Keep away from the bog

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Baked Oatmeal
Prep Time 15 mins Cook Time 25 mins Total Time 40 mins Serves 6

Ingredients

** For the baked oatmeal:
1 heaping cup of ripe mashed banana (from 2 medium/large extra ripe bananas)
½ cup creamy or crunchy natural peanut butter (just peanuts + salt)
2 eggs
¼ cup pure maple syrup
3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk or oat milk (or milk of choice)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats, gluten free if desired
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder or cacao powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips (dairy free, if desired)
** For the topping:
6 teaspoons natural peanut butter
2 tablespoons dark chocolate chips for sprinkling on top (dairy free, if desired)
Maldon sea salt, for sprinkling on top
Optional for serving:
Milk
Fresh berries

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x9 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, add 1 cup of mashed banana, peanut butter, eggs, maple syrup, milk of choice and vanilla extract. Whisk until well combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients: oats, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Mix until well incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Pour into the prepared baking dish and spread out evenly. Dollop with teaspoonfuls of peanut butter on top, then use a knife to swirl, just about 3-4 times. Don’t go overboard with the swirling or the oatmeal won’t look pretty. Finally top the oatmeal with 2 tablespoons chocolate chips.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the oatmeal is set in the middle. Remove and allow to cool for 10 minutes before sprinkling with a little sea salt and serving. You can serve this warm in a bowl with a little milk or with raspberries on top.

Recipe Notes

To make gluten free: simply use gluten free rolled oats.
To make dairy free: remember to use your favorite dairy free chocolate chips

VEGAN SINGAPORE NOODLES
Prep time 10 mins Cook time 20 mins Total time 30 mins Serves: 2

Ingredients
**SAUCE
2 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbsp or 6 g)
2 Tbsp (30 ml) tamari or soy sauce
1-2 Tbsp coconut sugar (to taste)
1 large lime, juiced (~ 3 Tbsp or 45 ml)
**NOODLES
6 ounces (170 g) thin rice noodles
2 Tbsp (30 ml) toasted sesame oil, divided
1/4 white or yellow onion, thinly sliced (27 g)
3/4 red bell pepper, thinly sliced (90 g)
12 snow peas (~40 g)
1 Tbsp (15 ml) tamari or soy sauce
4 tsp (12 g) curry powder, divided
**FOR SERVING* optional
8 ounces (227 g) extra firm tofu, pressed dry and cubed*
Sriracha or chili garlic sauce
2 green onions, thinly sliced

Instructions
See notes if adding tofu.
Add rice noodles to a large bowl and cover completely with boiling water. Let cook for 5-10 minutes (or according to package instructions), stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Drain and set aside.
In the meantime, make the sauce by adding minced garlic, tamari or soy sauce, coconut sugar and lime juice to a small mixing bowl. Whisk to combine, then taste and adjust seasonings as needed. You’re going for a savory-tart sauce with a bit of sweetness (adjust to taste). Set aside.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil, onion and red bell pepper. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, or until onion is soft and translucent.
Add snow peas, 1 Tbsp tamari or soy sauce, and 2 tsp curry powder, and stir. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, then remove from pan and set aside.
To the still-hot skillet, add remaining 1 Tbsp sesame oil, cooked rice noodles, sauce and remaining 2 tsp curry powder. Sauté for 1 minute, tossing frequently with tongs to disperse sauce and curry powder.
Add back in the vegetables and toss to coat. Cook for 1-2 minutes more, then remove from heat.
Serve with desired toppings. This dish benefits greatly from a little hot sauce, such as Sriracha!
Best when fresh, though leftovers keep for 2-3 days covered in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave, or in a saucepan over medium heat.

Notes
*To add tofu, double the amount of sauce, then pour half into a separate mixing bowl. Add 1 extra Tablespoon coconut sugar and whisk thoroughly to combine. Add pressed, cubed tofu to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in a 400 degree F oven for 30-32 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. Before cooking the vegetables, add the tofu to a lightly greased skillet over medium-high heat and add sauce. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until sauce has absorbed and the tofu is very hot and somewhat glazed. Remove from pan and set aside, then continue with recipe as instructed. Add tofu back in with vegetables in step 7.

Hazelnut Panforte
Makes 1

1 cup hazelnuts, toasted, husked, coarsely chopped
1 cup pecan halves, toasted, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup pitted Medjool dates, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup coarsely chopped candied orange peel
1/2 cup dried tart cherries
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup stemmed dried Mission figs, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon finely grated orange peel
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
Pinch of ground white pepper
3/4 cup honey
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter

1 9-inch-diameter cardboard cake round

Preparation
Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 300°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan. Line bottom and sides with parchment paper; butter paper.

Mix first 16 ingredients in large bowl, tossing to separate fruit pieces. Bring honey, sugar, and butter to boil in small saucepan, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low. Place candy thermometer in mixture, tilting to submerge bulb, and cook until thermometer registers 242°F to 248°F, stirring occasionally, about 9 minutes. Pour syrup over nut mixture; stir to blend. Immediately transfer mixture to prepared pan; smooth top. Bake until bubbling slightly at edges and top appears dry, about 55 minutes. Cool completely in pan on rack. Cover; let stand overnight at room temperature.

Release pan sides. Remove paper from sides and bottom of panforte. Place panforte on cardboard round. (Can be made 3 weeks ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)

Vegan Meatloaf - Nut Loaf
Prep Time 10 mins Cook Time 55 mins Total Time 1 hr 5 mins Servings: 8

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups nuts (you can use a combination of raw or roasted cashews, raw walnuts, raw pecans)
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
2 tsp oil (or use 1/4 cup broth)
1 cup chopped onion
4 cloves of garlic chopped
1 cup chopped mushrooms (cremini or white or a mix)
1 cup cubed butternut squash, heaping cup
2 tsp Italian herbs (1/2 tsp each thyme, ground sage, rosemary, oregano
1 tsp smoked paprika
3/4 tsp poultry seasoning (poultry seasoning is just herbs). or use more sage and thyme
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp each cinnamon and nutmeg
1/2 tsp onion powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari for gf (or use a combination of balsamic vinegar and coconut aminos for soyfree)
2 flax eggs (mix 2 tbsp flaxseed meal mixed with 5 tbsp water)
2/3 cup breadcrumbs (use gluten free breadcrumbs or coarsely ground oats for gluten free)

Glaze:
1/4 cup ketchup
1.5 tbsp soy sauce/tamari, or use 1/4 tsp salt + 1 tbsp broth for soy free
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp sriracha, optional

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Hutzelbrot (German Fruit and Nut Bread)
Prep time 7 hours Cooking time 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Fruit Filling
50g dates
100g dried pears
100g dried figs
150g dried apricots
100g hazelnuts or sliced almonds
100g walnuts
150g raisins
100g dried cherries
Pinch of salt
10 ml rum
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
125ml hot water

Bread Dough
250g all-purpose flour
1 tsp active dry yeast
125ml warm milk
20g sugar
1/4 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS
Chop the dried fruit and nuts with a food processor and transfer to a bowl.
Add the spices and alcohol and stir with a wooden spoon until well mixed.
Cover and let stand for 3 hours.
Add the bread dough ingredients and the fruit and nut mixture and knead by hand for 10 minutes.
Let the dough stand covered for 1 hour.
Form into 3 loaves (the dough will be wet and sticky – use a lot of flour on your hands!). Cover and let stand for 1 hour.
Bake in the oven at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes, then 325 degrees F for 25 minutes.

Ermine Frosting
Prep Time: 20 minutes Cooling Time: 3 hours Cook Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes Yield: 2 1/2 cups

Description
Ermine Frosting is an old-fashioned buttercream, often called “boiled milk frosting” or “flour frosting”, that’s made with sugar, flour, milk and butter. No need for powdered sugar here, making it a great frosting alternative for those who don’t like things too sweet.

Ingredients

1 cup (207g) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (33g) all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup (240ml) milk (I use 2%)
1 cup (224g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Combine sugar, flour, and salt in a medium saucepan and whisk until well combined.
Add milk and whisk together until mixture is well combined.
Heat mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick and pudding-like. Do not heat over high heat or the mixture will cook too quickly and the sugar won’t properly dissolve. Remove from heat.
Pour into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap pressed directly on top to prevent a skin from forming. Allow to cool completely to room temperature or refrigerate for a day or two before using. If refrigerating ahead of time, bring back to room temperature before proceeding.
Once cooled, add the butter to a mixing bowl and beat on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add the flour mixture (at room temperature) one tablespoon at a time, mixing on medium speed until well combined before adding the next.
Add the vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
Whip the frosting on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
Use immediately or store in the fridge for up to a week or freeze for up to 3 months. Allow buttercream to come back to room temperature before using.