Vegan Chocolate Silk Pie Bites

My roommate has a chocolate silk pie recipe that has literally been passed down for generations and it is unreal, but it also unfortunately has dairy in it. I attempted to make a suitable substitute (can't quite call it a replacement) by combining nuts and chocolate. It was a simple enough idea, but the final result was more like a truffle bite than a chocolate pie. They are rich and incredibly decadent, but they sure are good.

Vegan Chocolate Silk Pie Bites

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 12 oz vegan chocolate chips, melted
• 2 cups cashews, soaked in hot water

Instructions:

1. Line a mini muffin tin with liners. In a food processor, process the cashews until they form a thick cream. With the machine running, add the melted chocolate chips. Scrape down the bowl and process until combined. Scoop small amounts into each of the prepared cupcake liners. Allow the bites to set in the fridge or freezer for at least 30 minutes. They can be eaten frozen, although they are great at room temperature as well. Store any leftovers in the freezer.

Pumpkin Gingerbread Cake with Pecan Streusel Base

I am a huge fan of Fall foods. Having grown up in the north, I am of the mindset that food, like produce, has its own season. Some of my favorites are greens (collard, mustard, kale, etc.), root vegetables, apples in any form, and copious amounts of pumpkin. What are some of your favorite fall flavors or foods? I'm always looking to try new foods! Since we have just officially started Fall, I can now eat the above foods to my heart's content!!!

I had a can of pure pumpkin that I needed to use, so I started tossing ingredients together in a bowl, and I was really pleased with the final result. This is surprisingly versatile too. If you would rather have a pumpkin gingerbread loaf, then omit the streusel base in the pan and bake just a few more minutes. This recipe is great by itself or topped with a dollop of spiced cashew cream or even a little apple butter.

Omitting the streusel base, cuts out sugar, but it does not take away from the final product. With or without added brown sugar, this recipe is fabulous and sure to be a new Fall staple.

Pumpkin Gingerbread Cake with Pecan Streusel Base



 

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes - 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour - 1 hour 15 minutes

Yields 24 pieces

Ingredients:

Cake:

• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 15 oz. can 100% pure pumpkin
• 4 flax eggs (4 tbs ground flax and 8 tbs water)
• 1 cup white rice flour
• 1/3 cup buckwheat flour
• 3 tbs tapioca starch
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbs ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

Streusel Base (Optional)

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and line two 9x9 square baking pans or a 9x13 cake pan with parchment paper. If you are using the streusel base, then sprinkle 2 tbs brown sugar into the bottom of each lined pan. Sprinkle cinnamon evenly over the brown sugar, then sprinkle 2 tbs of the pecans over the cinnamon in each pan. In a measuring cup, whisk together the flax and water to form your flax eggs and let them set while you mix the cake together. 
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the molasses, maple syrup, and pumpkin. In a separate bowl, combine the flours, starch, salt, spices, baking soda and baking powder. 
3. Add the flax eggs to the pumpkin mixture and whisk to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until just combined. 
4. Divide the batter between the two pans, and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove the pans from the oven and allow them to cool slightly before serving. You can serve the cake warm directly from the pan or cool completely and invert if you want to remove the cake from the pan. 

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

I've come across several gluten-free/vegan dessert options that incorporate beans of all types, and I've recreated several of those recipes. For the most part, I am not a fan. It's a difficult task to balance health and sweet delectable chocolatey desserts. This recipe is one of those recipes that I tried and actually liked. Actually, I loved it. I've made some changes and some variations and they've all been great!

My vegan sister and brother-in-law love them. In fact, if I plan a visit home, my brother-in-law  asks whether I have time to bake some cookies or not and I'm more than happy to oblige! Food is one of my love languages, and it makes me so happy to sit around the kitchen table with my family sharing a dozen cookies between us. As we savor the cookies, we recant old stories and new ones. Forming memories, one bite at a time.

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Yields 18 cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 14.5 oz can of chickpeas
• 1/2 cup plus 1/8 cup PB2 powder or equivalent amount of nut butter
• 1/4 cup water or almond milk (only if you use the PB2 powder)
• 1/4 cup maple syrup (or 1/4 cup honey)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips (substitute vegan or carob chips if desired)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a food processor, process the chickpeas until they form a grainy paste. Add the PB2 powder, water (if using), sweetener, vanilla, and baking soda, and process until smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips*. 
2. Roll the dough into golf ball sized pieces and arrange on the cookie sheets. If you prefer your cookies to be more disc-like, then flatten the balls slightly on the sheet, if not, then they will cook into small mounds. Bake for 10 minutes or until cookies retain their shape but are still soft when you press on them.

Notes*
If you add the chocolate chips to the food processor and pulse to incorporate them, then your cookies will have chocolatey fudge swirls in them. Yum! 

Chocolate Chip Cherry Almond Cookies

I was talking to a group of guys about computers earlier today, and the role that cookies play on the internet...Okay, if you know me, then you know the route my mind took. It was a lazy rainy afternoon, and there were no baked goods in my house, so I started formulating a plan to spice up my classic gluten free chocolate chip cookie recipe.

I decided to change up the flavors and incorporate a favorite flavor pairing of mine, cherry-almond. They were so good, I barely had time to snap a picture before they were gobbled up.

Chocolate Chip Cherry Almond Cookies

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Yields 18 cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 14.5 oz can of chickpeas
• 1/2 cup plus 1/8 cup PB2 powder or equivalent amount of nut butter
• 1/4 cup water or almond milk (only if you use the PB2 powder)
• 1/4 cup maple syrup (or honey)
• 2 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips (substitute vegan or carob chips if desired)
• 1/2 cup dried cherries

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a food processor, process the chickpeas until they form a grainy paste. Add the PB2 powder, water (if using), sweetener, almond extract, and baking soda, and process until smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips* and cherries. 
2. Roll the dough into golf ball sized pieces and arrange on the cookie sheets. If you prefer your cookies to be more disc-like, then flatten the balls slightly on the sheet, if not, then they will cook into small mounds. Bake for 10 minutes.

Notes*
If you add the chocolate chips to the food processor and pulse to incorporate them, then your cookies will have chocolatey fudge swirls in them. Yum! 

Vegan Peanut Butter Cups

I grew up 30 minutes away from Hershey Park, so my love affair with Hershey candy started at an early age. Unfortunately for Hershey, as I got older I fell out of love with sugary treats and fell in love with decadently dark chocolate. However, there are some flavor combinations a girl doesn't like to go without, take peanut butter cups for instance.

While I'm on the subject of peanut butter cups, I'll take a moment to acknowledge what a brilliant idea they were! Thank you Mr. Milton Hershey for your chocolate bars, and thank you Mr. George Washington Carver for introducing peanut butter in the 1880s. Okay, enough history for the day, lets whip up some homemade peanut butter cups.

For this recipe you can either make your own chocolate cups, it's incredibly easy, or buy some chocolate cups for desserts or cordials at a grocery store. Below, I give the instructions on how to make your own, but just skip that part if you buy cups from the store.

Vegan Peanut Butter Cups

Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Makes approximately 10 mini cups

Ingredients:

• 6 oz chocolate bar or chocolate chips (make sure to use vegan chocolate to keep the recipe vegan), I prefer 70% or darker
• 1/2 cup peanut butter, home made or store bought, melted
• mini cupcake liners

Instructions:

1. Place a mini cupcake pan in your freezer for at least 15 minutes. If you are using pre-made chocolate cups, then skip to step 2. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler on the stove. Once the chocolate has melted, pour about 1/2 tbs into a mini cupcake liner and roll the liner around to coat the sides. Remove the pan from your freezer and place your chocolate coated-liners in the tin. Set the pan in the fridge and let the chocolate set for 15 to 20 minutes. 
2. Remove the pan from the fridge. Spoon melted peanut butter into the chocolate cups until they are 80% full. Return the pan to the fridge and let the peanut butter set for 10 minutes. 
3. Remove the pan from the fridge and top the cups with the remaining chocolate, filling the cups to the top. Return the pan to the fridge for the last time and let the chocolate set up for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Then devour them!

Peach Polenta Upside-Down Cake (With Vegan Option)

It's almost the end of peach season down south, but I couldn't let it pass without making this cake one last time. Whenever I try to explain this dessert to people, I usually get some pretty odd reactions, as if the idea of a cake/cornbread was a little too far fetched. Luckily, the people who have tried it, have loved it, so give it a try and make up your own mind...I'm sure you'll love it too!

The original recipe called for loads of butter, sugar, and cream. I've lightened it up and adapted it to be gluten free and I've offered a vegan option. I have made it following the vegan substitutions several times and it is superb!

Peach Polenta Upside-Down Cake (Vegan Option)

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup butter or apple sauce 
• 1/4 cup and 1/2 cup sugar
• 3-4 medium ripe peaches, skin on, pitted, and cut into 3/4" wedges
• 1 cup polenta or coarse yellow cornmeal
• 3/4 cup gluten free flour blend or all purpose flour(Bob's gluten-free, or your preferred blend, I used 1/2 cup white rice, 1/8 cup brown rice, and 1/8 cup tapioca starch) 
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/4 tsp salt (I prefer kosher for this recipe)
• 3 eggs or flax eggs (3 Tbs flax and 6 Tbs water, mix together and let rest 10 minutes)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup almond milk, or milk of your choice

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Melt 3 Tbs of the butter, or heat 3 Tbs apple sauce in a 10" iron-skillet over medium heat, making sure to brush it up the sides of the pan. Sprinkle 1/4 cup suger evenly across the bottom of the skillet and cook until the sugar starts to turn a golden brown, about 3 minutes. Arrange the peaches around the outside of the skillet, then fill in the center of the skillet with the remaining slices. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and continue to cook until the juices are bubbling and the peaches begin to soften 10-12 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.
2. While the peaches are cooking, combine the polenta, flours, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Beat the remaining 8 Tbs butter or apple sauce and 1/2 cup sugar for 3 minutes. Add the eggs, scrape the bowl down, then mix in the vanilla and milk. Add the flour mixture to the bowl and mix until just combined. 
3. Drizzle the batter over the peaches and smooth out the top with your spatula. Bake until golden, and a tester inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean 30 minutes. Let the skillet cool for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the pan. Quickly invert the pan onto a plate or cutting board and tap the bottom of the skillet to loosen the cake and peaches. Lift the skillet and reposition any renegade peaches. Cool slightly before serving. 

Adapted from Martha Stewart

Vegan Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp

Today kicks off VeganMoFo! Day 1!!! I do not normally follow a vegan diet, but I have friends and family who do. Therefore, I accept the challenge of VeganMoFo and will post at least 20 vegan posts this month! I am so excited!!!



I was walking through the grocery store when I spotted some fresh rhubarb. I had always loved the strawberry rhubarb pies that were sold in the area where I grew up, but I had never experimented with rhubarb before. I decided that would not hold me back. I selected a few stalks of rhubarb, bagged them, bought them, and baked them. The result was this delicious little dessert!

Vegan Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

Serves 6

Ingredients: 

Filling:

• 4 stalks of rhubarb, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 16 oz. strawberries, slices
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup tapioca starch
• 1/2 cup sugar

Crisp:

• 8 oz ground almonds
• 1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
• 4 tbs brown sugar
• 2 tsp ground flax
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 6 tbs applesauce

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. 
2. In a large bowl, combine the rhubarb, strawberries, cinnamon, tapioca starch, and sugar, stirring to combine. Let the mixture sit while you prepare the crisp topping. 
3. In a separate bowl combine the almonds, oats, sugar, flax, cinnamon, and applesauce until just combined. Do not over mix. 
4. Pour the strawberry mixture into a square glass baking dish and bake the fruit for 10 minutes. 
5. Remove the fruit filling and sprinkle the crisp topping over the dish. Return the dish to the oven and bake for 40 minutes or until the topping is a dark brown. 

India-Inspired Rice Pudding

I was planning on experimenting with some Indian Cuisine this weekend. I ran my plans by my roommate, to make sure she was up for Indian food for the weekend, and the only thing she asked was, "Will you make rice pudding?" To which I assured her it would be on the menu.

Neither of us are big on sugar or very creamy dishes, both of which are staples for a traditional rice pudding. A few years ago I experimented with making a rice pudding with an Indian flare, and we have been hooked ever since. This dish has a unique blending of flavors that combine most beautifully to form this great dessert.

India-Inspired Rice Pudding

Prep Time: 0 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Serves 6-8

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup medium-grain rice
• 1/4 tsp salt (I prefer pink Himalayan sea salt because the flavor is more subtle)
• 2 14 oz. cans light coconut milk (you can use full-fat for a creamier dessert if you like)
• 1 1/2 cup almond milk 
• 1/3 cup sugar or alternative granulated sweetener
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/4 cup chopped dates (optional)

Instructions:

1. Bring the water to a boil in a large, heavy-bottomed (preferably non-stick) saucepan. Stir in the rice and salt, cover, and simmer over low heat, stirring once or twice until the water is almost completely absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. 
2. Pour in the coconut and almond milk along with the sugar and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook, uncovered and stirring frequently, until the mixture begins to thicken, about 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook for another 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom or scorching. 
3. When a spoon can stand up in the pudding, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and cardamom. If you like a sweeter pudding, add the chopped dates. We prefer this pudding served warm. Store in a Tupperware container and add up to 1 cup of milk, 2 tablespoons at a time, if serving chilled or at room temperature to loosen up the pudding before serving. 

Rustic Buckwheat Tart with Cherry Compote Filling

This recipe makes a delicious, rustic, crust that is great with any fruit filling. So good! Enjoy!

Gluten Free Rustic Buckwheat Tart With Cherry Compote Filling

Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 2 hours

Ingredients for the Crust:

• 3 Tbs Triple Sec
• 3 Tbs iced water
• 1/2 cup rice flour
• 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon xantham gum
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 6 Tbs cold butter, sliced thinly

Ingredients for Cherry Compote Filling: 

•  4 cups sweet cherries, pitted
• 3 Tbs dark brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 Tbs Triple Sec
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F. In a food processor, combine the flours, cornstarch, sugar, xantham gum, salt, and cinnamon. Pulse to combine. 
2. Sprinkle in the cold butter, and pulse until the butter has formed small crumbles in the dough. 
3. Add the Triple Sec and iced water alternatively, one tablespoon at a time through the feed tube. Continue to add the liquid until the dough comes together and forms a ball. 
4. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. 
5. Remove the dough from the fridge and let it rest at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. 
6. Dust a work surface with buckwheat flour, and dust the dough disk with extra buckwheat flour. Roll out the dough into the shape of your tart pan. Place the removable tart pan bottom under the dough and fold the sides of the dough onto the pan (see the picture below). Assemble the tart pan and unfold the sides of the dough, pressing the dough into the corners. Place the dough in the freezer until firm, 15-20 minutes. 
7. While the crust is setting, add cherries, sugar, cinnamon, triple sec and cloves to the food processor bowl and process with 10 one second pulses to form a chunky sauce.
8. Pour the contents of the food processor into a small sauce pan and simmer on medium heat until reduced by about 1/3 and the liquid has thickened, approximately 20 minutes.
9. While the cherry mixture is reducing, remove the crust from the freezer and bake for 20 minutes at 425 F. 
10. Remove the crust from the oven and reduce the temperature to 375 F.  Fill with the reduced fruit filling and bake for an additional 30-40 minutes until fruit filling is cooked through. 
11. Remove the tart from the oven and let cool or serve warm. Feel free to fill the tart with an apple and cinnamon filling. Get creative and have fun with it! 

Adapted from The Bojon Gourmet

Best-Ever Chocolate Quinoa Cake Revisited

I'm on the gluten free bandwagon. I do not have Celiacs disease, however I am gluten intolerant and since having quit gluten (nearly 2 years ago) my asthma is essentially nonexistent. That being said, before starting my gluten free lifestyle, I had been addicted to baked goods for two reasons; the carbs and the sugar. At the time, I was a Junior in college and a half and full marathon runner. Thus the love of carbs. I am very sensitive to caffeine and therefore required an alternate stimulus to stay up and study, thus the addiction to sugar. I realized that eating 4 cups of white rice followed by 3 servings of sugar coated cake was not a nutritious or sustainable diet, nor did I particularly enjoy my regular sugar-withdrawal headaches.
It was right after finals, having eaten gummy worms and ice cream for dinner all week that I realized this had to change. I gave gluten free a month-long trial period and substituted my unhealthy sugar cravings with peanut butter. After gaining 5lbs and realizing that my whole diet needed a tune-up, I recommitted to my health on January 1, 2013. Sure, new year resolutions are quaint and rarely followed through, however, in my mind if it's worth my time it's worth all of it. That being said, I've been gluten-free ever since and I don't regret it. I'm still learning to control my addiction to sugar and refined carbs, but I've made leaps and bounds in my progress to improve the overall health of my diet.

That being said, I can still go for a bit of chocolate cake every now and then. I am, and ever will be a chocoholic and have no intentions of changing that. Why? Because I don't care for Hershey bars and sugary treats. No, I love dark bitter chocolate and in moderation, not excessively.

Therefore, when I cam across a recipe for Chocolate Quinoa Cake (I love quinoa too!), I had to give it a go. Unfortunately, I don't care for excessive oils in my food, and I recently found out I'm slightly lactose intolerant as well. As this cake called for coconut oil and butter, I had to work around that.

So...I adapted the recipe and wasn't disappointed.

Best-Ever "Healthified" Chocolate Quinoa Cake

Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Cook Time: 30 Minutes
Total Time: 1 Hour

Serves 16

Ingredients:

Cake

• 2 cups cooked quinoa*(I prefer red quinoa)
• 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk (or preferred milk)
• 4 whole eggs (or 4 tablespoons ground flax and 1/2 cup water for vegan option)
• 3/4 cup plain applesauce (preferably no sugar added) 
• 1 cup organic evaporated cane juice or white sugar(or 1/2 cup honey)
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s Special Dark) 
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Chocolate Ganache

• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or 4 oz dark chocolate
• 1/8 cup cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup almond milk

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and then line two round cake pans (or a 9x13” pan) with parchment paper.
2. In a food processor or blender, combine the eggs (or flax and water), almond milk (or preferred milk) and vanilla extract then blend for ten seconds to combine.
3. Add the cooked and cooled quinoa along with the apple sauce and blend until completely smooth, about thirty seconds to one minute.
4. With food processor running, add the dry ingredients (cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt) through the feed tube.
5. Divide the batter between the two pans and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool 10 minutes. 
6. While the cakes cool, melt the chocolate chips over medium-low heat in a double boiler. As they melt, slowly stir in the cocoa powder and almond milk until incorporated. Remove ganache from heat and allow to cool slightly.
7. Cut around the cakes in the pans with a thin knife and invert one round onto intended final surface. The cake rounds are quite fragile, so avoid moving them around too much. Pour approximately 1/3 of the ganache onto the top of the cake.** Stack the second round on top of the first and pour remaining chocolate ganache on top of the stacked cake. Allow the chocolate sauce to cool, then cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Notes

* 3/4 cup dry quinoa will yield approximately 2 cups cooked quinoa. I rinse my quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer then add it to 1.5 cup boiling water. After adding the quinoa, I cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium low, allowing it to cook for 10-12 minutes or until all of the quinoa is fluffy and translucent, so as to avoid any uncooked crunchy pieces form being incorporated into the cake.

**Instead of icing the middle of the cake with chocolate, fresh fruit or fruit preserves can be layered between the two rounds. I like to blend about 4 tablespoons raspberry preserves with 1/2 cup raspberries and spread the mixture between the cake layers for a different approach. Thin strawberry slices are another great alternative.

Cake adapted from making thyme for health

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

So...I have been following a gluten-free diet for over 2 years now. However, there was a time that I did eat gluten. During that time, I filled every second of my free time baking. One recipe that was always a favorite among my friends was my homemade chocolate chip cookies.
Recently, I was out of town and received a phone call from my roommate/best friend. She painted a picture of her scenario to me, and the conversation went something like this..."You are out of town, which means I have to entertain myself. Work was overwhelming and I've already had a mojito. In order to completely enjoy my girls night in, I need to watch Sleepless in Seattle and bake cookies. My plan was going very well, until I couldn't find your cookie recipe. So now I must know where you are hiding it!" In order to avoid another such scenario, I've decided to share that recipe to make it more accessible. I hope you enjoy it!

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes

Yields approximately 40 small cookies

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups oatmeal, blended
• 2 cups unbleached flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 12 oz. chocolate chips, I prefer Ghiradelli or Guittard
• 4 oz grated chocolate, can be milk or dark*
• 1 1/2 cups chopped nuts (optional), I prefer walnuts

Instructions

1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper
2. Measure the oatmeal and blend in a blender to a fine powder.
3. Mix the oatmeal, flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a medium bowl. 
4. In a large bowl, cream the butter and both sugars until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
5. Add the eggs, beating after each addition, and the vanilla. 
6. Add the oatmeal mixture to the butter mixture and mix until combined. 
7. Stir in the chocolate chips, grated chocolate, and nuts if you are using them, with a wooden spoon. The dough gets pretty thick.
8. Wet your hands and roll dough into golf-ball sized balls. Arrange on the cookie sheets 2 inches apart. 
9. Bake one sheet at a time for 5 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake for an additional 5 minutes. This allows for even browning, and avoids burning the cookies. 
10. Remove promptly from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on wire racks.
11. Repeat the process of baking one sheet at a time until all cookies have been baked. 

Notes 
*I like to freeze Hershey bars and grate them in a food processor to a fine powder, keeping the powder in the freezer until I need it. This allows you to add the chocolate to the cookie dough without it melting, resulting in small flecks of ground chocolate in the dough.