1 3/4 cups whole-wheat flour or 2 cups unbleached flour
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1 tsp each: baking powder and baking soda
zest of 1 lemon, finely chopped
1 cup lightly toasted, chopped pecans (see tip on p.31)
1/2 cup butter or coconut oil
1 cup organic sugar
2 lg eggs, beaten or 1/2 cup silken tofu
juice 1 lemon
1/2 Tbs vanilla extract
3/4 cup dried cranberries or sour cherries

Preheat oven to 350º. Combine dry ingredients, including lemon zest and pecans in a large mixing bowl. Set aside. In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar together, blend in eggs or tofu. (Hint: If using tofu, blend in with a hand blender.) Mix in lemon juice and vanilla. Combine the wet and dry ingredients, adding enough flour for very stiff dough, if necessary. Stir in cranberries.

Divide dough in half and roll into 14-inch logs. Place on an ungreased baking sheet, flatten log top and bake for about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely before slicing. Allow at least 1/2 hour between the first and second baking.

Preheat oven to 325º. When biscotti is cool, slice 1/2 inch thick pieces on the diagonal at approximately a 45º angle. Lay flat on a baking sheet or pizza screen. Bake for 25 minutes, until lightly browned. If using a baking sheet, turn halfway through baking to insure even browning.

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Gingerbread
Vegetarian with Vegan option

NO DAIRY OR PEANUTS
Serves 9

This gingerbread is so good, you’ll think Grandma made it, but without all that sugar! If you want to reduce the fat in this recipe, decrease the eggs to 1, and use 1 tbs. ground flax seeds mixed together in 3 tbs. water. You can also use EnerG Foods egg replacer. This bread keeps well at room temperature, but will last longer if you keep it in an airtight container.

1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, finely chopped
1/2 cup agave nectar or fruit sweetener
1/4 cup canola oil
2 lg eggs or egg replacer
1 tsp vanilla
11/2 cups sorghum flour or brown rice flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ginger
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
1/8 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp orange rind
1 cup unsweetened applesauce

In a large mixing bowl, combine the agave nectar and oil. Beat on high speed until thoroughly blended. You can use fruit sweetener if you prefer, but I really like the agave nectar in this recipe. After you have mixed the oil and sweetener, add in the eggs, one at a time. Be sure to beat well between eggs. Add in the orange rind and vanilla and continue to blend together. Set aside.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees, spray a 9”x 9” inch square pan with a non stick spray and prepare the dry ingredients.

Sift together the dry ingredients and add the nuts.

Now, add some of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, a little at a time, blending well. Add in ¼ cup of the applesauce, blend, then add in more flour. Continue this process until you have added all of the ingredients.

Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the gingerbread is done. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick, or touching lightly on the center. If it leaves an indent, the ginger bread is not done. If it springs back, move to a cooling rack.

This gingerbread freezes well.

This recipe takes about 10 minutes to prepare, and about 20 minutes to bake.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS PER SERVING
268.56 calories; 12.13g fat (39% calories from fat); 3.82 g protein; 39.10 carbohydrate; 54.52 mg cholesterol; 342.08 mg sodium

Recipes submitted by Susan O’Brien, author of Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free Cooking: Over 200 Delicious Recipes to Help You Live a Healthier, Allergy-Free Life.

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1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat pastry or barley flour
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup rapadura or organic sugar
1/2 Tbs baking powder
1/2 cup melted coconut or light sesame oil
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 Tbs vanilla extract
1/2 cup toasted, chopped walnuts or pecans (see tip below)
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (small bits)

Preheat oven to 375º. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients, mixing well to make sure there are no small lumps. Set aside. In another bowl, combine coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla. Stir wet ingredients into flour mixture. Blend in walnuts and dried fruit.

Scoop up a teaspoon of the dough and form into a ball. (Hint: if the dough sticks to your hands, oil your hands a bit before rolling the cookies.) It should be about the size of a large marble. Place the dough on the baking sheet and when the sheet is full, flatten cookies with the bottom of a glass or your hand. (Hint: oil the glass bottom so it won’t stick to the dough.) Bake for 12 to 16 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool slightly on baking sheet before removing to a cooling rack. Cookies become crisp as they cool.

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Best Pie Crust
Vegan

After much experimenting, this recipe for pie crust yielded the best tasting crust that taste testers loved. It is easy, uses three flours and EARTH BALANCE * spread, plus water for delicious cholesterol and trans fat free crusts. Recipe yields two nine inch crusts.  Some recipes call for partially baking the crust before adding fillings. See each particular recipe for instructions. BOB’S RED MILL organic, stone ground flours are used and are available at Marlene’s Market & Deli.

1 cup whole spelt flour
1 cup oat flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1 Tbs evaporated cane juice crystals
2/3 cup EARTH BALANCE * spread – softened to room temperature
1/3 cup water

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Have two 9 inch pie pans ready, or use three 8 inch pans, and set pans aside. In 2 quart mixing bowl combine the flours and crystals and whisk to blend. Add the softened spread and work into the flours using your hand or fork until mixture has the appearance of pea size lumps. Add the water and work with your hand until mixture forms a soft ball. Press into pie pans starting with sides and then onto bottom. Use tamper tool or heavy, flat bottomed glass lightly dusted with flour to smooth and flatten the bottom of crust. Or roll out between wax paper to 1/8 thick, peel off top paper and lift bottom wax paper and invert into pie pan. Flute edge by building low ridge of dough just inside rim of pan that will stand about a half inch high. Place thumb and first finger of left hand gently inside ridge. Then using index finger of right hand, gently push from outside ridge to between these two fingers to form a “V” and continue fluting on around entire edge.

Prick entire bottom of each crust using fork tines. Pie weights are not required. Bake at 400° for approximately 15 minutes. Watch carefully. Remove crusts from oven, cool and add filling of choice. Oven temperatures can vary greatly

NOTE
Be sure to see a particular recipe for instructions on how to prepare the pie crusts before baking, such as for apple pie, quiche, key lime or cream pies. To freeze pie crusts, triple wrap cooled baked crusts airtight before placing into freezer.

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Lemon Shortbread Style Cookie with Variations
Vegan

Using pure oil of lemon gives these crispy cookies a delightful tang. Try this one bowl quick and easy recipe to mix and bake that is cholesterol free, trans-fat free with no egg or dairy. The oil is available at Marlene’s Market & Deli.

1 cup unbleached flour
1/4 cup almond meal
1/3 cup evaporated cane juice crystals
1/2 cup Earth Balance * spread softened
1 tsp pure lemon oil

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Have a 9 inch square pan ready. DO NOT oil. Set aside. In 2 quart bowl, place flour, almond meal and crystals whisking to blend. Add softened spread and lemon oil. Mix by hand until batter begins to stick together. It will be slightly crumbly.

Scrape this crumbly mixture into pan and pat evenly using a tamper tool or heavy bottomed glass to pack the dough. Cut into 24 equal squares before baking. Bake 30 minutes. Remove from oven and insert knife into each cut to be sure they are all separated. Cool in pan, and then move cookies to cooling rack or paper towel. Pack cool cookies in airtight container. After two days, store any leftovers in refrigerator for best freshness. For crispier cookies, turn off oven and leave in for several hours.
Yield – 24 squares

Variations
1) Using the above recipe, eliminate the lemon oil and replace with 2 teaspoons of vanilla. Before scoring the cookies, sprinkle 1/2 cup of finely chopped dry toasted almonds over the dough, pressing gently into the cookies, and then cut into squares. Bake as above.
2) Using the above recipe, replace the almond meal with brown rice flour, use 2 teaspoons of vanilla in place of the lemon oil and add 1/2 cup of finely chopped dry toasted pecans to mix.  Follow remainder of recipe.

Recipes reprinted with permission of the author, of COOKING HEALTHIER WITH THE HEALTHY COOK, Helen Taylor Smith.

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Spicy Ginger Crisp
Vegetarian with Vegan option

Serves: 4
Preheat oven to 375°
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Prep Time: 15 minutes

4 medium pears (1/4 inch slices)
1 Tbs grated fresh ginger root
1 1/2 cup oatmeal
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup softened butter (or Earth Balance shortening)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
4 Tbs ground flax seed (optional)

Combine diced pears and ginger in a 9 inch round or oval baking dish. In a medium bowl combine the oatmeal, brown sugar, cinnamon, butter and nuts and mix until well blended. Place the oatmeal mixture over the fruit and place in preheated oven for approximately 30 minutes. Fruit in center should be soft to determine if completely cooked. To add essential fats and more fiber, sprinkle the flax seed over the baked crisp before serving. Come in out of the cold to this warming ginger crisp!

This recipe was submitted by Anna Colombini, ND.

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These biscuits are low fat, cholesterol free and can be dairy-free. The use of homemade “cake” flour makes them light and delicate; perfect for any fruit shortcake. Low fat buttermilk produces the best flavor, or use fat free milk, rice milk or soy milk.

How to make the “cake” flour: Combine 2 cups unbleached organic white flour and 1/4 cup of cornstarch and sift three times. Store the contents in an airtight bag. Keep refrigerated until ready to use. All recipe ingredients are available at Marlene’s.

2 cups “cake” flour
1 Tbs RUMFORD aluminum free baking powder
3 Tbs evaporated cane juice crystals
1/3 cup canola oil
1 cup milk of choice (can use soy or almond milk)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly spray 9 inch square baking pan with vegetable oil. Set aside. In 2 quart mixing bowl whisk flour, baking powder and crystals blending thoroughly together. If sifting desired, measure BEFORE sifting. In 2 cup bowl blend oil and milk together and pour into dry mix. Stir batter with large spoon until mixture becomes too thick to stir. Turn dough out onto lightly floured board and knead by hand about 10 turns using small amount of additional flour if needed. Dough should be slightly sticky. Pat out to about 1-1/2 inches thick and using a 2-1/2 inch cutter press straight down and lift out cutter without twisting. Pat remaining dough out and continue cutting. Place into prepared pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until light golden brown. Watch bottoms do not get too dark. Serve warm with berries of choice or cool and wrap in airtight container until ready to serve.
Yield – 9 biscuits

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