Chewy Oatmeal Cookies

1/2 cup sucanut
1/4 cup agave nectar
1 cup coconut milk (I used the real milk from a can)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon aluminum free baking powder
1 1/2 cup quick oats
3/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup sliced almonds or chopped walnuts (optional)
1 cup diced fruit such as peaches, apples, pears, crushed pineapple, mangos, or persimmons

1. Combine succanat, agave nectar, and coconut milk in a mixing bowl, stirring until creamy Add flour, salt and baking powder and stir just until mixed. Add remaining ingredients, folding in the fresh fruit last.

2. Scoop onto a cookie sheet with a spoon or small ice-cream scoop. The mix should be soft, but firm enough to stay in small mounds, Flatten slightly with a fork or rubber spatula (dip in water to avoid sticking).

3. Bake for about 15 minutes at 350* F, or until lightly browned on top and bottom.

Makes about 24 cookies.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp with Cashew Cream

I could eat this often with Cashew Cream on Top. It's not to sweet and the orange zest gives it a punch of flavor...

Topping
1/2 C brown rice flour (any whole grain flour is fine)
1/4 C Sucanat*
1/2 C rolled oats
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 C finely chopped walnuts or pecans
1 TB freshly orange zest
4 tablespoons Earth Balance, melted
¼ C fresh squeezed orange juice

Filling
1 pound rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
1 C fresh organic strawberries, sliced
3 TB agave nectar or honey
2 tsp. brown rice flour
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Mix all topping ingredients – except orange juice – in a medium bowl or food processor until mixture begins to clump together. Add juice as needed.
2. Preheat oven to 400°. Combine all filling ingredients in a large bowl and toss well to coat. Transfer to an 8×8-inch glass or ceramic baking dish.
3. Crumble topping evenly over fruit. Bake until fruit is tender when pierced with a fork and topping is crisp, 30–35 minutes. At 20 minutes, cover with foil if necessary to keep topping from overbrowning. Cool 20 minutes before serving.

Cashew Cream

1 cup cashews

1/4 cup water

1 Tablespoon Maple Syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Blend together in a high powered blender. Great with apple or pumpkin pie or any cobbler or crisp.

BBQ Sauce

Adapted from Rachel Ray...

1 tablespoons EVOO - Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
2 cups fresh pineapple, chopped
3 tablespoons succanut
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup tamari (dark soy sauce)
1 cup prepared tomato sauce (use a plain variety instead of one with a lot of add-ins)
3 to 4 scallions, thinly sliced

Place a medium skillet over medium-high heat with 1 turn of the pan of EVOO, about 1 tablespoon. Add in the onion and pineapple, and cook until the onion begins to get tender, 4-5 minutes. Add in the succanut, vinegar, tamari and tomato sauce. Simmer your homemade BBQ sauce for a couple of minutes to thicken it up and season it with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

To serve, stir the sliced scallions into the brown rice and put some on each plate. This could be good with some type of meat substitute.

Raw Strawberry Pie

I found this somewhere in cyberspace, so I don't remember who the credit goes to, but THANK YOU! This pie is delish. I could eat the filling as a whipped cream any day...

Ingredients:

Crust:
2 cups almonds or pecans
1/2-1 tablespoon coconut oil
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
4-5 medjool dates, pitted
pinch of sea salt

Filling:
2 cups cashews soaked 1-2 hours
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup agave
3/4 cup fresh strawberries
3/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Topping:
1-2 cups sliced strawberries

Preparation:

Crust:
Place almonds or pecans in food processor and process with the S blade until crumbled. Add coconut oil, sea salt and vanilla and pulse a couple of times. Add the dates last, one at a time and pulse until the crust holds together when you squeeze it between your fingertips. If the crust does not hold, add more dates (again one at a time). Press into oiled (with coconut oil) tart or pie pan. Chill in Freezer for 30 minutes before adding filling.

Rice, Black Beans and Corn Salad

All ingredients are approximate:

Mix the following in a bowl:
Rice (brown or white), 2 cups cooked -
it is best one day old so it is firm, but I usually warm it in a pan before I toss it together with the other ingredients so it isn't so chewy
Black Beans, 1 can drained and rinsed well
Corn, 1 can drained and rinsed well OR two cups fresh or frozen
Avocado, 1 diced (or more)
Red Onion - Maybe 1/8 - 1/4 cup - just eyeball it, some onions are much stronger than others and less is needed
Garlic Salt - I sprinkle a little in, but usually just put it on the table so others can add their own

Put the following on the side for people to add as they wish:
Tomato
Romaine Lettuce
Cilantro
Tortilla Chips OR tortillas to make burritos

Salsa is good too...