Zizi's Adventures - Real Food, Real Stories

Vegan Spicy Ginger Cookies

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I’ve been baking cookies for a few days. This means Christmas for me when I move into the kitchen and bake cookies for the whole family and close friends. Last Christmas I did the same but I baked always late in the evening and never had the chance to take photos of the results.

Now I try to make up for this and share these tasty cookie recipes (+ new varieties) here on the blog. All of them will be vegan. Whether you want to give cookies as a gift or leave them out for Santa :), you shouldn’t miss some of the best recipes.

Molasses was a new ingredient for me, I’ve never used it before although I baked these ginger cookies last Christmas too but without it. Molasses is a viscous by-product of the refining of sugarcane. It contains trace amounts of vitamins and significant amounts of several minerals. Blackstrap molasses is a source of calcium, magnesium, potassium, and iron; one tablespoon provides up to 20% of the daily value of each of those nutrients.

Vegan Spicy Ginger Cookies
(Recipe inspiration: Daily Garnish)

Ingredients (makes 40-50 cookies)

– 2 cups whole spelt flour
– 2 cups white spelt flour
– 4 teaspoons ground ginger
– 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
– 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
– 2 teaspoons baking soda
– 1 teaspoon salt
– 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
– 6 tablespoons water
– 1 cup coconut oil
– 1/2 cup cane sugar + extra for coating
– 2 tablespoons molasses
– 12 tablespoons oat/rice/soy or almond milk
– 1/2 cup crystallized ginger, chopped

Method

In a small bowl mix together ground flax seeds with water and let it sit for at least 8-10 minutes. This will form a “flax seed egg” that works as a binder for vegan baking. Although flax seed contains all sorts of healthy components, it owes its healthy reputation primarily to three ingredients: omega-3 essential fatty acids, lignans and fiber.

In a separate mixing bowl, add all dry ingredients: whole spelt flour, white spelt flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda and salt. In another bowl mix together coconut oil, almond milk, molasses, cane sugar and flax seed egg. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones + the chopped crystallized ginger until the mixture forms a dough.

Preheat the oven to 180C (356F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Using a cookie or ice-cream scoop, portion out small balls of dough, then flatten the balls slightly with your hands, then lightly set each cookie on a plate of extra sugar for coating. Flip to coat each side! Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. These cookies are crunchy on the outside and chewy inside. Yum!

Glazed Walnut Green Lentil Loaf

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Before Christmas I’m trying to share more vegetarian Christmas meals recipes. Whether you are having a vegetarian (vegan) Christmas or you need a veggie recipe to serve a guest, these recipe ideas might be helpful for you. These meals are so delicious so believe it or not meat-eaters will be jealous!

I think a vegetarian Christmas dinner’s centerpiece should be a nut roast, like last year’s cranberry and pistachio nut one or Mrs. Myrtleberry’s walnut roast with lots of yum side dishes. Plan the menu in time, make preparations, buy good quality ingredients and the success will be guaranteed at the Christmas dinner table.

This nut roast is rich in lentils (high in protein, vitamin B1 and minerals), walnuts, hazelnuts, cashew so it’s not only delicious it is a nutritious, healthy meal.

Glazed Walnut Green Lentil Loaf
(Recipe inspiration: Oh She Glows)

Ingredients (serves 6-8)

For the loaf
– 190 g (1 cup) green lentils
– 100 g (1 cup) walnuts
– 60 g (1/2 cup) hazelnuts and cashew nuts
– 3 ground flax seeds + 6 tablespoons water
– 2 big onions, chopped
– 3 cloves garlic, chopped
– 120 g (1 cup) carrot, chopped
– 1 medium apple, peeled and grated
– 40 g (1/2 cup) oat flour
– 60 g (3/4 cup) whole wheat breadcrumbs
– 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
– 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
– 1 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
– 1/2 bunch parsley, chopped
– salt, pepper

For the balsamic glaze
– 60 ml (1/4 cup) ketchup
– 1 tablespoon maple syrup
– 2 tablespoons unsweetened apple sauce
– 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Method

Place lentils into a pan with 750 ml (3 cups) of water, season with salt, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for at least 40-50 minutes (add more water if needed) until lentils are cooked. Set aside.

In a small bowl mix ground flax with water and set aside.

In a dry non-stick pan toast walnuts, hazelnuts and cashew for 6-8 minutes and set aside.

Use a kitchen blender to grind toasted walnuts, hazelnuts and cashew. Place the grinded nuts into a large mixing bowl. Using the kitchen blender chop onion, garlic, pasley and carrots, then add to the grinded nuts. Add grated apple, rosemary, thyme, chili flakes, oat flour and breadcrumbs. Mix all ingredients together. Using the blender again, purée the cooked green lentils until smooth (or mash lentils with a spoon). Add lentils also to the mixture and adjust seasonings to taste.

Preheat the oven to 180C (356F). Meanwhile in a small bowl mix together the glaze’s ingredients.

Grease a 23 cm (9 inch or a bit longer) long loaf pan with olive oil and spoon the 2/3 of the glaze into the loaf pan and spread evenly (reserve the rest for serving). Pile the walnut green lentils mixture in the tin and pack it down with the back of a spoon.

Bake at 180C (356F) for 50-60 minutes until golden brown. Cool in the tin for at least 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Serve with the remaining glaze on top.

Mákos Guba, The Traditional Hungarian Christmas Dessert

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This dessert brings back so many memories from my childhood. In Hungary the Christmas tree is decorated on the Holy Night (December 24) in immediate families. For us, Christmas is a private, family holiday and we don’t go to parties. Most families decorate the tree together, but some families keep the tradition that the tree should be a surprise for children, who believe it is brought by angels.

When I was a child I entered the room with my brother only when the small tree bells rang. Everything was magical: the smell of the Christmas tree, lit candles and sparklers on the tree. Gifts were laid around the tree with small labels saying who they were for. We usually sang one or two Christmas songs, then opened the gifts and spent the night together.

The menu for the Holy Night in Hungary is very traditional. We usually have fish soup made from carp, followed by fried carp with french fries or potato salad. As a dessert we eat beigli, a special pastry roll filled with poppy seed or walnut.

Also a Christmas classic, mákos guba is a dessert made with poppy seeds and honey. Poppy seed is a popular ingredient all over Central-Eastern Europe and there are many dessert recipes in the Hungarian cuisine that call for it.

Mákos guba is baked in the belief that the poppy seeds bring good luck and lots of money in the new year. A quick way to make it is using a day-old, dry kifli, a crescent-shaped pastry, but you can use any type of roll or bread.

I make it the traditional way from yeasted dough as I learnt from my grandmother years ago. She was the one who was responsible for mákos guba to make it for the whole family. My dear granny passed away only two months ago and we miss her so much. This Christmas my mom and I are responsible for making this sweet, traditional dessert that reminds us how life precious and we have to respect what we have.

To get my recipe visit The Travel Belles’ website here.

Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies And A Virtual Baby Shower For Emiko

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Surprise! Surprise! Emiko! This is for you! An international baby shower party – honoring you – with friends around the world!

Emiko is going to get a wonderful Christmas present this year… she is about to have a baby girl, her first child. I bet she and her husband, Marco are going to have an exciting Christmas! 🙂

From left to right: Giulia, me and Emiko last year in London at the Food Blogger Connect

I met Emiko last August in London at the Food Blogger Connect conference. Giulia, our mutual friend from Tuscany, introduced us and since then we’ve become friends… long distance friends because we live very far from each other (she in Melbourne, me in Budapest). Luckily we’re very good at organizing so this year we made it happen to meet again, this time in Tuscany, Italy with other wonderful friends: Giulia, Karin and Regula. I love how blogging + social media bring people together!Emiko is a down-to-earth, comely, charming person who writes one of my favourite food blogs. Her writing skills are over the top, I love reading her stories and recipes. I also admire her clean, simple style in photography. All in all, I’m happy to call Emiko my friend.

A month ago we decided to throw a surprise party for Emiko. There have been so many emails going on back and forth, finding out who and what bakes for this baby shower. I’m so happy to be part of this event.

In October Emiko discovered that she has gestational diabetes that’s why I was trying to bake something very low in organic raw cane sugar but nutritious, healthy and yummie. These cookies are vegan, contain rolled oats, whole spelt flour and buckwheat flour that has a slightly nutty flavor. From the home baked pumpkin purée, the walnut and the chocolate chips (70% cocoa content) these cookies are rich and wholesome.

Emiko, I wish you all the best on your new journey that called motherhood. I have no doubts that you will be  a miraculous mommy of your little daughter! “Motherhood is near to divinity. It is the highest, holiest service to be assumed by mankind.” (Howard W. Hunter)

Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

– 1 and 1/4 cups rolled oats
– 1 cup whole wheat spelt flour
– 1/4 cup buckwheat flour
– 1/2 cup cane sugar
– 1 teaspoon salt
– 1 teaspoon cinnamon
– 1 tablespoon baking powder
– 2 tablespoons ground flax seed
– 6 tablespoons water
– 1 cup pumpkin purée (home baked is the best)
– 3 tablespoons coconut oil
– 1 teaspoon apple vinegar
– 1 vanilla bean, split and seeded
– 1/2 cup walnut
– 3/4 cup chocolate chips (70% cocoa content)

Method

In a small bowl mix together ground flax seed with water and let it sit for at least 10 minutes. This will form a “flax seed egg” that works as a binder for vegan baking. Although flax seed contains all sorts of healthy components, it owes its healthy reputation primarily to three ingredients: omega-3 essential fatty acids, lignans and fiber.

In a separate mixing bowl, add all dry ingredients: rolled oats, spelt flour, buckwheat flour, salt, cinnamon, baking powder and stir to combine. In another bowl mix together pumpkin purée with coconut oil, apple vinegar, cane sugar and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones. Next add flax seed egg, walnut and chocolate until the mixture forms a dough.

Preheat the oven to 180C (356F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Using a cookie or ice-cream scoop, portion out small balls of dough, then flatten the balls slightly with your hands. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. These cookies are crunchy on the outside and chewy inside. Yummie!

Dip the cookies into vegan spicy hot cocoa…

For  more top-notch, yum cake recipes and baby shower wishes for Emiko, visit my magnificent friends’ blogs:
* Regula – Miss Foodwise: Cobnut brandy
* Valeria – Life Love Food: Gingerbread banana muffins
* Karin – Yum and More: Flourless chocolate cake with pears
* Jasmine – Labna: Frollini di riso
* Giulia – Jul’s Kitchen: Sponge cake with custard and chocolate
* Sarka – Cook Your Dream: Savory mini tartlets
* Rosella – Vaniglia Storie Di Cucina: Soft cheesecake

Túrós Pogácsa – Cottage Cheese Scones

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Pogácsa is a type of savory scone in Hungarian cuisine. Pogácsa is made from either short dough or yeast dough. As with scones and biscuits, eggs and butter are common ingredients, as is milk, cream or sour cream. Many traditional versions exists, with size, shape – the most common is round – and flavor variations in each region.

A dozen different ingredients can be found either in the dough, sprinkled on top before baking, or both: medium-firm fresh cheeses, aged dry hard cheeses, potato, pork crackling (tepertő), cabbage, black pepper, hot or sweet paprika, garlic, red onion, caraway seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds or poppy seeds. Pogácsa is a very popular savoury snack, it also can be eaten for breakfast. It is best to eat warm, fresh from the oven.

I learnt this recipe from my mom. When we baked it together we used Hungarian túró (cottage cheese/quark) but as an alternative you can use dry curd cottage cheese. By the way, they are dangerous! Why? My friend, Giulia put it the right way: “Is it impossibile to stop eating them when you start, right?” Yes, Giulia, you are right! :)To get my recipe visit The Hungarian Girl’s website here.