Bit-like Anzac Cookies!

Ok, I admit I should of posted this a few days ago so you could all benefit from making these delicious cookies....... but surely it clear by now that my blogging mojo left the building quite a few years ago! 
Now sadly I will admit, I have been making this new version of Anzac cookies for the last few years but never made the time to sit down and blog them! 

WELL TODAY IS YOUR LUCKY DAY! ;-) 

How did these cookies come about when I already have a recipe for Anzac Biscuits..... 
Well we haven't had coconut in the house for over 4 years now, and I eat virtually flour free so I decided to make a varied version of the one I already published all those years ago! 

Ok, I know that it's not very traditional to make Anzac cookies without coconut, but when you're limiting saturated fat this version sure gives you the mouth feel of a traditional Anzac cookie, but without the unhealthy fat. I decided to add golden syrup instead of rice malt to this recipe as I really feel like it is what truly reminds me of Anzac cookies! 

ENJOY! 

        You'll need:
        (Makes 8 thick cookies)
                1 cup rolled oats
                1 cup oatbran
                1/3 cup muscavao or brown sugar
                1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
                2 Tablespoons golden syrup
                1 teaspoon coconut essense
                1 teaspoon bi-carb soda
                2 Tablespoons boiling water

Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix until well combined. 

Add the wet ingredients EXCEPT for the bi-carb/water but don't mix yet. 

Mix the bicarb in a small ramekin with the boiling water. When it bubbles, add it to your mixing bowl and stir all ingredients gently til well combined and the mixture holds together. 

Don't overstir.

With wet hands press the mixture into 8 cookies and bake in a preheated 180C over for 10-15 mins til desired done-ness (is that even a word?!?!!!).

I found these a little more crumbly than the original recipe, obviously the flour impacts that. I enjoy this texture more of this version and I also enjoy them a little thicker- thus why I consider them a "cookie" compared to a biscuit! I also enjoyed the golden syrup considerably more than the rice malt! 

TO be honest, I"ll never go back to making them the previous way - probably because I"ll never buy coconut again!! haha ;-) 

If you try both - let me know which version you prefer! 

Fruit & Oat Cookies - Sugar Free

My daughter doesn't like dried apricots...

My husband doesn't like ground flax seeds...

But I can get them BOTH to eat these cookies!!!

Fruit & Oat Cookies

(Makes 20)

You'll need:

2 over-ripe bananas

1/2 cup applesauce

1/3 cup each: raisins, dates, dried figs, dried apricots

1/2 cup ground flax seeds

1 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups oats

In a large bowl combine the bananas and applesauce. Mash until smooth.

Finely chop all the dried fruit.

Stir the fruit, flax, cinnamon & vanilla into the banana/apple mixture.

Gently stir through the oats until well combined.

Using wet hands, roll 2 Tablespoons of mixture into a ball shape and press firmly til the ball holds together. Place onto a lined baking tray and press down gently to form a cookie shape.

Bake in a preheated 170C oven for 25 minutes until lightly golden brown.

(You may notice the fruit in my cookies looks brown and not coloured - that is because I use non-sulphur dried fruit. I highly recommend you use it too - its available in health food stores.)


Question of the day:
What food do you dislike but enjoy when it's cooked into something else?

PB Carrot Crackers

Meatless Monday has returned! :-) 

Today we're cooking with oats.

Peanut Butter Carrot Crackers

You'll need:

4 medium carrots

1 cup oats

1/4 cup ground flax seeds

1/4 cup natural peanut butter

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon each: nutmeg, cardamom, allspice

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup raisins

Using a food processor, shred the carrots. Add the oats, flax, and spices. Blend til oats are broken down and not chunky pieces remain.

Add the peanut butter and water. Blend til a thick paste is formed. The mixture will be very sticky.

Add the raisins and blend for a few seconds until they are distributed evenly but not broken into pieces.

Use a spatula to spread the mixture onto lined dehydrator sheets. Number of sheets will depend on the size of your dehydrator, I used three sheets.

Dehydrate for 10-12 hours.

Slice with a pizza cutter! 

 Store in a cookie jar. Will keep for a week. They will get crispier the longer they are stored.

I am also submitting this recipe to I am Vegetarian - Hear me Raw.

Question of the day:
Do you own a dehydrator?
Do you use it for more than just fruit and vegetables?

Chocolate Prune Cookies

 

Sometime ago I made chocolate prune cookies using okara. I love the moistness that okara provides in baking. But its been in the back of my mind ever since that I should un-okara these cookies! And today that is exactly what I did! This version is not quite as moist, but equally as delicious :-)

I really do love the mix of dried fruit & cocoa. 

CHOCOLATE PRUNE COOKIES

You'll need:

1 cup wholemeal flour

1 teaspoon bi-carb soda

3 Tablespoons cocoa

1/2 cup chopped prunes

1/2 cup agave nectar

1/4 cup applesauce

1/4 cup plant milk of choice

Place all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir until well combined.

Place heaped tablespoons of mixture onto a lined baking tray & bake in a preheated 180C oven for 12-15 minutes until cooked through.

Makes 14 (depending on size)

I LOVE these new diced prunes that are available! They're so great for cooking with or adding to a breakfast bowl!

Chopping whole prunes is such a sticky job ;-)

Cranberry & Macadamia Cookies

 

When someone mentions baking I immediately think of cake and cookies! Yet I haven't really shared too many of them yet in this bake-off......

So today I share a basic cookie recipe with you, that is so easy to make & yet so divinely tasty :-)

CRANBERRY & MACADAMIA COOKIES

You'll need:

1 1/2 cups wholemeal self-raising flour

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1/3 cup macadamia nuts

1/3 cup agave nectar

1 Tablespoon ground flax seeds 

3 Tablespoons boiling water

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup plant milk of choice

Whisk together the boiling water with the ground flax seeds. Set aside.

Pour the macadamias into a small plastic bag and crush.

Place crushed nuts in a mixing bowl and add the flour and cranberries. Stir well so the fruit & nuts are evenly distributed.

Add the agave, vanilla, plant milk & flax mixture.

Stir til combined.

Line a baking tray with baking paper. Using wet hands, get 2 Tablespoons of mixture and roll into cookie shape, press down onto the tray & slightly flatten the tops with your fingers.

Place in a preheated 180C oven for 15 minutes.

Cool before serving.

Makes 18 cookies.

Kids Lunchbox Club - Carrot Cookies

Here's a quick & easy recipe that is great for adding to lunchboxes :-)
I guess since it's Vegan Mofo then grown-ups can be allowed this little treat too ;-)

Bite-sized Carrot Cookies

To make 20 cookies you'll need:
1 cup oat bran
1 cup grated carrot (approx 2 small carrots)
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup ground flax seeds
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla 

In a large mixing bowl combine the oat bran, grated carrot, raisins, flax seeds and cinnamon. Stir until well combined.
Fold through the applesauce, maple syrup and vanilla.
Stir well until mixture starts to clump together.

Shape into little bite size pieces & place on a lined baking tray, flatten each cookie with a fork.
Bake in a preheated 180C oven for 18-20 minutes until lightly golden brown.

Meatless Monday - Jelly

Today's Meatless Monday food is Jelly.

Mmmmmmmmmmmm, Jelly! Or as we call it in Australia - Jam!

There is only one brand of jam that I will buy and its St Dalfour.

I love their jam and the range of flavours.

My favourite flavour is Four Fruits.... 

So that is what you'll find in today's recipe!

Chewy Walnut Jam Cookies

You'll need:

1 1/2 cups wholemeal flour

1/3 cup raw sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup walnuts

1/2 cup applesauce

1/2 cup soymilk (or other plant milk of choice)
1 teaspoon vanilla

2 teaspoons ground flax seeds mixed with 2 Tablespoons water

1/2 cup jam (flavour of choice - I used four fruits)

Mix the flaxseeds with the water and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and cinnamon. Mix well.

Crush the walnuts and add them to the dry mixture.

Make a well in the centre of the mixture and pour in the applesauce, soymilk, vanilla and flax seed mixture.

Gently stir until all ingredients are well combined.

Scoop large tablespoons full of the mixture and place onto a lined baking tray. Use the back of the spoon to make a well in the centre of each cookies.

Pour 1/2 teaspoon of jam into the centre of each cookie.

Bake in a preheated 180C oven for 15 minutes.

Allow to cool before eating as the jam will be bubbling hot.

Makes 14 large cookies

Question of the day:

Do you have a favourite flavour jam?

Meatless Monday - Flax seeds

Today's Meatless Monday food is flax seeds.

I'm a big flax seed fan. I eat them most mornings & regularly add them to cakes & cookies.
Today however I'm doing something different. Instead of just adding flax seeds into other ingredients in a way that they sometimes get lost, I made them the main ingredient!
I wasn't sure how these cookies would turn out but I must admit that I'm very pleased with how they worked out. They taste amazing!!!!

Flax seed & Coconut Cookies

You'll need:
1/2 cup flax seeds
1/2 cup dessicated coconut
1 large banana
2 Tablespoons brown rice syrup
2 Tablespoons soymilk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Grind the flax seeds til very fine. (Note if using already ground flax seeds you'll need about a cup.) Stir the coconut into the ground flax seeds. Mash the banana well. Add to the flax/coconut mixture along with the remaining ingredients. Stir until well combined. The mixture will be slightly sticky and will hold together well.
Shape into small balls and flatten onto a lined baking sheet
Bake in a preheated 180C oven for 15 minutes until lightly golden brown.

Wonderfully chewy and lightly sweetened - what a great healthy treat!

 

Submitted for Healthy Vegan Friday.
You can add your recipe at these blogs:
carrie on vegan                    veggie nook                    greenthickies 

Kids Lunchbox Club - Muesli Cookies

My daughter is a big fan of making muesli. But she doesn't like to eat as much as she likes to make! 
Thankfully muesli is great to cook with so it's not really a problem!

I asked her this week if she was going to finish eating the last of the muesli so we could make another batch & her idea was to make cookies with it instead.
So muesli cookies were born in our household!

You'll need:
3 cups muesli (any type you like)
1 cup wholemeal flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground flaxseeds mixed with 1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup apple sauce
1/4 cup plant milk of choice

Mix all the dry ingrredients together til well combined.
Make a well in the middle and pour in the wet ingredients. Fold to combine. Mixture will be sticky & will hold together. 
Shape into flat balls and place on a lined baking tray. Gently press down with a fork to flatten.

Bake in a preheated 200C oven for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden brown.

Cool on a rack.

 

 Makes 12-14 cookies.

Meatless Monday - Dark Chocolate

Welcome to another edition of Meatless Monday A-Z.

 Today's food is Dark Chocolate.

 

Instead of using dark chocolate as an ingredient, I decided I would cook something that mimicked the taste of dark chocolate.

Dark Chocolate Date Cookies

1 & 1/2 cup dried dates

1 & 1/2 cups strong coffee

1 cup wholemeal flour

1 cup oat bran

1 cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon bicarb soda

1 Tablespoons ground flax seeds 

1/4 cup agave nectar

1/2 cup almond milk (or other plant milk of choice)

Chop the dates into small pieces and place in a bowl with a lid. Pour the coffee over the dates and allow to soak for at least 1/2 hour.

Mix the flax seeds with 2 Tablespoons water & allow to sit for 5 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, oat bran, cocoa powder and bicarb soda. Mix well. 

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the agave, almond milk and flax mixture.

Fold the dry ingredients in until all is moist.

The mixture will be sticky and will just come together. 

Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Roll tablespoons of the mixture into balls and flatten onto the baking sheet.

Bake at 180C for 12-15 minutes until cookies are cooked through.

Makes 20 cookies

These cookies are very true to dark chocolate flavour, because often dark chocolate is strong but not very sweet.

These cookies have no added sugar so they aren't overly sweet. I think they taste better the next after being baked.

This mixture also works as a  fudge-type slice. You can press it into a 20cm square baking tray & bake for 20 minutes before slicing.

Healthier ANZAC Biscuits

For my international readers who may not know - today (25th April) is a day of remembrance for our troops who have fought at war. We call is ANZAC day (Australian New Zealand Army Corps).  

I really enjoy making ANZAC biscuits each year. 
The story about these biscuits (or so I'm told) is this: the wives used to send these cookies over to their hubbies and they were a recipe that kept well and had no milk or eggs in them! 
Most of the recipes we see these days do contain eggs and or butter even though that is not how traditional ANZAC biscuits made.  
Obviously I don't make them with butter - but this year I took it up another notch & ditched using oil too! I like to make all my recipes as fat free as possible. 


These worked out really really delicious & so much like traditional ANZAC biscuits that I will never go back! 
In fact, who said we just have to have them on ANZAC day - I think I'll have them all year round!

You'll need:
1 cup oats
1 cup wholemeal flour
3/4 cup dessicated coconut
1/3 cup brown sugar (firmly packed)
1/3 cup brown rice malt syrup
1/2 cup apple sauce
2 Tablespoons boiling water
1/2 teaspoon bi-carb soda

In a large mixing bowl combine the oats, flour, coconut & brown sugar.
In a microwave jug combine the rice syrup with the apple sauce and microwave on high for 30 seconds. The rice syrup will be soft & easy to mix. Stir together well.
Combine the bi-carb soda with the boiling water & mix well. The bi-carb soda will froth.
Add the 2 wet mixtures into the dry & stir well.
It will look like its not wet enough but just keep mixing and it will come together.
Wet hands and roll tablespoons of mixture and place on a lined baking tray. Press down.
Bake at 180C for 18-20 minutes until golden brown.

Makes 16 cookies

Inside the cookie - so deliciously light and fluffy yet just the right amount of crispness on the outside:

Apple-Almond Cookies

Apple-Almond Cookies

4 simple ingredients to make delicious healthy cookies!
Now that is something I can manage even after a hard days work!

You'll need:
2 overripe bananas
1 cup oats
1 cup dried apple pieces
2 Tablespoons almond butter


Mash the bananas in a large bowl.
Add the oats.
Chop or cut the apple into small pieces.
Add in the almond butter.
Stir until well combined and the mixture holds together.
Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Place rounded tablespoons of the mixture onto the tray.
Bake at 180C for 10-12 minutes. 

They will brown quickly so don't forget about them!!!

This recipe is my submission of the week towards Healthy Vegan Friday.
You can add your link at these blogs:
carrie on vegan                    veggie nook                    greenthickies

Banana Currant Soft Spelt Cookies

I love love love these cookies.
The soft centres make them so addictive!
They are a really healthy treat to have on hand. I think its great to have a collection of healthy treats available - especially at this time of year when it seems that there is chocolate & so many not-so-healthy treats everywhere!
Great for when guests are coming soon & you need a quick & easy recipe to cook up in no time!

This mixture makes 8 large cookies.

You'll need:
2 overripe bananas, mashed
1 cup spelt flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup currants
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup almond milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl & stir until well combined.
Pour spoonfuls onto a lined cookie tray - I use an ice-cream scoop! Works really well & makes the cookies be much more even than if I was relying on my own eyes!!! ;-)

Bake at 180C for 20 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Deliciously sweet soft centre = perfect cookie! :D