These are the most perfect, chewy chocolate chip cookies. 
The only thing that makes these cookies even more perfect is taking two of them and a scoop of softened vanilla ice cream and creating a delectable ice cream cookie sandwich.  Eat smaller meals and save room for cookies!

Wet Ingredients:
2 sticks of softened butter
½ cup of cane sugar
1 cup of light brown sugar
1 tbsp. of grapeseed oil
2 eggs or egg replacer
1 tsp. vanilla extract
  
Dry Ingredients:
3 ¼ cups of white spelt flour
¾ tsp. pink salt
1 ¼ tsp. baking soda
1 tbsp. cornstarch
 
Additional Ingredients: 
2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Optional:
½ cup of mini candy-coated chocolates
 
Steps:
1. Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
2. Place all wet ingredients into a large bowl.
3. Cream the mixture well, you may use a mixer or do it by hand with a Danish dough hook or a wooden spoon.
4. In another bowl stir whisk all dry ingredients together.
5. Add the dry, whisked ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
6. Stir in the chocolate chips.
7. Chill the dough for one hour.
8. Make cookie dough balls by using a small scoop or ¼ cup measuring spoon.
9. Roll the balls slightly to resemble short logs and place on baking sheet 2 inches apart. 
10. Slight pat down the cookies to flatten them just a little.  If using mini candy-coated chocolates this is where you would dip the top of each cookie into a little bowl of the mini candies before patting them down.
11. Bake on the middle rack of your oven for 10 minutes. Very important to do the middle rack first!
12. Then switch the cookies and bake them on the top rack for 5 to 10 minutes.
13. Remove from oven and cool completely before storing them or making ice cream cookie sandwiches.
14. Makes about 24 cookies.
 
 
 
 

Herbed Chick Pea Salad
So you might be wondering, what's with all of the salad and salsa recipes???  Well, I love to eat raw vegetables and I think salads and salsas make a great appetizer, snack, side dish and even main meal.  I also love to chop.  It is relaxing for me and the end result is a rather satisfyingly delicious and beautiful dish.
This salad is even more amazing served with my Dreamy Creamy Hummus and my Pita Chips or fresh pita bread.  

Main Ingredients:
​2 cans of Chick Peas (garbanzo beans) rinsed and drained
1/2 of a Vidalia Onion finely chopped 
4 Persian Cucumbers chopped (or 1 seedless cucumber)
4 large Radishes chopped 
2 cloves of Garlic minced
1 cup chopped fresh Arugula
Juice of a small Lemon
1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (a good drizzle basically)

Herbs and Spices:
Pink Salt and Pepper to taste
Fresh Parsley - a lot of it!  Chop about a half a bunch
1 tbsp. Mediterranean Herb mix (or Italian Seasoning)

Steps:
1.  Add all of the main ingredients into a medium sized bowl.
2. Add all of the Herbs and Spices. 
3. Mix everything together.
4. Serve.
5. It's all in the chopping :)

Another reason I love salads is although there is a lot of chopping there are not a lot of steps.  You chop, add to the bowl, chop add to the bowl, and keep going.  The kitchen stays clean too!  You are washing a bowl, knife and a cutting board.
Fresh, easy and super healthy.  This salad lasts in the fridge for almost a week too.

Mediterranean Baked Beans
Fresh alternative to BBQ baked beans and a great side dish.  
I happen to love this as a main dish for an easy and quick weeknight dinner. If you keep all of the ingredients stocked in your pantry you can whip it up any day of the week or when those  vegetarian friends surprise you and pop over :)

Main Ingredients:
1 can (15.5 oz) of Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15.5 oz) of Navy Beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (28 oz) of Crushed Tomatoes
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
 1/2 Vidalia onion diced
2 large Carrots diced
3 cloves of Fresh Garlic minced

Spices:
Himalayan Salt and Pepper to taste
Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes
Fresh Basil chopped
1 1/2 tsp. of Mediterranean herb mix or Italian seasoning mix

Steps:
1. In a heavy saute pan drizzle in some olive oil - about a tbsp. or two
2. Add onion and carrot and saute.
3. After 5 or 10 minutes add the garlic and stir, don't let it burn!
4. Add the spices listed.
5. Add the crushed tomatoes, stir and simmer for 5 minutes.
6. Add all of the drained beans and fresh basil.
7. Simmer for 15 minutes uncovered and stirring all the while.
8. Remove saute pan from heat and place onto a baking sheet.
9. Sprinkle beans with feta cheese and parsley.
10. Bake uncovered in a 400 F oven for 30 minutes.
11. Serve with a salad or crusty baguette.

Blueberry Vanilla Compote
A one-pot wonder that perks up those Sunday morning pancakes.
It makes the house smell heavenly and the color is just as intoxicating as the scent.  Perfect on waffles and buttered toast too. If you love blueberries as much as I do you will be eating this delicious compote with a spoon!

Ingredients:
2 cups of fresh Blueberries
2/3 cup of organic sugar
Zest of one lemon
Juice of one lemon
1 tsp. of Vanilla extract 

Steps:
1. Pick a small stainless steel sauce pan.  Use stainless because blueberries do stain. 
2. Put all of the ingredients in the pan.
3. Stir all of the ingredients together before turning on the heat.
4. Turn the burner on low and let the mixture simmer low and slow with NO lid..
5. Stir occasionally every few minutes for about 30 to 45 minutes.
6. Blueberries will burst and syrup will thicken and the juice will evaporate making it a nice thick texture.  Not as thick as a jam and not as thin as a syrup.  A compote.
7. Let syrup cool in pan before transferring to a glass jar or serving dish.
8.  Serve with pancakes and a little sour cream mixed with sugar. DELISH!!!

Feta Crumble
This is the best way I have found to use up leftover feta cheese and extend it's life a little bit. Simple, easy and makes a lovely topping for salads.  Add it to to a cheese board or appetizer platter or just spread on some crackers for a great evening snack!  Three ingredients, three steps!

Ingredients:
Feta Cheese - about 3/4 pound of creamy good quality feta
2 tbsp. Chopped fresh Parsley
2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
That's it!

Steps:
1. Crumble the Feta Cheese into a medium bowl.
2. Drizzle in the Olive Oil to coat the crumbles lightly.
3. Add the chopped Parsley and mix.

Ideas:
You can add cracked pepper, fresh garlic or pepper flakes to your liking but you definitely don't need salt - feta is salty enough.
Double the recipe for a crowd.

Plum Oat Crumble Bars
Look at this photo!  Do I even need to write a description? 
And they taste just as good as they look.  Make them this weekend and serve them up as breakfast, as dessert, as a snack, as a meal.  Your loved ones will thank you for sure!

Dry Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups of old fashioned rolled oats (not quick oats)
1 1/2 cups of flour
1 cup of coconut sugar (or 1/2 cup each of brown and white sugars)
1 1/2 tsp. of baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon
1 tsp. of sea salt

Wet Ingredients:
1 cup of melted butter
1 tsp. of vanilla

Filling:
6 to 8 plums diced, pits removed 
1 tbsp. of cornstarch to coat the plum pieces

Steps:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Line a 9 x 13 baking pan with parchment paper and grease with butter
3. In a big bowl combine the main dry ingredients.
4. Add the butter and vanilla and combine until the dough starts to stick together but is still crumbly (they are "crumble bars" after all)
5. Take half of the dough crumb mixture and press into the parchment lined pan.
6. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes on the top rack in the oven.
7. While the crust is baking wash, dry and cut up the plums into small pieces, discarding the pits.
8. Mix the cut up plums with cornstarch and this is your filling.
9. Remove the crust from the oven.
10. Place the plum filling on the baked crust.
11. Crumble the rest of the dough crumble on top of the plum filling.
12. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes on the top rack of the oven until the crust is golden and brown.
13. Cool completely before removing from pan and cutting into bars.
14. Great served with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Homemade Pita Chips
The most delectable, crispy, crunchy, satisfying chips you will ever eat!  You will never want to buy store bought again. They are not only delicious but super easy to make with very few ingredients and very little prep work.  You can make them for a party with my Dreamy Creamy Hummus recipe or just make a batch to snack on whenever you are in the mood. Bake some up today and try not to eat them all.  Remember, sharing is caring :)

Main Ingredients:
1 Package of thin pita bread (Thin pita makes for crispier chips)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Spices:
Himalayan Pink Salt
Cracked Black Pepper
Granulated Garlic
Dried Parsley

Steps:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Cut the pita into triangles/wedges.  I use a sharp knife but you can use a pizza cutter for this too. 
4. Spread the pita triangles on the sheet in a single layer - it's ok if they overlap a little, just like in the picture.  If you need a second sheet that's fine.
5. Drizzle all of the pita triangles lightly with the extra virgin olive oil.
6. Sprinkle on Salt and Pepper to taste.
7. Spring on Granulated Garlic and Parsley to you desired taste.
8. Bake for 10 minutes. Check on them. Bake for another 2 minutes and check on them.  They should be crisp and golden. 
9. If not done after 12 minutes continue baking and just keep checking every two minutes until they have reached the perfect doneness.  Stay near the stove they bake quickly and can burn:)
10. Ta-da! Homemade Pita Chips.

Fluffy Banana Pancakes
These are a healthy family favorite.  When the weekend comes I love to whip up this big batch of pancakes.  Kids and adults alike love them.  They are fluffy and golden but quite filling. 
If you are having visitors for the weekend or a holiday you can prep all the dry ingredients into a big glass jar and then the morning of just combine with the wet ingredients in a big bowl.  So easy!
I also recommend wrapping leftover pancakes individually and refrigerating for delicious breakfasts all week long.  This recipe makes about 16 four inch pancakes.  (Give or take a couple, I've never really counted, it makes a lot :)
We love to top ours with fresh berries, sliced bananas, walnuts and maple syrup.  Put on the coffee or tea and enjoy a slow, sweet morning!

Dry Ingredients:
I cup whole wheat flour
1 cup white spelt flour
1 1/2 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. pink salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
2 tsp. of sugar

Wet Ingredients:
2 overripe smashed bananas
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tbsp. melted coconut oil
1 cup plant milk (oat)
1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of water

Steps:
1. Whisk all dry ingredients in one bowl.
2. Put a little butter or coconut oil in a skillet and heat it.
3. Whisk wet ingredients and combine with dry ingredients.  Batter should be thick and may have some lumps, don't overmix it. (See first picture.)
4. Use a big spoon or ladle to pour pancake batter into skillet, about 4 inches wide.  (See second picture.)
5. When edges appear dry and bubbles are popping, flip them.
6. Place all pancakes on a platter and serve with fresh berries, sliced bananas, walnuts and pure maple syrup.
7. Enjoy a leisurely breakfast!

                          Smash-Baked Potatoes

These golden, delectable, little crispy potatoes are one of my favorite side dishes.  They are like the perfect marriage between a baked potato and a twice baked potato, but better than both. 
I love to serve them with some of the following toppings:
leftover chili, sour cream, cheddar cheese, goat cheese, chives, bacon, broccoli -  you get the picture.  Anything you would love on a baked potato you will love on a Smash-Baked Potato. 
Eating lighter these days? Do no toppings and just serve with a piece of baked salmon or roasted chicken.
​
Ingredients:
12 Yukon gold small to medium boiled potatoes with skins on
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sea Salt
Cracked Pepper
Fresh Parsley
Parmesan Cheese
Steps:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Drain boiled potatoes on towels and let cool for 30 minutes.
3. Line up the potatoes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
4. Use a potato masher to "smash" each potato.  Hold the cooled potato with one hand and gently press the masher down with the other.  The potato will crack open like in the pictures.
5. After smashing the potatoes lightly drizzle all with olive oil.
6. Sprinkle on the sea salt, black pepper, fresh parsley and parmesan cheese.
7. Bake for 30 minutes or until they have reached the crispness you desire.
8. Enjoy!

These perfectly roasted chicken thighs are just well... perfect! 
This cut of meat is difficult to overcook and is more loved than drumsticks, more tender than chicken breasts and a rather delectable dinner. Serve with some roasted veggies or salad on the side and your family will walk in raving about the smell ready to sit and eat together! Leftovers can be used to create amazing homemade broth. (See my Chicken broth recipe.)
Also, have some bread handy, my family loves to dip it in the pan drippings, sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo good!

Perfectly Roasted Chicken
Ingredients: 
Well, Chicken! Thighs to be exact :)
8-10 chicken thighs, bone in and skin on
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Spices:
Salt
Cracked Pepper
Rosemary (freshly chopped or dried)
Garlic Powder

Steps:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Use a baking dish or parchment lined baking sheet.
3.  Lightly drizzle chicken on both sides with olive oil.  You don't need much because the chicken skin has fat in it as well.
4. Season both sides with the spices - salt, pepper, rosemary, garlic powder.  Season to your taste and feel free to add additional spices that you may like. GO Crazy :)
5. Bake for one hour.
6. Remove from oven and serve in baking dish.

Short Cut ALERT!!!
Once the chicken has roasted for at least 40 minutes and is nice and crispy you can throw in some string beans.  Right into the same pan!  They will get seasoned with the drippings and bake for the last 20 minutes with the chicken.  Clean up will be great - only one pan!