oatmeal sweet potato bread

 

I read an article yesterday about two of my least favorite things in this world; fear and trust.  I personally have a difficult relationship with both of these concepts, mainly because I collect and store fears with more determination than I ever have any salt or vinegar, and I turn my back to trust just as persistently.

The article states that:

"The good news is that fear is merely an illusion. Fear is something we invent. The only thing that    gives it any power is when we listen to it.

So since we create fear, that means we can destroy it. Fear loses its power over us if we stop listening to it. 

When it creeps into our head, we can acknowledge its presence, look for what we can learn from the fear message, thank it for its concerns, and then refuse to listen. 

It’s a choice that we can make."

coconut chia vanilla pudding

Lately, I've been thinking about dairy. 

It's one of my favorite categories of food, for one.  I've only ever met one single kind of cheese that didn't do it for me (the raunchiest of bleus), and if a recipe contains the words au and gratin, particularly in that order, I always always do a double take, reading through it, savoring the thoughts of heavy cream laced with Gruyere.  I've even gone so far to joke that I'm a 'cheese whore'... hey baby, I'll do anything for a wheel (of course, I'm kidding... or am I?)

But, now that my days are chock full of nutrition speak, and I'm rediscovering what a truly healthier life entails, the notion of a dairy-soaked existence isn't quite as glamorous (insert image of cheese whore) as it once seemed to be.

cranberry apple crisp

Times are hectic, friends.  In the best way possible.

I'm cooking and baking away for my new job.  That's got me in other people's kitchens two days a week, and it's got my brain wheels a crankin' at least another three.  The alarm clock is still doing its annoying electronic jingling a few times a week at an awful hour of the morning, reminding me that there are mounds of groceries waiting to be shelved for my other source of income. I'm also immersed in my health coach training, with my fancy little i-pod broadcasting lectures and videos about things like whole grains and the importance of drinking water (have you had enough today?). 

Sprinkled in with those responsibilities, I'm starting to practice health consultations with my classmates.  It's really exciting to have conversations with people about what's going on in their lives.  But who knew it could be such a challenge to shut my own, relentless brain up and really listen?  Not just wait while the other person talks.  Not just think about what I want to say next while they jabber on.  But truly pay attention to everything that's coming from another person's mouth, and then listen some more.  No nervous silence fillers, no finishing sentences in a "you're so predictable" kind of way.  Just listening to someone spill it. 

pumpkin bread & a new job

A lot of new things are happening at the moment, friends.  Besides a new pumpkin bread recipe.  

It started, I suppose, with this blog.  This thing I do in my spare time that seems a little weird, to be honest.  I mean, I spend hours cooking and baking, photographing, photoshopping, writing, and posting about my dinner?  And I don't make any real money to speak of from my efforts?

I've struggled with my label as a food blogger.  It's been a challenge for me to own it, to wear the tag proudly and loudly.  Self-promotion on my part was practically non-existent for the first two years of this blog's little existence, as I shied away from telling people what I was doing with my life.  But people have noticed.  Not a ton of people, mind you, but enough.

sweets in the kitchen: roasted brussels sprouts & an announcement

So I'm cheating a little bit today.  On this recipe, I mean.  I'm posting a recipe that Sweets cooked up, oh, I'd say about 2 weeks ago, when we caught our first glimpse of Brussels sprouts and couldn't leave the store without a big stalk of them, awkwardly poking from the top our reusable grocery bag. 

I'm sad that I didn't take any photos of the stalk. These puppies were the honkinest, most ginormous sprouts either of us had ever seen.  They may as well have been full-fledged cabbages hanging off that stalk.  We ended up pulling half of them off to be frozen, because we couldn't fathom that much Brussels in the short time they'd survive the higher temps of the fridge.  

At any rate, sweets turned our first Brussels sprouts into the most incredible roasted veggie dish I may have ever had.  She quartered criminis and sliced up shallot to go along with the greens, doused the whole thing in a healthy glug of olive oil, and plopped it all in the oven to brown and caramelize and become something insanely delicious.

broccoli leek soup; a bridge between seasons

We're lingering here in the gap between summer and fall, friends.  The sun is gazing slant-eyed at us now, elongating our noontime shadows, fooling us into short sleeves when we should be pulling on sweaters.  So far, our fall has swept in with a grace unnatural to the tendencies of our northwest wetness, and the leaves have just begun their transformations.

I went to the farmers market on Sunday, as I've been lucky enough to do lately, and the foods for sale were just barely whispering autumn.  The greens and peppers and even tomatoes of the warmer months are still hanging on, despite the calendars warning that winter squash and root vegetables will soon be a plenty.

I'm beginning to crave warmer foods, steaming hot in bowls on the table, heartier and heavier than the light freshness of spring and summer.  But with the sun still shining bright, even at this late September date, I can still enjoy the final fruits of summers awesome bounty.

banana oat cake, gluten-free & vegan

I'm always, always, always finding recipes on other blogs that I'm dying (in the moment, anyway) to try out on my own.  I'm also always, always, always guilty of not doing it. 

I have multiple folders stuffed with recipes clipped from magazines.  The folders continue to grow fatter.

I have a Pinterest account, primarily, to bookmark the recipes I find online.  A digital recipe folder, if you will.  The bits or bytes or whatever the hell you want to call them, those babies are growin' fatter every day, too.

My mom sends me envelopes full of recipes that she clips out of magazines and newspapers.  Luckily (for my hoarder status), she hasn't sent one in awhile.

Whenever I see that the new Bon Appetit has hit the news stands at Safeway, I check my P.O. box daily until I see mine folded up inside there.  I get giddy.  Bon Appetit day is definitely a good day.

I collect cookbooks, too.

I haven't read many of them.

My sweetheart thinks I may have a problem.

Don't even ask me about all of the salts and vinegars I have stashed away.  I have a separate fridge for vinegars and flours, if that tells you anything about my habits.

white bean dip with chimichurri

I apologize for the unexplained hiatus.  School and the job hunt have been a bit overwhelming these last two weeks, not to mention the 2 baking recipes that I bombed last Monday.  I was so excited to have a long weekend to "celebrate" President's Day and bake something tasty.  Or, not so tasty, as it turned out.  Thinkin' 'bout Lincoln... and burnt coconut macaroons.  Sigh... oh well.

I'm working on letting things go.

Since then I've been back in the kitchen, working to redeem myself from the President's Day Disaster (it'll live on in infamy, I'm sure).  The other night I made a flat-leaf parsley pesto sauce to smear on top of the chicken we were having for dinner.  I put garlic and olive oil and a little Parmesan in the blender with half a bunch of leaves and pureed.  It was quite tasty, and added some flair to the meal.  Then the following day, we were watching Anthony Bourdain galavant around Uruguay, gorging himself on BBQ'd animal parts, and the condiment of choice on every single table was a sauce by the name of chimichurri.

Fresh Rolls

Vacation is over.  The Grind has been revisited and will continue to be the mode of living through mid-December.  If I'm lucky, I'll be able to share recipes and ideas here once a week or so, and if I'm even luckier, my transcript will be overloaded with 4.0's.  Wouldn't that be grand.

The first week back to classes and work was a doozy.  It borders on madness in the hallways between classes as students attempt to navigate their way to the next session of powerpoint and lecture.  My two classes on campus are geographically as far from one another as they can be on our little campus, and I have just ten minutes to rush down four flights of stairs, power-walk to the building next door, and book-it up another four flights to get to my second class.  A bathroom pit stop is out of the question.  The door to class #2 is locked promptly at 11 am.  Be there, or be square.

With the onslaught of my school schedule comes the necessity for quick, easy meals.  Lunches must be packed and dinners must be relatively hurried affairs.  No more 3 hour sagas of meal prep in the evenings for awhile, so I've been busting out my repertoire of simple, healthy (gotta keep that immune system up, what with flu-season rapidly approaching) recipes. Fresh rolls (sometimes called 'summer rolls') have become my new favorite thing.  I guess I'm reluctant to give up on summertime.  I want to savor the last of the lettuce, cucumber, and warm-weather herbs while I can. 

Grilled Portobello Burgers with Roasted Pepper Spread, Marinated Onions, & Oroweat Sandwich Thins

During Seattle's fleeting summer, my friends and I get to together to BBQ as often as we can.  It's a difficult endeavor due to busy schedules and the many of us apartment dwellers, but a couple of my oldest friends here in the city have a beautiful yard and tree-shaded patio where they host outdoor gatherings at least twice every summer.  This year they were kind enough to offer up their hospitality on one of the mid-ninety degree days that we had this year.

The BBQ's at Tammy and Eric's are always vegetarian/vegan affairs since the two of them practice those lifestyles (she the former, he the latter), so there are guaranteed to be a ton of veggies thrown onto the grill.  I'm always wanting to push the bar a little bit, though, and show up with creative summer fare for everyone to enjoy.  I like to go beyond the Boca burger and the veggie skewer.

A few days prior to this weekend get-together, I received some Oroweat Sandwich Thins, courtesy of Oroweat and Foodbuzz, to try out with summer grilling recipes.  These thin bun-substitutes are perfect for encasing thick burgers and sandwiches that would be overwhelming with traditional buns.

My friends loved them.

Berry Stash

A couple of weeks ago, when Seattle's landscape was under a constant barrage of spring-time rainfall, I got a craving for berries. Plump, juicy jewels of summer... The idea seemed so far fetched. Yeah, I know that it's possible to hit up the grocery store for berries all year long, but it's just not the same. Those supermarket fruits are like impostors; gritty, tasteless lumps donning the costume of freshness and flavor so naturally employed by the authentic berries of summer. I wanted that purity. I wanted to eat berries that would shout out their prefixes as they hit my hungry palate... Ras! Blue! Straw!... amongst my own squeals of delight.

I did a very smart thing last year. I froze berries. Somehow I knew that winter would stretch on and on and I would yearn for the sweetness. Luckily a couple of weeks ago I still had a pint or two stashed way in the back of my freezer. After confirming that both strawberries and blueberries did in fact exist in the depths of that frosty compartment, I took just a moment to consider my plan. It didn't take long to figure out that waffles with berry sauce was the answer to all of my longing.

Berry Sauce

1/2 pint each blueberries & strawberries (fresh or frozen)

2 T. honey

If using frozen berries, thaw. Cut larger strawberries in half.

Combine the berries and honey in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir and allow the mixture to come to a simmer. As the berries release their juices, smash them with a fork or other utensil to make a chunky liquid. Taste and add more honey if you see fit. I don't like my sauce to be too sweet, though.

Continue to cook the berries for another 5-10 minutes, turn off the heat, and you're ready to bliss out!

I used a mix that I really enjoy to make these waffles. It's called The Cravings Place: All Purpose Pancake and Waffle Mix. This mix makes fantastic waffles (the pancakes I've made with it were only so-so).

Spoon the warm berry sauce over the crispy waffles and transport yourself to late July. So amazing. If you're fortunate enough to have leftovers, this sauce is also magnificent over a bowl of vanilla ice cream. Indulge... Enjoy...

Chili Cornbread Casserole

There are few things better during the cold months than sitting down to a steaming bowl of soup, stew or chowder. One of my favorite hearty soups to make is the American classic, chili. Rich and tomatoey with lots of dark kidney beans and hot pepper, this soup rocks my world. An almost necessary companion is, of course, cornbread. The two go together like Harold and Maude... or Burt and Ernie, even. My love for this combo is so great, that I decided to meld them together into one dish. One dish to rule them all (sorry, I'm full of lame references today).

Have a taste for yourself.

Chili-Cornbread Casserole
(vegan-friendly)
serves 6-8

For the chili:
1 T. cooking oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 T. chili powder
1/2 - 1 tsp. cayenne (or more or less, depending on your heat tolerance)
2 C. diced tomatoes (either from a can or fresh)
1 small can tomato paste
2 15 oz. cans kidney beans (or whatever kind you like)
1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced (again, whatever kind suit you)
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt to taste

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium and add the onion. Stir and cook for 2 minutes until it begins to turn translucent. Add the chili powder, cayenne and about 1/2 tsp. of salt to the onions, and cook for another minute, stirring to coat the onions.

Pour the tomatoes into the pot and stir well. Add the tomato paste and stir to combine. Simmer the soup for several minutes, and then add the beans, mushrooms and garlic. Continue to simmer over medium-low heat 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender. Season with salt and more cayenne if you prefer more spice.

Turn the heat to low and proceed to the cornbread recipe.

For the cornbread:
1 C. flour
1 C. cornmeal
1/4 C. agave nectar
4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. sea salt
1 C. soy or rice milk
1/4 C. olive oil
2 T. flax seed meal
6 T. water

Bring the water to a boil in a very small saucepan, and add the flax meal. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and stir for 3-4 minutes, until the mixture is really gooey. Take off of the heat.

Meanwhile, mix the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl until well combined. To this, add the agave, oil, milk and flax mixture, and stir until just combined. Don't over-mix.

To assemble the casserole:
Pour your piping-hot chili into a 9x13" baking dish, and stir it up a bit to get a decent tomato-to-bean/veggie ratio. Then, spoon the cornbread batter over the chili, being sure to cover the entire surface. You don't need to spread the batter. It'll stretch out and fill in the cracks between spoonfuls once it's in the oven.

Now place the baking dish on the center rack of your oven, and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the cornbread comes out clean. Serve by scooping out of the pan with a large spoon or spatula.


This is a great dish to make if you're in the market for leftovers. Hope you enjoy!

Miso Hungry

I think I'm obsessed with soup. That steamy, warm, brothy goodness is taking over my diet in one form or another, making its way into my meals with increasing frequency. I crave thick stews, heavy with beans and vegetables and yearn for noodles drowning in herbed stocks (think broth, not Wall Street). This winter has been ripe with experimentation in the realm of meals that require bowls and spoons.

For days when I have a hankering for soup but need to go easy on the time expenditure, I came up with this spin on Vietnamese Pho. Maybe I shouldn't make that comparison at all, given this recipe's lack of beef tendon and bean sprouts, but the rice noodles and veggies call it to mind for me.

My version uses a miso broth (excellent for aid in digestion - hello, friendly flora!), greens, carrots, garlic and cayenne. It's simple, delicious and a breeze to make. Feel free to slurp.



Miso Rice Noodle Soup
1 serving (can easily be increased for friends)

thin rice noodles (about a handful)
2 T. miso paste (I use white miso)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 medium carrot, sliced
1 C. packed, chopped kale leaves
cayenne

Boil water in a small saucepan, and cook noodles according to package directions. Drain the noodles and rinse them with cold water. Place the noodles in the serving bowl and set aside.

Heat about 1 1/2 C. of water in the saucepan and add the miso paste. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the miso, and then reduce heat to medium. Add the garlic and cayenne, and simmer for a couple of minutes. Then toss in the carrots and kale. Allow the veggies to cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring a few times.

Pour the broth and veggies over the noodles and serve steaming hot.

The variations for this soup are pretty endless. Add any vegetables you like, fresh herbs, bean sprouts, tofu, etc., etc.

Little Time

My relatively new life as a college student has taught me some things, many directly related to my studies, but many the byproduct of late nights and early mornings with classes, work and study time crammed in between. In other words, I'm busier than I've been in years, and this schedule has forced me to rewire my typically relaxed routines.

Take grocery shopping. I used to stop at the store on my way home from work on a daily basis. I'd decide what I wanted to have for dinner on the spot and then head for the kitchen to make it happen. I made one night meals knowing that I'd have the time to cook again on the morrow. That is no longer my reality. Shopping is now a weekly event that takes into account the menu that I have planned for the week, most of which includes several days of leftovers. How would the world continue its turning without leftovers? I would surely parish.

With the avoidance of my own demise in mind, I've come up with several one-pot meals that can be made on a less stressful evening to ensure that when I am overwhelmed with research papers and math exams, the fridge contains food that can be reheated and eaten in fifteen minutes time. Here is one of my favorites from that list of dishes.

Indian Rice with Garbanzos and Greens
4-6 servings
(vegan & gluten free:)

1 C. brown jasmine rice (or your favorite rice)
2 C. vegetable broth
1 C. diced onion
1/2 C. diced celery
2 T. garam masala (an Indian spice)
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. tumeric
2 cardomom pods
2 cloves garlic, miced
1/2 tsp. cayenne (less or more depending on your spice tolerance)
1 15 oz. can garbanzo beans, drained (or 1 1/2 C. cooked garbanzos)
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes (or 1 1/2 C. diced fresh tomatoes)
approx. 2 C. coarsely chopped kale or collard greens
1 C. coconut milk
salt to taste

To prepare the rice, I use a rice cooker, adding the rice and broth and flipping the switch. Alternately, you can prepare the rice in a pot on the stove according to package directions.


While the rice is cooking, in large skillet with tall sides, heat oil over medium and add onion. Cook, stirring for a couple of minutes, and then throw in the celery. Cook a few minutes more.
Add the garam masala, coriander, turmeric, the contents of the cardamom pods (discard the shells), garlic and cayenne. Stir the veggies and spices, cooking for another couple of minutes.

Add the garbanzo beans and tomatoes to the skillet and stir. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Toss in the chopped greens, stir, and allow to simmer for 2 minutes more.

Pour the coconut milk into the skillet and mix well with the veggies and beans. By this time, the rice should be done and can be added to the the skillet. Stir well, taste and season with salt if necessary (this will depend on the salt content of the broth you used to prepare the rice). You're ready to eat tonight and for several evenings to come.


*******************************************************************

Wow, I must be busy. I forgot to add the tomatoes to the dish pictured above. All this knowledge I'm gaining is apparently making me lose my mind.

Acorn Squash Soup

Winter is peeking out from behind the flimsy veil of fall. The leaf litter on Seattle's sidewalks has already turned from the golden and flame-color of autumn nostalgia to the brownish rot of rain-soaked foot falls. My sweaters and scarves are no longer in waiting, and I hear the hum of the heater behind me as I type.

With this change of seasons comes the craving for warm foods. Steamy things that make my oven glow and my insides toasty. No better way to break through the chill and make things cozy than to fill up a bowl and my belly with delicious, homemade soup.

I acquired an acorn squash a couple of weeks ago. It sat lonely on my counter, its green shell tempting me with promises of the sweet orange flesh inside. I needed some inspiration and motivation to create something tasty with that lonely squash. What I needed was a lunch guest. The lovely Iris graced my company for a Sunday afternoon feast.

This is how you can make your own friends happy with delicious soup.

Acorn Squash Soup with Toasted Walnuts
serves 2-3

1 large acorn squash, cut into quarters
1/4 C. raw walnut halves
2 medium carrots, diced
1/2 C. onion, chopped
1 T. olive oil
1 1/2 C. vegetable broth
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
salt

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Cut the squash into quarters and place cut side down on a lightly oiled cookie sheet. Roast in the oven for 35 - 45 minutes, until soft.


Meanwhile, toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring, about 10 minutes or until golden brown. Be careful not to burn them! Transfer them to a small bowl, and set aside.

While the squash is still roasting, saute the onion and carrot in olive oil over medium heat for 10 - 15 minutes, or until the carrots are soft.


When the squash is done, remove it from the oven, and allow to cool slightly. Scrape the flesh into the bowl of your food processor, and discard the skins. Add the onions and carrots, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne and 1/4 tsp. salt to the food processor. Puree until the mixture is smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl a couple of times.

Heat 1 C. of veg broth in a pot over medium-low heat, and transfer the squash mixture to the pot. Stir well and allow to heat for 8-10 minutes.

Taste the soup at this point and season it again with salt and/or any of the other spices used (I ended up adding another dash of both nutmeg and ginger). If the soup seems too thick, add more broth until the desired consistency is reached. Stir well and heat for several minutes more.

Divide into bowls and serve hot garnished with toasted walnuts.


I hope this brings a little warmth to your table. Enjoy.

For You on Your Birthday

Happy birthday, Mom. I spoke to you on the phone last night, and you told me that I didn't have to call you again today. Instead, I decided to bake you something. At first, I thought, "a cake!", but I wasn't sure that I'd actually be able to drop a cake in the mail and have it arrive intact some seventeen hundred miles later. Perhaps I should have the same faith in the mail system as Aunt Mary. She'll quadruple wrap a loaf of nutroll, use ice packs inside of a styrofoam cooler and two day FedEx it without a second thought (we were in awe when that package arrived). No, I'm not as brave as she.

So in honor of your birthday, I decided to bake you something and share it with you virtually. Not a cake. Something to mark the time of year when you were born (don't worry, I won't tell how long ago). I know! Zucchini bread.


I remember the zucchini bread that you used to make. Maybe you still do. August is the perfect time to make use of those green gems that are so plentiful during this season. My farmer gave me zucchini last weekend. I love it when he reads my mind.


This isn't your recipe. This isn't even my recipe. I nabbed it from someone else's website and changed a couple of things (I can never just leave it alone). I hope you like it. I hope you can smell the spices seeping out of the warm oven and taste the sweetness of the flame raisins nestled inside.

Mmm, that loaf is really moist and delicious. Some of the bread ended up being muffins. Those are really good, too; especially with a little butter.


I hope your day is spectacular; you deserve nothing less. Thanks for everything. Cheers, Mom, from my kitchen to yours.

Birthday Zucchini Bread
makes 2 loaves
(vegan friendly)
adapted from the zucchini bread recipe posted on Hell Yeah It's Vegan!

6 T. ground flax meal
1/2 C. + 1 T. warm water
1/2 C. canola oil
1/2 C. unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 C. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 C. grated zucchini
3 C. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 T. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 T. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. ground ginger
3/4 C. raisins
3/4 C. chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flax meal and warm water until it's well combined and gooey. To this, add the oil, applesauce, sugar and vanilla, and mix well. Stir in the zucchini.

In a larger mixing bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking soda and powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until just combined. Fold in the raisins and walnuts.

Pour the batter into two greased loaf pans, or alternately, spoon half of the batter into greased muffin cups.

Bake the loaves for 45-50 minutes and the muffins for 23-27 minutes or until they pass the toothpick test.

I can't remember ever having made zucchini bread on my own. What a winner. All that's missing are the candles. Happy birthday!

Brownies - In Black and White

It reached one hundred and three degrees today in the city of Seattle. At 10 pm I'm still sprawled in front of the fan, pressing an ice pack to my skin to keep my blood below the boiling point. For the past two days, the temperature has reached up into the hundreds, and the weather man says that we're in for more of the same. Thankfully I baked something before it got this hot. Twisting that oven knob to the "on" position would, I'm sure, be the end. Death by brownie baking.


The increasing temperatures seem to be having unexplained effects on some in the community. Particularly in the film development world. Strangely, the photographs that I took using Kodak 400 speed color film came back to me on a CD without any color at all. In the age of Photoshop's one click gray-scale, I feel it's unnecessary to use black and white film, but I decided to be flexible on this one and pretend that I had every intention of capturing these brownies without, well... without any brown.

This is the first time that I've ever made brownies from scratch, in fact. As a child, they were always brought to our kitchen via the Duncan Hines or Betty Crocker box. In my adult life, brownies have just never made their way into the line up, what with all of the pies and crisps and cookies taking up that prime oven space. At the request of my chocoholic boyfriend, I broke out the mixing bowls to try my hand at some. All in all, I am pleased with the results, although next time I'll use less baking powder and baking soda to make them a little less cakey and a bit more fudgey.


Brownies!
(Vegan Friendly)
adapted from Chef Joey Z's recipe on RecipeZaar

1 1/4 C. unsweetened applesauce
1/2 C. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 T. ground flax meal
3 T. water
1 C. spelt flour (feel free to use wheat)
1/2 C. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 C. dark chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a 9x9” square baking pan. Measure the water into your smallest sauce pan and heat over medium-high. As soon as it starts to bubble, add the flax meal, turn the heat to low and whisk for a minute or so until the mixture is gooey (similar to an egg). Take off of the heat.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, stir together the applesauce, sugar and vanilla. Add the flax meal mixture to this and stir until well combined.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the wet, stirring until just combined. Make sure you don't over-mix. Fold in the chocolate chips and spread the batter in the prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until your toothpick comes out clean. Cool, cut and scarf. I suggest upping the ante with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Hurry before it melts!