Cheezy Pasta - Vegan

Teenagers love mac n cheese, right?  Well, for that matter people of any age.  So you can imagine the dismay when my 14-year old son suddenly developed lactose intolerance... not just the normal kind where you take a pill and eat what you want, but a severe form that has left him dairy-free ever since.

Mostly he missed pizza.  And tacos with chipotle white sauce.  And mac n cheese.

We tried different vegan cheeses and sauces, but all were met with the same response,

"No thanks, Mom.  I'll just go without."

So off my baby went to college, dairy-free.  He hasn't adopted our vegan diet and actually makes fun of many of my "vegan" choices as he feels he needs "real" protein to keep his physique (I know... I've sent him the literature, but he still doesn't believe.).  

But then he came home and I made him this Cheezy Pasta.  Placing a steaming bowl in front of him he raised his eyebrows as he hesitantly asked what was in it.

"Cashews," I said casually.  "And a few other things like garlic, oh, and Nutritional Yeast..."

The eyebrows went higher and he responded,

"No thanks, I'm good".

Eventually I convinced him to try. 

"Just a bite," I said.

And he did.  One bite.  Then two.  Then he cleaned the bowl and asked for seconds.

Now I get texts when he leaves Santa Barbara on his way home for a long weekend asking if I can "Please have that Vegan Cheezy Pasta ready" when he walks in the door.

Luckily it goes together in a flash, and you can make extra sauce that keeps for days in the fridge.

However, if you're trying to sell it as a sub to mac n cheese lovers, I wouldn't call it mac n cheese... it's definitely not the blue box kind.  It's so much better, a whole different kinds of awesomeness that deserves a category all its own.  And so much healthier... have you read the back of that box?  But that's a whole different story.

Cheers my friends... enjoy!

Kim

Molasses Oatmeal Banana Bread - Vegan Recipe

Oh Banana Bread... how we love you!  Since the kids were babies, Banana Bread of all sorts has been not only a staple in our kitchen but also a vehicle to pump healthy ingredients into the kids without them really knowing it.

I've gone so far as to add spinach and avocado to recipes (with success I might add!), but we keep returning to an old favorite recipe (and spinach-free version...) - Oatmeal Banana Bread with Molasses.

Tender and flavorful, we easily removed the dairy when my son became intolerant, but would the old recipe stand up to becoming "veganized"?  Absolutely.

The banana and oatmeal bring a tender moistness while the walnuts add a touch of texture.  But I think it's the molasses that kicks this recipe over the top with a rich pop of flavor that leaves you simply wanting more.

Fabulous fresh from the oven, we've been known to demolish an entire loaf before the last slice cools.  However if you can save enough for breakfast the next morning, a toasted slice slathered with peanut butter and topped with sliced banana is pure heaven.

Whether serving to your plant-based friends or not, this recipe may rise to the top of your most used recipes once you give it a go.  

Cheers my friends, here's to banana love!

Kim

Berry Coconut Strawberry Blueberry Salad - Recipe

Coconut... it's everywhere these days, isn't it?  We've all seen the coco-water craze, and personally I'm obsessed with the oil and manna (manna dollop on oatmeal anyone?).  But Coconut Balsamic?  Ohhh, yes indeed.

Last weekend I attended a local food festival, North Eats, in Carlsbad, CA.  Showcasing some 25+ local North County San Diego restaurants (Blue Ribbon, Local Tap House, Prep Kitchen and Solterra being a few of my favories).  The sponsor, Baker and Olive, challenged the chefs to feature Baker and Olive oils and vinegars in their recipes, and oh my goodness did they succeed.

I'm still craving Prep Kitchen's savory Potato Agnolotti, and that Honeydew Melon Gazpacho from Solterra will be a must have whenever I visit.  But it was Master's Kitchen's Coconut Lime Shrimp Sapicon (think shrimp, mango, coconut and lime on small toasts) that took me to Baker and Olive for a bottle of Coconut Balsamic to call my own (Note I came home with olive oil from Spain, a Tuscan oil and a Sicilian Lemon White Balsamic in addition).

Yes... Coconut Balsamic, a white balsamic infused with the scents and flavors of any tropical island you can think of.  Slightly tart with the balsamic notes, the coconut makes a rich, flavorful vinegar that I can only imagine paired with a Lime infused Oil (it's on my to try list).

But how perfect does it pair with my strawberry salad?  Simply perfectly perfect in my opinion.  

Just in time for your 4th of July celebrations tomorrow, this simple salad receives an extra coconut kick from the coconut balsamic, but a drizzle of any white balsamic will do.  Toss in finely sliced mint ribbons and top with crunchy coconut chips and your potluck dish is ready in no time.  And... it will be gone in time too.

Here's wishing you a fun-filled and safe, 4th of July, 2016 my friends.  Eat well :)

Coconut Lemon Scones with Lavender Option

Ahhh scones... the epitome of afternoon tea.  I carry vivid memories of my very first tender biscuit (some 30 years ago!) served with traditional clotted cream and a side of homemade apricot jam whilst visiting the South of England - Devon to be exact.  And while I'm not sure I've ever tasted another scone that actually lives up to this memory, I haven't stopped trying.

On occasion we used to bake scones with traditional butter and cream, but when my son (dairy-free) requested a lemon version we used a coconut milk substitute and we haven't looked back at heavy cream since.

Light and tender, these scones bake to a lovely bite on the outside with a tender, almost creamy inside - when a light hand is used in kneading.

The coconut milk lends a richness and boosts the flavors all around, and the lemon icing brings a bright finish to the whole thing.

Another scone stuck in my memory found its way to me far, far away from the green hillsides of England, but rather in a Farmer's Market on the Hawaiian Island of Oahu.  The flavor of the day listed lavender and I almost walked right on by.  But curiosity got the best of me and I purchased one for brunch.  Hesitant, as lavender has always been a candle scent in my world, my husband and I shared the scone and quickly wished we had purchased two.

Today, a new lavender plant in my back yard, brought temptation to recreate the Hawaiian Lavender version along with our sunny lemon.  And fresh lavender turned this scone into another great success.  While it's not seeming to be a hit with everyone who tries, those who do enjoy the flavors of lavender will enjoy the lavender/lemon combo of this dairy-free recipe.

So whether you prefer a brilliantly bright lemon scone on its own, or lemon with a hint of lavender, you can start making new scone memories right here and right now.

Wishing you love and laughter my friends, enjoy!

Apple Pie Smoothie - Vegan Recipe

National food days... who decides them?  I mean seriously, how is today, April 13th, simultaneously National Fruit Cocktail Day, National Hummus Day AND National Apple Pie Day?  I simply don't get it.

Nonetheless.  This morning I made Liv one of her favorite smoothies, something she dubbed an "Apple Pie Smoothie" way back when she was little.  And don't you know, today just happens to be National Apple Pie Day?

So it seemed fitting to share this creamy, vegan Apple Pie Smoothie recipe with you to include you in our coincidental celebration!

Creamy with Liv's favorite frozen banana, this simple concoction of apples, almond milk, almond butter, cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg sweetened with a splash of pure maple syrup brings the essence of apple pie to your cup.  But without the sugars and fats of the real thing.

Join us as we toast National Apple Pie Day and sip our pie before heading out to start the day.

Anti Inflammatory Tropical Turmeric Smoothie and Bowl

Oh what I wouldn't give for a day or two on a tropical island right about now.  A few swaying palms, a hammock strung between them, and someone serving me frosty drinks with a touch of coconut...

Well, I may not be able to swing the hammock, but the drink?  I've got us covered!

Frosty and sweet with island pineapple and luscious mango, this smoothie brings not only a bit of an escape, but a few health benefits along with it.

Last month Mom's doc prescribed turmeric for joint pain and inflammation, and we've been working all angles to get more turmeric into her diet. Her knees and hips have been giving her trouble lately with chronic pain and we're up for trying anything to bring a bit of relief.

Recommended by the Arthritis Foundation to fight inflammation and chronic pain, turmeric dates back some 4,000 years to Southern India and Indonesia where history shows its use medicinally as well as as a beauty aid, spice and in the worship of the Sun Gods.

Years later Buddhist monks traveled great distances in search of the roots to dye their robs those familiar brilliant yellow/golden hues.  Evidence also shows medicinal use of turmeric as part of ancient Chinese medicine as an aid in digestion and for both the prevention and therapy of numerous diseases.

So what's the big deal with this golden hued root?  Research shows that curcumin, an antioxidant found in turmeric, works to promote a natural inflammatory response by molecularly inhibiting the expression of the COX-2 "pain" enzyme (1).  While curcumin extracts provide the most concentrated doses of the helpful antioxidant, we can supplement throughout the day with turmeric root in recipes for additional benefits and, as an added bonus, exotic flavors.

I'm by no means an expert on turmeric, but I can tell you mom has experienced slight relief since beginning her use of the root.  Power of suggestion?  Maybe.  But whatever the reason she's feeling a little better and we've all begun incorporating more turmeric into our diets (Note that curcumin is far better absorbed by the body when accompanied by a small dose of ground pepper) and enjoying so many new recipes in the process.

So, tropical and healthful?  This smoothie, or smoothie bowl, has it all.  Pineapple and ginger are wonderful for digestion and sweetness, mango brings even more of the lovely orange/golden hues, and a dash of coconut lends an essence of my beloved swaying palms.

Whether sipped with a straw or poured into a bowl and topped with your favorite smoothie bowl goodies (banana, chia, granola and goji top my list of favorites!), this Tropical Turmeric Smoothie is a welcome post workout refresher or as a bowl filled with goodies, a lovely way to start your day.

Smoothie turned smoothie bowl with the addition of toppings!  This one includes mandrin orange, banana, chia seeds, goji berries, granola and a sprinkle of coconut!

Orange Banana Matcha Smoothie

Zen ~ "A state of focus that incorporates a toghetherness of body and mind.  Zen is a way of being.  It's also a state of mind.  Zen involves dropping illusion and seeing things without distortion created by your own thoughts."

~ Urban Dictionary

Oh how I could use a bit of zen in my daily life.  With multiple schedules vying for my attention, a dog wanting a walk, errands and household chores to be done, meals to be made and a husband asking if I want to go to lunch, my mind often finds itself overwhelmed and in desperate need of focus.  

And that's how I expect Rebekah, of Making Miracles, must feel sometimes as well.  Making Miracles with her own family as well as spreading love to others, Rebekah also finds time to keep her blog filled with recipes.  And it was those recipes I perused to fulfill this month's Blogger C.L.U.E. Assignment of "Healthy".  Piquing my interest??  Rebekkah's refreshing Orange Matcha Smoothie.

A new find for me in 2016, matcha simply exudes health.  Definitely not a new product as green tea dates back some 5,000 years and is described as "so precious it could only be of royal origins promoting health in mind and body." ~ The Way of Matcha, but new to my kitchen and I'm ever so happy.

Thankfully matcha now finds itself available to us common folk as well as those royals, and a quick click of the mouse will have Amazon sending you an organic Japanese version in under 48 hours.

But what makes matcha healthy?  First off -  antioxidants.  Lots of them, and some special ones at that.  Apparently in the antioxidant world, catechins make up some of the most powerful antioxidants, and one in particular - the epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg) - makes up some 60% of matcha's catechins.  Known for its cancer fighting properties, EGCg definitely fills that healthy bill.

In addition, matcha brings health to the mind with its calming yet focusing effects. Long used by Chinese Daoists and Zen Buddhists, matcha green tea allows one to relax while still remaining alert.  Known to enhance mood, improve memory and increase concentration, matcha shows a picture of health.

Covered during the last few weeks of growth the tea leaves are deprived of light, thereby causing a tremendous increase in chlorophyll production in the new growth and thereby bringing matcha is brilliant green hues.  With those high amounts of chlorophyll matcha adds detox abilities to its already amazing resume.  Removing heavy metals and chemical toxins from the body, matcha is more than just "zen".

Have I convinced you on matcha yet?  My husband actually convinced me weeks ago when he sent articles on matcha and proceeded to order an organic culinary (made for adding to foods, not for making tea) grade all on his own - not something he normally does.  But what to do with it?

Thanks to Rebekkah and my dad's orange crop (he dropped a Trader Joe's sized bag of the fruit on my doorstep a few days ago!) we now have a new regular smoothie in our repertoire.  Refreshing with bright orange and green tea flavors, the smoothie finds its creaminess from frozen banana.

Sighing as I slowly sipped, I closed my eyes wroking on the schedule for the busy day in front of me.  Feeling amazingly calm the schedule somehow seemed manageable.  

Perhaps it was the additional focus and concentrating power of the tea, or maybe it was just the fact I was home alone with a puppy on my lap and a fabulous smoothie in front of me... whichever, it was that Matcha Smoothie that put me into a zen state of mind.  You'll find me sipping another tomorrow.

Now join me as we focus on the rest of our Blogger C.L.U.E. Group to explore even more healthy offerings from around the world!

  

   

Apricot Muffins by Azmina from Lawyer Loves Lunch

   

Broccoli Stalk Feta Salad by Stacy from Food Lust People Love

   

Citrus Shrimp by Lauren from Sew You Think You Can Cook

   

Couscous with Chicken and Vegetables by Sue from A Palatable Pastime

   

Ginger-Citrus Grilled Salmon by Kathy from A Spoonful of Thyme

   

Irish Seafood Cocktail by Kate from Kate's Kitchen

   

Massaged Kale Salad by Anna from annaDishes

   

Mediterranean Chopped Salad by Christy from Confessions of a Culinary Diva

   

Middle Eastern Vegetable Salad by Christiane from Taking on Magazines

   

Orange Banana Matcha Smoothie by Kim from Liv Life

   

Red Lion Inn Swordfish by Lea Ann from Cooking on the Ranch

   

Roasted Carrots and Cauliflower (with a kick) by Debra from Eliot's Eats

   

Sophie's Chopped Salad by Rebekah from Making Miracles

   

Thai Salad with Peanut Dressing by Liz from That Skinny Chick Can Bake

   

White Bean Chili by Lisa from Authentic Suburban Gourmet

   

Winter Salad of Roasted Beets, Avocado and Grapefruit by Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm

Don't want your smoothie in a cup?  Turn it into a Smoothie Bowl topped with extra goodies like sliced banana, frozen blueberries, granola, seeds and nuts.

Dairy-Free Chocolate Holiday Truffles

Luscious ganache enrobed with a shell of dark chocolate garnished with a sprinkle of crushed hazelnut.  Or perhaps the garnish is coconut.  Or maybe a chocolate covered coffee bean??  

Whichever your favorite garnish, a basic ganache recipe brings a blank slate just waiting to be enhanced.

However, when our family moved dairy-free years ago I thought chocolate truffles were a thing of the past.  But oh, how wrong I was.

A simple swap of heated coconut milk in place of heavy cream provides the perfect combination, and an added benefit of less fat allowing my serving sizet to increase without guilt.

Add-ins can run the gamut from nuts to more coconut to crushed chocolate covered espresso beans (my personal favorite) and on to whatever you can come up with.

Silky smooth and lusciously creamy, you won't be able to stop at just one.

Dairy-Free Chocolate Truffles
Lusciously creamy, the chocolate ganache is a blank slate to whatever garnish your heart desires!
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Filling
1 cup dark chocolate, chopped
7-8 Tbs coconut milk (I use So Delicious Culinary brand - either light or full fat)
pinch fine salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Chocolate Coating
1 cup Dark Chocolate, good quality, chopped
1 tsp coconut oil

Garnish ideas
chopped toasted hazelnuts
shredded coconut
chocolate covered espresso beans
cocoa nibs

In a small pot over medium heat, heat the coconut milk to a simmer, stirring often.  Remove the pot from the heat, and add the 1 cup of chopped chocolate and pinch of salt.   Allow to sit for a few minutes, then stir until smooth.  If chocolate does not melt completely, return to the burner over very low heat for a minute or so continuing to stir until smooth.  Set aside to cool.

Place cooled ganache into the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.

After ganache is fully chilled, remove from fridge and shape approximately 1 Tbs sized amounts into balls (may be larger or smaller as desired).  Place on a parchment paper lined plate or cutting board.  Once all balls are formed, place the board or plate into the fridge to chill.  Note... hands will get really messy!

While the balls are chilling, melt 1 cup of good quality chocolate along with 1 tsp coconut oil over very low heat on the stove, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.

Remove balls from fridge, and one at a time, drop a ball into the melted chocolate.  Using a spoon, cover the entire ball with melted chocolate then carefully return the dipped ganache to the parchment paper.  Immediately top with garnish of your choice.  Continue until all of the balls are chocolate covered and garnished.

Return the truffles to the refrigerator to set (they set faster this way as I'm totally impatient!).  Keep chilled until ready to serve.  Enjoy!

Perfect Peppermint Chocolate Holiday Biscotti

Who doesn't love crunchy biscotti alongside a cup of afternoon coffee?  Drizzle that biscotti with dark chocolate and it becomes irresistible.  But for the holidays?  Dip that chocolate drizzle into crushed candy cane and we have pure peppermint perfection.

Inspired by Liv's girlfriend, Piper, who made the peppermint suggestion last year, I'm only sorry I waited an entire year to make these beauties.

But not before finishing our holiday season with these chocolate dipped biscotti sprinkled with festive crushed candy cane.  Twice baked for a perfect bite, biscotti works as an lovely afternoon treat and just as well as in the morning alongside a cup of steaming hot cocoa.  And... I'm thinking I know a certain world traveler who would love a few of these cookies on a plate by the fireplace as a midnight snack. :)

Triple Orange Holiday Biscotti

Our lights are up and twinkling, the tree is decorated, shopping mostly done and presents wrapped.  But somehow this year I feel like I'm simply going through the motions.  My heart just isn't into the season, and while I have girlfriends pledging to induce holiday spirit, so far I'm not feeling it.

Hence, the appropriate action seems to bake.  Somehow mixing together flour and sugar always puts me into a better frame of mind, but add a little Grand Marnier and we have something special, don't we?

Crunchy yet not crisp, these Triple Orange Biscotti have been a tradition on my holiday platters since the recipe release in 2003.  Featured in Fine Cooking, Susan Betz's recipe has been made close to 30 times in my kitchen with yearly requests from neighbors and friends.

A lovely hostess gift or entry into a cookie exchange, the biscotti also works wonders alongside an afternoon cup of coffee.

Adaptable and forgiving, I've "healthified" the cookies on occasion by reducing the oil and adding whole wheat or spelt flours, but for the holidays I usually stick to the original recipe and these bright biscotti induce smiles with every bite.

The recipe comments the dough will be sticky... and be aware they really mean it.  Sticky... very, very sticky - the dough almost seems slack, as if it will puddle off of the cookie sheet.  But no worries, it won't.

Attitude adjustment?  I think we have success.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

It may have been 30 years ago, but I remember the day like yesterday.  Swishing down the slopes at Heavenly Ski Resort in Tahoe we had only one more run.  The sun was sinking low on the horizon and my energy quickly falling with it.  

Thinking "One more run, how hard can it be?" the answer was obvious when my fellow skiiers pointed to the black diamond sign instead of the pretty blue square.

With legs like rubber and a full day of snow already under my belt my heart simply sank (power skiier I am not...).  Heading up the lift I pulled out the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups I'd been saving all day and polished them off before hitting the top.

Regrouping I sighed and made for the slope.  And that's when the chocolate peanut butter goodness carried me to the bottom of the mountain with perfect form and energy to spare.  One of the best runs I've had even to this day, I can still almost feel the wind on my face as I flew down the run.

Peanut Butter Cups remain a forever favorite, but as I've matured (grown old??) the ingredients in the Reese's version have lost their appeal.  With milk, soy lecithin, and things called "PGPR" and "TBHQ" on the list I've turned to making my own.

So easy and with just a few ingredients, once you try these super peanut buttery treats the ones in the package simply won't do.

Good quality chocolate here is a must, as is a good quality peanut butter.  I've actually taken to making my own nut butters, and when I find organic peanuts they somehow find their way into the chocolate and onto my plate.

Perhaps one of my favorite treats ever... enjoy the chocolate peanut love!

Easiest Black Bean Soup

Warm and earthy, perhaps a little salty... Black Bean Soup warms the soul.  Healthy as well as belly filling, a slice of crusty bread makes a meal.  Or if you are my daughter, Liv, a side of tortilla chips makes the dish a tasty dip.  Or, if you are my son, a tortilla wrap makes it a very messy burrito.

However you serve it, the beauty of this recipe is the ease of preparation.  Minimal ingredients find their way into a pot for maximum flavor.  After a 20 minutes simmer a quick spin with an immersion blender lets you decide silky or chunky.

And do I have an immersion blender for you!  Add this powerful beauty to any foodie gift giving list and you'll have a best friend for life.  May I introduce the OXO On Illuminating Digital Immersion Blender?

With an easy to use dial allowing adjustments through a range of speeds the choice of delicate blending or powerful pureeing is up to you.  Note powerful as a keyword here... using the blender for the first time in our Coconut Sweet Potato Soup, the ingredients transformed from chunky to silky in mere seconds.  Smooth like I've never seen before... pure puréed perfection.

Illuminating, you may ask?  Yes, illuminating, literally.  With a decently bright headlamp just at the top of the stick, the immersion blender brings better light into your pot on our dark winter nights (and poorly lit kitchens like mine).  A feature Liv though was so cool she took to blending water in the dark just to try it out.  If only I had taken video...

The nylon head covering the powerful blade makes the blender safe for even your most delicate pans, but it's the ease of cleanup that made me smile.  The stick easily pops off after use, and while it's not meant for the dishwasher a quick rinse directly after use makes clean up a breeze with no worry of damaging the electric parts or keeping the plug out of the water.

But one of my favorite reasons to use an immersion blender is the ability to see and control how smooth you want your final product.  For soups such as this Black Bean version, I like a chunkier texture that on past occasions became over processed when using a counter blender.  And besides, how many times have you poured hot soup into a blender only to have the steam splatter your face after lifting the lid?

Have I sold you on the OXO On yet?  Good.  Now let me sell you on this soup.

Aromatic onions and garlic sautee with oregano and cumin before adding canned beans.  Simmering in broth and water until soft, all that's remaining are seasonings and my favorite part - the garnish.

Ripe avocado, chopped cilantro and a drizzle of sublime Coconut Lime Cashew Crema bring irresistible flavors, textures and colors to the bowl.  Be it soup, dip or burrito filling, your family will be returning for seconds and once again you're a superhero.

Old Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Spice Cookies

Time has made the emptiness easier, but my boy is never far from my mind.  I know he's happier than ever... seriously, who wouldn't be living the college life in Santa Barbara with fraternity activities and a beautiful, smart girlfriend?  But I miss him each and every day.

And today he's coming home and I get him all to myself for a few hours.  We have a date to go beer shopping as he's found a few brews he thinks I will enjoy (apparently the fraternity has good taste...), and I can hardly contain my excitement.

His room is cleaned and his bed turned down, but most importantly the cookie jar is full.  College life may have introduced him to craft beer, but it definitely lacks in the home cooking category and I'm making up for that over the next few days.

First up, these Old Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Spice Cookies.  Crisp yet tender, the spice shines in these beauties, but it's the sweet glaze that really shoots them into the irresistible category.

These cookies travel well and bring the sweet life with you where ever you choose to take the.  I'll keep you posted how well they pair with the beer.  :)

Power Pumpkin Oatmeal

Oatmeal is a near daily affair in the Liv Life kitchen.  Wholesome and filled with fiber, oatmeal brings low glycemic carbohydrates while also bringing a healthy dose of protein to the table.  Said to help regulate blood pressure, lower risk of cardiovascular disease and decrease risks of colon cancer, oatmeal is an inexpensive breakfast (or dinner?) option  we love.

But... I've been told oatmeal is "boring".  Actually, it's "sooooo boring" (said with 16-year old eyeroll for full effect...).  And while I love the oaty grains, I guess I can see how it can get a bit old day after day.  Luckily, oatmeal is simply a blank slate just waiting to be adorned with the flavors of the season!

So today, we bring fall flavors and a dose of vitamin A-rich pumpkin to that blank slate.

Pumpkin - and it's pumpkin pie spice flavors - is also a favorite in the Liv Life kitchen, and as such a regular to our dishes year round (stock up on cans now for use in summer!).  And while we've had pumpkin oatmeal in the past, I'd simply forgotten about it until today.

Pairing a version of our Power Oatmeal (oats, flax, chia and hemp) with a scoop of organic canned pumpkin brought a lovely orange hue to the bowl.  Topped with a sprinkle of walnuts and banana as well as a dash of pumpkin pie spice today's breakfast was met with smiles all around. 

Classic Brownies with Maple Coconut Whipped Cream (Dairy-Free)

The older your kids get the harder they are to impress.  However, when the UPS guy stops at your door and drops a box of Brownie Baking Love complete with the coolest little powdered sugar dusting wand  your coolness factor definitely increases.  Combine the brownie love with OXO's sponsorship of Cookies for Kid's Cancer and the project coolness doubles.

Loving this OXO pro non-stick pan!!

The words childhood cancer bring fear straight to the heart of every parent, and just sitting here I never feel there's much I can do to help.  Enter OXO and their work with the blogger outreach program to donate $100k to the Cookies for Kid's Cancer campaign and I'm thrilled to do my part - especially when my part includes baking.  In exchange for a $100 donation on our behalf, OXO sent us baking products (pan, spatula and super cool dusting wand) and has asked us to create a brownie recipe for the cause.

As my coolness factor was riding on an unusual high, Liv actually took time away from high school social activities to help me come up with a recipe.  Trying to be healthy, we made a vegan version with black beans.  Good, but not awesome (no, you can't taste the beans!).  Next we tried avocado.  Also good, but her first bite didn't bring that smile of love and I felt my coolness factor slipping.

So I went back to basics and settled on creating a classic brownie with that gorgeous sheen on top.  My first attempt tasted fabulous, but no sheen.  How the heck does one achieve that classic brownie sheen anyway? 

Powdered sugar dusting

Internet research led me to one of my favorite baking blogs from King Arthur, Flourish, and according to PJ Hamel, the secret to a shiny brownie is in the chocolate.  

A fan of cocoa powder, I've always used cocoa powder for the chocolate in my brownies and sprinkled a few chocolate chips into the batter before baking.  PJ used a similar recipe resulting in the same dull surface.  However her experimentation making brownies using chocolate chips in place of the cocoa hit the jackpot and brought a gorgeous shiny crust to her brownies.

Back in our own kitchen I followed PJ's lead and used chips in my recipe, and eureka!  We too have a beautiful, classic brownie with a gorgeous shiny crust.  While I don't understand the science behind the chips/cocoa query, I'm not questioning it.  I just know these classic brownies are totally awesome, and my coolness factor is creeping back up where I want it to be.  For the moment anyway.

Want to be cool like me?  When shopping for baking goods keep an eye out for the OXO Cookies for Kid's Cancer sticker and grab those products.  OXO is making donations for each product purchased and you too will be doing a part in helping to fund research for cures for these devastating diseases.  (Read about the dedicated OXOnians who started the program here)

For this project OXO sent us one of each of the following for the perfect brownie baking set:

• Pro Non-stick 9x13 Cake Pan
• Perfectly angled Brownie Spatula
• Baker's Dusting Wand

I already owned the Pro Non-Stick 9x9 pan (something I reach for often) and I can attest to how easily baked goods release.  Many brownie recipes call for lining a pan with parchment paper, but with these pans the paper step isn't necessary.  The pans cook evenly and help create beautifully baked goods that release from the pan easily with each and every use.

The brownie spatula is something I've seen, but never picked up.  After using this one though, I'll never be without one again!  Perfectly angled to pick up the brownies without bending them, I served nicely cut brownies with ease.

And lastly the dusting wand.  Can I gush a little here??  This wand immediately became our new favorite kitchen gadget and I'm seriously considering buying a case of them to give as Christmas Gifts.  Absolutely an item no kitchen should be without, the wand is extraordinarily useful, but even more than that it's fun.

Super cute all on it's own, the wand scoops up powdered sugar and drops a perfect dusting onto anything.  What would you use it for??  How about crepes?  Waffles?  Brownies?  Or most fun of all... dusting cocoa onto cappuccino!

Liv is somewhat addicted to the adorable gadget, and she'll  be mortified if she finds out I'm sharing that she simply scooped a tablespoon or so of powdered sugar and dusted it into a bowl just for the fun of it.  (Note... the higher you are from the item you are dusting the less precise it may be.  Just saying - if you are a foot or more over a small bowl you may not make it in... :)

Thank you OXO for donating $100 to the Cookies for Kids Cancer campaign on our behalf, we're honored and humbled to be part of this wonderful program.  And on a side note?  Thanks for making me look good.