The Kind Diet: A Simple Guide to Feeling Great, Losing Weight, and Saving the Planet (34 page)

Oatmeal, Walnut, and Dried Plum Cookies

My friend Kristina Brindley is a wonderful vegan caterer who does home delivery. Her vittles are so delicious, I order from her almost every week. I think it’s safe to say she is quite possibly the greatest dessert-maker to ever walk the earth—her desserts are insane! I’m not usually a big fan of oatmeal cookies, but I’m obsessed with these. (My mom, an oatmeal cookie connoisseur, just can’t get enough.)

For more information on Kristina’s delivery service, check out
www.thekindlife.com
.

MAKES 10 TO 12 COOKIES

1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats

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cup unbleached all-purpose flour

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cup maple sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

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teaspoon fine sea salt

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cup maple syrup

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cup safflower oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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teaspoon molasses

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cup chopped dried plums (or other dried fruit)

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cup finely chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine the oats, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the syrup, oil, vanilla extract, and molasses. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and stir to combine. Fold in the dried plums and nuts.

Using your hands, roll tablespoon-size scoops of dough into balls. Place the balls onto the prepared baking sheet, and press down slightly on the balls to flatten the tops. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer cookies to a baking rack to cool completely.

For variety, replace the all-purpose flour with whole wheat pastry flour, barley flour, spelt flour, or a gluten-free baking mix (choose one that does not include baking soda and baking powder). You can also substitute chocolate chips for the dried fruit and any kind of nuts for the walnuts.

Chocolate-Dipped Shortbread Cookies

I have a little thing for shortbread cookies. Luckily for me, these have simple ingredients and—except for the fact they’re dipped in chocolate—could be a semiregular Superhero treat. They taste a bit like sugar cookies!

MAKES ABOUT 1 DOZEN

Cookies

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 cup unbleached white flour

1 cup brown rice flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

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cup safflower oil

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cup maple syrup

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

Chocolate Coating

2 cups grain-sweetened, nondairy chocolate or carob chips

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cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons safflower oil

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Combine the flours and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, syrup, vanilla extract, and salt. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and stir to form a smooth dough. If the mixture is too crumbly, add a bit of water, 1 teaspoon at a time, and up to 1 tablespoon more oil until the dough just holds together.

Roll the dough out to
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" thickness between 2 sheets of parchment or wax paper. Use cookie cutters or a knife to cut the dough into desired shapes. Arrange the cookies on the prepared baking sheet, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer the cookies to a baking rack to cool completely.

While the cookies are cooling, combine the chocolate chips, syrup, and oil in the top of a double boiler and place over simmering water. If you don’t have a double boiler, place a stainless steel bowl over boiling water and melt the ingredients in it. Turn off the heat, cover, and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes or until the chocolate melts. Stir until smooth.

Dip each cookie halfway into the chocolate sauce, and place on a sheet of wax or parchment paper. Chill in the refrigerator until hardened.

Lemon-Poppy Seed Poundcake

I love me some poppy seeds, and this dessert totally delivers. It’s pretty and is a perfect treat for guests or to serve with afternoon tea. I’ve given you two different glaze options here: One is sweet, glossy, and elegant while the other is fruity and colorful. They’re both so delicious, I couldn’t decide between them!

SERVES 8 TO 10

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

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cup maple sugar

2 teaspoons egg replacer (I like Ener-G)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

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teaspoon sea salt

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cup soy, rice, or nut milk

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cup fresh lemon juice

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cup safflower oil

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cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon lemon extract

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

Lemon Maple Glaze

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cup maple syrup

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cup lemon juice

2 teaspoons kuzu, diluted in a little bit of cold water

Berry Glaze

1 bag frozen berries, thawed

Maple syrup to taste

Vanilla extract to taste

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Oil the pans (you can use 3 mini loaf pans, a muffin tin, or 4 mini Bundt pans).

Combine the flours, sugar, egg replacer, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the milk with the lemon juice and set aside for a few minutes; it will look curdled. Whisk in the oil, syrup, and lemon extract. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and stir just until combined. Fold in the poppy seeds.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans, and bake for 15 to 25 minutes (mini loafs and muffins take about 15 to 18 minutes; loaf and Bundt pans take 20 to 25 minutes) or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cake completely in the pans on a baking rack.

If using the Lemon Maple Glaze, combine the syrup and lemon juice in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the diluted kuzu, and continue stirring until the glaze comes to a boil. Simmer for 1 minute. Drizzle over the cake, and serve.

If using the Berry Glaze, whiz the berries in a blender with the syrup and vanilla extract to taste. Drizzle over the cake, and serve.

Peanut Butter Pie

This is CRAZY sweet and decadent. The chocolate ganache at the center of the pie makes this recipe a healthier version of Death By Chocolate. If you’re a hazelnut nut, try using hazelnut butter instead of peanut butter. It’s a little more expensive, but very elegant and delicious

SERVES 8 TO 10

1 vegan chocolate cookie crust (Arrowhead Mills makes one)

1 (10-ounce) bag grain-sweetened, nondairy chocolate chips

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cup soy or hemp milk (do not use rice or nut milk)

1
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cups peanut butter, divided

1 (12.3-ounce) box silken tofu (firm)

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cup maple syrup

1–2 teaspoons vanilla extract to taste

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Bake the cookie crust for 4 to 5 minutes just to make it a bit crispy. Cool completely.

Melt the chocolate chips in the top of a double boiler set over simmering water. If you don’t have a double boiler, place a stainless steel bowl over boiling water and melt the ingredients in it. Whisk in the milk until combined and smooth. With a measuring cup, scoop out about
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cup of the chocolate mixture, then pour the remainder into the cookie crust. Place the cookie crust in the refrigerator to cool completely.

While the filling chills, combine 1 cup peanut butter, the tofu, syrup, and vanilla extract in a food processor or blender; process until very smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Pour the peanut butter mixture on top of the chilled chocolate filling in the cookie crust, smoothing it out over the pie as you pour, and return the filled cookie crust to the refrigerator to chill for 1 hour or until firm.

To serve, return the reserved chocolate filling to the double boiler, or stainless steel bowl, and stir in the remaining
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cup peanut butter. Stir until the chocolate and peanut butter are very well combined and very warm. If the mixture seems too thick to drizzle, add some soy milk until it is runny enough to pour. Drizzle the mixture very generously over the chilled pie, or use a small spatula to spread it smoothly over the whole pie like icing. Refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

My Favorite Cupcakes

I love cupcakes . . . is there anyone out there who doesn’t? These are light, springy, and delicious with a decadent fudgy frosting. These are best eaten right after they’re made.

MAKES 12

Cupcakes

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cup hemp or soy milk

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

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cup agave nectar

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cup safflower oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

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cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

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teaspoon baking soda

Pinch of fine sea salt

Fudge Frosting

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cup (4 ounces) Earth Balance butter