Maple Molasses Chocolate Cookies

A unique cookie for when you’re looking for something just a little different. These cookies have a wonderful and complex flavor that’s sure to please adults as well as little ones. They’re chewy and slightly crispy around the edges but soft on the inside.

I feel like molasses is underrated. Way underrated. It's a mostly un-refined, nutrient-rich sweetener that boasts big flavor. What's not to love? I've been trying to work it into my diet to replace regular white sugar when possible, especially since it's contains a good dose of iron and magnesium. 

Regular molasses cookies are pretty commonplace, but I wanted something with a little more va-voom. Maple and molasses are such a comforting combination, offering sweet and earthy notes and conjuring memories of beloved holidays (can you tell I'm excited about winter?). However, I pretty much always want chocolate, so I thought oh what the heck, I'm going for it. All in. I figured the maple/molasses/chocolate combination was awful or overwhelming, then lesson learned. As Sarah Addison Allen writes... happiness takes risks. This risk paid off. Oh my goodness... these cookies are a new staple and definitely make me happy. They are so flavorful and rich with a fresh and unique flavor combination that is an utter delight. 

I hope you like them as much as we did! It's been rainy all week up here in Alaska and these fill the house with the most scrumptious aroma that feels like a big, warm hug.

Maple Molasses Chocolate Cookies

By Kathleen Henry @ Produce On Parade

Published 07/27/2016

A unique cookie for when you’re looking for something just a little different. These cookies have a wonderful and complex flavor that’s sure to please adults as well as little ones. They’re chewy and slightly crispy around the edges but soft on the inside.

Ingredients

• 1 cup vegan stick butter, room temperature
• 1 ¼ cup vegan granulated sugar
• ¼ cup molasses
• ¼ cup + 2 tbsp aquafaba (liquid from one can of chickpeas)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp maple extract
• 2 ¼ cup all purpose-flour
• ¼ cup + 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp instant coffee, dry (optional)
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• ¾ tsp baking soda

Instructions

1. In an electric mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugar, and molasses together with the beater attachment on medium speed until well combined.
2. Reduce the speed to low and beat in the aquafaba, and vanilla and maple extracts. Increase speed to medium; beat until somewhat light and fluffy.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients. Slowly add to the butter mixture on low speed until just combined.
4. Allow to rest in the fridge at least while the oven preheats. Preheat oven to 325°F. On a greased cookie sheet, place slightly smaller than golf-ball sized cookies a few inches apart and bake on the middle rack for about 12-15 minutes. Allow to rest a couple minutes on the pan before transferring to a wire cooling rack. Repeat with remaining dough. Cool, then store in an airtight container.

Yield: 40

I shared this recipe in The Food Journal by Brighthouse. It's not exclusively vegan but offers a lot of wonderful recipes! Click here to see the entire journal and download it for free!

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I noticed 'molasses' is spelled 'mollasses' in the book... I'm wondering if it is a spelling error or just chiefly british? #grammarpolice #weareallhumanthough

Chickpea & Chard Stew

A quick and easy flavorful stew that’s as healthy as it is tasty. Full of protein and fiber, this hearty stew will fill you up and keep you satisfied. It’s a staple in our house!

Whew! I've been gone for a short while, huh? Sorry 'bout that. Part of my absence was due to our destruction/recreation of the study. More specifically putting in a wall to wall desk! Thus, my computer found itself unplugged and stuffed into the corner on vacation for at last a week while we worked. Check out my social media (links in the right sidebar), where I plan to post a photo of the awesome new desk. I posted some photos of our kitchen last week!

Also, the site had been down for a few days and I had to sort out what had made it crash. Turned out it was some snippet of code in my sidebar. That's why you might not have been able to access the site last week. Being the no-nonsense lady that I am I just straight up and whacked the entire sidebar rather than pick through the code. Oh well, at least it's back up!

Still, I'd be exaggerating to say that my neglect of this little space was all to do with the update of the study and the site being down. Most of it was that I was just into some really great books and that I spent most of my free time reading. My free time is pretty limited these days. Anytime spent not working on things for the house (organizing stuff from moving, updating the study, installing a water filter [thanks, Dad!], creating a guest room, spreading topsoil for the lawn, digging large rocks out of the driveway... the list is never-ending) is coveted. It doesn't leave a lot of room for cooking and honestly I've been kind of too pooped to cook. Fresh fruit has overtaken my life as my main source of nutrition these days. It could be worse I suppose. We'll also be having about one month straight of guests, so you may hear less from me than even now!

“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”

— Confucius

When I have cooked, it's mostly been sweets (brownies and cinnamon rolls, predominantly) and soups. Who knows. Stress does weird things to people. I finally dug out the camera that was buried in the mess of the study to snap some photos of this wonderful stew though. Yay! Gold star for me for actually doing something productive here! I have made this stew countless times and I really enjoy the flavor. It's always those staple recipes that I neglect to share! They are arguably the most important too. I'll be better about sharing my staples, promise. In the meantime I'm just taking smarts from good ol' Confucius here...

Chickpea & Chard Stew

By Kathleen Henry @ Produce On Parade

Published 07/13/2016

A quick and easy flavorful stew that’s as healthy as it is tasty. Full of protein and fiber, this hearty stew will fill you up and keep you satisfied. It’s a staple in our house! NOTES: More water can be added to any leftovers, if desired, as the pasta will absorb some of the liquid while sitting.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 2 15 oz. cans of diced tomatoes, liquid included
• 2 15 oz. cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• ½-1 cup water
• 1 cup pasta of choice
• 1 bunch of chard, de-stemmed and chopped (or spinach)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions

1. In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion and garlic; saute for about 3 minutes until the onion is tender. Add the cumin, ginger, and salt; saute for an additional minute or two until the garlic is fragrant.
2. Stir in the tomatoes, chickpeas, and water. Bring to a boil over high heat then stir in the pasta. Reduce to a gentle boil and cook for about 9 minutes, until the pasta is al dente.
3. Remove from heat and stir in the chard, to wilt. Before serving, stir in the lemon juice and cilantro. Serve hot.

Yield: 6

Miso Pasta with Summer Squash

This creamy, miso-flavored pasta pairs perfectly with tender summer squash with notes of garlic, thyme, and cheese. Dinner is done in the time it takes to boil the noodles.

Miso: more than just soup. I don't know about you, but I put miso in errrything. Salty, umami, earthy, probioticy (it's a word now!)... miso's got all the goodness going on. I prefer the dark or red miso as I find it to be the most flavorful. However, if you're new to miso try the mellower yellow one. Once you start putting it in dishes and sauces, you'll never stop. It's a great alternative to salt, anchovies, parmesan, or feta flavors.

Did you know miso makes a wonderful pasta sauce as well? Oh yes, my friends. This is a super quick and easy weeknight meal that everyone will love and even sneaks in veggies too (like all that squash from the garden). I hope you'll love it as much as Todd and I did; it'll be a new staple in our house for sure!

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”

— Barack Obama

Miso Pasta with Summer Squash

By Kathleen Henry @ Produce On Parade

Published 06/17/2016

This creamy, miso-flavored pasta pairs perfectly with tender summer squash with notes of garlic, thyme, and cheese. Dinner is done in the time it takes to boil the noodles!

Ingredients

• 1 lb spaghetti, dry
• 3 tbsp vegan stick butter
• 3 medium summer squash or zucchini, quartered and sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tbsp red miso paste
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp vegan worcheshire sauce (check the store-brand)
• 1 tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp dried thyme
• 2 tbsp large-flake nutritional yeast

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta. Cook according to package, until al dente. Before draining reserve ⅓ cup of the pasta water and set aside. Drain the pasta and return to pot.
2. While the pasta cooks, melt the butter over medium heat in a large soup pot. Add the squash and saute for 5 minutes before adding garlic; saute an additional 10 minutes until the garlic is fragrant and the squash is just tender but not overcooked. Remove from heat.
3. In a small bowl whisk together the miso through the thyme. Add the cooked noodles to the sauteed squash and stir in the sauce and reserved pasta water until well coated. Stir in the nutritional yeast and serve hot.

Yield: 6

Yum