Okay, this recipe happened by accident, really. And it's not really my recipe.  I didn't steal it or anything, I've just borrowed it and am keeping it as a favourite.  Technically speaking, my name is still attached to it, but it wasn't me who created it or adapted it. It's from one of our school recipes.

And by school, I really mean my co-worker, Alicia. I may have dreamed of a school that held weekly cooking classes for every student, young and old, where students gain life skills, apply academic skill, and become food experts to take care of themselves and the world they grow up in. But, she, really, is the brains behind most of the actual cooking and baking that happens in that kitchen. She adapted it from an online recipe to make it dairy-free, refined-sugar free, and nut-free for our students to bake back in the fall.  It was one of those - 'hey, we have a ton of pumpkin puree, we need to use it up, and all the kids want to make is cookies' recipes. 

I have to say, Alicia is pretty amazing at whipping things like this up, adapting recipes, and cooking on the fly. Really, she's pretty amazing all round. But the kitchen is most definitely her happy place. She has transformed our weekly cooking classes into an amazing curriculum for our students (and teachers!) It makes my heart smile to see a teacher and students loving their time together, creating amazing memories. 

I love my school. You know that, so I'll get back to the cookies. The real reason you're here anyway! These cookies were sweet, savoury, soft, chewy, and paired perfectly with an afternoon or morning tea. Oh, so delicious. I really enjoyed them - more than Alicia may realize! I've made them numerous times since.  I was quite content to eat more than my share. ... :)

They come together quickly and easily, store well, and everyone eats them up. Sweet!  So, here you go! Soft, sweet, chewy, and easy-peasy. 

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Total Time: 15-20 minutes!! Seriously! 

Ingredients:
Cookies:
½ cup coconut oil
¾ cup coconut sugar
1 large egg or flax egg
½ cup pumpkin puree
½ tsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour of choice
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp ground ginger
¾ tsp baking soda
½ tsp sea salt 

Cinnamon Coating:
½ cup coconut sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg


Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Combine ingredients for Cinnamon Coating and set aside for later use.
3. Combine flour, salt, baking soda and spices in a medium-sized bowl.
4. If coconut oil is not soft enough to mix easily, melt in a pan over low heat. Place in a bowl.
5. Add coconut sugar and egg (or substitute) to the softened oil. Beat well. Add pumpkin puree and vanilla. Beat well again.
6. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Mix thoroughly, but do not over-mix.
7. Roll into balls, drop in cinnamon sugar topping, and roll to coat. 
8. Place on cookie sheet, flattening a bit with your hand.
9. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until slightly golden brown.
10. Cool for approximately 5 minutes before removing from baking sheet to cool on a cooling rack.

Okay, so it's been awhile. 

A long while.

I miss my food blog.  It's such a big part of who I am and it's been on hold for months now while I put everything else that I've got into the other part of me, the school part.  A few months ago, my friend and I, set foot into our real life dream - we walked the bustling halls of our own school. A school we dreamed up and put into action.  A school we created. It has been the busiest 3 months of my life, I'm pretty sure.  3 months of business that I fully brought on myself. And I knew I'd have to temporarily put my blog on hold while I mentally switched to the school.  

But I'm back!  

Well, in baby steps anyway.  

This recipe isn't mine.  

But it's by my all time favourite vegan food blogger - Oh She Glows. By far the most used cookbook sitting on the shelf in my kitchen.  It's been my lifesaver as I attempted to, for the first time in my life, open a school and business while teaching full time in said school, have a child in day care, get temporality relocated out of our house for a month because of hornet infestation (YES, YOU READ CORRECTLY! HELLO SCARY!) and, what may be the most mentally challenging and exhausting, be a working mom constantly ridden with mom guilt from spending 2 years home with her and now trying to get a hearty and healthy meal on the table by 5pm everyday.  

So, this isn't a meal post, but it's a snack post.  Baby steps, people.  It's a good snack, tasty, and a great way to feel good about what you're giving your kids to eat while you figure out what the heck you're going to put on the dinner table for supper.  

Enjoy! 

Salt n' Vinegar Roasted Chickpeas 

Ingredients:

• 1.5-2 cups cooked chickpeas (one 15-oz can), drained and rinsed
• 2.5-4 cups white vinegar
• 1 tsp fine grain sea salt, to taste
• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
1. Add chickpeas into pot and cover with vinegar. Bring to a boil and then remove from heat. Let sit in pot for 25-30 minutes, covered.
2. Preheat oven to 400F. Drain chickpeas in a strainer and discard vinegar. Place chickpeas on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and drizzle with olive oil and sea salt. Massage with fingers until fully coated.
3. Roast for 30 minutes, stirring once half way through. Keep a careful eye on them after 20 minutes of cooking to ensure they don’t burn. Cool on pan for 5 minutes. They will crisp up as they cool. Enjoy! 
Original Recipe found here or in her cookbook! 

As promised, here it is!  Chocolate Ice Cream!

Just in time for a nice hot day, too. 

This has quickly become the evening treat to have in our house.  This variety, using almond butter is particularly awesome, which is why I'm sharing it with you today.  However, if you're not into buying the insanely expensive almond butter or perhaps there's a nut allergy nearby, you can omit any of the ingredients except the bananas, they are kind of essential to making it 'ice cream'. All other ingredients can be swapped, left out, adjusted, whatever!  And you don't really have to measure, we never do, just kind of go for it.  Take the risk. You can do it. 

It's a great treat to make as a family - the kids will never believe how ice creamy it will taste! Hannah knows as soon as she hears that food processor going!  She comes a runnin'! She gets her own spatula to dip and is soon covered in a chocolatey mess, but it's all worth it.  

Enjoy guys! A delicious treat for dessert tonight! 

And another  fantastic use for ripe bananas!  Just be sure you peel and chop them BEFORE you put them in the freezer.  You'll thank yourself later.  

Chocolate Almond Banana Ice Cream

Ingredients:
3 ripe bananas, peeled, chopped, and frozen (overnight)
1 tbsp almond butter (or any nut/seed butter, or omit completely and it still tastes great)
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup or a bit more almond milk, or another milk/milk alternative

What to do:
1) Take frozen bananas out of freezer and let sit for about 5 minutes if they are rock hard frozen.  Then, empty into food processor or high speed blender ensuring they are broken up/separated and not stuck together into large banana chunks)

2) Add in all other ingredients and blend!  Blend, blend, blend.  Take off top, using a spatula scoop down the sides and smash it down bit to even it out, easier on the blender.  Then blend some more.  Blend, blend, blend, smash down, scoop, down, blend some more.  Repeat until it forms a nice, smooth soft serve ice cream consistency.  

3) Work quickly so it doesn't melt much more.  Scoop ice cream out into a large bowl, or individual bowls, and place bowls into freezer to firm up a bit more.  Lick food processor dishes before washing.  A must in our house. 

4) After about 30 minutes in the freezer, it should have started to harden back up into a scoop-able ice cream.  Serve as is, with an easy dairy-free chocolate sauce, sprinkled with hemp and chia seeds, or chopped strawberry, or all of the above as I like it.  

Enjoy guys!  This is a common dessert in our house!  We hope you love it, too!