Vegan Cookies

On the IPOD "More Than Anyone" by: Gavin DeGraw

Well the "letting it go" idea of last week is not exactly going as planned...This morning I actually thought to myself, "I'm so sick of this, just shoot me up with a baby and call it a day!" Just kidding...kind of. When I called my doctor to explain my thought process, He reassured me that we were making progress and that I need to be patient...really has he met me, patient is not in my vocabulary! Oh well, I guess that is why he is the doctor and I went to culinary school.

I made my first batch of vegan cookies using one of Alicia Silverstone's recipes. They were pretty amazing. Here is the recipe with the changes I made: P.S. My friend Lauren is going to help me exchange some of the oil for applesauce to lower the fat. I will post that exchange as a comment as soon as I hear from her...

Oatmeal, Walnut and Dried Plum (I used Cherries) Cookies

Makes 12 (mine made 36 half sized cookies)

1 cup quick cooking rolled oats
3/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour (I used whole wheat pastry flour)
1/3 cup maple sugar (I used organic cane juice sugar, maple sugar was $12)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup safflower oil
1 teaspoon good vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon molasses
1/4 cup chopped dried plums (1/3 cup chopped dried cherries)
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts ( 1/3 cup chopped walnuts)

Preheat oven to 350* Line baking sheet with parchment paper

Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a separate bowl combine the wet ingredients. Add the wet to the dry and stir to combine. Fold in fruit and nuts.

Roll tablespoon size (I did 1/2 T sized) balls of dough. Place balls on cookie sheet and press down slightly to flatten the tops. Bake for 8-12 minutes (shorten time for smaller cookies) or until lightly browned (for chewy) or browned (or crispy). Transfer cookies (once easily removeable don't rip them off the pan ;) ! ) and then cool completely on a wire rack.

I am a lyric kind of girl! I love music, but there is nothing truly better than hearing what you feel inside as words to a beautiful melody. The song choice today includes lyrics that I wrote to my husband years ago at a turning point in our relationship. It brings back such raw emotions, but to this day it still completely holds true...

"Look in my eyes, what do you see?
Not just the color
Look inside of me
Tell me all you need and I will try
I will try
I'm going to love you more than anyone
I'm going to hold you closer than before
And when I kiss your soul, your body'll be free
I'll be free for you anytime
I'm going to love you more than anyone"

xoxo chef a