11

Extra Credit

Bars, Cookies and Stovetop Delights to Round Out Your Repertoire

Not every dessert is made from a batter or dough. Some of the quickest and tastiest treats are those that are practically thrown together, such as a trail mix or fresh fruit with Whipped Coconut Cream on top. In this chapter we’ll explore a handful of simple treats, including some that are baked on the stovetop rather than the oven (see “Baking on the Stovetop”). The recipes in this chapter do not require a stand mixer, and many can be made in just one bowl.

This chapter is for those days when you just need a break—the kids are sick, you’ve had a bad day at work, it’s raining for the fifth day in a row, or you just need some comfort food. There are no rules to follow in this chapter; just use the skills you’ve learned, bake, and enjoy!

Rocky Oat Bars

When you think of “rocky,” you might be envisioning a traditional rocky road combination of nuts, chocolate, and marshmallow in a milk-based ice cream. My version of “rocky” keeps the chocolate (dairy-free, of course), adds fruit (raisins), and substitutes hemp seeds for nuts, in an oat base. The result is a power-packed, tasty treat.

The hemp seeds add a soft crunch to these bars, which can be sliced into whatever size you need. They’re great warm, and make a terrific on-the-go breakfast bar or lunchbox snack.

{ Makes 8 to 12 bars }

2 cups quick-cooking gluten-free oats

½ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons grapeseed oil

½ cup unsweetened applesauce

2 tablespoons honey

¼ cup flaxseed gel (equal to 1 egg)

¼ cup raisins (see tip)

¼ cup shelled hemp seeds (see tip)

¼ cup allergen-free chocolate chips (see tip)

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9-inch square baking dish with cooking oil.
2. In a large bowl, stir the oats and salt together with a fork. Add the oil and toss to coat the oats. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
3. Whisk together the applesauce, honey, and flaxseed gel in a small mixing bowl, by hand.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the oat mixture. Mix completely with a fork.
5. Stir in the raisins, hemp seeds, and chocolate chips.
6. Pour the mixture into the pan and spread it to the edges. Press it down and fill any holes.
7. Bake at 350°F for 16 to 18 minutes, until browned.
8. Let cool and slice into bars.

• If your raisins are very dry, soak them in warm water for 20 minutes; drain before using.
• If you prefer a bar with more of a nutty taste, substitute sunflower seeds for hemp seeds.
• Enjoy Life Mini Chips work really well in these bars and make them less messy to take along with you in warmer weather. If you plan to take them on the go, wrap them in parchment paper squares, then store them in a plastic sandwich bag or brown bag.
• The applesauce and flaxseed gel help to hold these together.

Banana Oatmeal Cookies

Bananas and oatmeal—of course! These cookies are a snack version of the traditional breakfast oatmeal topped with bananas.

Not all cookies need to be refrigerated before baking. Unlike a traditional cookie recipe that requires preparing dough, these cookies are super simple. Just toss the ingredients in a bowl, drop the cookies on a baking sheet, and set the timer. If you are a multitasker (like me) I think you’ll find these cookies will become a favorite because they’re easy to make between laundry batches (or even while you’re on a conference call). Great warm, these make a terrific breakfast cookie!

{ Makes about 24 cookies }

2 cups quick-cooking gluten-free oats

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoons grapeseed oil

3 very ripe or frozen bananas (see tips)

¼ cup flaxseed gel (equal to 1 egg)

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Toss the oats, salt, baking powder, and oil in a small bowl until the oats are coated with oil. Set it aside for 5 minutes.
3. In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas with a fork or potato masher until they are juicy but still lumpy.
4. Add the flaxseed gel to the bananas and whisk them together with a fork.
5. Add the oat mixture to the wet ingredients, and stir together completely. The mixture should be wet but still lumpy.
6. Drop tablespoons of the cookie mix onto the prepared baking sheet. Flatten the tops.
7. Bake at 350°F for 16 to 18 minutes until browned.

• Use the ripest bananas you can find.
• When using frozen bananas, either thaw them at room temperature or place them in the microwave for 60 seconds. Use a sharp knife to slice the skin open and release the banana. (I suggest doing this right over your bowl.) The banana will be watery, and that’s okay.
• These cookies are intended to be roughly formed; don’t worry about the shape or size as you drop them.
• For variety, try adding ½ cup of raisins or allergen-free chocolate chips.

Mixed Berry Crumble

During the summer, fresh berries are plentiful in the Northeast; if you live near a pick-your-own farm, this is the time to stock up on berries. I freeze what I can’t use in the summer for winter pies.

It really doesn’t matter which berries you choose to mix in this crumble—any combination of soft berries (e.g., blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries), or even a single berry, will do. Serve this with your favorite dairy-free ice cream.

The beauty of a crumble is that is can be served in a bowl—no need to worry about a pie crust breaking before it reaches the plate. It’s just easy and suitable for kids of all ages.

{ Makes 8 to 12 servings }

5 cups mixed berries (see tip)

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

¼ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup corn starch

¾ cup light brown sugar

¾ cup gluten-free quick-cooking oats

4 tablespoons (½ stick) Earth Balance Natural Shortening, cold

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9-inch square baking dish with cooking oil.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the fruit and lime juice, by hand.
3. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and corn starch. Sprinkle it over the fruit mixture and toss to coat the fruit. Set it aside.
4. In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar and oats. Break up any lumps of brown sugar.
5. Cut the shortening into tablespoon-sized pieces. Use a pastry cutter or pastry fork to cut the shortening into the oat mixture.
6. Spread the fruit mixture evenly in the baking dish.
7. Sprinkle the oat mixture on top of the fruit. Use the flat side of a spoon to lightly pack the topping.
8. Bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes, until the fruit is bubbling around the edges.

• If you are using strawberries, be sure to remove the stems and chop them (in half or thirds) so they are about the same size as the rest of your berries.
• If fresh berries are not available you may use frozen (unsweetened) berries. Thaw and drain them before using.
• This is best warm. Keep leftovers in the refrigerator and reheat for 30 seconds in a microwave.

Baking on the Stovetop

Who said that baking has to be done in an oven? Common definitions of baking describe it as “cooking with dry heat.” While that is most often in an oven, the principles of baking also apply on the stovetop.

In both cases, you are using dry heat, which causes moisture to evaporate and the chemical properties of the ingredients to interact. In both cases, the ingredients will solidify when heated. And of course, in both cases, you expect to create something delicious. Yup, I call that baking!

When baking on the stovetop, you must be present. Unlike putting muffins in the oven and walking away until the buzzer rings, baking on the stovetop often requires constant stirring, and always requires a watchful eye. That said, it’s usually fairly quick and can be accomplished with just a few tools—the most important are a good medium stainless-steel pan and a medium whisk.

As you bake on the stovetop, pay special attention to the order in which the ingredients are added, and at what temperature. For example, if a mixture needs to be brought “just to a rolling boil,” make sure you remove it from the heat or reduce the heat as soon as the bubbles are large and expanding. If the recipe says to boil until it starts to solidify, have a spoon nearby so you can test the thickness.

Pay special attention to my choice of egg substitute in the two pudding recipes that follow and in the Eggless Chocolate Mousse. Most often, egg is used in puddings and mousses to thicken the mixture. Without a traditional egg to play that role, I have chosen Ener-G Egg Replacer. Notice that when you add the egg replacer, you will see an immediate thickening—that’s success. If you choose to substitute for the egg replacer, you will need to add a starch (e.g., corn starch or tapioca starch) to thicken the pudding.

Brown Rice Pudding

It just makes sense that those who are avoiding wheat should embrace rice pudding. Perhaps it’s not the most glamorous of desserts, but it can be dressed up with maple syrup and raisins (or light brown sugar and dried cranberries) and even makes a wholesome (and filling) breakfast in place of cereal.

Rice pudding can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator—add a little more rice milk to soften it up, if needed, and warm it in the microwave.

{ Makes 4 servings }

½ cup brown rice

1¾ cups rice milk

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

3 teaspoons Ener-G Egg Replacer combined with 4 tablespoons warm water (equal to 2 eggs) (see tip)

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup (optional)

¼ cup raisins (optional)

1. Combine the rice, 1¼ cups of the rice milk, and salt in a medium saucepan.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer, cover, and cook for 45 minutes.
3. Remove the rice from the heat and let it sit (covered) for 10 minutes.
4. In a separate medium saucepan, whisk together the remaining ½ cup of rice milk and vanilla.
5. Bring the milk mixture to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
6. Remove the milk from the heat and whisk in the egg replacer mixture. The milk mixture will start to thicken.
7. Add the rice (that you set aside) and stir thoroughly with a spoon.
8. Return the saucepan to low heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes (uncovered) until the pudding is creamy. Stir occasionally.
9. Serve with maple syrup and raisins, if desired.

• Don’t mix the Ener-G Egg Replacer until the rice is removed from the heat in step 3.

Banana Hemp Pudding

Hemp has a nice smooth taste—one that pairs perfectly with banana. If you’re up for a not-too-sweet version of banana pudding, made without traditional milk or eggs, this is it. Keep in mind that the riper your bananas are, the sweeter this will taste; you may adjust the sugar accordingly. This is wonderful served with fresh blueberries.

{ Makes 4 servings }

1 cup very ripe or frozen banana (about 3 medium bananas)

1¼ cups original hemp milk (see tip)

1 tablespoon sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

4½ teaspoons Ener-G Egg Replacer combined with 6 tablespoons warm water (equal to 3 eggs)

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1½ teaspoons corn starch

1. Puree the bananas in a food processor or blender. (If you are working with frozen bananas, strain off the water before pureeing.)
2. Whisk together the hemp milk, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan.
3. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
4. Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the egg replacer mixture. The milk mixture will start to thicken.
5. Add the bananas and vanilla, and whisk until smooth.
6. Add the corn starch and whisk until smooth.
7. Return the saucepan to medium-low heat and boil for 10 to 15 minutes, until the pudding is creamy and large bubbles are forming. Stir occasionally.
8. Let it cool to room temperature. Spoon the pudding into serving dishes, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

• Replace the hemp milk with coconut milk beverage for a banana coconut pudding.

* Variation:

Banana Hemp Cookie Cake: Prepare the Sugar Cookies, leaving off the sugared topping. Prepare the banana pudding as above and let it cool. In a deep-dish pan, alternate five layers of cookies and pudding, starting and ending with a cookie layer. Refrigerate the assembled cake overnight. The cookies will absorb the pudding to become cake-like.

Strawberry Jam

(Pictured with Blackberry Jam, upper left; and Raspberry Jam, upper right.)

While it’s not too hard to find jams that are free of the most common food allergens, even grocery store jams that bill themselves as “all fruit” often contain such ingredients as “natural flavor,” and, regardless of the fruit on the front label, many have pear and grape juice in the first few ingredients. I have kept my recipe very simple, and have not added fruit pectin (another common ingredient in off-the-shelf jams).

I started making jam when I was able to pick my own fresh fruit at my local farm. There is nothing quite like a fresh strawberry or raspberry. Extras can be frozen for future baking projects, or made into—you guessed it—jam. I like to make my jams as needed, but if you’re familiar with preserving techniques, this is the time to get those jam jars boiling.

Try these with leftover Dinner Muffins for breakfast or in Strawberry Oat Squares.

{ Makes about ¾ cup of jam }

1 cup crushed strawberries (about 1½ cups uncrushed)

½ cup sugar

1. Crush the strawberries in a medium saucepan. They should be juicy.
2. Add ¼ cup of the sugar and bring the mixture to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
3. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the remaining ¼ cup of sugar.
4. Boil over medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes, until the sauce starts to thicken.
5. Use a spoon to test for doneness. If the mixture drips completely off the spoon after cooling for about a minute, boil for a few minutes longer.
6. Skim the foam from the top of the jam.
7. Let the jam cool. It will solidify further during cooling.

• This jam contains less sugar than you would typically find in a jam recipe. If you prefer a sweeter jam, double the sugar.
• This recipe is easily scalable for large quantities of jam. Be sure to use larger pots as you scale up. The jam will increase in volume as you boil.
• Store jams in the refrigerator.

* Variations:

Blackberry Jam: Use 1 cup of crushed blackberries instead of strawberries. Add 1½ teaspoons of fresh lemon juice with the berries.

Raspberry Jam: Use 1 cup of crushed raspberries instead of strawberries. Add 1½ teaspoons of fresh lemon juice with the berries.

Strawberry Oat Squares

To make these squares, you will use the same technique to cut the shortening into the flour as you did to make cookies (see more), but there’s no need to refrigerate the dough before you bake. They are sweet and simple.

Plan enough time to let them cool before cutting. You may find that you always prefer these squares refrigerated.

{ Makes 16 squares }

1 cup gluten-free flour blend

¼ teaspoon xanthan gum (leave out if your flour blend contains xanthan gum)

1 cup gluten-free quick-cooking oats

½ cup light brown sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

8 tablespoons (1 stick) Earth Balance Natural Shortening, cold

¾ cup Strawberry Jam (see tips)

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9-inch square baking dish with parchment paper. Spray a very thin layer of cooking oil over the parchment.
2. Combine the flour, xanthan gum (if needed), oats, brown sugar, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl.
3. Cut the shortening into tablespoon-sized pieces and place them on top of the flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter or pastry fork to cut the shortening into the oat and flour mixture, until it is crumbly.
4. Spread half of the oat mixture in the bottom of the prepared baking dish, spreading to the edges. Gently pat it down to create the bottom layer of the bars.
5. Spoon the jam on top of this layer, in tablespoon-sized portions, and gently spread the jam to cover the bottom layer, leaving the last ½ inch on the edges uncovered.
6. Sprinkle the remaining oat mixture on top of the jam layer to cover completely. Lightly pat down this top layer.
7. Bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and the strawberry filling is bubbling. It’s okay if the filling peeks through the top layer.
8. Let it cool for at least an hour. Use the parchment paper to lift it from the baking dish and then use a sharp knife to cut it into desired-size bars.

• The jam can be prepared well in advance (and refrigerated) or just before baking. Let it cool before spreading it.
• This recipe works equally well with the Raspberry or Blackberry Jam variations, or your own favorite jam.
• Err on the side of spreading more of the oat mixture on the bottom of the bars than on top.
• Refrigerate what you don’t plan to eat within 48 hours.