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Healthy Vegan Cookies PDF
Healthy Vegan Cookies PDF
healthy vegan
COOKIES
Heather Nicholds
www.HealthyVeganRecipes.net
freshly served
healthy vegan
COOKIES
Heather Nicholds
“Freshly Served Healthy Vegan Cookies”
© 2010 by Heather Nicholds
Published in Canada by
Second Star Press
info@secondstarpress.com
Printed in Canada
www.HealthyVeganRecipes.net
About Heather
Heather trained to be a commercial pilot before realizing
that her ultimate desire was to make a positive difference
in the world, and this occupation wasn’t going to cut it.
She tried a of couple things before dreaming up Freshly
Served.
Heather teaches people how to make a vegan diet both incredibly healthy and supremely
delicious. With Freshly Served, she does this through her daily dinner recipe on video,
written blog on holistic health and nutrition and her more comprehensive information
products. All of these combine to empower you to make healthy vegan meals, partially
by following well-designed recipes, but also learning how to do it without a recipe. The
products include not only detailed cooking videos and matching ebooks, but also nutri-
tional teachings on various topics.
When not learning about the culinary arts and holistic nutrition, Heather loves to camp,
hike, bike around town, take photos and sew her own aprons.
Special Offer
In late 2010, we will release an online baking course. We will want to get some feedback
on this course so we can make it the best it can be. If you are interested in receiving 50%
off the course in exchange for filling out a survey when the course is done, send a blank
email to Baking@HealthyVeganRecipes.net.
We will email you with more information when the course is ready.
Table of Contents
Sweeteners 1
Fats 1
Substitutions 2
Basic Cookies 4
Orange Spice 6
Apple Walnut 8
Gingerbread 12
Walnut Fig 14
Spiced Pumpkin 16
Graham Crackers 18
Lemon Almond 20
Chocolate Brownie 22
Peanut Butter 26
Sweeteners
A quick note on unrefined cane juice powder, which I use in many of these recipes. It is
a very straightforward substitute for white and brown sugar and is easy to find. The key
to look for here is to make sure that it uses the word unrefined. If the manufacturer does
not specifically use this word, then the sugar has been refined in some way, which is really
detrimental to our body systems. Look for unrefined dried cane juice, which could show
up under the name sucanat, turbinado or demerara.
The best source of dietary fat is whole foods. When you use oils, always use an oil that is
as close to whole as possible. It should be unrefined, cold-pressed, and preferably organic.
For baking, which is done at high temperature,
use saturated fats, such as coconut oil or palm
oil or monounsaturated fats, such as olive or
sesame. Do not use polyunsaturated fats such
as flax oil or refined oils such as canola oil.
Coconut oil
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1
Substitutions
Butter
Use saturated plant oils instead. Unlike saturated animal fat, they do not increase choles-
terol. My favorite is virgin (unrefined) coconut oil. When unrefined, coconut oil has Vita-
min E, tocotrienols, and carotenes. It also has antibacterial and antiviral properties, and
helps in the absorption of other nutrients, particularly omega-3 fatty acids. It is a stable
oil to use at high heat since it is saturated. It is a great substitute for butter, especially
in cookies when you want to cream the fat with the sugar. Monounsaturated fats are my
second choice, such as olive oil and untoasted sesame oil. They are fairly healthy, even at
high temperatures, but they do not give cookies that same buttery texture.
Sweeteners
There are many choices for sweeteners, and I use a variety of them in my recipes. I put
together this handy conversion information if you want to substitute a healthier sweeten-
er when using your own recipes that call for white sugar. Replace 1 cup of sugar with:
• 1 teaspoon stevia; increase liquid by 1/8 cup
• ¾ cup unrefined cane juice powder
• ¾ cup honey; reduce liquid by 1/8 cup
• ¾ cup maple syrup; reduce liquid by 1/8 cup
• ½ cup molasses
• 1 ½ cups brown rice syrup or barley malt
Psyllium Husks
Eggs and Milk
The purpose of eggs in baking can be to add mois-
ture, to bind things together or to encourage rising
action. Moisture is covered easily with fruit/vegetable puree, or nut/grain milk. Although
most cookies don’t need an egg, my favorite substitutes are psyllium husks and mashed
banana. Mix just 1 teaspoon of psyllium with a couple tablespoons of water and it will
gel and make a great binder in your cookies. Ground flax can be used the same way, but
since it starts to form free radicals at high heat, I don’t use it in my recipes. Banana has
the perfect texture, adds sweetness and lovely flavor, and helps brown the cookies. Milk
isn’t used too often in cookies, but when a recipe does call for it you can simply replace
it with your nut/grain milk of choice. The function of milk in a cookie is to add moisture,
so just about any wet ingredient can take its place. Be sure that that flavor jives with the
rest of the ingredients, though. I usually use rice milk, but hemp and almond milks are
also very common. Another easy substitute is fruit juice.
Flour
I use many kinds of flour, but you can substitute other flours, such as whole wheat. You
can also make your own flour by grinding oats, millet, and rice in a coffee grinder.
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2
The Basics of Cookies
Creaming
Most cookie recipes start with creaming but-
ter and sugar. This makes the cookie base into
which everything else is added. Creaming is the
reason good cookies taste so good. You want to
beat the oil and sugar until it is light and fluffy.
You can use electric beaters or a whisk to cream,
depending on how much time you have.
Ginger and Cinnamon
Sifting
Sifting is important not only to mix smaller amounts of ingredients in without being con-
centrated in one section of the batter, but also for aerating the dry ingredients. This helps
the rising action, which may need it without eggs in our vegan recipes.
Folding
When you are making a cookie that has nuts, dried fruits or chocolate chips in them, they
should generally be added last. If you overmix the batter at this point though, you will get
tough little rock-hard cookies. The key is to fold – which is when you gently cut through
the dough and fold it over. Folding is done best with a spatula.
Baking
Preheating is essential – it sets the cookie for the rest of its baking experience. The slower
the cookie heats up, the drier it will be. It’s also important to have your oven at the right
temperature. Use an oven thermometer to test your oven, because ovens can vary quite
a bit. Open the oven door as little as possible. Use your oven light instead. A large cookie
sheet makes things much easier than two smaller ones. I use parchment paper to line the
cookie sheet to prevent sticking. Wax paper, aluminum foil and silicon liners are not as
safe. Another option is to spread a thin layer of oil on the cookie sheet, but in my experi-
ence low-fat cookies have a strong desire to stick despite the bit of oil.
Ready to Rock?
I hope you’re ready to start making incredible vegan cookies, with whole ingredients in a
healthy way. Adjust the fat and sugar content of your recipes based on who you’re mak-
ing cookies for. If you are serving them to people who have never tried a vegan cookie, I
recommend making them as delicious as possible to win them over. Remember, bringing
down the fat and sugar content is only one part of the picture. If you want your cookies
to actually bring some nourishment to the table you need to also design them with whole
ingredients that have their own unique balance of nutrition naturally. Have fun!
Ingredients:
Wet Dry
¼ cup coconut oil 1 ¼ cups whole grain flour
¾ cup applesauce 2 tsp baking powder
½ cup cane juice powder ¼ cup arrowroot powder*
¼ cup nut/grain milk pinch of salt
¼ tsp vanilla *adds texture and calcium, but additional
flour can be used instead
Unrefined cane
juice powder
Nutrition:
These cookies are:
• Low in fat – 3/4 of the oil replaced by applesauce
• Low in sugar – 1/2 of standard recipe
• Vegan – avoid health issues of animal products
• Unrefined – whole ingredients bring nutrients
Ingredients:
Wet Dry
¼ cup coconut oil 1 cup brown rice flour*
¾ cup blended orange 2 tsp baking powder
½ cup cane juice powder ¼ cup arrowroot powder*
¼ cup nut/grain milk pinch of salt
½ Tbsp orange zest *whole wheat flour can substitute for these
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground anise
Orange
and
Zest
Nutrition:
Great for digestion:
• brown rice is the most easily digested grain
• anise helps digest carbs and increases metabolism
• ginger helps overall digestion and increases metabolism
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375F.
Cream the oil with the orange and sugar.
Add the milk, orange zest and spice.
Sift the flour, baking powder, arrowroot and salt.
Stir the dry mixture into the wet mixture.
Roll teaspoonfuls into balls and place on trays, well spaced.
Flatten the balls lightly with a fork.
Bake for 15-18 min, until lightly golden.
Makes 15-20.
Ingredients:
Wet Dry
¼ cup olive oil 2 cups spelt flour (or whole wheat)
¼ cup cane juice powder pinch salt
½ cup applesauce 1 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp molasses ½ tsp ground cloves
¼ cup apple juice ½ tsp nutmeg
1 banana, mashed 1 tsp baking soda
Mix-ins
1 cup chopped apple
½ cup chopped walnuts,
soaked overnight
½ cup raisins
Nutrition:
Feeling down? The following helps with the winter blues:
• Vitamin B6 - bananas, whole grains, walnuts, molasses
• Omega-3 - walnuts • Tryptophan - whole grains
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375F.
Mix oil, sugar, applesauce, molasses, apple juice, and banana.
Sift flour, salt, spices and baking soda.
Stir half of the dry mixture into the wet mixture.
Add the apples, nuts and raisins to the remaining flour.
Fold the apple mixture into the wet mixture.
Drop by spoonfuls, well spaced.
Bake for 10 minutes or until cookies are firm.
Makes 30-35.
Ingredients:
Round 1 Round 2
1 ½ cups pecans, soaked overnight ½ cup raisins
½ cup dried coconut 10 dates, pitted
2 Tbsp carob powder (or cocoa)
1 Tbsp maple syrup
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp vanilla
Pecans, carob,
and dates
Nutrition:
• Low in iron? These have plenty: dates, pecans, raisins and carob
• Dates are also a laxative and natural aspirin
• Ginger helps digestion and relieves nausea
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10
Dates
Directions:
Put all ingredients in a food processor except for the raisins and dates.
Process until coarsely chopped.
Add the raisins and dates and continue processing until the mix sticks
together when pressed between your fingers.
Roll into small balls.
Makes 30-35.
Ingredients:
Wet
½ cup brown rice syrup
½ cup molasses
pinch of salt
1 ½ tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground cloves
2 tsps baking soda
½ cup coconut oil
Dry
3 ½ cups spelt flour
Cookie cutter
Nutrition:
A look at the 2 sweeteners in these cookies:
Ingredients:
Round 1 Round 2
1 cup rolled oats ½ cup walnuts, soaked*
1 cup boiling water 1 cup dried figs, soaked
1 banana
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
pinch of salt
*Soaking nuts
overnight makes
the nutrients more
absorbable
Soaked walnuts
Nutrition:
Walnuts Figs
• Anti-inflammatory Lots of fiber and minerals:
• Contains Omega-3 • Potassium
• Protein content 10-15% • Calcium
• Nourish kidney-adrenals and brain • Magnesium
Directions:
Preheat oven to 300F.
Mix water in with oats, and set aside.
Mix the rest of the ingredients in a food processor.
Add to oat mixture and stir together.
Form into balls, slightly spaced.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, until lightly browned.
Makes 20-25.
Ingredients:
Wet Dry
¼ cup olive oil 2 cups barley flour
½ cup cane juice powder 1 tsp baking soda
1 ¾ cup pumpkin puree 1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp apple cider vinegar/lemon juice 1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla ½ tsp ground allspice
pinch salt
Mix-ins 1 1/3 cup rolled barley (or oats)
¾ cup pumpkin seeds
¾ cup raisins (optional)
Cinnamon,
Nutmeg
and
Allspice
Nutrition:
Barley Pumpkin Pumpkin Seeds
• Supports liver detox • Vitamin A for skin • Zinc – immune
and lymphatic system and immune system, system
• Full of nutrients needs oil to absorb
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16
Pumpkin
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F.
Mix oil, sucanat, pumpkin, vinegar and vanilla.
Sift flour with soda, spices and salt, and then stir in rolled barley.
Stir the dry mixture into the wet mixture.
Fold in seeds and raisins.
Spoon onto cookie sheets in large circles, slightly spaced.
Bake 12-15 min, or until firm and lightly browned.
Makes 20-25.
Ingredients:
Dry Wet
2 1/3 cups whole wheat flour ¾ cup coconut oil
½ cup millet flour (do millet in coffee grinder) ¾ cup coconut milk
¼ cup cane juice powder
Coconut milk
Nutrition:
Wheat Millet
• Focuses the mind (Chinese medicine) • Warming
• Encourages growth and weight gain • 15% protein
• Common allergen - too much refined, • Iron, magnesium,
rancid genetically modified wheat potassium, B vitamins
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18
Millet
Directions:
Sift the flours, and stir in the sugar and a pinch of salt.
Rub in the coconut oil to breadcrumb consistency.
Cut in the coconut milk to make a pliable dough.
Gather the dough together and shape into a disc.
Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 min.
Preheat the oven to 400F.
Roll the dough out to a rectangle ¼-inch thick.
Cut into equal rectangles, place on the baking trays, slightly spaced.
Bake for 7-10 minutes, or until firm and golden brown.
Makes 12-16.
Ingredients:
Wet Dry
¼ cup coconut oil, room temp ¾ cup brown rice flour
¼ cup maple syrup (or whole wheat pastry flour)
1 tsp lemon juice ½ cup ground almonds
pinch of salt
Mix-in
¼ cup almonds, lightly toasted and finely chopped
zest of 1 lemon
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F.
Cream coconut oil and maple syrup. Add lemon juice.
Sift the flour, ground almonds and salt, then stir into the wet mixture.
Fold in the chopped almonds and lemon zest.
Drop by small teaspoonfuls, well spaced.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown at the edges.
Makes 15-20.
Ingredients:
Wet Dry
¼ cup coconut oil 1 ¾ cups spelt flour
¾ cup cane juice powder (if 1/3 cup cocoa powder or carob or mix
using carob cut to ½ cup) ¾ tsp baking soda
¾ cup applesauce pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla
¼ cup nut/grain milk Mix-in (optional)
1 cup chopped nuts
¾ cup raisins or carob/chocolate chips
Carob Powder
Nutrition:
Carob and Cocoa are both nutrient-dense and high in B Vitamins.
Carob Cocoa
• No caffeine • Caffeine and antioxidants
• Iron and calcium • Iron, magnesium, potassium
• Naturally sweet • Don’t worry, it doesn’t cause acne
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22
Walnuts
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F.
Cream together coconut oil and sugar.
Add applesauce, vanilla, and milk.
Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
Stir dry mixture into the wet mixture.
Fold in nuts and raisins.
Drop by large spoonful, well spaced.
Bake for 12 minutes, or until firm.
Makes 15-20 cookies.
Ingredients:
Wet Dry
¼ cup coconut oil ¾ cup oat flour (do oats in coffee grinder)
½ cup applesauce pinch of salt
¼ cup cane juice powder 1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp psyllium husk ¼ tsp almond extract
2 Tbsp water 1 ½ cups rolled oats
Mix-in Variations
½ cup sesame seeds • Pumpkin seeds and raisins
½ cup carob chips • Carob powder and shredded coconut
(or 1 cup overall of a • Walnuts, cranberries, dark chocolate,
variation at right) cinnamon and nutmeg
Nutrition:
Oats
• Help lower cholesterol
• May help depression
• Reduce nicotine cravings Carob Chips and
• Help stabilize blood sugar levels Sesame Seeds
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375F.
Cream the coconut oil, applesauce and sugar.
Mix the psyllium and water separately, then add to the oil mixture.
Sift the flour, salt and baking soda into a separate bowl.
Stir into the wet mixture.
Add the almond extract and oats.
Fold in the nuts and carob chips.
Drop in small teaspoonfuls, well spaced.
Bake for 12 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.
Makes 20-25.
Ingredients:
Wet Dry
¼ cup nut/grain milk 1 cup spelt flour (or oat flour)
½ cup brown rice syrup* 1 tsp baking soda
1 cup smooth peanut butter 1 ¼ cup spelt flakes (or rolled oats)
1 tsp vanilla
*or ¼ cup honey, with additionalMix-in (optional)
milk or 1/4 cup cane juice powder ¾ cup peanuts or carob chips
Rolled Spelt
Nutrition:
Peanuts
• Good amino acid balance, fills in gaps of other plant proteins
• Lots of other nutrients - iron, magnesium, potassium, B Vitamins
• BUT – occasional digestive problems, allergies
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26
Just
Roasted Peanuts
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F.
Mix the milk, syrup, peanut butter and vanilla.
Sift flour and baking powder into a separate bowl.
Stir into the wet mixture.
Fold in the spelt flakes and peanuts. Chill for 15 minutes, or until firm.
Roll heaped tablespoons into balls, well spaced.
Press down gently with a floured fork to make a crisscross pattern.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden.
Makes 25-30.
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