Carrot Cookies

Ingredients:

2 Cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon Salt
3/4 Cup ( 1 1/2 Sticks) Butter
1 Cup Rapdura Sugar
1 Cup Cooked, Smashed Carrots
1 egg
1 teaspoon Vanilla

Icing Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Dry Milk
1/4 teaspoon Stevia
2 Tablespoons Butter (room temperature)
2 Tablespoons Agave Nectar
2 Tablespoons Orange Juice

About the Ingredients:

Rapdura Sugar - This type of sugar is just dehydrated sugar cane. It uses the whole cane with no processing. It looks like dirt and has a molasses type flavor. This sugar retains many nutrients that are lost in processing, such as Iron and Vitamin C.

Pure Stevia - Much of the easily accessible stevia has fillers added. The best way to tell if you have pure stevia is to look and see if the comparisons rate is 1/4 teaspoon equals 1 cup of sugar. It should also say 100% pure stevia somewhere on the package. If you're using a stevia with fillers, then use the amount that the package says equals 2 cups of sugar.

Dry Milk - We are using Organic non-fat dry milk.

Cookie Ingredients (except Vanilla)

Method:

Peel the carrots.

About 5 medium-sized carrots.

Cut the carrots into small pieces.  About two cups of chopped raw carrots will equal one cup of cooked smashed carrots.

Boils the carrots until completely done.  When you can easily smash them with a fork, they are done.

Smash the carrots with a potato smasher until they are just pulp.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Cream the butter and rapdura sugar.

Add the carrots, egg and vanilla.  Mix well.

Mix the flour with the baking powder and salt.  Add to the carrot mixture.

Mix well.

Coat two cookie sheets with butter.

Using a #30 black scoop (1 1/4 ounce) drop scoopfuls onto the cookie sheet.

Butter your fingers or dip them in flour and smash the balls slightly.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.  Remove to a rack to cool.

While cookies are cooling, make the Icing.

Icing Ingredients

Put all the Icing ingredients in a bowl and mix with a whisk or with a mixer until creamy smooth.  Put about a teaspoon of icing onto each cookie.  I just blob it on because they are going to be eaten soon anyway.  You could put the icing in a bag and cut the tip, then pipe it onto the cookies to look prettier.

Continue until all cookies are iced.  It should be exactly enough icing for two dozen cookies.

Makes about two dozen large cookies.  Enjoy!

Perfect Macaroni & Cheese

Ingredients:

1 lb Vegetable Pasta
1 Cup Milk
1/4 Cup Butter
5 Slices American Cheese
1/2 Cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Sea Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper

About the Ingredients:

Pasta - Vegetable pasta is made from vegetable powder. Some varieties also include flour.  Ours uses whole wheat flour and tomato, beet, and spinach powders.

Cheese - If you have something called "Velveeta" in your home, place it immediately in the garbage - for it is, in fact, GARBAGE!  If your American cheese comes individually wrapped, it will have added milk and fat; and is not suggested for this recipe.  We are using organic american cheese slices and organic extra sharp white cheddar cheese.

Cheeses we are using

Method:

Boil the pasta until cooked.  Drain.

Put pasta back into the pan.  Add milk, butter, cheeses, salt and pepper.

Stir over low heat until all cheese is melted.

Whole Wheat Biscuits

Ingredients:

2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 teaspoon Salt
4 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 Cup Organic All Vegetable non-hydrogenated Shortening
3/4 Cups Milk

All ingredients (note the organic shortening).

About the Ingredients:

Whole Wheat Flour - Regular Graham flour is fine for this recipe. If you like a more flaky biscuit, use whole wheat pastry flour.

Organic Non-hydrogenated Shortening - This is not the same as Crisco. If you need to see the difference, put a scoop of each on a plate and set it out for a year. You'll notice that the organic non-hydrogenated shortening degrades and is eaten by parasites, whereas, no creature on Earth will touch the Crisco (and other hydrogenated shortenings). I am using Spectrum Organic All Vegetable Non-hydrogenated Shortening. If you don't have this, use butter, but do not use the shit and garbage shortening found on grocery store shelves.

Method:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Blend the flour, salt and baking powder together.  Cut in the shortening with a pastry cutter until it is in pea-sized pieces.

Add the milk and mix.

Turn out onto a floured board.

Press dough into a circle.  Roll out to 1/2 inch thick.  Use a biscuit cutter to cut into circles.

Coat a baking sheet with butter and place dough circles on the sheet.

Bake at 425 for 12 minutes.  Makes 12 biscuits.

These are very good with agave nectar butter.  Whip 1 stick of butter with 1/4 cup of agave nectar.  If the butter is cold put it in the microwave for 15 seconds.

Chewy Brownies

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Butter (1 Stick)
1 Cup Brown Rice Syrup
1/2 Cup Rapdura Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Stevia
2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
2 teaspoons Vanilla
4 eggs
1 Cup Cocoa Powder

Everything we Need

About the Ingredients:

Brown Rice Syrup - This is very sticky and gooey. It will make your brownies chewy.

Rapdura Sugar - Made from dehydrated sugar cane, without processing, this natural sugar retains nutrients such as Iron and Vitamin C.

Whole Wheat Flour - Using Bob's Red Mill Stone Ground Whole Wheat flour will make the brownies chewier. If you use regular graham flour, the brownies will be more bread-like. Either type is acceptable.

Stevia - If you aren't using 100% pure stevia, use the amount that the package says equals 2 cups of sugar.

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place butter, brown rice syrup, rapdura sugar, and stevia in a glass bowl and microwave for one minute.

Stir until all the butter is melted.

Allow to cool completely.  Add eggs.  Mix well.   In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder.  Add the butter mixture to the flour mixture and blend well.  Add the cocoa.  Mix will.

Coat a rectangle baking pan with butter and then line it with parchment paper.  Spread the brownie mix evenly into the pan.

Bake for 30 minutes.  Allow to cool about 10 minutes.  Simply lift the parchment paper from the pan and transfer to a cutting board.

Cut into squares.

Notes:

If you've used my facebook brownie recipe, this one is different in that it substitutes brown rice syrup for agave nectar.  The brown rice syrup makes the brownies thicker and chewier (less cake-like).  Since brown rice syrup isn't very sweet, I doubled the amount of stevia from my facebook recipe.  We like this recipe better but if you like cake-like brownies, you'll probably like the facebook recipe.

I've read that if you leave the brownies overnight, the bran taste from the wheat flour disappear, however, we've never been patient enough to test that theory.

Maple Vanilla Latte

Ingredients:

4 Cups Milk
2 Tablespoons Roasted Grain Beverage
4 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
1 teaspoon Vanilla
Nutmeg (optional)

All Ingredients

About the Ingredients:

Roma Roasted Grain Beverage - This is made solely from roasted barley and chicory, contains no caffeine, and tastes just like coffee.  It is acceptable for children and a healthier alternative to coffee, however, you may substitute instant coffee.

Maple Syrup - Use a 100% pure maple syrup (no sugar added).  The maple flavor is delicious and has a low glycemic index.

Method:

Put all ingredients, except nutmeg, into a pan and cook over medium heat until hot.

Whisk quickly to make the foam on top.  Garnish with a sprinkle of nutmeg.  Enjoy!

Cinnamon Almond Biscotti

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Butter (1 Stick)

1/4 Cup Agave Nectar

1/4 Cup Rapdura Sugar

1/4 teaspoon Pure Stevia

3 eggs

1 teaspoon Vanilla

1 1/2 Cups Almond Meal/Flour

1 1/2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour

2 teaspoons Cinnamon

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/2 Cup Sliced Almonds

3 Helpers (optional)

About the Ingredients:

Rapdura Sugar - Dehydrated sugar cane, using the whole cane with no processing. It looks like dirt and has a molasses flavor. This sugar retains many nutrients that are lost in processing, such as Iron and Vitamin C.

Pure Stevia - The best way to tell if you have pure stevia is to look for "100% pure stevia" on the package. If you're using a stevia with fillers, use the amount that the package says equals 1 cup of sugar.

Whole Wheat Flour - If you use regular graham flour, the biscotti will have a bread-like texture and will not get hard and crunchy. I used Bob's Red Mill Organic Stone Ground Whole Wheat flour, which is ground from hard red spring wheat. You could also use whole wheat pastry flour.

Everything we need - Ready to get started!

Method:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Put butter, agave nectar, rapdura sugar, and stevia in microwave for 30 seconds. Cream together. Be sure it's completely cooled, then add eggs and vanilla. Mix well.

In a separate bowl, blend almond flour, whole wheat flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt together.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet. Mix. Add sliced almonds and knead together.

Place the dough onto a greased cookie sheet and form a log about 14 inches long and 3 to 4 inches wide. Pack the dough tightly to eliminate bubbles.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Reduce oven to 275 degrees. Remove log to a rack and cool about 10 minutes.

Slice about 3/4 to 1 inch thick and place on sides on cookie sheet. Bake at 275 degrees for 10 minutes on each side or until well toasted.

Allow to cool completely before eating. Best with a hot latte!

Whole Grain Pancakes

Ingredients:

2 1/4 Cups medium grind Cornmeal

3 Cups boiling water

2 3/4 Cups Buttermilk

6 eggs

3 1/2 Cups Whole Wheat flour

1/4 Cup ground Flaxseed

3 Tablespoons Baking Powder

3 Teaspoons Salt

3/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda

Method:

Pour boiling water over the cornmeal in a large mixing bowl. Let set about 2 or 3 minutes. Add buttermilk.

Add eggs. Mix well. Add flaxseed. Sift flour with baking powder, salt and baking soda; add to wet mixture and whisk well.

Pour ladelfuls onto greased skillets over medium to medium-high heat. Cook until bubbled on the first side, then flip.

Serve with butter and maple syrup.

Note:

I have left out the oil traditionally found in nearly all pancake recipes. I've made this with and without oil and there is no detectable difference. Flaxseed contains some natural oils and is all that is needed in this recipe.