Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups gluten-free all purpose flour
• 2/3 cup turbinado sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 16 ounces fresh strawberries, washed and cored
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil or non-margarine butter substitute
• zest from 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped

Preparation

1. In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, and baking soda.
2. In a blender combine strawberries, add oil or butter substitute, lemon juice, and almond until thoroughly combined.
3. Mix the wet ingredients with the dry until thoroughly combined then fold the walnuts into the batter.
4. Pour the mixture into a  loaf pan. Bake at 325 until a golden brown crust forms on top and the batter passes the toothpick test, about 30 minutes.

Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups regular oats, divided
• 1/2 cup pecans, whole
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
• 1/4 cup ground flax seed
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons bourbon whiskey or vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup raisins

Preparation

1. In a food processor or blender combine 1 ½ cups of oats, coconut, 1/2 cup whole pecans, and ground flax seed. Blend into a uniform powder.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour you created, the all purpose flour, salt, baking soda, the remaining oats, cinnamon, and brown sugar.
3. In a small bowl combine the almond milk, vegetable oil, and bourbon.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until thoroughly until incorporated. Immediately fold in the raisins and chopped pecans then allow the cookie dough to sit until the dough is no longer sticky, about 5 minutes.
5.  Shape cookies by rolling about 2 tablespoons of dough into a ball and flattening with the palms of your hands. Bake on well greased cookie sheets until golden brown at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool before eating or storing.

Beets give these oatmeal cookies a marvelous purple-red hue!

Oatmeal Beet Cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
• 3/4 cup raw or turbinado sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup raisins
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 cup grated red beets

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Cream the butter with the sugar until smooth in consistency.
3. Mix in cinnamon, vanilla extract, and egg until incorporated.
4. Add flour, baking soda, and salt.  Mix until the flour is fully incorporated, but don’t work the dough more than that.
5. Slowly mix in the oats, raisins, walnuts, and grated beets.  Once fully incorporated the dough should be a nice purple-red in color.
6. On a non-stick or parchment-lined cookie sheet, drop tablespoons of dough separated by about 1 inch.  Flatten each ball slightly.
7. Bake for 12-13 minutes.  Transfer to a baking rack from the baking sheet after letting cool for about 2 minutes. Makes about 18 cookies.

Spiced Carrot Bread

Spring in Austin can mean unpredictable weather: one day it is a sunny margarita-sipping kind of town and the next day you could be bundled up in a sweater hiding inside from a frigid downpour.  Spiced Carrot Bread makes use of carrots, which are locally available all spring, to create a nutritious and hearty breakfast bread that will give you the energy to brave chilly, wet spring downpours.

Ingredients

• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups grated carrots
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
• 1/2 cup raisins, plumped

Preparation

1. Beat sugar, eggs, vanilla, and oil in a large bowl.
2. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.
3. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and combine thoroughly.
4. Add ginger, cinnamon, carrots, pecans, and raisins into the batter.
5. Pour batter into prepared pan.
6. Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan and place it in a preheated oven. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 60 minutes.
7. Allow to cool for about 30 minutes before slicing and serving.