Chocolate Chip Muesli Cookies

A couple of my co-workers have been raving about Bob's Red Mill Muesli cereal. Of course, I had to try it out. In case you don't know, Bob's muesli consists of whole grain rolled oats, wheat, rye, triticale and barley, dates, raisins, sunflower seeds, almonds and walnuts. While I adore steel-cut oats for breakfast I found I didn't care for the nuts in my hot cereal. There was a recipe for chocolate chip muesli cookies on the bag – sounds more my style. I have replaced the egg with a flax seed mixture and fussed a bit with the recipe. The little gems are lightly sweet and would be perfect to take along if you go for a hike. Makes about 36 cookies.

Ingredients
2 TB ground flax meal
3 TB water
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3/4 cup white whole wheat flour
1 TB tapioca flour or starch
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
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2 TB walnut or canola oil
1/2 cup apple sauce
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
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1 cup Bob's Red Mill Muesli cereal
3/4 cup vegan chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix flax seed and water in small bowl and set aside. Mix flour, tapioca, baking soda and salt in another small bowl and set aside.

In medium bowl, mix oil, apple sauce, brown sugar and vanilla together. Add flax seed mixture and beat well. Add flour mixture, stir to mix. Add muesli and chocolate chips.

Spoon on to parchment covered cookie sheet. I like to use a tablespoon size ice cream style scoop. Lightly flatten each cookie and bake for about 10 minutes until lightly browned. Cool on rack.

Dark Chocolate Truffles Rolled in Cocoa and Coconut

These are considered "raw" treats. I generally avoid "raw" recipes because they can be time consuming. The only time consuming aspect of making these delicious little fat bombs is soaking the dates and letting the ingredients chill for several hours before rolling them into balls. But they are very easy. Since this is a small recipe, you will need a small blender or processor to make them. Makes about 12-14 truffles.

Ingredients
2 TB plus 2 tsp virgin coconut oil, melted
2 medjool dates, pitted and chopped
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
3 TB cocoa powder
pinch of salt
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1-2 TB cocoa powder, for rolling
1-2 TB flaked raw unsweetened coconut, for rolling

Directions
Combine the coconut oil and dates in very small bowl and let sit for 30 minutes (this softens the dates). Transfer to blender with syrup, cocoa and salt. Process until smooth, periodically scraping down. Place in small bowl and let chill for several hours.

Scoop out about 3/4 tsp of mixture, and roll into ball. Roll in cocoa or coconut flakes and place in small paper cup. Continue until done. Chill truffles for about an hour before serving. Keeps for a week in refrigerator.

Chocolate "Moose" Ice Cream in Hamilton Beach Half Pint Soft-Serve Ice Cream Maker

I love, love, love ice cream, new kitchen gadgets and appliances. Target had this mini-size ice cream maker on sale for $27.99 and who was I to resist? I already have a perfectly fine Cuisinart ice cream maker but I've realized that home made ice cream is best served fresh. The texture after it's been frozen is generally rock hard. This little puppy is "soft serve" meaning the ice cream is not going to be as firm as store bought but guess what? It doesn't matter, it's delicious and you are in control of all the ingredients. The directions instruct you to churn for 5 to 8 minutes; next time I'm going to stop mixing right when it starts to stick to the sides, about 5 minutes. I think then it will be perfect. This recipe makes 2-4 servings.

Chocolate "Moose" Ice Cream
3/4 cups chocolate rice milk or soy milk
3/4 cups semi-sweet vegan chocolate chips
6 oz (or 1/2 package) of Mori-Nu firm silken tofu
4-1/2 tsp Kahlua
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp chocolate extract

Freeze ice cream maker bowl for a minimum of 8 hours before making this ice cream. Overnight is even better. I like to make the ice cream and let it chill overnight too.

Heat milk in small saucepan until it begins to simmer. Take off heat and add chocolate chips, stirring constantly until melted. Have the rest of the ingredients ready and waiting in a small blender. Add the milk/chocolate mixture to blender and process until smooth. Put in container and chill for at least 2 hours.

If you are using the Half Pint Ice Cream maker, take freezer bowl out of freezer. Process in ice cream maker until it's the desired consistency – soft serve! Enjoy.

Note: If you're wondering what to do with the rest of the package of Mori-Nu tofu, see my March 3, 2011 post about Susan's Lite Goddess Dressing – the recipe calls for 6 ounces of Mori-Nu tofu.

Lemon Iced Chock-Full-of-Oatmeal Cookies

These are rather low fat and very tasty. The only flour used is oat flour. A little bit of extra "work" icing these delicious morsels, but worth it. The original recipe is from the fine folks at Vegetarian Times. Makes 24-32 cookies, depending on size.

Ingredients
2 Tbs. ground flaxseed meal
3 TB water
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1 cup oat flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
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2 TB Earth Balance margarine, softened
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup applesauce
1 tsp. vanilla extract
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1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Icing
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 Tbs. lemon juice

Directions
1. Stir together flaxseed meal and 3 Tbs. water in small bowl. Set aside. Whisk together oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in large bowl. Set aside.

2. Beat margarine, brown sugar, and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer 1 to 2 minutes, or until light and fluffy. (Don't be alarmed if it never gets light and fluffy - mine didn't and the cookies turned out just fine.) Add flaxseed mixture, applesauce, and vanilla, and beat until smooth. Stir in oat flour mixture; mix. Add oats and raisins, and stir to combine. Cover, and chill 2 hours, or overnight.

3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, or coat with cooking spray. Roll cookie dough into golf ball–sized rounds, and place dough balls 1 1/2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Flatten each cookie to 1/4-inch thickness with bottom of drinking glass dipped in water. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until cookies look dry on top and are just beginning to brown.

While cookies are baking, make icing.
Mix together confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice in small bowl until smooth. Icing should be thick, but spreadable. Gently brush or spoon icing on warm cookies.

Pear-Licious Breakfast Cake

This is actually a remake of the "Pear Flip-Flop" recipe from the January 23, 2011 edition of Parade magazine. The original recipe used butter, white flour, etc., etc.! The recipe is now much healthier and lower fat. And did I say delicious?

Ingredients
1 TB Earth Balance stick margarine
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3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 to 1 tsp cinnamon
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3/4 cup soy milk
1-1/4 tsp vanilla
3 TB applesauce
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1-1/2 pears, peeled, sliced or diced

Directions
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Put margarine in 8-inch square baking pan and put in oven to melt. While it's melting, add dry ingredients together in medium bowl. Add milk, vanilla, and applesauce in small bowl. Add to dry ingredients and mix well. When margarine is melted, take out of oven and pour batter in. Sprinkle or arrange pears on top. The pears will sink a bit while baking. Bake 30-40 minutes; start checking for doneness after 30 minutes; edges will be browned and toothpick will come out clean.

8 servings, each serving 3 WeightWatcher Points Plus