Clean Eating No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookie Bites

The behind the scenes stats for the blog have been showing me that a lot of people are arriving to my blog looking for a no-bake chocolate oatmeal cookie.  I didn't have a recipe for one and I felt bad. (keyword searches will do that sometimes)  So, I surfed around the web looking for one to try.  All the recipes I saw were chock-full of sugar and butter ~ way too much for me to even consider.  I started to think about what I could replace the butter/sugar with & decided to try pureed prunes and honey.  I thought I might as well throw in some cocoa powder in place of the chocolate while I was at it, too.  I know it might sound strange, but pureed prunes and cocoa powder are a fantastic combo...

So, here is my little 'no-bake' cookie experiment.  Since I'm a self proclaimed challenged baker, I figured this was right up my alley.  I think this is a healthier, lower fat, clean eating version of a traditional no-bake oatmeal cookie.  This cookie won't be for everybody ~ it will probably be too dark chocolate tasting for the kids and others might prefer their cookies with more sweetness and made with butter.  Since I was going for a more natural spin on this cookie (I'm still feeling a bit Crunchy today), I really tried to rein in the use of sweeteners (honey & prunes), so the cocoa powder's dark chocolate flavor could be front and center.  It sorta has a raw food truffle-ish cookie feeling to me.  I know this will be a nice little treat to have with my afternoon cuppa tea later today.  I like 'em, hope you do too. Enjoy!    

No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookie Bites

makes 24 cookie bites

Ingredients

• 6 Sunsweet pitted prunes/dried plums
• 1/3 cup water (plus 1 Tbsp or  more, if needed)
• 1/4 cup soy butter (or your favorite nut butter)
• 3 Tbsp honey
• 2 Tbsp good quality unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
• pinch salt
• 1 1/2 cups quick oatmeal

• optional add-ins ~ shredded coconut, chopped walnuts, carob chips, cocoa powder for dusting

Directions
In mini food processor combine first 8 ingredients (prunes - salt) until smooth and creamy.  Microwave on high for 1 minute, stirring after 30 seconds.  Allow to cool one minute then pour over quick oats (add any add-ins now, if using) and combine until cocoa mixture is completely absorbed.  Adding an additional tablespoon or more of water if needed.  (mixture will be on the dry/stiff side)  Roll a heaping teaspoon of dough into a ball, then flatten a bit and place on a wax paper covered plate or cookie sheet. (dust with cocoa powder now, if using)  Wet hands if necessary to keep dough from sticking when rolling into balls.  Let cookies firm up in fridge for an hour.  Serve cookies chilled or room temp & store in a covered container in the fridge.

Easy Spiced Chai Tea for One

A while back, I saw this recipe for Spiced Chai that sounded really good.  Since I was making it just for me, I tinkered with the recipe ingredients and method of brewing.  It turned out super tasty and is perfect for when you want an exotic, Indian flavor spin on your morning breakfast or afternoon tea.  Simple and easy to make, and you probably already have the spices in your pantry.  If you're missing any of the spices, just skip 'em or add a little bit more of another.  Next time, I think I'll add a few grinds of fresh black pepper to the mix ~ for a little extra zing.  I love playing around with flavoring tea blends.  How about you?


Spiced Chai Tea for One
serves 1~2

Ingredients

• 1 bag of your favorite black tea OR a spoonful of your favorite loose tea (regular or decaf)
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1/4 tsp whole cloves
• 1/4 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
• 3 cups boiling hot water
• milk & sweetener of choice

Directions

Place all the spices in the strainer basket of your little teapot, along with the tea bag or loose tea.

(if your teapot doesn't have a built in strainer basket, put the spices (& loose tea if using) in a mesh tea infuser ball before adding to the teapot & then toss the tea bag into the teapot, too ~ OR ~ just add all to your teapot and pour through a fine sieve into your cup when the tea is ready, so you can catch any loose bits)

Pour the boiling hot water into the teapot and let it all steep for 5-6 minutes.  Serve with a good, healthy splash of milk and a fair amount of your sweetener of choice.

Chai Tea is traditionally served pretty milky and sweet, but, since you're making it just for yourself...go ahead and just make it for yourself, any way you like it. ~ :)  Enjoy!


 

Christmas Eve ~ Dessert Party

This evening we had a little Dessert Party to celebrate our Christmas Eve.  The holiday table was set with a mix of old and new ~ vintage tablecloth, kitschy snowman plates (thanks, Annie!),  retro 60's dishes/glasses and the platter under the snowman belonged to my great grandmother.  A comforting mix that makes me happy.

We all enjoyed a little bit of everything ~  a Frosty the Snowman Cake (thank you for the cake mold, Dianne!),  some Christmas cookies (thank you, Dan!),  the last of the Krumkaker that I made the other night (thanks for the inspiration, Martha!), a glass of eggnog and a cuppa English tea.  We might not have been able to be with all of our friends and family, but it was like they were there at the table with us even though... and that makes me happy, too.  

 

Sharon's ~ No-Bake Double-Decker White Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cracker Cookies

My friend, Sharon, just shared a photo on Facebook of some recent cookie making in her kitchen.  I was so thrilled to learn about her ~ kid friendly, no-bake, easy to prepare and mighty impressive ~ No-Bake Double-Decker White Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cracker Cookie.  It'll be perfect to make over the upcoming winter break with my son.  I was so tickled with how simple this recipe is, that I just had to share it right away.  J will be so thrilled to make these when he gets out of school later this week.  They're made with some of his favorite foods, all dunked & decorated to make a new flavor combo.  Kid + an easy, no~bake cookie recipe = one happy mom!  : )

Sharon, thanks so much for sharing this truly simple recipe that our family will enjoy making ~ You are awesome!

Sharon's ~ No-Bake Double-Decker
White Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cracker Cookies

Ingredients

• Ritz crackers
• peanut butter
• melted white chocolate for dunking the double-decker peanut butter crackers in
• sprinkles, crushed peppermints, colored sugar, etc. ~ for sprinkling/decorating

Directions 

Take your Ritz crackers, spread one side with a bit of peanut butter.  Top with another Ritz cracker and then carefully dip the 'cracker cookie' into the melted white chocolate, covering both sides.

Once dipped, place on a sheet of parchment paper or waxed paper & sprinkle or decorate to your hearts content.  Allow to dry, then package for gift giving or eating.  If you happen to have any left, (yeah, like that is going to happen around here...) store in a covered container.  Enjoy!

P.S. ~  Sharon says ~ I have tried variations (Nutella, dark chocolate, etc.) and found that these are the most coveted...so I stick with it!

Smiley Face Mini Pancakes ~ making anytime, fun time!

Smiley Face Mini Pancakes & 'Faux' Crumpets ~ Depending on which side faces (pun intended) up, you get either a fun to look at & fun to eat pancake that kids love.  Flip it over & you get a 'faux' crumpet, that's great for teatime.

I recently acquired a  ~ Bella Cucina Smiley Pancake Maker, at a yard sale.  We've been having fun making these cute little pancakes, both for breakfast & for after school snacks.  They are quick to make, easy to do, fun to eat & easy to clean-up.  These little golden gems get two BIG thumbs up from J, from Dad & from Mom, too.  They can bring a smile to a little face after a rough day at school & that's a big plus.

I also enjoy making a few extra and saving them for an afternoon teatime treat. (the flip-side looks a bit like a crumpet to me)  The top has a slightly different, chewier texture than the smiley face side, since it doesn't come into direct contact with the top heating element. I spread the flip-side with butter & strawberry jam and enjoy some homemade 'faux English crumpets'.  They make a perfect teatime treat, right here in my American kitchen.  Just don't turn the little guys over & no one would know they're eating smiley face pancakes.  Works for me!  

The hardest thing about using this cute little pancake maker is waiting for the batch to finish, so you can start all over again.   Smiles all around?   Comin' right up! :)

Blueberry Oat Muffin-Top Scones ~ a perfect low-fat teatime treat!

I needed to finish up the rest of my fresh blueberries today, they were really on their last legs.  So, I decided to bake them in a sorta muffin-top/sorta scone ~ I'm calling them my Blueberry Oat Muffin-Top Scones.  They're perfect with a cup of tea or coffee & they're even low fat ~ Yes!  When I was making these, all I kept thinking about was the classic Seinfeld episode ~ The Muffin Tops.  It's the one with Elaine's brainy muffin-top idea, a whole lotta 'muffin stumps' & that memorable exclamation mark! phrase... 'Top of the Muffin to YOU!'  Absolute classic!  Check out some of the hilarious scenes, below...

I came up with this recipe while I was looking through the cookbook ~ Vive Le Vegan! ~ by Dreena Burton.  I was inspired to take parts from her recipe ~ Blueberry Bounty Buns ~ and combined it with some other ingredients that sounded good to me.  I came up with this really tasty hybrid of a muffin & a scone.  My recipe has egg & honey in it, so it's no longer vegan, but I think adding those ingredients really add to the overall texture & flavor of the muffin-top scones.  I also replaced part of the oil with applesauce, so it's even low fat ~ yes!    Baking them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, instead of in a muffin pan, gives them that muffin-top look ~ while also giving them the rustic appearance of a free-form scone ~ a perfect cross between the two.  I can see me tinkering with this recipe ~ a lot ~ and coming up with many other flavors.   Yummm...  My mind is brimming with ideas, I feel the beginnings of another baking tangent coming on.   :)     Enjoy!

Blueberry Oat Muffin-Top Scones

makes 12  

• 1 cup ground quick oats -->  ((grind your quick oats into an 'oat flour' using your food processor or blender))  ** if your batter is too thin to hold its shape on the parchment paper, add an additional 1 Tbsp+ of ground 'oat flour'
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon (or more, to taste)
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (grated fresh ~ if you've got it :)
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp vanilla soy milk ~ light or regular
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 Tbsp honey
• 2 Tbsp oil
• 2 Tbsp applesauce
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1  1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest
• 1 cup fresh blueberries (or frozen)
• oats for sprinkling on top of muffin-top scones before baking ~ optional
• sugar for sprinkling on top of muffin-top scones before baking ~ optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, sift together all dry ingredients. (first 8 ingredients)  Stir until well combined.

In another bowl, combine vanilla soy milk, beaten egg, honey, vanilla extract, oil & applesauce until well combined ~ then stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest.  Finally, add the blueberries & immediately add the wet mixture to the dry mixture.

Stir wet & dry ingredients together until just well combined.  Spoon batter onto parchment lined cookie sheet, into 12 gently shaped round mounds.  (try & say that fast 3 times! :)  If desired ~ sprinkle some extra oats and/or sugar on top of muffin-top scones, before popping in the oven.

Bake for approx. 20-25 minutes ~ or until muffin-top scones are just turning golden brown & are set in the middle.  Remove from oven & cool on cookie sheet for a minute, then transfer to a cooling rack.  Store in a covered container.

 

Scottish Spiced Tea Cake ~ made with a 'Cuppa Tea'

I was in the mood for a tea cake one day & wanted to make something with a bit of Scottish flair, so I hit the Internet to search for some inspiration.  Happy to say, I found it on a really cool website that has a lot of interesting stories on Scotland & the Kingdom of Fife ~ along with travel info, history, customs & traditions, golf, photos, current events & most importantly for me...recipes!  They not only have authentic, traditional recipes (e.g., haggis, scotch broth & tipsy laird), but also have a page devoted to recipes contributed by home cooks (e.g., cup of tea cake, scones & malt loaf ).  I love this site ~ armchair travel & food inspirations, all in one place!

Fresh out of the oven...

I adapted my recipe for the Scottish Spiced Tea Cake from this recipe for the ~ Cup of Tea Cake ~ a recipe that a reader contributed to the site.  It's a wonderful tea cake (that is actually made with, as they say on the other side of the pond, ~ a cuppa tea) & it's become a favorite around here.   I make two versions of this tea cake recipe ~ sometimes I make it with grated carrot, so then I call it my Scottish Spiced Carrot Tea Cake & sometimes I make it with just the raisins, that one is my basic Scottish Spiced Tea Cake.  I'm sure you could tweak this recipe many ways just by using different dried fruits or with what you have available in your pantry.

Scottish Spiced Carrot Tea Cake

I changed the original Scottish recipe a bit ~ cutting down on the margarine, including some applesauce & upping the spices.  The flavor is rich with the scent of spices, the cake is moist & sweet with the hint of apples & raisins (& maybe carrots).  Since I used applesauce to replace some of the margarine/butter, it cuts down of the fat, too ~ Yes!  :)   Try eating a slice warm, fresh out of the oven (I just love it when it first comes out of the oven & the edges are just a little crisp) or maybe try a piece toasted the next day.   Hmm...I'm feeling a bit peckish & thirsty for a cuppa tea.   I think I know what I'll be baking later today.  Now I only have to decided if will it be with or without the carrots...   :)

The end slice is my favorite...

Scottish Spiced Tea Cake ~ aka Cup of Tea Cake     
makes a one pound loaf

((** you can turn this into a Scottish Spiced Carrot Tea Cake by adding 1/3 cup grated carrot along with the raisins**))

• 1 cup of strong black tea
• 1/4 cup margarine or butter
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 1/2 cup raisins (or also adding 1/3 cup grated carrots if making this the carrot version)
• 2 1/3 cups flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees & grease a one pound loaf pan & set aside.
(you can use either a glass, metal or aluminum loaf pan ~ depending on the type of loaf pan you choose, the baking time may vary slightly)

Melting the butter with tea, applesauce, raisins & carrots for the Scottish Spiced Carrot Tea Cake version.

Melt the margarine in a large pot.  At the same time you are melting the margarine, add the tea, applesauce and raisins ((& grated carrots if you are making the Scottish Spiced Carrot Tea Cake)).  Once the margarine/fruit mixture is melted, continue to simmer for 1 minute, then allow the mixture to cool completely.
 

Sifting all the dry ingredients together...

While the margarine mixture is melting/doing its thing, sift together all the dry ingredients.

When the margarine mixture has completely cooled, add the remaining ingredients to the pan & mix by hand until the batter is thoroughly combined. (if you mix it all in the one pan you can save washing an extra bowl, but if you like using a mixing bowl instead, have at it :)

Pour batter into the greased loaf pan & cook for approx. one hour or until tester comes out clean & the tea cake is done.

Scottish Spiced Tea Cake with butter

Serve with a pot of your favorite tea, we drink the English teas ~ PG Tips or Typhoo Decaf.  You can enjoy the tea cake many ways ~ it's perfect served plain, with butter, with cream cheese, or maybe even a little bit of marmalade or jam...but for me, I think it's perfect with just a little bit of butter.   Enjoy!

Scottish Spiced Carrot Tea Cake with cream cheese