Healthy Breakfast Cookies

Man oh man has it ever been a busy couple of months! This weekend was one of the only weekends I haven't been planning and marking for the following week and I have to tell you...it has been really nice!  Yesterday Francis and I spent the day together and today I spent my morning and afternoon tidying up, doing laundry, vacuuming, cleaning the bathroom, dusting...and all of that good stuff.  You're jealous, I know.

I also wanted to prepare some breakfast cookies for the week ahead! These incredibly healthy and filling cookies are the perfect grab and go breakfast or afternoon snack.  I actually think they are the BEST healthy cookies I have ever made...and that is saying a lot!

 Breakfast Cookies

adapted from Blueberry Girl's No Sugar Oat Drops

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups regular rolled oats

1 cup coconut flakes

1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts, or nuts of choice

1/4 cup almond meal

1 cup chopped dried figs, or fruit of choice

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp all spice

1 tsp cinnamon

Wet Ingredients

3 medium ripe bananas

1/4 cup mild and light olive oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees celsius

2. Combine oats, coconut flakes, nuts, almond meal and spices in a large bowl or mixer.

3. Add spices and mixed fruit.  Mix well and make sure the fruit isn't stuck together in a clump!

4. Mash bananas, add oil and vanilla in a small bowl.

5. Combine wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until very combined.

6. Bake on a silpat or a sprayed cookie sheet for 20-23 minutes until golden brown!

Unfortunately I am completely out of space for pictures on my blog.  Not sure what to do about that at the moment so I guess you'll just have to make these cookies and see their greatness for yourself :)

Well...I am off to get for a run! The weather is perfect and I need some fresh air.  Hope you all enjoy the rest of of your Sunday!

Amy 

xo

Hello and Goodbye

This weekend was a lot of fun! Francis' cousin Emanuel was in town to visit Francis before he ventured out on his bicycling trip to Chile (crazy, right?).  They haven't seen each other in years so it was nice for them to have a chance to spend some good quality time together!  It was a quick hello and goodbye kind of trip, but wonderful nevertheless.  I got in on some of the action as well!

On Sunday night I decided to whip up a delicious meal for us to enjoy together on Emanuel's last night in Victoria.  Vegan enchiladas! Always a hit.  Emanuel enjoys photography as well so I asked him to take some pictures of the meal for me! They turned out great :-)

All of the delicious innards (this word still weirds me out...)

Ready for the oven!

Time to dig in!

Emanuel left early this morning for Port Angeles and we are wishing him the best of luck on his adventure!

As for Francis and I, we took advantage of our extra day off! I spent the day preparing for the upcoming week of my practicum from my office aka bed (is there anything better?).  After a long day of preparing and doing some household chores, Francis and I went out to run some errands - kitty's gotta have fresh kitty litter to start his week off right ;)  When we got back I put together one of, if not the best, stew I have ever had!

Vegan Shepherds Pie Stew

adapted from Oh She Glows Sumptuous Shepherd's Stew

1 large sweet onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp vegetable broth
2 cups peeled chopped carrots
2 cups chopped potatoes
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
2 cups sliced cremini mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp Herbes de Provence
3 tbsp low-sodium tamari
3 cups vegetable broth, plus more as needed
1 14-oz package of extra-firm tofu, drained, rinsed, and pressed
1 tbsp olive oil
2 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp smoked paprika

Instructions:

1. In a large pot over high heat, add onion, garlic, and vegetable broth and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add carrots, potatoes, celery, and mushrooms. Sauté for about 15 additional minutes, adding more broth if necessary.

2. Stir in parsley, flour, Herbes de Provence, and tamari until vegetables are coated in flour. Stir in broth and bring stew to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer on low-medium heat for another 10 to 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender (do not overcook)

3. While stew cooks, preheat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Slice tofu into 1/4-inch cubes. Add olive oil to skillet. Sauté tofu for about 5 minutes on each side, or until crispy. Stir tofu into stew. Add apple cider vinegar and smoked paprika.  Serve hot.

And now for a few lovely pictures from yesterday's trip to Goldstream Park to watch the salmon run! Enjoy :-)

For all of you with sensitive eyes I suggest you stop here.  There are a couple of pictures of decomposing fish.  It really is a beautiful, fascinating part of nature though, I assure you.  These wonderful chum salmon swim to the river each year to spawn.  Because they move from salt water to fresh water and swim against the current for weeks on end they become exhausted and pass away.  Luckily most of them have either laid their eggs or fertilized them before this takes place!