Emily von Euw's Blog, page 15

CHOCOLATE COCONUT DONUTS

I am currently working on a project for a New York-based magazine called LAIKA (check 'em out), and part of the project entails me hittin' up some of my places to eat in Vancouver. One of these spots is Cartems Donuterie: they make vegan donuts. So the other day I headed over and photographed all their vegan varieties and got to bring home a box of fried, sugary delight for the fam / Jack. Everyone was stoked (needless to say but I said it). I only had a few bites because as freaking delicious as the donuts are, my body is sensitive to refined flours and sugars so if I eat more than a bit I don't feel great. Plus I have been consuming loads of vegan junk food lately and need to get back into eating meals that give me energy instead of take it away. Yet obviously donuts are an essential part of a happy life (for those of us with the luxury of access to them) so I decided to just make a whole foods-based recipe for my own selfish taste buds but also because I dooo have this blog and should probably keep publishing consistent recipes. I was photographing them when a couple friends came over; I forced them to be my hand models and also to describe what they thought of the recipe. Some quotes:

"I liked that they were bite-size, that was cute."
"I think Oprah would love them."
"Just sweet enough."
"They reminded me of the coconut buns from Maxim's. They're soft."

After donuts these lovely ladies showed me Tinder. I have been wanting to try it for awhile - even though I am definitely in a long term romantic relationship with Jack, who is awesome - just to see what it's like and observe humanity through a popular dating app lens. I like meeting new people who I know I have at least some stuff in common with and it's also interesting to see the cyber symbols of modernity and attractiveness that are out there these days (apparently on Tinder these symbols include - for straight cis men in my friends' streams - dogs, shirtless photos, the gym, hiking, their height, beer, holding kids that aren't theirs and making it clear the kid is not theirs, and pizza). I am very intrigued about the people who would end up in my feed because I am... well, I'm kinda weird. I have a shaved head, I'm pansexual, vegan, atheist, an intersectional feminist and a lot of other specific things that some people might consider radical. But usually the fact that I have a lot of opinions about society, culture and life works out as a kind of an excellent friend/lover filter in a beneficial way. In short: only the other freaks are into me. I love it.

Anyways, donuts.


CHOCOLATE COCONUT DONUTS

Donuts:
1 cup oat flour
1 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup cacao powder
2 tablespoons carob powder
Pinch Himalayan salt
1 cup gooey dates (pitted)
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Coconut milk, as needed

Icing:
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup almond butter
1/4 cup cacao powder
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 
Coconut milk, as needed

To make the donuts: put all the ingredients in a food processor and process until the mixture becomes moist, fine and crumbly but will hold its shape when pressed between two fingers (add coconut milk until you get this consistency). Grease a donut mold with coconut oil then press the mixture into the donut mold and put in the freezer until solid. If you have extra mixture, throw in a lined bread pan for brownies!

To make the icing: blend all the ingredients together until smooth and sooooo delicious (add coconut milk until you get this consistency). Don't over blend or else the coconut oil will combine too much with the other ingredients and make it into one homologous mass. Dip the donuts into the icing or spread the icing on the donuts. Add the potentially existing extra icing to the potentially existing brownies. Enjoy! I sprinkled my donuts with almond slivers and coconut flour.

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VANILLA + COFFEE CREAM TART

Coffee! Vanilla! Tart!

This is a creamy, sweet, surprisingly light and unsurprisingly delicious recipe. As always, it's vegan cuz it can be and raw to maintain all the fab health benefits of the nuts and fruits used as ingredients. Good-for-you desserts are REAL: eat 'em.


Oh yeah, and Jack and I are having problems too. I've been spending yesterday and today wondering what I should do. Do I deserve / need / want more? Am I taking what I have for granted? Do I want to be single? Would I like to be with someone else, start a new relationship? (No to that one, at least I know that). Do I wanna have more flings? (Yes, but is it worth it?) Should relationships be perfect all the time or just pretty great most of the time? (Probably the latter; I need to stop trying to perfect everything and be more realistic). In total conclusion: I have a lot of shit to figure out in 2016 and beyond, and I hope I do. I suppose life is a constant struggle of dealing and negotiating with ourselves - not to mention everyone and everything around us - in order to find a kind of happiness or satisfaction. In times of overwhelming reality I look to my wrist (which has BE HERE NOW tattooed on it), try to breathe deeply and remember that I am at once a universe unto myself and a dot in an endless, colourful cosmos. Basically: I don't need to worry because at least I have myself and access to comfortable, safe spaces and loving people. These are privileges that too many people don't have, but I do appreciate them. I hope you have a wonderful night and new year. Much love.


VANILLA + COFFEE CREAM TART

Crust:
1 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup maple syrup 
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
1/4 cup sesame seeds, more or less as needed

Cream tart:
2 cups cashews, soaked in water for 3 hours then rinsed
1 cup walnuts, soaked in water for 3 hours then rinsed
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
1 tablespoon chunk fresh ginger
1/2 vanilla bean, chopped
3 Meyer lemons, peeled and deseeded
2-3 cups water, as neeeded

Coffee blend:
3 tablespoons melted coconut oil
1/4 cup finely ground coffee beans
3 tablespoons maple syrup

Garnish:
Sesame seeds
Coffee beans
Maple syrup

To make the crust: stir together the ingredients - add a smaller amount of sesame seeds then add more as needed - until you get a crumbly mixture that holds its shape when pressed between a couple fingers. Press into a tart tin and put in the fridge.

To make the cream filling: blend the ingredients together - adding water as needed - until you get a smooth, creamy mixture that is slightly thicker than yogurt. Spread evenly into your crust.

To make the coffee blend: stir all the ingredients together until smooth then drizzle over the cream filling. Stir around with the handle of a wooden spoon to create pretty designs and swirls. Leave the tart in the fridge overnight, or in the freezer for a few hours (but it's best when you let it sit overnight; it develops more flavour). Garnish before serving.

ADAPTIONS: use any other flour instead of coconut flour; use 1 teaspoon vanilla extract instead of vanilla bean; use coconut butter instead of coconut oil; use dates instead of coconut oil and maple syrup in the crust; use carob or cacao instead of coffee; use lemon juice instead of lemons.

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A FRUIT SMOOTHIE FOR ANYTIME

FIRST OF ALL: shout out to my next potluck, happening in late January. See all the details here.
Moving on: I was going to title this recipe "A Post-Workout Smoothie" because I made it after the gym today and it tasted amazing, but then remembered that basically any smoothie is good for post-workout fuel, and good anytime at all. Smoothies are generally just a bunch of fruit and other good stuff so no matter what you're doing, planning on doing, or just did: it's PROBABLY a decent time to make and drink one. 

Having said that, there is so much vegan junk food available to me now in Vancouver that sometimes it's really hard for me to stay in my healthy diet lane. Over the past couple months Jack and I have gotten into some routines that temporarily feel great but over the long term wind up makin me feel sluggish and unmotivated. I'm talkin about late night runs to the vegan pizza place, drivin to the grocery store purely for coconut ice cream and pumpkin cookies, and lots and lots of steamed buns made with white flour from T&T. Oh wait: and donuts from Cartems. All these foods taste SO GOOD in the moment and I've been making a point to not restrict myself to them (to continue healing my mind from a history of disordered eating). Simultaneously as these foods are good for me mentally, over time they make me feel like crap. Then I skip a day at the gym and start sleeping in in the morning and by time evening rolls around and Jack is saying: "Let's get pizzzaaa!" I realize I really want to [again] as well, then veg out on the couch with X-Files and some herbal medicine. This has been the past few months pour moi. 
So what? 
Well, this isn't a big deal. I've been eatin' lots of junk lately and that is 100% OK. If I wanted to continue doing this, there'd be nothing wrong with that. But in fact I'm fed up with feeling groggy and uninspired most days so I'm focusing my brain on getting back into healthy habits: hittin up the gym every day and drinking lots of fruits and veggies in the form of smoothies. Ultimately, life's too short to obsess over this stuff or self-shame about it. I aim to enjoy myself in whatever ways I can while I am here, whether that be pizza binges or smoothie love. 
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A FRUIT SMOOTHIE FOR ANYTIME

2 ripe bananas
1 cup frozen mixed berries
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1-2 cups almond milk, as desired
1 tablespoon chunk fresh ginger root
1 kiwi

Blend everything except the kiwi until smooth, adding almond milk as needed to get the consistency you like. Peel the kiwi and slice it; gently place these along the inside of a couple glasses and then pour in the smoothie. Garnish with some extra chai seeds if you like. Enjoy!

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RED KURI SQUASH SOUP with CUMIN, CORIANDER + COCONUT

I want to study food history. (As some of you may know, I am currently getting an undergraduate degree in history.) Unfortunately my university doesn't really offer any courses centred around what we eat, so I feel at a loss. After a handful of conversations with Jack and some thoughts on my own, I realized me + a food history course would probably be a perfect match. I love history. I love food. Food history; I would most likely love. And lately I've been struggling dealing with the nasty bits of human history (i.e. all of human history) where one group of folks (i.e. The White Man) completely screws over everyone else with a seemingly endless myriad of shitty excuses depending on where and when you are looking at. Of course me taking a break from learning this stuff wouldn't make it go away, but for my own mental health I think it'd be good for me to study slightly less tragic realities for awhile. Not to say food history won't come with its dark periods. Yet now we loop back to the issue of FINDING a food history course for me to take... none are showing themselves to me willingly.


Onto this soup. It's delicious and thick and creamy and makes ya warm from the inside out. Definitely made more awesome with fresh avocado toast, plenty of snow outside and a blanket 'round your bod. Jack and I are staying in the BC interior right now and at night it gets to twenty below. There is snow everywhere. I am essentially in my own winter wonderland and I never want to go home. It is SO FREAKING peaceful and quiet. The town we are staying in has just a few hundred people who live here year round, so I feel like Jack and I are the only two people in the world. I've been sleeping in, drinking lots of wine, eating loaves of organic bread that a lovely couple bakes just a few doors down and sells on Tuesdays, and generally just appreciating the lack of noise and busy-ness that are assumed constants in the city. Have a beautiful day. x


RED KURI SQUASH SOUP with CUMIN, CORIANDER + COCONUT

1 (2 lb) red kuri squash
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg powder
1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
1 tablespoon tamari
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 can (400 ml) coconut milk
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon chunk ginger
3 cups vegetable broth or more, depending on your preference 
1/2 cup walnuts (optional) 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Chop the squash into 1-inch cubes (no need to peel). Toss the cubes with the cumin, coriander, cinnamon, nutmeg, chipotle, tamari and vinegar. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until tender all the way through. Transfer the baked squash to a blender and blend with the rest of the ingredients (you might need to do it in two or three batches if your blender is smaller or less powerful). If you need to add more broth, go ahead. Mine was super thick and that's how I like it. Also: be careful not to over-blend, otherwise the soup will get glue-y. Once blended to a smooth, creamy consistency; serve with avocado toast, crackers, as a sauce for vegetables or pasta, or however you like!

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MAPLE OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES

I've found some new feminist podcasts to listen to while I walk around a nearby lake. (Sun's out, Em's out.) The ones I subscribed to are Black Girls Talking, Two Whole Cakes Fatcast, and Another Round. A few weeks ago my friend - who is also named Emily - suggested I start listening to Lena Dunham's new podcast miniseries, Women of The Hour; and I love it so much I had to find more similar-ish content. Obviously I am a[n intersectional] feminist so it's not like the discourses are 100% untouched territory, but I am only at the beginning of my affair with podcasts so feminist podcasts as a content medium ARE basically un-navigated land for me for now.


These cookies are delish. When I was recently living in Montreal for a month I fell back in love with maple syrup, and I fell harder than ever before. I literally drank it from the jar some days. And even now I will have spoonfuls of the golden amber stuff like it's medicine... (which IT. IS.) I cannot get over the different flavour notes in it. I mean, yes, it's damn sweet so that is mainly why my brain/tongue love it. But it's MORE THAN THAT. It's like burnt caramel in the best way. The cookies themselves are kind of amazing and after you've had one you're probably gonna want another. I need to recommend you eat them with whipped coconut cream. Somehow it makes the whole thing remind me of donuts. I have been eating a lot of donuts lately because a "donuterie" (yes for real) in Vancouver has several different vegan varieties. So now I just always want donuts. But these magically satisfy that donut craving for me. I don't understand it but I'm goin' with it. Enjoy.


MAPLE OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES
{ makes a dozen }

Cookies:
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup walnuts
1 teaspoon ginger powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
Pinch Himalayan salt
1/4 cup ground flax seeds
1/4 cup chia seeds
3/4 cup raisins 
1/4 cup maple syrup
3 tablespoons melted coconut oil

Add-on:
Whipped coconut cream (optional) 

Grind one cup of the oats and all the walnuts into flour, then add the rest of the dry ingredients (including the remaining rolled oats) and mix together evenly. Pour on the maple syrup and coconut oil and stir together until a thick dough forms. Press into cookies and leave in the fridge for a few hours or overnight until they are solid. I highly suggest whipping up some coco cream with vanilla beans and maple syrup and spreading it on the cookies before you eat them. Yum.

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DOUBLE CHOCOLATE BROWNIES -- MMM YES

I have not been posting a lot recently because I'm kinda tired of the internet. In a way. Some days it's better for me to just ignore my computer and go for a long walk. Or at least ignore my email inbox and my blog. But I'm back here once again, to share another delicious vegan recipe with you. These brownies are suuuuper decadent. I don't what else there is to say about them. You need to make them yourself if you wanna understand how good they are. Sorry if that sounds rude... but seriously, you gotta taste them with your own mouth. Words cannot do tastes justice.


I am attempting to write this blog post while my 2-disc DISCO MOTION record plays in the background so I trust you - kind as you are - will forgive the probable sporadicalness of my prose, Let's move on to brownies. Make them. Embrace them. Love them. Love yourself. You're a babe. x


DOUBLE CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

Brownies:
1 cup oat flour
1 cup walnuts, preferably soaked for 4 hours 
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon chia seeds
2 tablespoons carob powder
1 tablespoon cacao powder
Pinch salt 
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 tablespoons hemp seeds
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Frosting:
2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1-2 tablespoons cacao powder

Topping:
1 tablespoon hemp seeds
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds

To make the brownies: combine all the ingredients in a food processor and process until it all becomes a big chocolately ball whirling around in there. Press into a lined baking pan and leave in the fridge until the brownies have hardened.

To make the frosting: stir all ingredients together - chocolate! Pour on top of your brownies, sprinkle with the seeds and leave in fridge until the frosting has hardened. Slice and eat.

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OREO-ISH TARTS: VANILLA WHIPPED COCO CREAM with CHOCOLATE COOKIE CRUST

I am back from Montreal. Hey. 
For the four-ish weeks I spent there - away from home, Jack, Dante and Blender - I remembered a lot of important stuff about myself, and realized some new things. It was a whirlwind of experiences, people, places, emotions, tastes, colours, smells. I felt overwhelmed most of the time but what else is new. I often feel overwhelmed living in my particular world because I usually think [too] extensively about everything that is happening around me (and not around me). So being in a new place WITH the same over-thinking brain took it to the next level. Meditation was more difficult than normal, probably because of this. I went on a lot of walks by myself so I could have time to ponder who I am, what I want, my relationship with the external universe, and that kind of thing. I had some pretty intense and excellent discussions with my friend's roommates; we talked about the difficulties of navigating the current world in relation to gender, race, class, location, education, etc. Besides classism, I am generally optimistic about where we are going. Obviously - or maybe not that obviously - most human groups are still routinely oppressed by societal and political structures in place, but we are on the right trail; we're just at the beginning of the hike. 

YIIKKESS. 
When I read dystopian novels like 1984 or Brave New World and watch movies like Mad Max or the one with the mocking jay thing; I can't help but think we are already living in these worlds. From the start of "civilization" where populations began to need a kind of government, it's been a balancing act between security and freedom. On one side of things we have absolute security but no freedom (think of We by Yevgeny Zamyatin) and on the other end we've got total freedom but zero security (maybe something like Lord of The Flies or Hobbes' state of nature). Where are we in this balance now? I fear we've given up more of our freedom than we think. We are not taught to ask questions, to critically analyze our external - and internal - world. This is not accidental. I'd argue it's intentional. That scares me and makes me feel hopeless when I think hard about it. 
This post got really dark and I apologize for that. But I am not going to cut all this text away and simply write about how yummy this tart is. (But FYI: it's freaking DELICIOUS.) I need to say these things - whether you think I am a nutty conspiracy theorist and stop subscribing to my blog, or whether you get really excited because you agree - I need to say these things for my own mental health. Otherwise I'll keep getting stressed out because the thoughts remain inside my head. I think it's important to recognize, no matter what you believe, that we are not living in a neutral, innocent or naive world. We are living in a particular universe that is controlled largely by certain communities for their own benefit. Everything is political. Systemically, many human groups remain oppressed and ignored today and so their repressed, important voices and experiences being heard or having an influence on society is nearly impossible. We should not allow those who control us to continue keeping the wool over our eyes. We need to grab it out of their hands and with open eyes face the reality of the current human globe. Let's move forward considering ALL persons, and work in whatever avenues we can within our means, to eradicate corruption, systemic oppression, broken capitalism and the ever-increasing wage gap. Let's focus on building a world wherein ALL beings experience justice, safety and freedom. 
And for the sake of all goodness, let's make a world where we can all eat these tarts if we feel like it. They are creamy, rich, sensual and based around whole food ingredients. Nothing is sexier than whipped coconut cream. Period. 

OREO-ISH TARTS: VANILLA WHIPPED COCO CREAM with CHOCOLATE COOKIE CRUST 
Chocolate cookie crust:1 cup cashews1/4 cup cacao powderScant 1/2 cup ground flax seeds3 tablespoons maple syrup1 teaspoon vanilla extractPinch himalayan salt
Vanilla whipped coco cream:1 can full fat coconut milk, left in the fridge overnight1/4 cup coconut sugar, ground into powder1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean seeds
To make the cookie crust: grind the cashews into flour, then throw the cashew flour into a bowl and mix in the rest of the ingredients until you have a doughy mixture that holds its shape. Set aside a scant 1/4 cup of this mixture for the cookie crumble. Press the remaining dough into tart tins or whatever shape you like and put in the fridge for an hour or more so they harden up. 
To make the cookie crumble: roll out the dough you set aside, then leave it in the oven at its lowest temperature until it gets crispy. This may take 2-3 hours. Or use your dehydrator. Then chop it up into cookie pieces. Note: I only left mine in the oven for an hour so it didn't get crispy, but I used it anyway. It's all good. 
To make the coco cream: follow these directions, whipping in the rest of the ingredients along the way. Scoop the whipped coco cream into the cookie crusts. Sprinkle on the cookie pieces and enjoy!
ADAPTIONS: you can use any nut instead of cashews; you can use cocoa or carob powder instead of cacao; you can use dates instead of flax seeds; you can use any other sweetener instead of maple syrup; you can use vanilla extract instead of vanilla bean seeds.

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PHOTOS FROM MY NEW COOKBOOK

Alright, people. I've been talking non-stop about The Rawsome Vegan Cookbook for months now (on social media anyways, I actually haven't mentioned it much on my blog here) and FINALLY I can say it's coming out in just a few weeks. SRSLY THO. December 9 is the publishing date and I could not be more excited. This post is mainly just gonna show you some sexy food pics that you will find more of in the book. In the book you will also find recipes to go along with the food pictures. Because, ya know... it's a cookbook. Needs recipes.

THINGS YOU MIGHT WANNA KNOW:- this is my best cookbook yet; all my cookbook-y skills (food photography, recipe development, writing) have improved - all the recipes are vegan, gluten-free and based around whole foods- half the recipes (40) are raw, and the other half (40...) are gently cooked- the ingredients are easy to find, the instructions are easy to understand, and the recipes are super quick to make... this is mainly because I am lazy - there is a full page colour photo for every recipe, taken by me of couuurssse
I think this cookbook illustrates how I have been maturing as a human being, designer, photographer and recipe creator. From the fonts and colour themes to the food styling to the recipe introductions, I'd like to think you can tell that I've gotten a bit older since writing my first two books. I've honed in my aesthetic preferences and really wanted to create a beautiful, special product for you that you can enjoy simply looking at in the living room (or wherever you chill), or actually using in the kitchen (or wherever you make your grub). Like I said, I am really lazy when it comes to making food, so for all you folks out there who prefer easy, quick, delicious (but creative!?) recipes made with ingredients you probably already have - you're gonna love this book. And for those peeps who actually really enjoy trying new ingredients and taste combinations, this book is still of recipes that will interest you, because I also like to get experimental in the kitchen. 
A major theme in the book is eating seasonally, even though I don't touch on that topic much. But just FYI: the majority of the ingredients I used in the recipes were from the farmers market. Going to the market with Jack every week was a huge source of inspiration for me to create the recipes in this book. My method is pretty relaxed and organic: I don't think about what kind of recipes I am going to make, until I've made them. I didn't usually have a strict plan for what I was going to do, but as soon as I'd get to the farmers market, the wheels in my foodie noggin would start turning and by time we got back in the car, loaded down with grocery bags (re-usable ones when I remember!), I was probably excitedly and breathlessly telling Jack what I wanted to make with the fennel and basil we just bought. I am really happy that my brain works this way. Fresh, organic, vibrant produce inspires me endlessly. 
I think I've said just about enough now, so I'll leave you to drool over these photos. I always wanna get sexual and make some joke about how my photos make people wet [in their mouths]... but it seems so cheesy. Anyhoo, talk to ya later, babe. x
Oh and PREORDER THE RAWSOME VEGAN COOKBOOK NOW! *goofy smiley face*
You can do so at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, The Book Depository, Chapters, or wherever books are sold. E-book versions are available at Amazon, B&N, iTunes and probably other places. 

http://www.thisrawsomeveganlife.com/

PERFECT FLUFFY CRIPSY POTATOES

So I found something amazing and wonderful and now I've put my own spin on it. Last week I was having my breakfast before I went to the gym and while I was scrolling through Instagram photos (I don't do it AS MUCH these days but it's still more than I'd like... oops) I saw this picture of insanely perfect-looking potatoes; they were crispy and fluffy like clouds at the same time. The rest of the day I couldn't stop thinking about them and decided I NEEDED to make them myself, but there wasn't any recipe given for the photo. So I googled "crispy fluffy potatoes" and added "vegan" just cuz. I found an oil-free recipe that looked pretty damn divine, so I tried it out but with a few of my own tweaks. Instead of using white flour to coat the taters, I used various herbs and spices. The method here is what makes the magic: we are gonna partially boil the potatoes so their outsides are soft, then shake 'em up with a few different herbs and spices so they get marred and fluffy around the edges. THEN we bake them and suddenly we have potatoes that are perfectly crispy and browned on the outside, and fluffy and soft on the inside.


Please try this recipe out, it's bomb. It's also special because normally I am so lazy I never make a recipe more than once, for my blog, my cookbooks or otherwise. But THIS ONE I have made three times now. That is saying a lot for me. It also means I KNOW this recipe is a good one because it's tried and... true...? Tried and delicious, anyways. Go for it.


PERFECT FLUFFY CRIPSY POTATOES

6 Russet potatoes
1 tablespoon dried basil or other herb(s)
1 teaspoon nutritional yeast or asafoetida powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Peel the potatoes and chop into large bite size pieces. Place them all in a pot and just barely cover with cold water, then bring it all to a boil. Once the water/potatoes are boiling, continue boiling for another 4 minutes. Drain. Throw all the par-boiled potatoes back in the drained pot and sprinkle on the rest of the ingredients. Put the lid on the pot and shake it up with both hands (wear oven mitts if the pot is still hot!), so the potatoes get covered in the spices and herbs and also get fluffy or "marred" around the edges. Put all the potatoes on a lined baking sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes or until they are browned on the outside. ENJOY.

For these photos I had the taters with chopped green onion and a simple tahini lemon sauce. I've also had them with ketchup and it's too good.

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ALMOND COOKIES with SPICED APPLE SLICES

This recipe is part of a Family Favourites series hosted by Angela over at Canned Time. The theme was to veganize a recipe that you used to love as a kid and/or that your fam would regularly enjoy together. Honestly, I had trouble thinking of sweet recipes that I hadn't already veganized for my blog (like pumpkin pie, berries and whipped cream, ice cream, chocolate cake) and most of the savoury dishes I loved eating when I was little are just sooo not ideal to veganize (think Thai-style omelettes and baked salmon). There were a lot of savoury foods I ate growing up that I COULD made vegan now - pizza pops and chicken nuggets to name a couple - but they wouldn't be that healthy or simple and I'm not into spending lots of time making recipes for dinner, especially if they have more refined ingredients.. I'd rather just bake eight potatoes, sprinkle on some salt and pepper and be done with it. Seriously, my dinners are pathetically easy when I'm not writing a savoury cookbook. 

So here's what you should know: these cookies are SO FREAKIN GOOD by themselves and then they are topped off with warm, gooey apple slices marinated with cinnamon and nutmeg. There's no going wrong here. Make this recipe ASAP. Oh and I'd like to make a fun announcement: I am doing a giveaway!! The prize is Gena Hamshaw's new cookbook, Food52 Vegan, and later on (when it is finally published) my new baby, The Rawsome Vegan Cookbook! Just follow the instructions in the Rafflecopter giveaway linked here to enter the contest. Note: it's limited to Canada the US only (really sorry, everyone else).
So that was my story for the day, folks. Hope you enjoyed. I am really done with this set of 24 hours now and just wanna eat one of these cookies and watch The X Files with Jack, so that is what I am gonna do. xx

ALMOND COOKIES with SPICED APPLE SLICES

Spiced apples:
1 cup thinly sliced apples
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg powder
1/4 teaspoon ginger powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup 
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cookies:
1 cup almonds
3 tablespoons maple syrup
3 tablespoons melted coconut oil 

To prepare the apples: toss them with the spices and maple syrup. Put them in your oven at a very low temperature, or in a dehydrator, for an hour or until they have softened. Check often to make sure they don't dry out or burn - you want them warm, soft and gooey.

To make the cookies: grind the almonds into flour in a food processor or blender. Throw the almond flour into a bowl and stir in the maple syrup and coconut oil until you get a sticky, crumbly mixture. If it's not sticking together, add some more maple syrup. If it's too wet, add some ground flax seeds or more almond flour. Spread this the cookie dough evenly onto a cookie sheet, about 1/2 inch thick, and put in the fridge or freezer until solid, an hour or two. Cut into cookies.

Spoon some warm apple slices onto your cookies and dig in!

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