approximately 30 minutes.