Maple Pecan Ice-Cream

Maple Pecan Ice-Cream

Yield: about 1 quart

2½ cups soy milk

1 cup coconut milk

1/8 cup organic cane sugar

½ cup pure maple syrup (or 3/4 cup)

2-3 tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp sea salt

¼ tsp xanthan gum

¼ cup pecans, chopped

1. In a blender jar, blend everything (except xanthan gum) until very smooth.  Add xanthan gum and blend again until incorporated (about 10 seconds).
2. Chill mixture overnight (for 8 hours or more) in fridge.  Pour ice-cream mixture into an ice-cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s directions.  Add chopped pecans after ice-cream is done churning.

* If you don’t have a machine: Freeze mixture, pulling out every couple hours to stir.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Here's a recipe my family used growing up.  I would make a bunch of these in the summer to sell with glasses of lemonade at our annual garage sales when I was young.  I remember making quite a bit of money doing that...

Since I've been cooking a little more healthier in recent years, just by cutting the eggs out of this recipe cuts out all the bad cholesterol and cuts the calories way down, too.  Try these, you will like them!

I especially like these in the fall and winter.  They always give me such a comfort!


Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Yield: 2 dozen

1 1/2 cups organic unbleached all purpose flour (or gluten-free flour of your choice mixed with 1/2 xanthan gum)
1 TB egg replacer (or Arrowroot powder or Cornstarch)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg, ground
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1 cup vegan margarine (I like Earth Balance)
1 cup organic brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup organic cane sugar
1/4 cup water
1 TB pure vanilla extract
3 cups regular or quick oats, raw (or gluten-free oats, if you can't eat regular oats)
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (sub Carob chips or raisins)
3/4 cups pecans, chopped

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.  In a medium bowl, whisk flour, egg replacer or arrowroot, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt until fully mixed together.
3.  Beat together margarine, sugars, water and vanilla in mixer or with a hand mixer, until fluffy.
4.  Add flour mixture, mix until everything is incorporated. 
5.  With mixer running on low, slowly add in oats, chocolate chips and pecans.  You may also stir them in by hand.
6.  Using a cookie scoop, drop tablespoons onto a parchment lined cookie sheet.
7.  Bake 10-12 mins, or until golden brown.
8.  Cool a couple mins on cookie sheet until transferring to a cooling rack.

Note:  Cookies freeze really well.  If I'm making these for a special event or potluck, I will bake them, let them cool completely, place in gallon freezer bags and freeze until I'm ready to use.  They thaw out in 20 minutes and taste like you just baked them.  Enjoy!

Gluten Free Chickpea Loaf

Here's a very, very simple loaf.  Just in time for the holidays!  Enjoy.


Gluten Free Chickpea Loaf
Yield: 1 9x11 loaf

4 cups garbanzo beans cooked, partially mashed (slightly overcooking them gives nice flavor)
1 cup pecan meal
2 cups walnut meal
1 large onion, diced
4 celery stalks, diced
2 TB McKay's Chicken Seasoning
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp sage or thyme, optional
2 TB arrowroot powder, optional
2-4 cups cooked brown rice
1/2 cup brown rice flour, if needed*

Mix everything together in a large bowl, until fully incorporated.  Place in lightly greased 9x13 glass pan, press down with the back of a spoon until even in pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes, or until golden brown on top.

*If it looks like the consistency needs a little something more, you may add some brown rice flour to bind it together.

Vegan Dry Oatmeal Mix

I'm sorry that it's been a few months since I have posted anything.  After celebrating Thanksgiving, then taking a trip to California, then our family getting hit with the flu, and then Christmas... its been quite busy around here.   With that said, I'm very happy to be posting this recipe.  I found a recipe like this online that gave full inspiration for this.  We like this one around our home in the winter time.  Its full of fiber, and low in saturated fats, and being high in omega 3's and 6's from the freshly ground flaxseeds and chopped walnuts.

In the summer, you will find me making homemade granola, and eat it with fresh summer fruit.  But, in the winter, this is what we eat with frozen berries on top and organic raisins.  We hope you enjoy this one as much as we do!


Vegan Dry Oatmeal Mix
yield: 24 cups

18 cups quick oats (or regular oats ground down a little in your food processor works well for me)
4 cups plain Soy Milk powder (Better Than Milk brand; you can also use their Rice Milk powder)
3/4 cup organic dried cane juice sugar
3/4 cup organic brown sugar, packed
1 TB fine Celtic Grey Sea Salt
1 TB cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 cup ground flax seed meal
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1 cup finely chopped walnuts

1.  Place everything a very large mixing bowl, and whisk until fully incorporated.
2.  Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.  (I use a tall Rubbermaid 24-cup cereal/storage container I bought at Walmart.)
3.  When ready to eat, place 1/2-1 cup dry mix in a bowl.  Add desired amount of boiling hot water on top.  Stir.  Then, let sit for up to 5 minutes before eating.  Add fresh berries or dried fruit on the top for added fiber and nutrition.


* Note:  You may cut this recipe in half when making for the first time to try it out.  It seems like a lot, but it really goes a long way.  This lasts about 2-3 months in our home when we are just eating it for Breakfast (with two people enjoying it). 

Carob Pie

This is a recipe I got from my friend Julie!  Its always been one of my favorite deserts.  I will be posting a picture as soon as I can.  If you leave the mint out, it tastes JUST like a Frosty from Wendy's!  Enjoy.


Carob Pie
yield: 1 pie

1 cup finely chopped Pecans or Walnuts
1 1/2 cup water
1/2 cup soy or rice milk powder
1 TB vanilla
1 cup Carob chips (or chocolate chips)
1/2 cup maple syrup (or organic sugar)
1 TB peppermint extract
3 TB Roma (or other coffee substitute)
3/4 cup almond butter

1.)  Place chopped nuts on bottom of pie plate evenly.
2.)  Then, blend everything instead of almond butter in a vita-mix or food processor until smooth.  You may have to add more water (or dairy-free milk) if it gets too thick. 
3.)  Add almond butter at the end, blending until smooth.
4.)  Pour into pie pan and freeze.
5.)  Remove pie from freezer 10 minutes before serving, then slice it.

Note:  If you'd like to make this pie, but you do not have carob or chocolate chips on hand, you may sub 1/2-3/4 cup of Carob or Cocoa powder, to taste. 
Note:  You may also make this into a smoothie by adding more water.  It tastes exactly like a Wendy's frosty when you leave out the peppermint flavor.

Easy Homemade Granola

Easy Homemade Granola
yields: a huge cereal container full


13 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups pecans, chopped
1 1/2 cups shredded coconut, unsweetened
1 cup water
1 to 1 1/4 cup maple syrup
1 TB Celtic grey sea salt
1 TB vanilla
1/2 cup light oil


1.  In a very large mixing bowl, toss together oats, pecans, and coconut.
2.  In Vitamix or other blender, add water, maple syrup, salt, and vanilla.  Blend until very smooth (about 2 minutes).
3.  Then add in the oil.  Blend for 20-30 seconds.
4.  Pour wet mixture on the dry oats, and toss with hands until oats are coated with mixture.
5.  Place granola on 2 large cookie sheets.  Bake at 170 or 175 degrees for 8 hours to dry out.
6.  The next morning, you may mix in dried fruit, small dates, raisins, etc.  Then place in storage container. 
7.  Enjoy!

Variation:  Use almonds in place of pecans, and honey in place of maple syrup.