Cookies for camping

I leave this afternoon to go camping and since I had the day off, I decided to make some cookies for my trip.  I bought some Dandies Marshmallows for the campfire and white chocolate chips for the cookies at Food Fight! today.  I am not a big chocolate fan, so the white chocolate chips are especially great for me.  I also made some Artichoke & White Bean Sauce from my last post for sandwiches and a dip.  

Vanilla Fan Cookies

1 cup Unrefined Cane Sugar

2 Tb. Earth Balance Margarine*

3 Tb. Vegetable Oil

1/3 cup Almond Milk

1 tsp Vanilla

1 3/4 cups Unbleached White Flour

1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

pinch of salt

1/2 cup vegan White Chocolate Chips**

Cream together the sugar, oil and margarine.  Add the vanilla and almond milk and blend well.  Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Blend until barley combined, then add the chocolate chips and blend until combined.

Place by the double tablespoon on a grease cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes.  Makes a dozen cookies.

*I used the new soy free Earth Balance in the red tub since I am trying to cut down on soy.

**Regular chocolate chips or vegan peanut chips can be added in this recipe since the white chocolate chips are hard to find.

Portland this weekend

So much potential fun this weekend!  All day Saturday is Veg Fest which will be bigger and better than ever!  Music, food to eat and plenty of samples, food demos and talks galore.  Admission is only $5 for all this.  There will be something for everyone at this event! 

 

The weather for Sunday is suppose to be nice.  When summer starts to go away I get a little sad, until I remember the great things about fall.  One of my favorite things to do in the fall is going to the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Gardens because there are less people in the park and the migrating water birds are showing up.  The most diverse combination of birds are seen around this time of year and I get so excited trying to find some less common sights such as mergansers, ruddy ducks and shovelers.  The air is also fresh and leaves start to change color and it reminds me how beautiful life can be.

Have a great weekend!

Artichokes & Beans

I am trying to cut down on my soy intake.  I have a long love affair with soy ever since going vegan, but too much any anything can be a bad thing.  I think if there is one thing I was told I couldn't eat, soy would have the biggest impact on my food choices.  Luckily, I am just cutting down, not giving it up.  

Almond milk is my favorite milk alternative and there are so many great coconut based vegan ice cream treats will be easy.  However, less soy options for my proteins will be an issue, especially since me and beans are not the best of friends.  Due to this, I am trying to re-develop my relationship with beans and decided to start off with a creamy sauce for pasta.  So far, the new relationship is going well.  

Artichoke & White Bean Sauce 

1 - 15 oz can Great Northern Beans*

1 - 14 oz can Artichoke Hearts, drained**

1 Tb Lemon Juice

2 Tb Olive Oil

1/4 cup Nutritional Yeast

1/2 tsp Garlic Granules

1/2 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Black Pepper

Put all ingredients in a food processor or blender.  Blend until smooth.  If you want a thinner sauce, add some water to desired consistency.

* Cannellini Beans or another white bean will also work great.

** I have found the canned artichoke hearts in water from Trader Joes are good quality and affordable.

I mixed the sauce with 12 ounces of prepared pasta and cooked up a variety of vegetables (zucchini, mushrooms, garlic and spinach) to go on top.  I really enjoyed the combination and look forward to eating more of it this week for my lunch.  This recipe can also be used as a dip or spread.