Another One For the Cookie Jar

Clara and I made these today.

It's a little like a granola bar, a little like a cookie.

Perfect for taking along on the little bus ride excursion we're going on this afternoon. They'll be filling enough to get us through to dinner.

A little note: the batter is very chunky and will look weird for a cookie dough...just hang in there, when they bake they'll hold together fine.

Oatmeal Granola Bar Cookies

(Moosewood Cooking For Health Cookbook)

2 Tbsp butter, room temp

2 Tbsp Olive oil

1/3 C brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 large egg

1/2 C spelt flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 C Rolled Oats (not instant or quick)

1/2 C chocolate chips

1/2 C golden raisins (craisins, dried blueberries, or apricots), chopped

1/2 C walnuts (pecans or cashews), chopped

In the bowl of an electric mixer or with a whisk, beat together butter, oil and sugar. Bean in vanilla and eggs. Sift in flour, soda and salt. Mix until well combined.

Stir in oats, chocolate chips, raisins and nuts.

Batter will be chunky.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or grease with oil. Drop batter by tablespoonful. You will probably need to use your fingers to clump the dough together. Press down lightly with a wet fork.

Bake at 350* for 10mins or until the edges are golden brown. Do not overbake.

Cool and eat with a glass of cold milk.

Make Loaf, Not War

This is a fantastic loaf. We have made and eaten a lot of this lately. Jim usually grabs a few slices on his way out the door in the early morning. Eat it for dessert or with afternoon tea, it's everything one could hope for in a loaf, thus the name Everything Loaf. Another Joy the Baker gem, it is slightly sweet, and very moist. The combination of pecans, walnuts, pumpkin, spices, apple and cranberries is wonderful and wintery.

I love that this recipe makes two loaves so I can have one out for eating and one in the freezer. You could easily omit the nuts, if anyone is allergic to them or swap out dried for fresh cranberries.

Vegan Pumpkin Cranberry Apple Pecan Bread

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

2 cups light brown sugar, packed

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree, (2 Cups)

1 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup maple syrup or honey

1/3 cup buttermilk

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts plus 8 pecan halves for the top

1 heaping cup fresh or 1/2 C dried cranberries

1 medium Granny Smith apple, peeled and cored and cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 350, grease 2 loaf pans.

In a large bowl mix together dry ingredients. In a 8 cup measuring cup (or med bowl) mix pumpkin, oil, maple and water.

Add wet to dry and told together with a rubber spatula.

Fold in nuts, cranberries and apple.

Divide between the 2 pans and line the top with pecan slices. (Sprinkle a little sugar and cinnamon on the top now if you want.)

Cook for 1- 1 1 /4 hours, until tester comes out clean.