GF Vegan Oatmeal Cookies

My Bitchin’ Gluten Free Vegan Oatmeal Cookies. Pic by M.C.

In the 80s we ate oatmeal cookies. It seemed like my mom made then once a week. The Old-fashioned Oatmeal Cookies recipe is from my mom’s 1960s Betty Crocker cookbook. I couldn’t tell you which one. There are a lot of versions of the cookbook. I took the recipe and made these bitchin’ gluten free and vegan oatmeal cookies.

I remember using the sifter with the flour for my mom. I didn’t sift the rice flour for this recipe. I don’t even have a sifter. I found that Bob’s Red Mill sweet white rice flour wasn’t very grainy.

I am telling you the specific ingredients I used so that the cookies come out the same. Don’t skip simmering the raisins. The raisin water makes the cookies tasty and moist.

GF VEGAN OATMEAL COOKIES
1 cup raisins, Trader Joe’s organic Thompson seedless
1 cup water, filtered not tap
3/4 cup vegan butter, miyoko’s
1 1/2 cups organic brown coconut sugar, Big Tree Farms
2 egg replacers, Ener-G, recipe below
1 tsp. organic vanilla extract, Flavorganics
2 1/2 cups sweet white rice flour, Bob’s Red Mill
1/2 tsp. baking powder, Bob’s Red Mill
1 tsp. soda, Bob’s Red Mill
1 tsp. sea salt, Trader Joe’s fine crystals
1 tsp. cinnamon, Trader Joe’s
1/2 tsp. cloves, Sprouts
2 cups gluten free old-fashioned rolled oats from bulk
1/2 cup walnut pieces
1/4-1/2 cup chocolate chips, Enjoy Life semi-sweet mini chips

Egg Replacer for Two Eggs:
3 tsp. Ener-G Egg Replacer
4 Tbsp. warm water
Warm water in a kettle for about one minute. If the water gets too hot, let it cool. Beat the replacer and water until they are creamed.

Yield: 36 cookies

Directions:
Simmer raisins and water in saucepan over low heat until raisins are plump, 25 minutes. Drain raisin liquid into measuring cup. Add enough water to make 1/2 cup. Heat oven to 400°. Cream butter and sugar. Make egg replacer. Add egg replacer and vanilla to butter and sugar. Stir in raisin liquid. Stir in flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and spices. Add rolled oats, nuts, and raisins. Drop rounded teaspoonfuls about 2” apart onto parchment paper covered baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes. I do not wait ’til they are golden brown.

You’re really going to love these oatmeal cookies. I want to make some now.

Happy Vegan!

From blog of melissacrismon.com

Copyright 2022 Melissa Crismon

Olivia Newton-John

You know I’ve been feeling nostalgic after watching Stranger Things. I just saw Olivia Newton-John died from cancer at the age of 73 in her Southern California home on Monday, August 8, 2022.

Olivia Newton-John was a pop singer and huge animal lover who spent more money on her menagerie of animals than herself, her accountant pointed out, in the Ladies Home Journal of August 1977.

I don’t put stars on a pedestal, but Olivia Newton-John was someone who made an impression on me. I loved the movie Xanadu. Olivia is probably the reason why I roller skated as a kid in my backyard with the music blasted.

When it came to making a book cover for Superfreak I was inspired by the colors in Xanadu and a little bit by Donna Summer’s fan letter with purples and blues and clouds. Yes, I wrote Donna Summer three times. I wish I had kept her letters in response.

And the merman series I am writing now is a tiny bit inspired by Xanadu. I looked at all my favorite movies trying to find something like the current story I am writing. I couldn’t find anything, but Xanadu has that urban fantasy romance vibe I like to write about.

One of my favorite songs she sang besides “Xanadu” was “Magic.” Here are the lyrics to “Magic.” It’s so mystical.

Come take my hand
You should know me
I’ve always been in your mind
You know I will be kind
I’ll be guiding you

Building your dream has to start now
There’s no other road to take
You won’t make a mistake
I’ll be guiding you
You have to believe we are magic

Nothin’ can stand in our way
You have to believe we are magic
Don’t let your aim ever stray
And if all your hopes survive
Destiny will arrive
I’ll bring all your dreams alive
For you
I’ll bring all your dreams alive

For you
From where I stand, you are home free
The planets align so rare
There’s promise in the air
And I’m guiding you

Through every turn I’ll be near you
I’ll come anytime you call
I’ll catch you when you fall
I’ll be guiding you

You have to believe we are magic
Nothin’ can stand in our way
You have to believe we are magic
Don’t let your aim ever stray
And if all your hopes survive
Destiny will arrive
I’ll bring all your dreams alive
For you
I’ll bring all your dreams alive
For you
You have to believe we are magic
Nothin’ can stand in our way
You have to believe we are magic
Don’t let your aim ever stray
And if all your hopes survive
Destiny will arrive
I’ll bring all your dreams alive
For you
I’ll bring all your dreams alive
For you

Source: Musixmatch
Songwriter: John Farrar
Magic lyrics © John Farrar Music

Happy Vegan!

From blog of melissacrismon.com

Copyright 2022 Melissa Crismon