Tag: bake

Flour-less Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies

April 2, 2015

IMG_3548 When I started upping my recipe game again last week, my amazing, talented friend Joanna (the woman behind Wellness with Joanna) commented how happy she was to see me back in the kitchen. Her encouragement (always) means a lot since she is one bad ass healthy lifestyle powerhouse. If I can accomplish half of what she does when I am a mama of two I will consider myself a massive success. So with her prodding I  figured I would just keep all the new recipes coming your way instead of hoarding them on my computer.

This version of my cookie recipe came about after our (seriously wonderful) friend Sophia took a stab at my Flourless Peanut Butter Coconut Cookies. However, since the peanut butter she used was runny (or perhaps non-stablized) they didn’t firm up they way she had hoped.  Non-traditional/healthy baked goods can be finicky because when you are trying to cut ingredients out you are messing with the tride and true chemistry of baking.  Also, the texture and consistency of goods such as peanut butter vary wildly which impacts the overall product when you are skipping the flour.  So be patient with the product and be creative with the process. Anyhow, last weekend we had a lazy Sunday of church, binge watching the Jinx and baking.  This afforded me ample time to find a solution to Sofia’s predicament by adding a little PB2 to my dough.  However, during the process Jameson sweetly requested something with a hint of chocolate.  So I threw in some chocolate chips and the result was pretty great.  Enjoy! Continue reading “Flour-less Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies”

Flourless (almost Paleo-ish) Peanut Butter Coconut Cookies

March 19, 2015

 Last week I made Quest-Style Protein Bars for the Crossfit NYC open WOD secret Santa.  This week Jameson drew our lovely, sweet fellow west-coaster, Kaylin.  Again Jameson was away in the midwest most of the week traversing state lines so I pitched in to help prep her gift.  I wanted to make her a treat to reward all the hard work she has put in during these grueling work outs, while still being mindful of overall healthiness.  I played around with my traditional cookie recipe to create this completely flour-less cookie that is as healthy as a cookie can be.  Better yet, you only need five ingredients to whip them up, and you only mess up one bowl in the process.  Thus prep and clean up is moderately effortless. Happy Saturday! Continue reading “Flourless (almost Paleo-ish) Peanut Butter Coconut Cookies”

Canadian Thanksgiving: Really Simple Pumpkin Cheesecake

October 16, 2014

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So first an aside: I am sitting here watching the new show on fox, Gracepoint.  It is a pretty good show if you’re into crime dramas, but my main motivation for watching is that seeing my city on the screen fills me with even more hometown pride (I know you didn’t think it was possible I could love Victoria even more but rest assured there are no limits on my affections).  But then right this very second the whole experience just got even better (and my homesickness got a touch worse) because the filming location for the house of the main characters is three doors down from our house in Victoria. Meaning I just glimpsed the corner our yard on television. I mean that makes us practically famous right?

Okay, I will stop my over-exuberant nostalgia and get down to business.  Pumpkin Cheesecake. Apparently, everyone loves pumpkin everything this fall.  So this recipe from our Canadian Thanksgiving Feast is right on trend.  This was one of the non-vegan, non-paleo and full gluten dishes.  Because really dessert should just be decadent. It also happens to be super simple and more or less fool proof, while appearing complex and labor intensive.  Enjoy!

Continue reading “Canadian Thanksgiving: Really Simple Pumpkin Cheesecake”

Chocolate Drop Cookies

May 8, 2014

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As you know we have been church hunting non stop since arriving in NYC.  Then alas through Crossfit Jay met an exceptionally wonderful girl who invited us out to church.  Thanks to her generous and inclusive spirit we have cultivated the most exceptional church family, and met people that really have changed how homey New York feels. Every other Thursday there is a bible study, but I have been cooped up in a lecture hall every Thursday night this semester.  So it is with great excitement that I exclaim that tonight is my first evening of freedom to enjoy the company of those we have come to hold dear. Horray!   So naturally with two finals and three summer classes stand between me and mastering all of education I decided to bake cookies for tonight rather than crack a textbook (It seems to be a theme this year). So please enjoy the fruits of my procrastination.  These rich, seriously delicious cookies do not disappoint.    Continue reading “Chocolate Drop Cookies”

Peanut Butter Cookies

April 17, 2014

pB cookie

So it’s official. I have a cookie problem.  One that I cannot even dignify with a valid defense. Midterms kicked it into high gear, and the job hunt has fueled the fire.  The evidence against me has been building up over these last few with post after cookie post, so now all I can do is admit it. I love cookies, and these peanut buttery treats are no exception.  The inspiration for this batch came via the fact that my mom is visiting my grandparents and I am not so secretly wishing I was back on the west coast with them all.  My grandma makes hands down, the best peanut butter cookies known to the human race.  So I tried my hand at a version, that is vegan, and isn’t too loaded with anything that will kill you.  So indulge and enjoy.  Continue reading “Peanut Butter Cookies”

Long Weekend Living: Cashew, Cranberry and Chocolate Chip Cookies

January 20, 2014

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Today is Martin Luther King day here in the US of A, and I am days away from the commencement of semester two (hooray!).   I have been a touch under the weather, which resulted in my first taste of the American healthcare system (but more about that later with a new recipe to sweeten the deal)  As such  I laid pretty low for Friday and Saturday as I regroup and organized for the coming semester.  However, we made up for all the lazing over the remainder of the long weekend. Starting with our weekly Sunday morning ritual of Tim Hortons (Canadian Pride) and church at Hillsong NYC with the always wonderful Alyssa and Erin.

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We closed out Sunday night with dinner at RedFarm and a stroll through the West Village with the stunning Robyn (no seriously, she is stunning. Like professionally stunning as in being utterly gorgeous is her career) and her exceptional boyfriend, Peter.  The combination of engaging company, steaming seaweed infused green tea and a spectacular sunset over Jersey made it one of those evenings that make your world a little brighter and your heart a little happier.

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As for today, I have been bustling around in our quaint kitchen whipping up a fresh batch of cookies to welcome my darling friend Meredith to the neighborhood. I haven’t dared a baking endeavor since we moved south of the border, simply out of fear that I no longer have access to my well stocked kitchen which most importantly includes my sexy, stainless steel Kitchenaid mixer.  All my normal culinary tools are tucked away in boxes after they didn’t make cut for what we could cram into the cute crossover we drove across the country to our new manhattan home.  So these delectable cookies were done old school.  Butter creamed by hand and batter batted with old fashioned sweat and muscle strength.  Turns out you need very little to make exceptional cookies -so whatever your kitchen looks like enjoy these moist, soft wonderful treats.

Continue reading “Long Weekend Living: Cashew, Cranberry and Chocolate Chip Cookies”