Vegan Peanut Blossoms

DSC_0001, originally uploaded by achathampally.

Made these for the church coffee hour tomorrow.

Recipe from:
http://healthy-recipe-group.fitsugar.com/Vegan-Peanut-Butter-Blossoms-12909243

Vegan Peanut Butter Blossoms (adapted from Hersheys)

- 1/2 cup Earth Balance
- 3/4 cup natural creamy peanut butter
- 2/3 cup white sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon molasses
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxmeal + 3 tablespoons water (flax egg)
- 2 tablespoons almond milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (omit if using salted peanut butter)
- additional sugar for garnish
- vegan chocolate chips (or Hershey's kisses, or other bite-sized chocolate candy)

Preheat oven to 375*F. Prepare flax egg by mixing flaxmeal and water, then put aside to set. In a large bowl, cream Earth Balance with a hand mixer until all clumps are gone. Add white sugar and molasses, and beat until evenly distributed. Pour in almond milk, flax egg and vanilla extract and continue to beat until combined. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda and sea salt. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Form dough into 1" balls and roll in white sugar to coat. Bake for approximately 9 minutes, or until cookies appear very slightly cracked. Working quickly, top each cookie with chocolate, pressing lightly to ensure that chocolate is secure (the surface of the cookies will crack). Transfer to wire racks to cool.

vegan spiced oatmeal chocolate chip

DSC_0001, originally uploaded by achathampally.

Found the recipe for these awesome cookies here:
http://redheadrecipes.com/?p=11209

You cannot tell these are vegan. They are soft and chewy and very easy to make. You can vary the spices or leave them out. I used the flax substitute to make them vegan. Be sure your chocolate chips are vegan as well. I used ghiradelli chocolate chips. Regular sugar is not vegan so look for organic sugar.

Spiced Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup rolled oats
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch cloves (not pictured)
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg or flax egg (1Tb ground flax+3Tb water, mixed)
3/4 cup chocolate chips
1/3 cup butter/earthbalance (room temp)
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cream together sugars and butter.
Add in the egg (or flax egg) and vanilla
In a separate bowl, mix together your flours + seasonings (everything else but the chocolate chips and oats
Add flour mix to butter mix
Now add in Choc chips and oats
Now form the dough into small balls and bake in the oven on 350 for 8-10 minutes.

bday cake

DSC_0008, originally uploaded by achathampally.

I do a lot of baking
but I had never gotten around to making
a yellow layer cake with chocolate buttercream frosting
so that is the cake I made for my birthday this year.
It was moist and delicious with lots of chocolaty frosting.
Yay for birthday cakes :)

El & Dip

DSC_0007, originally uploaded by achathampally.

My cousin is fearless
he shaved off all his hair
apparently this isn't the first time
Elvis doesn't seem to notice

chipotle cheddar corn muffins

DSC_0012, originally uploaded by achathampally.

from the king arthur baking website
I made these to go with some
black bean ancho chili
which isn't very photogenic
so here are the muffins by themselves :)
they were yummy but I'd cut back on the
sugar a tad.

hermits

DSC_0009, originally uploaded by achathampally.

people around here
namely my cousin Pradeep and my Pop
both like stuff with nuts and raisins
so I made some hermits today
no one knows why they are called hermits
but one theory is that they benefit from be
squirreled a way for a day or two so the
flavors can blend
only time will tell but they were really good on day one :)

raspberry cake

DSC_0020, originally uploaded by achathampally.

this cake came together in under 20 minutes and baked for 29. Its really easy and delicious - a simple everyday cake :-)

recipe here: www.gourmet.com/recipes/2000s/2009/06/raspberry-buttermilk-cake