Read Dharma Feast Cookbook Online
Authors: Theresa Rodgers
Dharma Feast Cookbook (44 page)
More and more people these days can’t eat dairy or processed sugar. They try many of the commercially available non-dairy “ice creams” but sometimes these don’t hit the mark. If you want something that tastes more like homemade ice cream, try this recipe that uses coconut milk and agave syrup or honey. Top it with toasted sliced almonds or chopped pecans. It’s a cool summer treat.
| S ERVES 4 | P REP TIME 45 MINUTES (WITHOUT CHILL/FREEZE TIME) |
5.3 ounces dark (73%) chocolate bar 1 cup almond milk (see 1 (13.66 ounce) can regular coconut milk (tested with Thai Kitchen), not “lite" ½ cup agave syrup or honey 1 teaspoon vanilla extract | Gently melt chocolate over double boiler. Add almond milk; whisk and heat until blended. Cool until warm. Pour mixture into blender. Add coconut milk, agave syrup or honey, and vanilla. Blend. Chill for at least an hour, or until mixture is cold. Freeze in ice cream freezer according to manufacturer’s instructions. Spoon into another container, cover, and freeze for at least an hour before serving. |
| D ARK C HOCOLATE C HIP C OOKIES (G LUTEN -F REE ) |  |
Most everyone loves chocolate chip cookies! We were celebrating with some of our closest family and friends and we wanted to serve one cookie that would meet everyone’s special needs. It couldn’t contain wheat flour, processed sugar, or eggs so we came up with this recipe and it was a hit. It can also be dairy-free by substituting grapeseed oil for butter. They are best baked the day they are served.
| M AKES A PPROXIMATELY 20 C OOKIES | P REP TIME 35 MINUTES (WITHOUT BAKING TIME) |
2¼ cups blanched almond flour (see Note below) ½ cup brown rice flour ¼ teaspoon sea salt ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ cup melted butter 1 tablespoon vanilla extract ½ cup raw honey or agave syrup 4 ounces (2/3 cup) high-quality vegan/gluten-free dark chocolate chips | Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Stir together wet ingredients in a smaller bowl. Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Form into 1-inch balls and press onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Press tops of balls to flatten. Bake at 350°F for 8–12 minutes, until golden brown. Cool before removing from pan. Note |
| C HERRY -P ECAN -O ATMEAL C OOKIES | |
This is a versatile cookie recipe. Use dried cherries, raisins, or another chopped dried fruit. Substitute walnuts for the pecans or omit them. Or add dark chocolate chips. They can be made gluten-free by using brown rice flour and gluten-free oats (make sure your other ingredients are gluten-free). They are delicious as a dessert or with a cup of tea.
| M AKES 24 | P REP TIME 45 MINUTES (WITHOUT BAKING TIME) |
2 cups rolled oats (use gluten-free oats, if needed) ½ cup unbleached almond flour ½ cup brown rice flour or whole wheat pastry flour ¾ cup shredded unsweetened coconut 1 tablespoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon sea salt ¾ cup Grade B maple syrup ½ cup grapeseed oil 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup chopped pecans 1 cup dried tart cherries | Combine oats, almond flour, rice flour, coconut, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, combine maple syrup, grapeseed oil, and vanilla. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir to combine. Fold in pecans and cherries. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Form into 1-inch balls and press onto a baking sheet. Press tops of balls to flatten. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes or until lightly browned on top. Variations Reduce dried tart cherries to ½ cup and add ½ cup vegan chocolate chips, or omit dried cherries and add 1 cup raisins, or omit dried cherries and add 1 cup vegan chocolate chips. |
| P ECAN C OOKIES (G LUTEN -F REE ) | |
This cookie resembles a shortbread cookie but it’s gluten-free. We love blanched almond flour because it is made from almonds—and only almonds. It’s high in protein and low in carbohydrates. It may be hard to find in your area, but you can order it online and keep it in the freezer so that you’ll have it on hand. This cookie can be sweetened with honey, agave syrup, or, for a slightly different twist, maple syrup. It’s worth the extra effort to toast the pecans.
| M AKES ABOUT 2 DOZEN COOKIES | P REP TIME 45 MINUTES (WITHOUT BAKING TIME) |
2½ cups blanched almond flour ½ teaspoon sea salt ¼ teaspoon baking soda 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted 1/3 cup agave syrup, honey, or Grade B maple syrup ½ cup unsalted butter, melted 1 tablespoon vanilla extract | Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, combine almond flour, salt, and baking soda. In a small bowl, combine agave, butter, and vanilla. Add to flour mixture; mix well. Add pecans; mix. Let dough rest for a few minutes. Using a small scoop (about ½ tablespoons), place mounds of dough on baking sheets lined with parchment paper about 2 inches apart. Lightly flatten tops of dough. Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool before removing from baking sheet. Best served the day they are baked. |
| O ATMEAL -D ATE C OOKIES (G LUTEN -F REE ) | |
This is a great cookie. It’s gluten-free but delicious enough to serve to cookie lovers everywhere. The dates are a wonderful addition; they add texture and sweetness. If you don’t need gluten-free cookies, use regular old-fashioned rolled oats; they’re cheaper.
This recipe calls for xanthan gum, which is derived from corn sugar. This white powder looks a lot like baking powder and is used in similar amounts. Invaluable in gluten-free baking, it provides elasticity and helps to prevent dryness and crumbling. It can be found in natural food stores.
Almond flour is also often used in gluten-free baking and is available at health food stores. It is good to keep these ingredients at hand, since many gluten-free baking recipes call for them.
| M AKES ABOUT 40 COOKIES | P REP TIME 55 MINUTES (WITHOUT BAKING TIME) |
2 cups blanched almond flour ½ teaspoon xanthan gum ¾ teaspoon sea salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 3 cups gluten-free old-fashioned rolled oats 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 1 cup agave syrup 2 large eggs 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract 8 large Medjool dates, chopped 1 cup toasted pecans, chopped (optional) | Preheat oven to 350°F Combine almond flour, xanthan gum, sea salt, baking soda, and oats in a medium bowl. Set aside. Beat together butter and agave syrup until combined and creamy. Add eggs, one at time, beating to combine after each addition. Add vanilla. Add oat mixture; stir to combine. Add dates and pecans, if using; stir to combine. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a medium-size cookie scoop or 2 tablespoons, drop mounds of dough onto sheet pans. Flatten slightly with damp fingers. Bake for 11–14 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool for 5 minutes or until cookies hold shape when removing with a spatula. Cool completely. Store in an airtight container. |
| C ARDAMOM S HORTBREAD C OOKIES (G LUTEN -F REE ) | |