In honour of my dear friend who is beginning her journey through dairy and refined-sugar free-ness! It ain't easy! But these sure are! Enjoy!

​(Apologies for the cheapy cell phone pics, although, honestly, for a phone, not too shabby!)

Oatmeal Cocoa Nib Cookies

Ingredients:
5 tablespoons coconut oil
1 cup coconut sugar
1 tablespoon flax meal, whisked with 2 tablespoons water (or an egg)
1/2 cup almond milk (room temperature or warm so coconut oil doesn't harden)
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon each baking soda, baking powder, sea salt
1/2 cup cocoa nibs

​What to do:
1. Preheat the oven to 375F.

2. In a small bowl, cream together the coconut oil and coconut sugar, then add the flax mixture and milk. Mix to combine.

3. In a large bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients, mixing well. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and use your hands to mix the dough up well.

4. Drop the dough 2 tablespoons at a time onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, flattening the cookies ever-so-slightly. Bake for 8-10 minutes, and cool before serving.

Tasty, sweet, decadent, and ridiculously easy chocolate cupcakes and icing. Our go-to fave!

Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients: (makes 12-ish)

• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil (make sure milk is warm!)
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

What to do:
1. Preheat oven to 350 fahrenheit and put muffin liners in your muffin pan. 
2. Combine milk & vinegar and let sit for 5 minutes.
2. Add sugar & oil, blend until combined and frothy.
3. In another bowl, combine dry ingredients. 
4. Slowly add dry to wet ingredients until no longer lumpy.
5. Scoop batter into muffin liners, about 3/4 way up. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Let cool. 

Date Icing
​Adapted just a wee bit from this excellent site: Wholefully 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups dates, pitted
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• Pinch salt

What to do:

1. Place the dates in food processor. Pour boiling water over dates and let sit for 10-15 minutes until the dates are very soft.
2. Blend water and dates on high until smooth. Add in the cocoa and salt. Continue blending until well-mixed.
3. Chill the frosting until cool (about 3 hours) before spreading on cupcakes. 

It was going to be Hummus 2 Ways, but then I threw in another way at the last minute, alas, the awkward photos. All three don't appear in the same photo....

They are tasty though! I think I'll go enjoy some hummus now. (Hannah's current favourite food)

Simple Hummus
1/2 can chickpeas, rinsed, skins removed
1 tbsp tahini
half lemon squeeze
vinegar 1-2 tbsp to taste
sea salt sprinkle
1-2 cloves garlic, to taste
1 tsp cumin
drizzle oil

What to do:
1. Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend. Blend. Blend. Add a bit of water or vinegar to get it to the consistency you like if it's still too thick. 
2. Store in the refrigerator in an air tight container for about a week or so. You'll eat it all up by then anyway. 

Cheezy Hummus
1/2 can chickpeas, rinsed, skins removed
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1-2 tbsp vinegar
1/2 lemon squeeze
sea salt
1 clove garlic
smoked paprika
drizzle oil

What to do:
1. Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend. Blend. Blend. Add a bit of water or vinegar to get it to the consistency you like if it's still too thick. 
2. Store in the refrigerator in an air tight container for about a week or so. You'll eat it all up by then anyway. 

Bonus! Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
1 can of rinsed chickpeas, skins removed
1 roasted red pepper (in the oven or from a jar of roasted red pepper)
2 tbsp tahini
1/2 lemon squeeze
sea salt
1 large clove garlic
cumin
drizzle oil
drizzle vinegar

​What to do:
1. Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend. Blend. Blend. Add a bit of water or vinegar to get it to the consistency you like if it's still too thick. 
2. Store in the refrigerator in an air tight container for about a week or so. You'll eat it all up by then anyway.