Hello Delicious!

Mini Protein Berry Cheesecakes

Ingredients:
1 small 170g tub of 0% Total Greek yogurt
2 tbsp of quark (or cottage cheese)
1 tbsp of coconut flour
1/4 cup of mulberries (or any other dried berry)
2 fresh organic eggs
1/4 cup of vanilla whey

Directions:
Blend ingredients together. Add 1 cup of fresh blackberries. Mix berries in with fork/spoon instead of blending.

Pour the mix into your mold/s. Bake at 170º C (340º F) for about 35 minutes. 

Take them out and place on a wire rack to cool. Eat.

Makes 9

(Source: thespartanwarrior, via callmemoprah)

Cinnamon Tea Cakes

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 t ground cinnamon, divided
1/4 t salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar, divided
1 t vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, combine flour, 1/2 t cinnamon and salt.  In a large bowl, beat butter, 3/4 cup sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy.  Add flour mixture; mix only until combined.  Drop by tablespoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets, about 2 in apart.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown.  Remove to cooling grid, cool 5 minutes.  Combine remaining 3/4 cup sugar with remaining 1/2 t cinnamon.  Roll warm cookies in sugar mixture, cool completely.  

(via foodertoire)

Vegan Lemon Rolled Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:
3/4 cup brown rice flour
3/4 cup white rice flour
3/4 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon (gluten free) baking powder 
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks/6oz) unsalted vegan butter, at room temperature
2 oz cream cheese
Enough Egg substitute for 1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon (gluten free) vanilla extract
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup granulated sugar for rolling cookies

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350˚F.  Line your baking sheets with parchment or a silpat mat and set aside.

In a large bowl,  mix together all the flours, xanthan gum, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and set aside.

Using a mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese until well combined and smooth. Add the sugar and combine until smooth yet fluffy. Add the egg substitute, vanilla, and lemon.  Mix until combined.

Add the dry ingredients gradually.  Allow them to incorporate after every addition before adding more.

Place the extra sugar on a plate or in a bowl. You want them to be a rounded tablespoon.  Roll the dough into a ball the sugar til coated on all around. Place on a baking sheet 2 inches apart.

Bake 9-12 minutes.  My bake time was 7 minutes, turn, and 4 minutes.  You want them to be SLIGHTLY browned on the edges. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack. Store them in an airtight container to keep them soft and chewy.

(via travelbyfoldingamap)

Vegan Pistachio Almond Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients:
1/2 cup raw pistachioes
1/3 cup raw almonds
3 Tablespoons walnuts
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3 Tablespoons raw sugar
2 Tablespoons agave
2 Tablespoons virgin coconut oil or organic canola oil or Earth balance butter
1 teaspoon flax meal
3 Tablespoons warm water
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vinegar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder or spice of choice
jam or chutney for filling
3/4 cup cranberries
1 Pear of choice
1tbsp raw sugar
Ginger
Cinnamon
Salt

Directions:
In a bowl, add hot water, flax meal and coconut oil. Mix well and let sit for 5 minutes. Add in the vinegar, sugar, salt, agave and spices and mix for 2 minutes till well combined.

Grind the pistachios, almonds, walnuts separately using pulse so they dont become too buttery. Add in the ground nuts, and sift whole wheat flour and baking powder into the wet ingredients and mix well.

The mixture will be a slightly stiff but still sticky dough. Add more flour if the mixture is more like a batter. Oil hands or spoon and shape into balls. Place on parchment and make a deep dent in the center. Bake in preheated 350 degrees F for 14-16 minutes depending on cookie size and thickness. 

Cook cranberries and half a pear pureed with the raw sugar, ginger powder, cinnamon, a pinch of salt untill all of the cranberries pop and the chutney thickens.

Remove cookies from oven when done and cool on rack. The cookies might be soft when right out of the oven but will solidify to a biscuity texture. Fill thumbprint with the chutney.

(Source: findvegan)

Walnut Maple Pie

Ingredients:
1 9-inch pie shell, frozen for at least 30 minutes
2 cups roughly chopped walnuts
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup maple syrup (grade B)
1 Tbsp dark rum (optional)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Tbsp melted butter
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon of ground nutmeg

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F. In a bowl, mix together the beaten eggs, maple syrup, rum (if using), vanilla extract, melted butter. Sprinkle with flour, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Whisk until smooth.

Spread the chopped walnuts over the bottom of a prepared pie shell. Pour the maple syrup egg mixture over the walnuts. Place in the preheated oven on the middle rack. Place a cookie sheet on the rack underneath to catch any drippings from the pie crust.

Bake at 375°F for 40-45 minutes. After about 20 minutes (about halfway through the baking), you may want to tent the pie crust edges with foil, or use a pie protector, so that the edges don’t get burnt.

(Source: recipelibrary)

The “Prefect” Apple Pie

Ingredients:
1 box (15 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box
6 cups thinly sliced, peeled apples (6 medium)
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions:
Heat oven to 425°F. Place 1 pie crust in ungreased 9-inch glass pie plate. Press firmly against side and bottom.

In large bowl, gently mix filling ingredients; spoon into crust-lined pie plate. Top with second crust. Wrap excess top crust under bottom crust edge, pressing edges together to seal; flute. Cut slits or shapes in several places in top crust.

Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until apples are tender and crust is golden brown. Cover edge of crust with 2- to 3-inch wide strips of foil after first 15 to 20 minutes of baking to prevent excessive browning. Cool on cooling rack at least 2 hours before serving.

(Source: nearlyocd)

Shortbread and Eggnog Pudding Trifles

Ingredients:
2 - 5.3oz. boxes of Walker’s Shortbread Petticoat Tails
2 cups of commercially prepared eggnog
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup milk -cold
2 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tablespoons butter
Grated fresh nutmeg for sprinkling 
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 tbsp extra-fine sugar

Directions:
Reserve 4 shortbread petticoat tails for garnish.  In a large bowl, crush the remaining shortbread cookies with your hands until crumbs form.  Place 2-3 tablespoons of crumbs in the bottom of 4 -5  8oz. glasses (I used small canning jars).

Pour 2 cups eggnog, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan and place over medium-high heat.   In a small bowl, make a slurry with the cornstarch and cold milk, whisking vigorously until no lumps remain.  Add the two egg yolks to the slurry and whisk again until combined.  

When the eggnog mixture has come to a boil, remove from heat and slowly pour in the slurry while whisking constantly.  Return to heat and cook again until the mixture thickens but is still pourable (this will only take 1 or 2 more minutes).   Remove from heat and add vanilla extract and butter.  Stir until combined then pour a layer of pudding over crumbs in each glass. Continue to layer cookie crumbs over pudding until glasses are filled.

In a small bowl, whip heavy cream on medium high speed with an electric mixer.  Gradually pour in extra fine sugar, 1 tbsp at a time.  Increase speed to high and whip until thick and fluffy.  Dollop whipped cream on top of trifles and sprinkle over freshly grated nutmeg.  Embellish with reserved shortbread petticoat tails.

Makes about 4-5 - 8oz. trifles 

Low Cal Miniature Pumpkin Cheese Cakes

Ingredients:
1 cup ground walnuts
4 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon butter melted*
2 pkgs (8 oz each) low fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar substitute
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Dash ground cloves
Dash ground nutmeg
2 eggs
Whipped Topping
Ground cinnamon, optional

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325°F (or to 300°F if using dark nonstick pan). Place paper liners in 36 miniature muffin cups.

Mix walnuts, 4 teaspoons sugar and the butter in medium bowl until well blended. Press about 1 teaspoon of the walnut mixture firmly onto bottom of each prepared muffin cup. Bake 5 minutes. Cool.

Place cream cheese, pumpkin, 1/4 cup sugar, the sugar substitute, vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, the cloves and nutmeg in large bowl; beat with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Gradually add eggs one at a time, beating on low speed after each addition just until blended. Spoon evenly over crusts.

Bake 15 minutes or until centers are almost set. Cool. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or until chilled. Top with the Reddi-wip just before serving. Sprinkle with additional cinnamon, if desired.

Pumpkin Spice with Cream Cheese Streusel Swirl

Streusel Topping (enough for 2 cakes)
1 sticks cold salted butter
1 cups flour
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
3 teaspoons cinnamon
½ cup ground pecans

Cream Cheese Topping
8 oz cream cheese (1 small box), room temperature
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 oz egg (a little more than 1 large egg)
1 teaspoon vanilla 
2 tablespoons cake flour

Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Swirl
1 small can (15 oz) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil (or ½ cup oil plus ½ cup applesauce)
1-2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground allspice

Directions:
First make the streusel topping. Add all of the ingredients together into a bowl and cut the dry ingredients into the butter with your fingers until it resembles a coarse meal, then set this aside.

Next, make the cream cheese topping. Add the cream cheese to the bowl of your stand mixer and begin mixing using the paddle attachment. Slowly add in the sugar and then the eggs and vanilla. Scrape down sides and continue to mix until there are no lumps. Lastly, add in the flour and mix well until smooth, then set aside.

The cake comes together very quickly. Add the pumpkin puree, sugar, eggs and oil to a medium sized bowl and whisk well together. Sift together all of the dry ingredients and then add into the pumpkin mixture. Whisk well until there is no visible flour or lumps. Grease and paper line your baking pan and spread in your cake batter. Spoon on all of the cream cheese in large dollops all over the cake, then using a knife swirl the cream cheese into the cake batter.

Lastly, top this with the streusel generously all over the cake…

Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for approximately 30 minutes or until the cake springs back and tests clean. Allow to cool completely before slicing into cake.

Kaju Katli

With the Hindu festival of lights (Diwali) in the same month as our Halloween, why not make one last toast to the sun before we end our celebration with this delicious cashew treat?

Ingredients:
1 Cup Cashews, raw and unsalted
4 Cardamom pods, seeds removed and crushed (optional)
1 Pinch Salt
3/4 Cup Sugar
1/4 Cup Water

Directions:
Grind the cashews into as fine a powder as you can. You can try your coffee grinder; shake it or rap it against the counter to keep the cashews from gumming up the blade. You can also try a blender, a food processor, or a mortar and pestle.

Mix cardamom powder, salt, and cashews together. Heat water and sugar in a pot until boiling. Add cashews and stir well with a rubber spatula. Cook for abut 5 minutes until the mixture thickens. You can tell it’s ready when it a dribble of it on a cool plate forms a soft ball.

Pour out the mixture onto lightly oiled aluminum foil. A lot of directions I read say you should let the mixture cool and then knead until glassy. The rill out to 1/4″ thick and slice into diamonds. I cooked mine a little too long, so it set up firmer than it should have. I just cut it after it cooled (instead of kneading it and rolling it out) and that worked fine, but I think the textured suffered a little.

Store in an airtight container in layers separated by parchment paper. 

Apple Dumplings

Apples are, and have been, the food of the dead throughout cultures around the world. What a better way to enjoy them than this sweet filled desert dumpling?

Ingredients:
1 recipe pastry for double-crust pie
6 large apples, peeled and cored
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 cups water
2 cups brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Butter a 9x13 inch pan.

On a lightly floured surface, roll pastry into a large rectangle, about 24 by 16 inches. Cut into 6 square pieces. Place an apple on each pastry square with the cored opening facing upward. Cut butter into 8 pieces. Place 1 piece of butter in the opening of each apple; reserve remaining butter for sauce. Divide brown sugar between apples, poking some inside each cored opening and the rest around the base of each apple. Sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg over the apples.

With slightly wet fingertips, bring one corner of pastry square up to the top of the apple, then bring the opposite corner to the top and press together. Bring up the two remaining corners, and seal. Slightly pinch the dough at the sides to completely seal in the apple. Repeat with the remaining apples. Place in prepared baking dish.

In a saucepan, combine water, white sugar, vanilla extract and reserved butter. Place over medium heat, and bring to a boil in a large saucepan. Boil for 5 minutes, or until sugar is dissolved. Carefully pour over dumplings.

Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes. Place each apple dumpling in a dessert bowl, and spoon some sauce over the top.

Pumpkin Marble Cheesecake

Another beautiful, and delicious, way to celebrate pumpkin on Samhain.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c Gingersnap Crumbs 
1/2 c Finely Chopped Pecans 
1/3 c Margarine, Melted 
16 oz Cream Cheese, Softened 
3/4 c Sugar 
1 t Vanilla 
3 ea Eggs 
1 c Canned Pumpkin 
3/4 t Cinnamon 
1/4 t Ground Nutmeg 

Directions:
Combine crumbs, pecans and margarine; press onto bottom and 1 1/2-inches up sides of 9-inch springform pan. Bake at 350 degrees F., 10 minutes. Combine cream cheese, 1/2 c sugar and vanilla, mixing at medium speed on electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Reserve 1 c batter, chill. Add remaining sugar, pumpkin and spices to remaining batter; mix well. Alternately layer pumpkin and cream cheese batters over crust. Cut through batters with knife several times for marble effect.

Bake at 350 degrees F., 55 minutes. Loosen cake from rim of pan; cool before removing rim of pan. Chill.

Fairy Spice Cakes

Samhain is said to be the time of year when the veil between the world of the living and the world of the dead is at it’s thinnest and spirits of the dead are capable of passing over en mass with ease. Another bit of lore about Samhain is that, on this night the spirits of the “wee folke” -the fairies, elemental spirits and creatures of the forest- are at their most mischievous. Because of this, different cultures warn about traveling alone at night. It was a tradition of cultures to leave roadside offerings in order to appease the spirits in hopes that they’ll turn their attention away from lone travelers in exchange for something sweet. These delicious cakes are best left in the garden for the “Wee Folke” on nights Like Samhain and can also be used as offering to the same spirits on Lammas… Or if you’re not into leaving offerings for the spirits, they make a sweet breakfast treat on Samhain.

Ingredients:
½ cup sweet Muscat wine
2 tablespoons fine brown sugar
1 large egg
⅔ cup flour
½ teaspoon poppy seeds
⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon salt
Sunflower oil for frying

Directions:
Mix the egg and the Muscat wine in a bowl. In a smaller bowl, mix together the flour, poppy seeds, cinnamon, sugar and salt. Stir this into the egg mixture. Let it stand for about ½ hour. Combine the nutmeg and honey in a small bowl. Heat some oil in a frying pan (about ½ inch in the bottom) until it’s hot. Drop the batter into the oil one generous spoonful each time and fry until golden. Place on paper towels to drain and then dip into the honey mix.

Hallowmass Cakes

Though they’re a bit harder to make than the originals, these are a great variation of the Soul Cakes, which seem to have developed over time vary in different regions of the world.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, melted
2 cup granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups cake flour, sifted
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup confectioner’s sugar

Directions:
In a mixing bowl, combine vegetable oil, chocolate, and granulated sugar. Blend in eggs, one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Add vanilla. Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt into oil mixture. Chill for several hours or overnight. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F Roll about a Tablespoon of dough into a ball. Drop balls into confectioners’ sugar, and roll until coated. Place balls about 2 inches apart on a greased baking sheet.

Bake for 10-12 min. The cakes should be a soft and the edges should be firm. Do not overbake; they burn easily. Makes about 3 do