Here’s my adaptation: MOLASSES COOKIES

1 c sugar (I used 1/2 brown, half white)
1/2 c canola oil
1/4 c apple sauce
1/4 c molasses (I used blackstrap)
3 T egg replacer powder (equiv. to 2-3 eggs)
2 1/4 c flour (I used 2 c white and 1/4 c whole wheat)
2 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
1 t ground ginger (dry)
1/2 t cloves (I would cut back to 1/4 t cloves next time)
1/4 t salt
3 T sugar (for rolling)

Combine sugar, oil, molasses, egg replacer with a mixer on medium until well combines. Stir in all bit sugar (for rolling). Rest the dough in the fridge about 30 minutes if you can (it was VERY sticky and soft, and the bit of time in the fridge made it easier to handle). Roll into tablespoon sized balls, roll in sugar. Place fairly far apart of baking sheet (they will spread), bake 10-12 minutes at 325F. Cool a minute or two on cookie sheet before placing on cooling racks. Enjoy!  

RASPBERRY THUMBPRINT COOKIES

1/2 c margarine or butter

1/4 c packed brown sugar

1/4 c white sugar

1 tsp vanilla

3 Tbsp milk (we use unsweetened almond milk)

1 1/3 c white flour (we use unbleached)

1/4 c cornstarch

1/4 c mini chocolate chips (semi-sweet)

3 Tbsp sugar (we like ‘sugar in the raw’)

raspberry jam (or pomegranate jelly when you run out of jam!) to fill thumbprints

Preheat oven to 375F. Cream margarine, sugars and vanilla until fluffy. Stir in milk, flour and cornstarch. Mix in chocolate chips. Place the 3 Tbsp sugar in a separate small bowl. Roll dough into small balls (a bit smaller than a golf ball) with your hands, then roll around in sugar to coat, and place on cookie sheet. Make an indentation with your thumb; fill with jam. Bake 13 minutes.

Here’s the boys doing the rolling and sugaring (I pinched off appropriately sized blobs of dough and put them on the counter for them):

Now, to make the thumbprints (other digits work too!):

And finally, hamming it up while enjoying the fruits of our labours. You should have seen them AFTER the sugar rush!

We don’t make these cookies often, as they have pretty much no nutritional value whatsoever, but they were a nice way to mark our “just Mom and the boys” week we just had with Jim away at a conference in Redmond (Seattle). They are good at Christmas or Thanksgiving as well.

BROCCOLI TOFU STIR FRY

1 12-ounce package firm or extra-firm tofu (NOT silken or Mori-Nu), cut into small dice

fresh ginger and garlic

oil for sauteing (we use olive)

1-2 heads of broccoli, cut into bite-sized florets

1 red pepper, cut in small strips

other veggies of choice: we often throw in some cauliflower (we have one child who loves broccoli, and one who loves cauliflower), carrots, snap or snow peas, etc.

The sauce:

1 cup stock

2-3 Tbsp tamari or soy sauce

1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil

1 Tbsp sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp hot sauce (optional)

Fry tofu cubes in oil in a wok with minced ginger and garlic over medium-high heat until tofu is golden on several sides. Meanwhile, prep your veggies. Add hardest veggies first (carrots, cauliflower) once tofu is golden, medium (broccoli) after a few minutes and soft (snap peas, pepper) again after a few more minutes—add occasional splashes of water to the wok to help veggies steam and cook. Meanwhile, make your sauce by combining all ingredients save cornstarch, then mixing in cornstarch by first combining it with a bit of water. When the veggies are done to your liking—it does NOT cook more when the sauce is on—stir the sauce once more to mix up the cornstarch, then pour over stir fry and stir constantly over heat, getting everything coated and allowing the sauce to thicken (this should happen VERY quickly, 1 or 2 minutes, tops). Serve immediately over rice.

Warm date squares are even crumblier than usual. Didn’t slow the boys down, though.

This is what now remains of the squares:

Here’s the recipe. Don’t leave out the grated apple!

Aunt Wendy’s Date Squares / Matrimonial Cake

Filling:

1 package pitted dates (ours was 375g; about 13 ounces)

1 peeled and grated apple

splash of lemon or orange juice

about 1 cup water (more may be needed)

Combine all in a pot and boil, then simmer til cooked, thick and soft. Keep stirring fairly often so it doesn’t burn. Add extra water as needed. Set aside.

Crust and Topping:

1 1/4 cups rolled oats

1 cup flour (we used 3/4 c white and 1/4 c whole wheat)

1/2 cup brown sugar

pinch of salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup margarine or butter

Combine dry, then cut in margarine/butter until crumbly (using pastry cutter, forks, or your hands). Place about 2/3 of the crumb mix on bottom of a greased 9×9 pan (we used an 8×11 pan). Spread date mixture on top, then sprinkle rest of crumb mixture over. Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes. Wail until cool (or not!) then slice and enjoy!

Fluffy Pancakes

3/4 c. milk (we use almond)

2 Tbsp white vinegar

1 3/4 c unbleached (white) flour

1/4 c whole wheat flour

2 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 Tbsp powdered egg replacer, like Ener-G egg replacer (or 1 egg)

2 Tbsp canola oil

Mix milk and vinegar, set aside. Combine dry. Add soured milk. Whisk as briefly as possible (just until lumps are gone). Cook as usual for pancakes, about 1/4-1/2 cup scoops, on your grill.