Pumpkin Pecan Energy Bites

I have this friend. Well, okay, he was Mr. Wright's friend, first, since they went to school together, but I'm claiming him as my veryownpersonal friend, because we share something Mr. Wright does not:

Craig and I both eat an entirely plant-based diet.

So, who is this guy, anyway? Well, for starters, he's the creative brain behind Craig Olsen Interior Design, but he's also a fantastic actor, and he's working on an explosive documentary about one of Hollywood's best-kept secrets.

Beyond that, he's a fabulous human being, and a joy to know and be around. And he loves friends! You can connect with him on his Instagram page.

Anyway, so Craig posted photos of these really yummy-looking pumpkin energy bites on his Facebook page, and I just had to have the recipe. I offered to barter my Pumpkin Spice Mini Cupcakes with Maple Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting recipe, and my Pumpkin Pecan Pie recipe in exchange.

He sent the recipe, and it wasn't long before I was in the grocery store, messaging him, Is it weird if I want to put dried cranberries in it?

No, he said. He'd thought about adding cranberries, too.

I made a first batch, and found it was too "spiced" for my kiddos, so I cut the amount of spice. (Craig's original recipe called for pumpkin pie spice, but I make my own blend, and adjusted accordingly.)

Then, I reflected on that Pumpkin Pecan Pie recipe, and thought... These would be fantastic with pecans! So, pecans got added to the mix.

The end result is fantastic, and it's yet another lesson in how we can use recipes as a jumping-off point for our own creativity.

These energy bites boast not only 2 grams of protein each, but are also high in vitamin A!

Here's my final version of the recipe, inspired by the inimitable Craig Olsen:

Pumpkin Pecan Energy Bites

1 - 15oz can pure pumpkin
1/2 t. allspice
1/2 t. ginger
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. ground cloves
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce
1/2 c. raw pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds)
1/2 c. dried cranberries
1/2 c. vegan vanilla protein powder (I use Arbonne Vanilla Protein Shake mix)
1 1/2 c. rolled oats
1/3 c. vegan chocolate chips
1/3 c. chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, combine ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Drop small balls of dough -- 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoon -- on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.

(These bites won't bake "out," so you don't need to leave much space between them.)

Bake for 30 minutes.

Makes about 48 energy bite cookies.



"Like" Sexy Vegan Mama on Facebook! Don't forget to swing by The Gonzo Mama's place to see what she's up to. Get my vegan dessert cookbook (co-authored with William Maltese), Get-Real Vegan Desserts: Vegan Recipes for the Rest of Us, on Amazon!

This post contains affiliate links.

Recipe Makeover: Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Can you improve upon perfection?

Sometimes, you can.

I'm not talking about, say, trying to improve the greatest song ever written and performed (which, by the way, is Maxine Nightingale's "Right Back Where We Started From" -- this is not a debate). Some perfection can't be outdone.


But, let's say you have a perfect cookie recipe. The kids love it, the hubby loves it, it's a hit at classroom parties, and everyone in the world look forward to indulging in your amazing, can't-be-beat creation during the holidays.

Can you improve that?

Well, sure, if you can make it gluten-free, without sacrificing any of the flavor, texture, or awesomeness!

I made over my well-tested and well-loved Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe, and dare I say it's even better without the gluten?

Here's the new version:

Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 c. sweet rice flour
1/2 c. oatmeal, blended into a fine flour in a blender or food processor
1 c. oatmeal
1 t. sea salt
1 t. baking soda

1/2 c. cane juice crystals or natural sugar
1/2 c. dairy-free stick margarine
1/2 c. creamy or chunky peanut butter
1 t. vanilla extract
1 T. powdered egg replacer (such as Ener-G Foods egg replacer), prepared with 4 T. warm water
1 package dairy-free chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine rice flour, oat flour, oats, salt and baking soda.

In a large bowl, cream together the cane juice crystals or sugar, margarine, peanut butter, vanilla extract, and prepared "egg."

Add oat and flour mixture to creamed peanut butter mixture in large bowl and stir until well-combined.

Add chocolate chips and mix until evenly distributed.

Drop dough by tablespoons about two inches apart on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

Bake for approximately 12 minutes, and allow to rest on sheet for about two minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

Makes about four dozen cookies.

Enjoy!

"Like" Sexy Vegan Mama on Facebook! Don't forget to swing by The Gonzo Mama's place to see what she's up to. Get my vegan dessert cookbook (co-authored with William Maltese), Get-Real Vegan Desserts: Vegan Recipes for the Rest of Us, on Amazon!

From the Upcoming GET-REAL VEGAN DESSERTS Cookbook: Coconut Florentines!

I always thought these lacy little wafers would be hard to veganize and bake. In fact, when William Maltese, my co-author in GET-REAL VEGAN DESSERTS: Vegan Recipes for the Rest of Us (coming soon from Wildside/Borgo), and I were discussing recipes we'd like to recreate in vegan form for the cookbook, I found a recipe card of my grandmother's... and almost tossed it in the "way too difficult" pile.

I'm glad I didn't, because these Florentines are a dream, and very simple to make.

Now, the directions say to drizzle the wafers with melted chocolate in a lacy pattern, but as William and I note in the cookbook, food-as-art is not everyone's gift (and certainly not mine). These delicately crispy cookies will taste great whether your chocolate is drizzled in a manner to rival Michelangelo or -- like me -- Jackson Pollock.

In fact, Pollock is credited with the following quote:

It doesn't matter how the paint is put on, as long as something is said.

I'm saying, "COCONUT, and CHOCOLATE." Which, incidentally, I feel is enough.

I hope you enjoy making these little treasures as much as William and I did. Oh, and... Happy Vegan MoFo!

(By the way, please go VOTE for this blog in the Circle of Moms Top 25 Food Allergy Mom blog contest! Sexy Vegan Mama was a late nomination, and there are only a few days left of the contest, so I have a lot of catching up to do! You can vote once every 24 hours. Thank you!)

Coconut Florentines
From GET-REAL VEGAN DESSERTS: Vegan Recipes for the Rest of Us

1/2 c. unbleached flour
1/4 t. baking soda
1/8 t. salt
1/4 c. vegan stick margarine
1/3 c. cane juice crystals or natural sugar
2 T. light corn syrup
1/2 T. egg replacer powder, beaten with 2 T. water (we use Ener-G)
1/2 c. flaked coconut
1/2 t. vanilla extract

1/4 c. non-dairy chocolate chips
1 T. vegan stick margarine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Stir flour with baking soda and salt.

Cream in margarine.

Gradually cream in cane juice crystals or natural sugar, and continue beating until light and fluffy.

Add corn syrup and egg replacer, blending well.

Stir coconut and vanilla into flour mixture.

Drop by half-teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheets, about three inches apart. The wafers will bake "out" a lot, and spread.

Bake about 8 to 10 minutes. The edges of the wafers will be golden brown.

Remove baking sheets from oven and cool one minute, then quickly remove wafers from sheets. If wafers harden on pan, return to oven for about one minute to soften.

Melt chocolate and 1 tablespoon margarine in saucepan over very low heat, stirring constantly. Drizzle in a lacy pattern over the wafers. Let stand until chocolate is firm.

"Like" Sexy Vegan Mama on Facebook! Don't forget to swing by The Gonzo Mama's place to see what she's up to.

Recipe: Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies... Sure, they're a favorite, but plain and tired. I decided to give them a little extra punch in the protein department by adding peanut butter, and more texture by adding oatmeal. My kids think they're divine, and I have to agree.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/4 c. unbleached flour
1 c. oatmeal
1 t. sea salt
1 t. baking soda
1 1/2 c. cane juice crystals or natural sugar (I use Zulka)
1/2 c. dairy-free margarine (I use Nucoa)
1/2 c. creamy or chunky peanut butter
1 t. vanilla extract
1 T. powdered egg replacer (I use Ener-G), prepared with 4 T. warm water
1 package dairy-free chocolate chips (I use the Safeway Organic brand)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, oats, sea salt and baking soda.

In a large bowl, cream together the cane juice crystals or sugar, margarine, peanut butter, vanilla extract, and prepared egg replacer.

Add oat and flour mixture to creamed peanut butter mixture in large bowl and stir until well-combined.

Add chocolate chips and mix until evenly distributed.

Grease baking sheets or cover with parchment paper and drop cookie dough by tablespoons onto cookie sheet (I used a #50 scoop), about 2" apart.

Bake for about 12 minutes, or until edges just begin to brown.

Allow to rest on cookie sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to cooling rack. Makes about 48 cookies.

"Like" Sexy Vegan Mama on Facebook! Don't forget to swing by The Gonzo Mama's place to see what she's up to.

Cocoa Biscotti - with pics by Mad Rooster Photography!

Photo by Mad Rooster Photography

Ah, biscotti... These twice-baked, crunchy, crisp, sweet biscuits can be stored for long periods of time because the process of baking them twice leaves them drier than a traditional cookie.

 The biscotti has a long and glorious history, dating back centuries to the Italian city of Prato, traditionally comprised of flour, eggs, sugar and almonds. Modern adaptations often add baking powder, spices, dried fruits and a wide variety of nuts.

 Due to their dry, hard composition, biscotti are best served with beverage - frequently in the United States with espresso, coffee drinks or tea. In some European countries, biscotti is served with wine, such as vin santo or muscat.

I always found the prospect of making my own biscotti a bit daunting, but after reviewing a few recipes, I decided to tackle the project by creating a vegan biscuit... and it worked! *applause*

I was so excited, I tried to take some creative photos of my finished product, but they turned out sort of dorky and lifeless, so I called in my photographer friend - Matt Radford, the genius behind Mad Rooster Photography - to take some gorgeous photos, in exchange for a sampling of the biscuits. They turned out great, and Matt even showed me how to adjust my camera settings on my point-and-shoot to get better results on my own. What a guy!

Photo by Mad Rooster Photography

Cocoa Biscotti 

Ingredients: 

1 c. unbleached flour
1/2 c. cane juice crystals or raw sugar
1 t. baking powder
1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 t. sea salt
1/4 c. nuts of your choice (optional)
1 T. egg replacer powder, mixed with 1/4 c. water (I use Ener-G)
1 T. flavoring or liqueur of your choice (I used almond extract)

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, stir together flour, cane juice crystals or raw sugar, baking powder, cocoa powder, salt and optional nuts.

In a small bowl, combine prepared egg replacer and flavoring or liqueur.

Pour liquid mixture into dry ingredients and stir until dry ingredients are thoroughly moistened and mixed in. The resulting dough should be sticky and a bit shiny. You may need to add more water or flour to achieve the right consistency.

Gather the dough into a ball and place on an oiled baking sheet. Roll the ball into two flattened "logs," each about 2" wide, 1/2" high, and 12" long.

Bake logs for 25 minutes, then remove from oven.

Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.

Allow biscuits to cool for ten minutes, then slice the logs diagonally into biscuits about 1/2" wide.

Place biscuits, sliced side down, on baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.

Flip biscuits over and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Allow to cool completely before storing, and enjoy!

Photo by Mad Rooster Photography

"Like" Sexy Vegan Mama on Facebook! Don't forget to swing by The Gonzo Mama's place to see what she's up to.

Bread Without Butter Reviews My Cookie Recipes

Tiffany at Bread Without Butter reviewed Sexy Vegan Mama's Amaretto Sugar Cookies and Kahlua Crinkle Cookies! In anticipation of the forthcoming Sweet and Simple Vegan Desserts, which I am co-authoring with best-selling author William Maltese, I've reached out and ask some of the best vegan bloggers on the planet to help test the recipes. Do I have the greatest pals in the world, or what?

Let me extend my belated thanks and acknowledgment for this awesome recipe review on Bread Without Butter. I've been moving and otherwise in the middle of Insanity Isle over the past month. Do you sweet readers have any idea what it's like to move a household with seven kids? Egads!

As I may have mentioned, Tiffany knows her stuff when it comes to breaking down a recipe.

Anyway, check out Tiffany's cuter-than-cute moose-shaped sugar cookies, above. Adorable, or what? Read her entire review of both recipes, here. Be sure to watch Tiffany's Twitter feed for more amazing vegan news and food!

"Like" Sexy Vegan Mama on Facebook! Don't forget to swing by The Gonzo Mama's place to see what she's up to.

In-A-Gadda-Da-Vegan, Baby! Catherine Burt Reviews My Frangelico Vegan Shortbread

Frangelico Shortbread Cookies, made by
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vegan, aka Catherine Burt

Catherine Burt, known on Twitter and in the blogosphere as In-A-Gadda-Da-Vegan, never disappoints with her posts. Whether she's blogging about kitchen gadgets or animal rights, Catherine's material is well-written, informative, and entertaining.

That, my friends, is why it's awesome that she reviewed my recipe.

Catherine tried out the recipe for Sexy Vegan Mama's Frangelico Shortbread Cookies, and concluded - as did a couple other friends who tried them - they need MORE BOOZE.

I tend to agree. I never know, when baking with booze, if I'm not using enough, or if the booze I'm using isn't full strength - a phenomenon which, I understand, plagues many parents with teenagers in the home.

Indeed, my own mother noticed, the liquor purchased after I left for college retained its potency and had a significantly lower evaporation rate than bottles purchased while I was still living at home. In fact, Mom reported finally pouring out an entire bottle of vodka, which had somehow all but turned into water!

I'm sure it was a manufacturer's defect.

So, thank you, Catherine, for confirming my suspicion that the recipe could use a bit more flavor. An alternative would be to substitute hazelnut extract, which would give the cookies a stronger flavor than the liqueur.

I also love Catherine's idea to cut the dough into squares and emboss them for fancy schmancy shortbread! Still, her celestial moon shapes turned out adorable, didn't they?


Do you use liqueurs in place of extracts when baking? Do you typically find it necessary to increase the measure when using liqueurs?

"Like" Sexy Vegan Mama on Facebook!
 Don't forget to swing by The Gonzo Mama's place to see what she's up to.

Sexy Vegan Mama: Kahlua Crinkle Cookies

Chocolate crinkle cookies are a childhood favorite of mine, and I hadn't had them in years so I set out to create a vegan recipe I could make and share with my friends. And, you know, a little booze couldn't hurt in dealing with those childhood memories, right? The result? Kahlua Crinkle Cookies! They have just a touch of coffee flavor, and they're delicious!





Kahlua Crinkle Cookies

Ingredients:

1 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 c. evaporated cane juice crystals or vegan sugar (I use Zulka, found in many supermarkets in the baking or Hispanic foods aisle)
1 1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. canola or olive oil
2 T. Ener-G egg replacer, prepared with 6 T. warm water
2 t. Kahlua

2 c. unbleached flour
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt

4 T. water

1 c. confectioner’s sugar, set aside

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, combine cocoa powder, sugars and oil, mashing out any lumps and ensuring oil is evenly distributed.

Prepare egg substitute with Ener-G and water. Set aside.

Put cocoa mixture in microwave for 30 seconds, stir, microwave for another minute and stir thoroughly. Add egg substitute and Kahlua, then whip with a wire whisk or beater.

In a separate large bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt, mixing well.

Add cocoa mixture to flour mixture, stirring until well mixed. Add water, a tablespoon at a time, and blend in to moisten dough. Cover dough with plastic wrap or put in a large zipper bag, then chill in refrigerator for four hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Use a rounded teaspoon to scoop dough, then roll into balls, about 1 1/4" in diameter. Coat balls completely in confectioner’s sugar , then place on a lightly oiled baking sheet, flattening gently with the heel of your hand.

Great job for little ones
(who may not have had as much Kahlua during the waiting/chilling period as Mom)!

Bake for 10 minutes and allow to cool for five minutes before removing from baking sheet.

Makes about 65 dainty cookies.

Sexy Vegan Mama: Frangelico Shortbread Cookies

Last Christmas, I gave you my hearts...

As the mother of seven kids, I tend to adopt the philosophy that just about anything can be helped or made better by a shot or two of booze. That's why I created this veganized, booze-ified shortbread alternative.

I've been terrified of shortbread ever since that unfortunate communion experience, but I'd gladly accept these as stand-in sacraments!

Sexy Vegan Mama's Frangelico Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients:

3 sticks vegan margarine (I use Nucoa)
1 cup evaporated cane juice crystals or vegan sugar (I use Zulka, found in many markets in the baking or Hispanic foods section)
1 t. Frangelico
3 1/2 c. unbleached flour
1/4 t. sea salt
1/2 c. slivered almonds, coarsely chopped.

Directions:

In a large bowl, cream together margarine and sugar. Add Frangelico and mix thoroughly.

In a small bowl, combine flour, salt and almonds, then add to margarine mixture, stirring and stirring until all the flour is blended in. If the dough is too dry, you can add a teaspoon or two of water.

Gather dough into a ball, flatten into a thick circle, and cover with plastic wrap or put into a large plastic zipper bag. Put in refrigerator for an hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator and roll out to 1/2” thickness. Cut into shapes and bake on a lightly oiled baking sheet for 10 to 13 minutes.

Watch the cookies carefully and remove them from the oven when they first start to slightly brown around the edges. Timing is everything with these! If they stay in too long, the liqueur will scorch and then you will cry.

Let the cookies cool on the sheet for about five minutes (they’ll bake a little bit more on the sheet) before transferring to a cooling rack.

These cookies are crisp and crunchy and hold their shape well. I also think they'd be delightful with Gran Marnier or amaretto instead of Frangelico!

Sexy Vegan Mama: Amaretto Sugar Cookies

For all Mr. Wright's crazy mad skills, one thing he is not is a baker. Perhaps that's why, when he used the last of my vanilla extract making pancakes Sunday morning, he didn't put "Run to store immediately to buy more vanilla before Mama tries to bake something and turns into a vegan Betty Crocker in a homicidal rage" at the top of his list of priorities.

No matter... I'm used to improvising. Remember, I have seven kids. The art of making life work, even without the necessary ingredients, is a study I've (nearly) mastered. Cookies are slightly more important than life, but I decided to try the same technique.

That's how I ended up with Amaretto Sugar Cookies. (It should come as no surprise that - although her pantry may not be well-stocked - the Gonzo Mama's liquor cabinet is meticulously attended to and replenished.) Here's the jolly recipe:

Sexy Vegan Mama's Amaretto Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

3/4 c. vegan stick margarine, chilled/firm (I use Nucoa)
1 c. evaporated cane juice crystals (I use Zulka, found in the Hispanic foods section at many stores or in the baking aisle) or vegan sugar

1 T. Ener-G Egg Replacer, prepared with 4 T. warm water and mixed well (or another equivalent of 2 eggs)
1 t. amaretto

2 1/2 c. unbleached flour
1 t. baking powder
1 t. sea salt

Topping:

1/3 - 1/2 c. evaporated cane juice crystals or vegan sugar
2 T. ground cinnamon

(Optional: You may omit the cinnamon and use candy sprinkles, or make your own colored vegan sugar sprinkles, if you're really ambitious. Mix organic coarse sugar with food coloring. Spread out on waxed paper and dry well. Wear gloves.)

First off, your arm will get very tired creaming and stirring and stirring, so I recommend taking a couple swigs of the amaretto right off the bat, before you begin mixing. However, it's a good idea to get all your ingredients out on the counter, so your amaretto-impaired self won't forget to put something in.

In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and cane juice crystals or sugar. Make sure there are no lumps of margarine hiding in there!

Add prepared egg replacer "eggs" and amaretto and mix thoroughly.

Add in flour, baking powder and salt, stirring until well-blended.

Gather dough into a ball and wrap it in plastic wrap or a large zipper bag, then put it in the refrigerator to chill for an hour or two.

Remove dough and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Roll dough out to about 1/4" thick with a rolling pin, then use cookie cutters to shape. Carefully transfer cut cookies onto a lightly-oiled baking sheet, sprinkle with topping, and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until edge just begin to brown slightly.

I find the cookies are less likely to break when removing from the cookie sheet if I let them sit on the sheet after removing them from the oven for about ten minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack.

These are also really good frosted with almond frosting. To make, blend confectioner's sugar with vegan margarine, vanilla soy milk and almond extract (to taste) until desired consistency.

Let's Get Ready to RUM BALL! Recipe: Sexy Vegan Mama's Rum Balls

I'm heading over to Spokane for a book signing tomorrow. The event has promised not only my stellar wit and dramatics, but also cookies.

Now, cookies are all well and good, but I find if I'm desperate for a good turnout, the promise of booze is much more effective than my sparkling personality. That's why I'm taking rum balls. Well, not just rum balls, but also Southern Comfort balls (which, we all know, are Mama's favorite) and Kahlua balls.

You, too, can bribe your loved ones with these grown-up treats. Here's how:

Sexy Vegan Mama's Rum Balls

Half of a 14.4-oz. box of graham crackers (Be careful and check labels. I found several brands with milk in them.)
1 1/4 c. confectioner's sugar
3 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 c. slivered almonds
1/2 c. rum, liqueur or flavored alcohol of your choice (vanilla vodka, peppermint schnapps, brandy, Gran Marnier, butterscotch schnapps... it's all good)
3 T. light corn syrup
3/4 c. cocoa powder, confectioner's sugar, or vegan sugar for rolling

Whiz the graham crackers in a blender or food processor (I use the Magic Bullet) until they are very finely ground and almost powdery.

Very finely chop the almonds with a knife or in a blender or food processor until they are in small, coarse bits.

Mix all the dry ingredients - except the cocoa or sugar you've set aside for rolling - in a large bowl, then add liqueur and corn syrup and stir until well mixed. Your arm will get very tired, and you may need to use more liquor (if your dough is too dry, you can put some more in the mixture, as well as in your belly). The dough should be stiff and sticky, and hold its shape when rolled into a ball.

Form into 1-inch balls (a melon baller works great!), rolling with the palms of your (clean!) hands.

Roll each ball in the cocoa, confectioner's sugar, or vegan sugar, coating well.

Line the bottom of a covered container with wax paper and place the balls inside, in a single layer. Put the container in the refrigerator for two to three days before serving, and threaten your husband with castration if he tries to sneak any before they're cured.