Lunchbox Multigrain Apple Crisps - vegan & gluten free

There's been a revolution in lunches here at Chez Sweets. 

I started playing with this idea over the summer, and I'm really happy about it. There are actually a couple of ideas at play, but the main one is that you can bake individual desserts - the kind that don't travel as well as a brownie or a cookie - in the relatively recent generation of storage containers. These are glass containers that are labeled as oven safe and come with tightly fitting lids. All parts are dishwasher safe, which is an excellent quality in any lunch container. 

My mom found these glass Anchor containers for me when I first started wondering out loud about the concept, and they are pretty great. They're a nice size (1 cup), sturdy, and very packable (and not just with crisp). Full disclosure - Anchor has no idea who I am or that I am writing about their product. I just like them. 

One of the other ideas at play is that of trying to make lunches more exciting/more delicious/something to look forward to. I am happy to say that a cinnamon spiced sweet apple crisp is a sure-fire way to do so. My lunch mates this week have been happy to help themselves to a bite or two. I am dreaming of translating other recipes the same way. 

You don't have to make this for your lunchbox, of course. Make them in small ramekins, and voila, you have individual desserts. Serve them for guests with a dollop of whipped cream (and perhaps a decorative sprinkling of cinnamon?) for instant accolades. They are also totally healthy enough to have for breakfast. 

I've already waxed on about the portability concept, but I don't want to neglect the crisps themselves (it's bad for their self esteem). These multigrain apple crisps are super yummy! The apples are soft and sweet, and the crisp provides great contrast, not only in terms of texture, but also in flavor. The nutty and cinnamony crunch is delightful. So go forth and bake! You probably already have all the ingredients on hand. Just think how much better your brown bag lunch will look.

Lunchbox Multigrain Apple Crisps - vegan & gluten free

adapted from Smitten Kitchen

For the nuts - any will work. Pick your favorite! For the pictured batch, I used pecans, but it was a tough internal struggle deciding between those and walnuts. Almonds or hazelnuts would also work well, as would an equal volume of a nut meal or flour. If you have oat flour on hand, substitute a quarter-cup of that for the first quarter-cup of rolled oats.

For the flour - again, any will work. Crisps are wonderfully forgiving in that way. The flour doesn't really bind things together with gluten here, so you can use your favorite regular, wheat, white whole wheat, nut, gluten free, or any other flour of choice. I'm thinking that rye flour might be a fun option next time. 

For the oil - I used olive oil, but you could certainly use any other vegetable oil, melted butter, melted coconut butter, or some combination thereof. I haven't tried it, but I suspect something like walnut oil would also be a yummy choice. 

Makes 8 small crisps

4 large or 5 small-medium apples (about 2 pounds)
1 Tbsp cornstarch
3 Tbsp plus 1/4 C raw, Turbinado (often sold as Sugar in the Raw) sugar, or Sucanat
1/4 C plus 3/4 C rolled oats (be sure to use certified gluten free if making for gf folks)
1/4 C sliced or slivered nuts of your choice (see note)
1/2 C whole wheat flour (or a mix; see note)
1/4 C light or dark brown sugar (I used Sucanat)
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

pinch or two of nutmeg
Two pinches sea salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 C plus 1 Tbsp olive oil (see note)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange either eight 6-ounce or six 8-ounce ramekins or oven-safe food storage containers (I love these) on a baking tray. Peel, halve and core apples. Dice them into somewhat small pieces - about .5-inches. Smaller pieces have several advantages; you can squish more fruit into each container, they will bake faster, and they will deflate or sink less as they cool. Toss apples with 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 3 tablespoons raw sugar or Sucanat until evenly coated. Divide apples evenly between baking dishes.

Grind 1/4 cup oats with nuts in a food processor until powdery. In a medium bowl, us a fork to whisk oat/almond mixture with remaining rolled oats, wheat flour, remaining 1/4 cup raw sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, sea salt and baking powder. Keep using the fork to stir in olive oil until crumbly. Divide crumbs over each dish of apples, packing them on with your palms if needed to get them all on (don’t worry, the apples will deflate a bit when they bake- see photos). If you use fewer than eight containers, you will probably have extra topping. Not to worry - save it in the freezer, and pull out anytime you want to make a couple of individual crisps with whatever leftover fruit you have on hand.

Bake apple crisps for about 30 to 40 minutes, or until you can see the juices from the apples bubbling up around the crumbs. If you start to worry about the over browning of the top, put a sheet of foil over the whole tray for remaining baking time. Let cool on rack and serve when lukewarm. Store remaining crisps in fridge. Enjoy at room temperature, or give them a quick blast in the microwave to serve warm. 

Pumpkin Cornbread - vegan

A few weeks ago, I boldly promised to keep this a "pumpkin-spice-anything-free zone," and I'm proud to say that's still true. I will admit, however, that I noticed a loophole and decided to take advantage of it. You see, I didn't outlaw actual pumpkin. Sneaky, you accuse? Yep. But, in my defense, loopholes are a proud American tradition, and it is technically fall now, so pumpkin is actually appropriate.

I came across a recipe for a honey pumpkin cornbread, started making it, realized my cornmeal was not-so-good, ran and got a new bag, finished the recipe, and after all of that, was supremely disappointed. It was dry. It was boring. It tasted like pumpkin but not at all like cornbread. Or honey, particularly, come to think of it. I knew I liked the idea in general, so I basically tore the recipe up (well, virtually tore it up. and by "tore it up" I mean I no longer have it Pinned) and started all over.

I switched from honey to maple syrup and reduced the volume. I got rid of an egg and some pumpkin-y spices. I introduced creamed corn to the ingredient list and reduced the milk. A few other tweaks, and I was ready to try again.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner. This pumpkin cornbread blends and balances both flavors so that you can really tell each is there. It's moist (even the next day) and not too sweet. In short, it's all the good things that cornbread should be.


Pumpkin Cornbread - vegan
a Short & Sweets original

If you make this when there is still fresh corn available, I think a handful of fresh kernels would be a tasty addition. I see no reason why you couldn't make either mini or jumbo muffins and adjust the bake time accordingly. Also, I haven't tried myself, but they should freeze just fine if well-wrapped.

If you are looking for a breakfast treat, drizzle some maple syrup over a warm muffin. It's fabulous on a fall morning. Otherwise, I recommend pairing these with black bean sweet potato chili or red bean chili. Or, if you want to go pumpkin-crazy, pumpkin chili. 

3/4 C non-dairy milk

1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 C yellow cornmeal
1 C whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

2 Tbsp vegetable oil (or melted coconut oil or vegan butter)
3/4 C canned pumpkin
3/4 C creamed corn
1/4 C maple syrup (or other liquid sweetener)


In a medium-sized non-reactive bowl or large glass measuring cup, combine non-dairy milk and vinegar. Set aside for at least 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400F. Grease a standard, 12 cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray or line with paper liners. 

In a large bowl, stir flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt together. Whisk oil, pumpkin, creamed corn, and maple syrup into the milk+vinegar mixture. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Divide batter evenly among muffin tins. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached.

Cool for 5 or 10 minutes in the pan, then remove and serve immediately or allow to cool completely on a wire rack. In an airtight container, muffins stay moist for 3-4 days. 

Banana Bread Granola – vegan, gluten free & refined sugar free

This granola, man, has it been weighing on me. It took me several tries over the course of several weeks (months!) to get it right. I think it was actually cold out when I started this experiment. hmmm

Nevertheless, I'm so glad I plodded along. It was such a tease - the idea of it, the smells emanating from the oven, and then the taste, not quite right. But I persisted (and ate some burned granola along the way), and this weekend's batch confirmed my last recipe test and proved blog worthy.

Dear readers, believe me when I tell you: go make this. You won't be sorry. It's excellent, quick and easy in the morning with almond milk, and it's also pretty great as a snack. There's no refined sugar (unless you so choose), and it's full of whole grain, protein, fiber, and omega goodness. Perhaps you have a trip in your future? It packs well and will not earn you a glare or a pat down at security. They might be jealous, though.

Banana Bread Granola – vegan, gluten free & refined sugar free
adapted from Minimalist Baker

Below is what I use but feel free to pick and choose your add-ins or come up with some of your own. The various seeds and the wheat germ are completely optional, but I include them for nutrition. The sugar? Doesn't need it one bit. I argued with myself, but ultimately left it in the ingredients list so you can make your own decision. To start, you could try just 1 or 2 tablespoons. I also never needed to add in the extra tablespoon of liquid sweetener. As for oil, so far I like coconut oil best, but olive oil also works has the added bonus of not needing to melt. The recipe should work with just about any kind of oil you prefer; it's really just a matter of taste.

3 C rolled oats (GF for gluten free eaters)
¾ C walnuts
½ C pecans (I’ve also used hazelnuts)
3 Tbsp raw sugar (totally optional)
½ tsp sea salt or ¼ tsp table salt
1 Tbsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 Tbsp flax seed
1 Tbsp hemp seeds (optional)
1 Tbsp wheat germ (optional – skip for gluten free)
¼ C coconut oil (see note)
1/3 C + up to additional 1 Tbsp maple syrup, agave or honey if not vegan
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 medium ripe banana, mashed (~1/2 cup)


Preheat oven to 275F.

Using a large spoon or spatula, mix the oats, nuts, sugar if using, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and any seeds/wheat germ you're using together in a large bowl. If there's a fine coating of cinnamon on everything, it's well mixed.

In a small saucepan over medium low heat (or carefully in the microwave should also work), warm the coconut oil, maple syrup (or agave or honey) and vanilla extract. Once liquidy, remove from heat and whisk in banana puree until well combined. Pour over the dry ingredients and mix well.

Spread the mixture evenly onto one or two baking sheets (I lined mine for easy clean up, but Minimalist Baker did not) and bake for 75-90 minutes, gently turning occasionally, until golden brown and nearly crisp. I like to crack open the oven door now and then to let out some of the steam (accumulated moisture). I don’t know if doing so helps the granola crisp up faster or not, but it feels like it should.

Once the granola is visibly browned, remove from the oven and gently toss just a bit to let the heat escape. Cool completely (it will crisp up as it cools) on the baking sheet or in a heat-safe bowl. Store in a container or jar with an air-tight seal – it should keep for a couple weeks.

Spicy Gingerbread Ice Cream - vegan & gluten free

Are you spending inordinate amounts of time watching the Olympics? I've been watching a couple hours in the afternoon, but when they start up the broadcast again at 8pm it's practically bedtime. Sad, but true. I suspect, however, as the games continue, I will stay up later, watch more, and sleep less. Man, getting that antenna is really cutting into my beauty rest!

In other news, it stopped raining (sad face), but on the plus side, I've noticed that the sun is still shining after 5pm. Spring is on the way! All you folks facing yet another snowstorm, take heart! I even saw an ad today for spring flowers and gardening tools.

I've made gingerbread ice cream in the past, but this time I wanted it to be both dairy free and really, strongly, gingerbread cookie-like in flavor. I was so pleased with how coconut milk worked in my homemade jam ice cream that I knew I had to use it again.

Mr Official Taster (the big ice cream eater of the family) prefers spicy gingerbread cookies to sweeter ones, so I used those as inspiration. The biggest flavor influence is choosing ginger as one of the spices to give the ice cream that signature bite. The sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves all play a sweet/savory role and balance the taste.

Because this is not a sweet ice cream, it goes particularly well with sweet desserts like apple tarts. Although I haven't tried it, I imagine this spicy gingerbread ice cream would pair beautifully with chocolate pumpkin cake, pumpkin pie, and snickerdoodle muffins. Or you could go another direction and enjoy it alongside some hot tea, coffee, or, dare I suggest, Irish coffee to help take the chill off?

So even though it's cold outside, I still think you need to go make this ice cream. Tonight, if possible. 

You can always snuggle in front of the Olympics for extra warmth.


Spicy Gingerbread Ice Cream - vegan & gluten free

a Short & Sweets original

Below is the full-sized version, but I've also made a half batch successfully, which comes in handy if you live with someone who will eat however much is in the freezer. I have not tried making this with the low fat version of canned coconut milk because it's the fat that makes it so decadent and creamy. If you want to lower the fat, I would first try this recipe with one can of full fat and one can of low fat. Then let us know how it goes, mmmkay? For a sweeter version, skip the ginger, cut down the cinnamon to 1 tsp, and increase the sugar to 1/2 C. 

2 cans full-fat coconut milk (see note)
2 Tbsp molasses
1/3 C brown sugar or sucanat
2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
pinch of salt
gingerbread cookie dough (optional- try this one or this one)

Add the milk, molasses, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt to a small saucepan. Heat, whisking occasionally, on medium until steam rises from the milk and the sugar is fully dissolved (about 5 minutes or so). Remove from heat and cool completely (2+ hours in the fridge; you can speed things up by sticking it in the freezer instead). Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

If you want to add in pieces of cookie dough:
When I have done so, I've added somewhere between 1/4 and 1/2 C of cookie dough pieces (recipes here and here) towards the end of the ice cream maker's work, because that's what the machine's instruction manual said to do. I have no idea if you can add things like chocolate chips/cookie dough/gummie bears at the beginning or not. But I suspect that adding them in the last 5 minutes or so ensures they are well mixed in and don't just sink to the bottom.

How to Spray Paint a Doormat

This was one of those posts that was supposed to be up last month, but since I didn't get it up then, you get it now. I was originally inspired by Young House Love to create my own winter/Christmas doormat for our new home. I wanted a bright red mat that spelled out "JOY." But you know what I learned? Js are really, really hard to make with painters' tape. So I went simpler, and I've still been happy with it. There's probably a lesson in there.

And although this was supposed to be a Christmas post, the you can use this technique to make a door mat for any season or event you'd like (or even no occasion). Add stems and a few leaves and this snowflake design turns into flowers. I think you could make firework-like bursts for the summer holidays or a sun. Birthday candles or a menorah would be pretty simple, and, excluding tricky letters like "J," spell out names, make a monogram, or try simple words. think: love, fall, boo. Stripes, chevrons, squares, crisscrossed lines/grid are easy straight-line designs. Of course, you could be fancier than painters tape and buy or make a stencil for more elaborate (or, ahem, curved) designs, letters, or even house numbers.

And it's easy. Get your spray paint. Make sure it's a good quality (not the $2 can please) and be sure it is for indoor and outdoor use. Otherwise it won't hold up. I used Rustoleum. Start with a blank mat. I picked mine up at IKEA, but they have similar ones at home improvements stores, as well as places like Target or Home Goods. On a dry, non-windy day (double check your paint can for temperature requirements), spread your mat out on a surface you don't mind getting paint on (like a lawn) or protect your work area with craft paper or newspaper.

If you're using two different colors, spray your "under" color (in my case white) evenly over the entire surface. It will take you a few passes to make sure you have even coverage. Take your time, but don't worry if it's not perfect.

Follow the directions on your spray paint for drying time. I waited a full 24 hours. Tape off your design. I just eyeballed it and tried to make all my snowflakes a little bit different and all slightly different sizes. Remember, the parts you are taping will remain the under color. Be sure to press firmly, especially around the edges for crisp lines.

Spray on your top coat. Again, go for even coverage. It's better to go light and have to go over the area another time or two than just pour on the paint. Wait for the paint to fully dry (I waited another 24 hours). Remove painters tape and enjoy!

Since we don't have winter weather here in sunny California, my mat didn't have to hold up to rain or snow, but according to Sherry and John, theirs did.

Have you ever made one of these? What design did you create and how did it hold up?

Homemade Jam Ice Cream - vegan & gluten free

Guys, I'm sorry. Turns out Decembers are hard, even when your other person is not in Sweden. Are Decembers hard for you too? I'm going to go ahead and blame the getting-dark-early, the cold, and the crazy-work-because-it's-the-holidays. There, see? Not my fault.

Moving on.

Perhaps you've started eating that jam you made this summer? Perhaps some of it didn't turn out perfectly? Perhaps some of it is over-set and so stiff as to be unspreadable? Yes? Well, then do I have a solution for you!

Cranberry Hazelnut Quick Bread - vegan

Mom, this bread is for you.

As I mentioned on Sunday, this week I'm on vacation from work, but entertaining full time at home. We had a great dinner last night with our friend (pumpkin chili recipe coming soon to a Short & Sweets near you), followed by a slice of this bread (it was fresh! we had to try!) and maybe a brownie or two. oh, and some raspberries. It was a feast.

Now that I've recovered from our group gluttony dinner party, I can fully appreciate this easy bread. I pinned the inspiration for this quick bread recipe, oh, a year ago. And I'm just now getting to it. What was I thinking? It's easy, comes together in a snap, and I bet you have all the ingredients on hand. If you're like me and have a seasonal food hoarding problem, you might even have a bag of cranberries from last fall stashed in your freezer that you should really finish off before you buy this year's cranberries to stash in your freezer. ahem.

Snickerdoodle Muffins - vegan

Oh, these muffins.

I've had this idea floating around in my head for a couple of weeks for snickerdoodle muffins. It seemed like a delicious and not overly complicated idea. Unfortunately, my first attempt over the weekend didn't turn out so well. I adapted a plain muffin recipe from a food writer I trust (I'm looking at you, Bittman), but it, well, sucked. Most of the batch went into the compost bin, which is something I almost never do.

So I went back to the beginning, thought what I didn't like about the batter (tough, dry, blegh), tried to fix it (more liquids), put the muffin tin in the oven, and crossed my fingers.

Pumpkin Gingerbread Squares - vegan

Hello friends, and welcome to October. Are you as surprised to be here as I am? Whew, September just flew.

There's an internal switch, I'm convinced, that flips back and forth between summer and fall during September and towards the end of the month eventually makes up its mind and sticks with fall. September is just one of those months with multiple personality disorder. Visually, it's obvious on sites like Pinterest or Tastespotting; recipes run the gamut from raspberry jam to pumpkin cheesecake to zucchini pasta to hearty chili. My blog stats tell me the same- my top five most visited recipes last month were:

1. Peach Crisp
2. Raspberry Coconut Bread
3. Pumpkin Spice Cookies
4. Baked Steel Cut Oats
5. Pumpkin & Spice Overnight Oatmeal

I'm glad no one else can figure out what season it is either.

Grapefruit Cake - gluten free & dairy free

This is the second recipe in a row that is legitimate dessert AND breakfast food. You are welcome. 

I made this cake for my mom on Mother's Day, and it was a big hit with both her and my dad. Mr Official Taster? not so much. But, awesome wife that I am, I anticipated that and there were cookies for him. (Impressed? Don't be. I had dough stored in the freezer, so all I had to do was slice and bake.) I liked it, but I thought it needed just a touch more sweetness. A glaze on top or a sweeter variety of grapefruit to begin with would solve that issue.

Cranberry Almond Muffins - vegan

My husband tells me I am a food werewolf, and, while I agree (I'm convinced it's an inherited trait, like brown eyes and freckles), it doesn't paint the most flattering picture of myself. I'd like to somehow convince him that I'm more of a squirrel-like hoarder. Wait, that's not better. sigh

Bourbon Banana Bread - vegan

I have been ogling this recipe for a while now. But given normal life events and the predictable procrastination that goes along with them, and the fact that bananas rarely come home from the grocery store with me (yech), "a while" stretched to "too long." Seriously people, when you want bananas to brown, it takes forever, but when you buy them with the intention of eating them like a responsible adult they brown while your back is turned.

Spicy Gingerbread Cookies - vegan

There are those who would say that cookies are not for January. They advocate celery sticks. There are those who would say that gingerbread cookies are not for January. They sequester gingerbread to the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas. They are missing out. Also, we're probably not bffs, so they're really missing out.

Luckily, some of us are pro-cookies any time of the year. And, yes, I most definitely fall into that camp as well as the one that believes cookies are acceptable for breakfast, at least some of the time. Mr Official Taster? Well, he could eat (and has!) gingerbread morning, noon, and night.

Cinnamon (optional raisin) English Muffin Bread - vegan

It's January, which means it's cold, cloudy, hibernating weather pretty much everywhere in the country. (I like this visual) Perhaps you've hunkered down with some hearty chili or savory paella? Well, I think you should add this loaf to your winter repertoire, especially if you are new to bread baking. This is a yeast bread, which I know scares some people, but it's super easy and you don't even need to knead it.

Pumpkin Pie Muffins - vegan

Whew. It turns out that a busy bakery turns into chaos during Thanksgiving week. We sold hundreds! thousands! millions! of pies. I couldn't actually believe we would sell all of the ones we had ready, but we did, and we actually sold out of some flavors. 

By the end of my shift on Thursday, I was done in. So much so that, for the first time in my life, I brought a cake to dinner that I bought. I was mildly outraged at myself, but so tired that I couldn't sustain it. Also, I justified it by telling myself that it was a cake we make in the bakery, so it's almost kinda-sorta like homemade. Right? 

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Quick Bread - dairy free, or not

Happy Friday, friends! I hope you have a great weekend ahead of you. I will be working both days at the bakery, and I'm sure Mr Official Taster will sleep in until I get home and give him a poke in the shoulder, but I have high hopes of enjoying the beautiful autumn weather anyway.

I spent some time stalking Pinterest researching yesterday, and I'm so glad I came upon this bread idea. It turns out, it's kind of the cousin of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.

Baked Barley Risotto with Vegetables - vegan

It is summer. It may have been unofficially so since Memorial Day, or maybe you don't think it will be until the solstice, but, for me, it's summer now. Over the weekend, temperatures rose, and we've had several days with beautiful, sunny, 85 degree weather. Mr Official Taster and I celebrated on Sunday with a nice drive and some veggie burgers at one of our favorite spots. 

Monday was my day off, and with an afternoon high of about 90 degrees, I did not want to stand by a stove. A baked dinner seemed like a better choice. The heat stays (mostly) contained in the oven, right? As part of my effort to diversify, and since I can't actually invent a new grain, I thought I'd try swapping out my usual arborio rice and make risotto a little more exciting. I really like the barley choice. It's got a slight crunch and more depth of flavor than the rice. It's also more filling, and according to the internet, healthier. And the internet is always right. Right?

It seemed only logical to take advantage of the oven's heat to make a batch or two of cookies. It worked out pretty well, if I do say so myself. 

Baked Barley Risotto with Vegetables - vegan
I halved this recipe and used a 7x10-inch baking pan, baked at the same temperature and for the same time, and it turned out beautifully. This is a recipe that practically begs for variations. Try red onion, caramelized onions, various spices, seasonal vegetables. Depending on your vegetables of choice, you may want to add them halfway through the baking rather than at the beginning. I do that for asparagus, but last night's tomatoes and peppers went in with everything else.  

1 onion, diced
1 Tbsp olive oil
lemon zest, chili powder, italian spices, black pepper, etc to taste

1 C grated Parmesan or Romano cheese (optional)
2 C pearled barley
32 ounces vegetable broth
1/2 C water
salt to taste

seasonal vegetables
more cheese, lemon zest, parsley, green onions as garnish

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan and set aside.

In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent - about 5 minutes. Turn off heat, add lemon zest, thyme leaves, chili flakes, black pepper, and/or anything else your heart desired. Toss together and set aside.

In a medium bowl, toss together uncooked barley, cheese if using, and the onion mixture. Spread evenly in your prepared baking pan. Add vegetables, vegetable stock, and water and stir gently to ensure even cooking.

Place in the oven and allow to cook, uncovered, for 25 minutes. Stir briefly, and cook for another 20-30 minutes. Barley is done when liquid is absorbed, so adjust time as needed.

When completely cooked, remove pan from the oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes. If you'd like, add salt to taste and top with lemon zest, fresh thyme, black pepper, parsley and/or cheese.

To reheat leftovers, I put a couple teaspoons of water in a small saucepan, added risotto, and cooked on medium until heated through. Stir frequently.

Pasta with Roasted Sweet Potatoes - vegan & gluten free

I'm not sure how it's Monday already, but it seems to be so. I hope the transition from the weekend wasn't too rough this morning! The weather has been gorgeous here, and Mr Official Taster and I have enjoyed dining al fresco among our plants. It's a bit of a balancing act (literally), since we don't have a table outside, but it's always pretty.

This recipe is super easy, and you don't need to spend too much time at the stove. Feel free to use any other kind of potato you'd like, but I especially like the rosemary and sage combination with sweet potatoes.


Pasta with Roasted Sweet Potatoes - vegan & gluten free
adapted from How to Cook Everything

olive oil
2-3 medium/large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
salt and pepper
1 lb pasta, any variety (whole wheat, gluten free, regular, etc)
1 Tbsp chopped garlic
rosemary and sage (fresh or dried)

Preheat your oven to 400F. Smear a large roasting or rimmed baking pan with a little bit of olive oil. It should be large enough to hold all the potatoes in a single layer without overcrowding. Add the potatoes to the pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and drizzle with a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Toss to coat. Roast the potatoes until they brown on the bottom sides (about 20 minutes), then stir and continue cooking until tender (approx. 20-30 minutes).

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and return to pot. Toss the pasta, sweet potatoes, garlic, and another 2 tablespoons olive oil together. Add herbs to taste, toss, and serve.

Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Chunks & Dried Cranberries - vegan

Things are definitely improving here at Chez Sweets. I am feeling much better, and Mr Official Taster is not working 80 hours this week. We're even heading to the ballpark this evening. Go Phillies!

In celebration, I give you cookies. This is a good recipe that you can almost endlessly tweak. Dried cherries, apples, or raisins would all work, as would any kind of chocolate or nuts, if you're into those. If you're feeling sassy (and I hope you are), try changing up the spices a bit; add some cloves, more nutmeg, even pumpkin pie spice sounds good. Please share your experiments!

Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Chunks & Dried Cranberries - vegan


1/2 C neutral oil*
1/2 C sugar
1/2 C brown sugar
1/4 C applesauce
1 1/2 C flour
2 C rolled oats
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
pinch of salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 C nondairy milk
1/2 tsp vanilla or almond extract
1 1/2 C chocolate chips/chunks, dried cranberries, or a combination**

Preheat oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, blend together oil and sugars. Beat in applesauce.

In a small bowl, mix together the flour, oats, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder. Alternating with the milk, add the dry ingredients to the dough a little at a time, mixing on low. Add in any chocolate chips/dried fruits/etc. Stir in extract.

Drop tablespoon-side mounds of dough 2-3 inches apart on your prepared baking sheet. Bake until lightly browned, 10-15 minutes (obviously, for soft cookies go for 10 minutes, and for crunchier cookies aim for 15). Cool cookies for a few minutes on the sheet before transferring to a rack to finish cooling. Store in a tightly covered container for no more than a day or two.

*lots of smart people suggest grapeseed oil as a good neutral oil. Corn or vegetable will also work. I used olive oil, mostly because I always do.
**I used about half and half, and my chocolate this time was some broken up dark chocolate. You could also use nuts, other dried fruit, coconut, different kinds of chocolate, etc.