A Healthier Version of the Starbucks Macadamia Oat Cookie

DessertsJuly 9, 2018March 27, 2019 Leigh Scott

A Healthier Version of the Starbucks Macadamia Oat Cookie

July 9. 2018

One of my followers recently presented an interesting challenge to me. Having read my review of the Starbucks Vegan Macadamia Oat Cookie, she wanted to know if I might be willing to develop a healthier recipe for the cookie. I accepted the challenge and headed to the kitchen.

After looking at the list of ingredients for the Starbucks cookie on their website, I started with many of the same ingredients and then made some adjustments. Of course, I didn’t know the measurements for the ingredients in the Starbucks cookie, but I had learned some general ratios for cookies during my studies at The School of Natural Cookery. I used those ratios as a starting point.

Making a Healthier Cookie

I had several objectives for making the recipe healthier, while still turning out a tasty treat:

Reduce the amount of fat. The Starbucks cookie, if you ate the whole (nearly Frisbee-sized!) thing, would provide a whopping 23g of fat, which is listed as 35% of your daily recommended allowance of fat. In one cookie! One indication that the fat in the Starbucks cookie might be a bit excessive were the oil spots that it left on the paper bag used to transport it from the store. I reduced the amount of oil I might normally have used by replacing part of the oil with unsweetened applesauce. I also decided to substitute walnut oil for the canola oil in the Starbucks list of ingredients. Canola oil contains some trans fat that is generated during processing, and I generally avoid trans fats because they are known to increase LDL (bad) cholesterol in the body and decrease the HDL (good) cholesterol. Walnut oil doesn’t have trans fats, and it has a mild flavor that is suitable for baked goods. So the substitution works well. I kept the amount of walnut oil as low as possible without sacrificing taste. (It should be noted that the Starbucks nutrition label shows zero trans fats, and that is because the law allows food manufacturers to put zero on the nutrition label if the product has less than 0.5g of trans fat per serving. But if they use canola oil, some trans fats are in there.)
Increase the amount of fiber. The Starbucks cookie was made with “enriched wheat flour,” which is another way of saying “flour that has been stripped of its nutrients, and then a few are added back in.” I don’t even keep All Purpose or Enriched Wheat Flour in my pantry; whole grain flours are much healthier. So Whole Wheat Pastry Flour is my go-to binder for all baked goods, and I used that — plus some oat flour for a bit of fluffiness.
Eliminate refined sugar. The Starbucks cookie had maple syrup but also cane sugar on its list of ingredients. Maple syrup is less refined and it’s my choice when I need a liquid sweetener, so that is what I used in my recipe.
I used oat milk for part of the liquid in the recipe, because it’s my secret weapon to achieve browning of vegan baked goods.

Comparison of Nutritional Labels

The results are shown below. The second and third columns provide an apples-to-apples comparison (so to speak) of comparable amounts. As you will see, my cookie is lower in fat and higher in fiber, which were two of the goals that I had set. The sugars were comparable between my cookie and the same amount of the Starbucks cookie, although I would maintain that I still achieved an improvement by eliminating the refined cane sugar. I would also note that the Starbucks cookie has some additional protein, possibly because of the addition of some almond flour in their recipe — which I did not have on hand so did not include. Substitution of some almond flour for the oat flour in my recipe might boost the protein level a bit if that’s important to you.

But look! Here is the catch about comparing the numbers in the table. If you buy the (big) cookie from Starbucks, are you really going to divide it into three more reasonable servings, or will you keep munching until the whole thing is down the hatch? I’m betting on the latter. Don’t get me wrong; I’m glad that Starbucks is expanding its vegan offerings. Just remember that’s it quite possible to be an unhealthy vegan by eating too much sugar and fat. Please don’t do that.

	Starbucks cookie – whole thing (~3 oz)	1/3 of the Starbucks cookie (~1 oz)	my cookie (2-inch cookie, ~1 oz)
Calories	390	130	107
Total Fat	23g	7.6g	4.8g
Saturated Fat	4g	1.3g	0.8g
Trans Fat	0g	0g	0g
Cholesterol	0mg	0mg	0mg
Sodium	320mg	106mg	54.9mg
Total Carbohydrate	41g	13.6g	15.6g
Dietary Fiber	1g	0.3g	1.7g
Sugars	18g	6g	7g
Protein	7g	2.3g	1.4g

How’s the Taste?

My cookie passed the family taste test with excellent scores. The texture is soft and the flavor is good. Please give the recipe a try and let me know what you think!

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A Healthier Version of the Starbucks Macadamia Oat Cookie

Nutrition per portion

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup oat flour
1/4 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
1/4 cup macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped
3 Tbsp dried sweetened cranberries, coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup oat milk
1/2 cup maple syrup, Grade A amber color
1/3 cup walnut oil
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 tsp orange oil

Method

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl: whole wheat pastry flour, rolled oats, oat flour, coconut, macadamia nuts, cranberries, salt and baking powder. Blend with a fork.
Combine the liquid ingredients in a separate bowl: oat milk, maple syrup, walnut oil, applesauce, and orange oil. Blend with a fork or spoon.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid ingredients. Gently blend the wet and dry ingredients until well mixed.
Drop spoonfuls of the cookie dough onto a cookie sheet.
Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
Remove cookies from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before using a spatula to take them off the cookie sheet.

The School of Natural Cookery – a review

Culinary & Nutritional TrainingJuly 6, 2018October 3, 2019 Leigh Scott

The School of Natural Cookery – a review

July 6, 2018

Several years ago, I’d heard that steaming was the best way to cook veggies. There’s no oil involved, only water. So it must be healthy, right? Emboldened to try this (new-to-me) cooking technique, I cut up a variety of veggies and tossed them into a perforated stainless steel basket that was placed over a big pot of boiling water. After the veggies were fork tender, I removed them from the heat. As I was discarding the water in the bottom of the pot, I could not help but notice that the water had gained some new-found color — and it was clearly the color that the veggies (now paler than they had been when they were raw) had lost! But that’s not all that the veggies had lost. They had lost so much of their intrinsic flavor that I needed to pour on some salad dressing just to make them barely palatable. So I ended up with oil on the veggies after all. Steaming was clearly not the answer.

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Potato, Veggie, and Chickpea Salad

Salads and Side DishesJuly 5, 2018March 27, 2019 Leigh Scott

Potato, Veggie, and Chickpea Salad

July 5, 2018

Potato salad is a staple item at many summertime picnics — for good reason, because it is delicious and refreshing. It normally offers a satisfying variety of tastes and textures. The only downside is that potato salad is usually very high in fat content and cholesterol, primarily because mayonnaise is used as the binder.

So I embarked on a mission to ramp up the nutritional value while retaining the ever-popular taste. Here’s what I did to make a better potato salad.

I increased the amount of veggies in the salad so that they would be equal to the amount of potatoes. This step had the additional benefit of making the salad more colorful, in line with the nutritional admonition to “eat the rainbow.” For an eye-popping boost of color, I recommend using one each of red, yellow, and green bell peppers.
I added cooked chickpeas to the potato salad to boost the protein content. And this also means that the salad crosses the line from side item to main dish.
I replaced the mayonnaise that’s normally used in potato salad with blended silken tofu. It works perfectly, and nobody will know unless you tell them!

The table below contains a comparison of the nutrition for Hellman’s Original Potato Salad and my Potato, Veggie, and Chickpea Salad.

	1 serving – Hellman’s recipe	1 serving – my recipe (1 cup)
Calories	300	190
Total fat	21g	2.5g
Saturated fat	3.5g	0.3g
Cholesterol	60mg	0mg
Sodium	650mg	171mg
Total carbs	24g	36.3g
Dietary fiber	2g	6.1g
Sugars	3g	3.4g
Protein	4g	7.2g
Calcium	2%	12%
Iron	2%	18%
Vitamin C	15%	129%
Vitamin A	2%	4%

So my recipe has lower calories, fat, and sodium — and zero cholesterol. And, as an added bonus, my recipe has more fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals.

I’d say that my recipe beats the nutrition of the one from Hellman’s, hands down!

Print

Potato, Veggie, and Chickpea Salad

V
VG
GF
DF

Difficulty:Easy
Prep Time:30 mins
Cook Time:30 mins
Serves:20
Freezable:No

Nutrition per portion

Ingredients

9 medium-sized organic gold potatoes
1 medium organic onion, chopped
1 cup black olives, sliced
4 stalks of organic celery, sliced
3 medium-sized organic bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 Tablespoon capers
1 cup of organic broccoli flowerettes, separated into bite-sized pieces
1.5 cups of cooked chickpeas
fresh dill, chopped
8 oz package of silken tofu, drained well on paper towels
2 tsp prepared mustard
sea salt
pepper

Method

Cook the potatoes in water until fork tender but not too soft. Pull the peels off and then cut the potatoes into bite-sized cubes.
Add the cubed potatoes, chopped onion, sliced olives, sliced celery, chopped bell peppers, capers, broccoli flowerettes, cooked chickpeas, and chopped dill to a large bowl.
Blend the well-drained tofu with the prepared mustard in a food processor until smooth.
Stir the blended tofu into the potato mixture.
Season with salt and pepper.
Chill well in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to blend.

Vegan Dining at Silver Diner – a review

Restaurant ReviewsJuly 2, 2018March 27, 2019 Leigh Scott

Vegan Dining at Silver Diner – a review

July 2, 2018

I am now certain that being vegan is become a “thing.” Here’s part of the reason that I am so sure. On a recent visit to Silver Diner, I was astounded to see a bright red banner in front of the restaurant that proclaimed “New VEGAN Entrees!”

Now, it’s true that Silver Diner is not your typical diner. Their menu proudly states that “we’re reinventing the diner.” They call their approach “flexitarian” and note that the Executive Chef Ype Von Hengst has created a menu of customizable healthier entrees that feature the highest quality, all-natural ingredients available. The regional restaurant chain buys fresh and local foods, and they indicate on their menu that they support more than 15 local farms that use sustainable agriculture methods. Want more details? You can find a list of the local suppliers on Silver Diner’s website.

Regional Presence

Silver Diner has 17 locations in the mid-Atlantic region, concentrated in the DC area but stretching as far north as Philadelphia and as far south as Richmond. Three of the locations are convenient to our home, so it’s easy to stop in for a meal when we are out on errands.

Diner Decor

The decor is classic diner style. The exterior features an Art Deco look and chrome siding with red accents. On the inside, you will find spacious booths (each having its own small juke box), Formica tables, a tile floor, and chrome trim. The servers are quick and efficient and are neatly attired in black pants and tee shirts.

Clearly Marked Menu

Have you ever been to a restaurant and couldn’t tell if the items had hidden ingredients that would make them problematic for your particular dietary needs? That won’t happen at Silver Diner! The menu is exceptionally well marked, featuring a very helpful set of symbols to denote various dietary categories, including vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, heart healthy, and under 600 calories. Even better still, there is a separate area on the menu for vegan entrees!

We regularly visit Silver Diner and appreciate the fact that the menu changes with the seasons. During the fall and winter months I enjoyed a dish featuring lentils and Brussels sprouts in a tomato sauce. (I liked it so well that I re-created it at home.) On our last visit, I was pleased to see some new seasonal choices. I ordered the In-House Roasted Tomatoes: Roasted beefsteak tomatoes over brown rice, organic roasted corn, mushrooms, leeks, zucchini, pistachios, and lemon pesto – with asparagus on the side. It was fantastic, and I particularly liked the citrusy notes in the pesto. I’m sure I will return to the restaurant soon to try the other new vegan entree: Brussels Sprouts & Farro: Crispy Brussels sprouts over farro, leeks, tomatoes, roasted red pepper sauce, and pistachios.

Eat Well, Do Well program

Silver Diner gets extra points from me for being community minded. That’s because the restaurant has created a rewards program (called Eat Well, Do Well) that provides benefits both for the enrolled patron and also local schools. The program was created by Silver Diner to address the childhood obesity problem. To date the restaurant chain has contributed over $750,000 to improve nutrition and fitness programs at more than 100 partner schools. This is a great idea, and I am happy to support it. Kudos to you, Silver Diner!

Sea Shepherd: Saving the Seas! A Dinner with Captain Watson

Animal Rescue & Advocacy, EventsJune 18, 2018March 27, 2019 Leigh Scott

Sea Shepherd: Saving the Seas! A Dinner with Captain Watson

June 18, 2018

It’s not hard to convince me to have dinner at Great Sage in Clarksville, MD. It’s one of the few restaurants in our area that’s completely vegan. So instead of having (at most) one or two choices on the menu per a typical restaurant, I know that I can eat *everything* at Great Sage! And, as a bonus, it’s all delicious and nutritious. It’s definitely worth the hour-plus trek from northern Virginia, especially when there is a special menu or a notable speaker. So I was quick to make a reservation when I discovered that the restaurant was offering a dinner with Captain Paul Watson, founder of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.

Surprise: Sea Shepherd Cares About Cows

Sea Shepherd and Captain Watson first entered my radar screen several months ago when I watched the documentary called Cowspiracy. The tagline for Cowspiracy is “The Film that Environmental Organizations Don’t Want You to See.” The documentary follows filmmaker Kip Andersen as he uncovers the most destructive industry facing the planet today. No, it’s not transportation; it’s animal agriculture. As noted on the Cowspiracy website, “Animal agriculture is the leading cause of deforestation, water consumption and pollution, is responsible for more greenhouse gases than the transportation industry, and is a primary driver of rainforest destruction, species extinction, habitat loss, topsoil erosion, ocean ‘dead zones,’ and virtually every other environmental ill.” Wow. In the documentary, Anderson approached several leading conservation organizations and was amazed by their intentional refusal to discuss the environmental impacts of animal agriculture. A notable exception among the conservation organizations that were interviewed in Cowspiracy: Sea Shepherd! As I watched the film, I was tremendously impressed that Sea Shepherd is willing to bravely speak out — in Cowspiracy as well as other platforms — about the devastating effects of animal agriculture. The film left me eager to learn more about this courageous conservation organization.

Dinner with Captain Watson at Great Sage

On the appointed evening, Great Sage provided a welcoming venue for the dinner with Captain Watson. The decor was tasteful and elegant: wooden tabletops with black cloth napkins; 3-blade wooden ceiling fans and simple overhead lighting; and warm, earth-tone walls with mirrors, carved-wood panels, and various depictions of trees.

Every day that Great Sage is open, it proves to eager diners that plant-based cuisine can be interesting and flavorful. As indicated on the restaurant’s website, “Great Sage is anything but common — featuring a bold menu inspired by exotic flavors from around the world, using organic ingredients to nourish the body, and providing a warm, romantic atmosphere perfect for any occasion. Great Sage seeks to provide the highest quality gourmet foods created from only plant-based sources.”

The prix fixe menu for the dinner with Captain Watson included four amazing courses: 1) traditional split pea soup with crispy shallots drizzled in basil-mint ‘cream,’ served with a side salad composed of arugula, torched grape tomatoes & grilled asparagus, shaved ‘parmesan’ & rosemary garlic croutons tossed in lemon-chive vinaigrette; 2) crispy potatoes, broccoli and beer-battered smoked ‘Gouda’ placed on a bed of beer ‘cheddar cheese,’ drizzled with mushroom gravy, topped with shaved scallion & chives; 3) toasted dumpling stuffed with portabello steak, walnuts, onions & cranberries on top of baked beans, beets & sunchokes, with sauteed garlic kale in a whisky ‘cream’ sauce, topped with maple-Sriracha pine nuts & Canadian ‘bacon’ crumbles; and 4) triangles with coconut, hazelnut, & cocoa crust and a cappucino filling and salted white and dark chocolate ganache, placed on top of maple custard, garnished with toffee and a strawberry. Each course was delicious, and the serving sizes were very generous.

A Colorful Character

Captain Paul Watson looks convincingly like a seafarer. He’s got a full, white beard and a generous head of wavy, white hair. He wears black to match the background of Sea Shepherd’s pirate-style logo. He’s apparently not an official ship captain, although the title clearly fits. He is unapologetic about Sea Shepherd’s often-confrontational style with whaling vessels and factory fishing ships, because that strategy has been working — and no humans get hurt.

Captain Watson has spent his whole life saving animals, having started at the age of 11 when the beavers in the local pond were being trapped. He swam along the lines, freed the beavers, and destroyed the traps. Scoreboard: Captain Watson and beavers – 1; beaver trappers – 0!

The Status of the Seas

During the dinner at Great Sage, Captain Watson described Sea Shepherd’s vessels and wide range of activities. He described Sea Shepherd as “more of a movement than an organization,” and he told us about each of the vessels that comprise what he affectionately called “Neptune’s Navy.” The five ships are the Farley Mowat, the John Paul DeJoria, the Sharpie, the Martin Sheen and the Brigitte Bardot.

After describing the ships and their corresponding campaigns, he told us about the status of the seas, and the information he presented was alarming:

40% of the fish sold in stores has been illegally caught.
Scientists estimate that by 2048 there will be no fishing industry, because there will be no fish (due to overfishing, bycatch, dead zones, and other ways that fish are depleted).
40% of the fish that is caught is fed to cows and chickens — that’s more fish than the wild albatross eat
Plastic trash in the oceans has become a big problem, and microplastics can now be found in the flesh of fish.

How to Help

Captain Watson told us that going vegan (which Sea Shepherd did in the year 2000) is one of the best ways to help the seas and the animals that inhabit them (plus land animals and ecosystems, too). A recent story by CNN (entitled Go Vegan, Save the Planet) stated that “adopting a plant-based diet is … one of the most powerful choices an individual can make in mitigating environmental degradation and depletion of Earth’s natural resources.” And clearly, as I can attest after eating the meal at Great Sage, a vegan lifestyle does not have to be boring!

Captain Watson also encouraged us to support local, grassroots organizations, because they are often able to make a real difference. And he said that each of us could make a difference by getting personally involved.

Here are the four ingredients in his recipe for individual success: skills, ability, imagination, and courage.

And here is the ingredient in his recipe for success of a conservation organization: “Recruit an army of volunteers; you can’t buy that kind of passion.”

How else can you help? Donate , shop, and volunteer!

The Bottom Line

Captain Watson reminded us that we are in the midst of the 6th major extinction event on planet Earth. The planet, as he noted, has always recovered and has flourished after each of the previous events – although it took 18 to 20 million years. So the earth will go on. And conservation, therefore, is about saving humanity from humanity. Well said, Captain Watson.

The Vegetable Hunter Cafe and Boutique Brewery – a review

Restaurant ReviewsJune 14, 2018March 27, 2019 Leigh Scott

The Vegetable Hunter Cafe and Boutique Brewery – a review

June 14, 2018

Recently I tagged along on a weekend staff retreat that my husband and his colleagues had arranged in Hershey, PA. It’s a beautiful place to visit but it’s not ideal for a vegan. Surrounded on all sides by a variety of milk-chocolate confections and photos of supposedly happy dairy cows, it’s definitely not a vegan utopia. (And if you’re vegan, be careful about what you eat there — because even Hershey’s dark chocolate candies contain milk products!)

Hoping to find a more veggie-friendly dinner spot, I hopped onto Happycow.net and found the perfect spot — the Vegetable Hunter Vegan/Vegetarian Cafe and Boutique Brewery in nearby Harrisburg, PA. Four of us piled into the car and headed over to check it out.

The Vegetable Hunter Cafe is located in Restaurant Row in Harrisburg, PA. According to Visit Hershey and Harrisburg, Restaurant Row offers a “walkable wealth of restaurants, ranging from quick bites and sports bars to wine bars and breweries.” The area features quaint historic buildings, and the Vegetable Hunter is located in a former townhouse that is narrow but deep.

Charming, Eclectic Decor

The table tops in the Vegetable Hunter are cheerfully striped in red and white, and they are fitted with rustic-styled, unmatched chairs. The floors are beautiful hardwood, and one of the walls is classic red brick. Restaurant guests can enjoy board games, attractive murals, antique-style ceiling fans, and a guitar propped up in a corner. Most of the tables are small, mainly two tops — we felt lucky to snag a table that would accommodate all four of us. If you bring a larger party, you might have to split up and sit at different tables.

Service is provided from a butcher-block counter at the front of the restaurant. When you arrive, you can pick up a paper menu and place your order for food and perhaps a flight of the small-batch beers on tap. The menu includes Appetizers, Large Plates, Bowls and Tacos, Sides, and Desserts. Interestingly, the Dessert heading comes in all-caps, while the other headings are in initial caps. Hmm. Maybe it’s a suggestion, as the saying goes, to “eat dessert first, since life is uncertain.”

I thought that the menu offered quite a few interesting options, with some unusual ingredients and creative combinations. I think it would definitely be worth coming here often to sample different items on the menu.

Unusual Ingredients and Creative Combinations

I ordered the Walnut Lentil Burger, which was served in pita bread with cucumber salad, lettuce, onion, and hummus. The side dishes were Raw Brussels Sprouts Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette and Vegan Mac and Cheese. Everything was tasty and well prepared, although the vegan mac and cheese was exceptionally good. The other members of our party absolutely raved about the Tempeh Reuben Sandwich, which included chickpea tempeh, sauerkraut, and vegan thousand island dressing on grilled rye.

Bottom line: I’d like to visit the Vegetable Hunter again so that I could try more of the enticing items on the menu (and get more of that yummy vegan Mac and Cheese). If you live in the area or are driving through, be sure to check it out.

Cherry Pie in a Vegan Whole Wheat Crust

DessertsJune 8, 2018March 27, 2019 Leigh Scott

Cherry Pie in a Vegan Whole Wheat Crust

June 8, 2018

“Summerthyme” is the right “thyme” for fruit pies! As soon as fresh cherries appear in the grocery store, I grab a bag full of them and rush home to make my Cherry Pie in a Vegan Whole Wheat Crust.

Recipes for fruit pies are common, and I wouldn’t be posting one if mine weren’t different from many of them. Perhaps the biggest difference is that I use a whole wheat crust. When I’m cooking, I take every opportunity to use whole food ingredients rather than refined. I don’t even keep all-purpose white flour in my pantry! Instead, my go-to baking flour is whole wheat pastry flour — though sometimes I use oat flour or gluten-free flour if I’m baking for people who avoid gluten.

My Mom’s Pie Crust Recipe – But Better!

I feel very nostalgic about my pie crust recipe, because it’s a modification of the recipe that my mom shared with me when I was in high school. Her recipe used some ingredients that I avoid: all-purpose flour, dairy butter, and an egg. As mentioned previously, the flour substitution was easy and obvious. The substitution of Earth Balance for dairy butter was also easy and obvious. But the egg, which was apparently added to make the dough cohesive and to increase its flexibility, was not so obvious. First I tried using a chia egg, which is made by combining 1 tablespoon of ground chia seed with 3 tablespoons of water. The resulting gelatinous mixture worked fine, but the finished crust had tiny dark specks because of the chia seed. It was not what I was aiming for, because I wanted a uniformly-colored, golden-brown crust. So next I tried aquafaba, which is the liquid that comes along for free when you buy a can of chickpeas. The aquafaba worked perfectly, and I ended up with the bonus of some chickpeas for a protein-packed salad or other tasty dish.

Begin Binding Your Filling Before Baking

Have you ever baked a fruit pie and discovered that the filling was too runny? Many recipes instruct you to pour the uncooked filling into the pie shell and put it directly into the oven. But taking some time to begin binding the filling on the stovetop before baking your pie will ensure that you get a juicy, but not overly runny, pie filling. You’ll want to remove it from the stovetop before it’s fully bound, because the process will finish in the oven. Just heat it on the stove long enough for the liquid to begin thickening. Besides, you will need to chill the pie dough in the refrigerator anyway, so that is the perfect time to bind your filling.

Chill the Pie Dough

I learned the hard way that you don’t want to skip chilling the dough before rolling it. Chilling the dough allows time for the gluten strands in the flour to relax, which makes the dough easier to roll out and keeps it from shrinking while baking.

I also prefer to pre-bake the pie shell to help ensure that the bottom crust comes out crispy. A metal pie pan will help to ensure a crisp bottom crust, although ceramic pie pans look beautiful when it’s time to serve this delectable dessert.

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Cherry Pie in a Vegan Whole Wheat Crust

V
VG
DF

Difficulty:Intermediate
Prep Time:30 mins
Cook Time:30 mins
Serves:8
Freezable:Yes

Nutrition per portion

Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (Be sure to get the whole wheat *pastry* flour; normal whole wheat flour would be too heavy.)
1/2 cup *cold* Earth Balance shortening
1/2 tsp salt
4 tablespoons aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas)
1 tablespoon white or apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons of *cold* water
4 cups pitted fresh cherries, halved
1/3 cup Grade A maple syrup, amber color
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 1/2 tablespoons arrowroot
1/2 tsp salt

Method

To make the double crust for a 9-inch pie pan: 1. Cut the Earth Balance shortening stick into small pieces. 2. Add the shortening, whole wheat pastry flour, and salt to a food processor. Blend until the mixture is mealy, but do not overblend. 3. In a small bowl, combine the aquafaba, vinegar, and cold water. 4. Stir the liquid mixture into the flour mixture until it becomes a dough. You will probably need to use your hands to finish forming the dough, but do not knead it. 5. Form the dough into a ball, cover it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for at least half an hour. Meanwhile, make the filling. To make the filling: 1. Combine the cherries, maple syrup, almond extract, arrowroot and salt in a pan. 2. Heat the cherry mixture on the stove over medium-low heat until the liquid begins to thicken. Remove it from the heat before it finishes binding, because the process will finish in the oven. To assemble the pie: 1. Unwrap the dough and divide it: 2/3 for the bottom crust and 1/3 for the top crust. 2. Roll the dough for the bottom crust on a floured board or silicon mat with a rolling pin, working from the center outwards to form a circle. Periodically turn the dough a quarter turn to ensure that it’s not sticking. Roll the crust a bit larger than you think necessary, then place the pan upside down on top of it. Trim the dough to within 1″ of the rim of the pan all the way around. 3. Roll the dough around the rolling pin to transfer it to the pie pan. Unroll the dough into the pan and adjust its positioning as needed. Trim any crust that hangs over the edge of the pie pan. 4. Prick the bottom crust with a fork and pre-bake it in a 425 degree oven for 15 minutes. 5. Remove the pan from the oven and spoon the filling into the crust. 6. Roll out the remaining dough to form the top crust, either as a circle or cut into strips to weave a lattice. 7. Cut off any of the top crust that hangs over the edge of the pie pan, then use a fork to bind and crimp the edges of the top and bottom crusts. Cut decorative holes in the top crust (unless you used a lattice). 8. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to catch drips. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees until the top crust is nicely browned and the filling is bubbly.

Green Goodness Vegan Summerthyme Soup

SoupsJune 2, 2018March 27, 2019 Leigh Scott

Green Goodness Vegan Summerthyme Soup

June 2, 2018

Ahh, summerthyme! Dining alfresco on the patio; cool and comfy tank tops and shorts; lazy afternoons; veggies on the backyard grill; and ice-cold cocktails. It’s the perfect time to grab a bunch of nutrient-rich produce and whip up a cold, blended soup like this one — the Green Goodness Vegan Summerthyme Soup.

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Kustom Pizza & Subs – a review

Restaurant ReviewsMay 31, 2018March 27, 2019 Leigh Scott

Kustom Pizza & Subs – a review

May 31, 2018

Kustom Pizza & Subs (KPS) is not your typical Food Court occupant. The sign behind their counter proudly proclaims in big, bright blue letters: “We are fully vegan and plant-based.” I’ve been to a lot of Food Courts over the years, and I can’t remember even *one* Food Court restaurant that was fully vegetarian, much less vegan. It’s a bold move for this restaurant — which previously offered some vegan items among its meat-based offerings — to switch to fully plant-based. According to a KPS Instagram post in late April, one of the supervisors helped to convince the owners to convert the restaurant to plant-based. This is just one more good indication that being vegan is becoming a “thing!”

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SuperSeedz – a review

Food ProductsMay 12, 2018January 10, 2019 Leigh Scott

SuperSeedz – a review

May 12, 2018

Healthy, on-the-go snacking can be challenging for people who eat a whole-foods, plant-based diet — especially if they want to have the most nutritious snack possible. (News Flash: there are plenty of unhealthy vegan snacks out there, so it’s wise to be careful!) Of course, fresh fruit and veggies are great snacks, but they can get bruised in a backpack. And sometimes you just need a stick-to-the-ribs dose of protein. Dry-roasted nuts can be a good choice, but some people are allergic to tree nuts or peanuts. So I’ve been looking for a solution to that conundrum — and was happy to discover SuperSeedz in a local store! SuperSeedz are gourmet pumpkin seeds, and I found two flavors of them in 5-oz bags on the shelf of a local store: 1) Sea Salt; and 2) Maple Sugar and Sea Salt. Turns out that there are some additional flavors in their lineup that I will have to try, especially the Coco Joe! And SuperSeedz also has some organic flavors if you prefer your food as clean as possible.

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Vegan Dining at Lost Dog Cafe – a review

Animal Advocacy, Restaurant ReviewsMay 9, 2018March 27, 2019 Leigh Scott

Vegan Dining at Lost Dog Cafe – a review

May 9, 2018

Lost Dog Cafe is a cheerful eatery with a serious mission on the side: helping to rescue stray dogs and cats. The cafe was founded in 1985 by Ross Underwood and Pam McAlwee, who are lifelong animal lovers. According to the “Restaurants to the Rescue” information that’s printed on the back of the menu, Ross and Pam began rescuing dogs from local shelters shortly after opening their cafe in Arlington – and “employees at the Cafe were soon fielding calls from dog adopters in between orders without missing a beat; and the rescue mission became part of the Lost Dog culture.”

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Vegan Macadamia Oat Cookie at Starbucks – a review

Restaurant FoodMay 4, 2018March 27, 2019 Leigh Scott

Vegan Macadamia Oat Cookie at Starbucks – a review

May 4, 2018

I periodically stop in at Starbucks for a Lightly Sweet Chai made with almond milk. And sometimes I pick up the tasty and nutritious Vegan Protein Bowl in their refrigerator case. But I always walk right past the baked goods, because as a vegan, there have been relatively slim pickings in that department — until now! Vegans in the mood for a cookie are now in luck at Starbucks.

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Vegan Dining at the Omni Homestead Resort – a review

Restaurant ReviewsMay 4, 2018November 7, 2019 Leigh Scott

Vegan Dining at the Omni Homestead Resort – a review

May 4, 2018

When my husband asked me to accompany him on a business trip last weekend to the charming Omni Homestead Resort in the mountains of southwestern Virginia, my thoughts revolved around relaxation at the spa — complete with a massage, facial, and thermal pools. I loved the thought of some much-needed R&R. I had absolutely no idea that there would be vegan menus involved.

People visit The Omni Homestead Resort for many reasons: its incomparable luxury, full-service spa, golf course, scenic location, legendary hot springs, friendly service, fine dining, and more. We certainly knew about all of those amenities, but vegan menus were not even on our radar screen.

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Helping the Havasu Pack Horses

Animal AdvocacyApril 25, 2018March 27, 2019 Leigh Scott

Helping the Havasu Pack Horses

April 25, 2018

Next week, my husband and I were supposed to be going on a dream vacation to the spectacularly beautiful Havasu Falls, located on one of the tributaries of the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. Several years ago, we’d rafted the lower portion of the Grand Canyon, and during that trip we’d been able to take a side excursion, hiking a short way up the incomparable Havasu Canyon — but didn’t have enough time to reach the falls. One of the photos that I took on that hike is pasted in here.

Ever since then, we’d wanted to come back and visit the famous falls. So last autumn my husband had secretly booked a guided trip for us to Havasu Falls, and the excursion was intended to be a nice surprise for me. I didn’t find out where we were going until only a couple of weeks ago, and ever since then I had become increasing excited about the adventure to come.

Excursions to the falls normally begin at Hualapai Hilltop, and hikers traverse downhill steeply through a series of switchbacks to the canyon floor below — with an elevation loss of about 2,400 ft. It can be a tough backpacking route, so my husband had booked an excursion that would involve hiking 10 miles down to the falls with only a daypack, leaving the rest of the gear and food to be carried by the Havasu pack horses. And that was the happy dream. But then a few days ago, we saw a shocking Facebook post that began to turn our dream vacation into a potential nightmare. What the post revealed is that the natural beauty of the blue-green waters is marred by the cruel treatment that some of the Havasu pack horses experience.

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A Healthier Version of the Starbucks Macadamia Oat Cookie

Making a Healthier Cookie

Comparison of Nutritional Labels

How’s the Taste?

A Healthier Version of the Starbucks Macadamia Oat Cookie

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The School of Natural Cookery – a review

Potato, Veggie, and Chickpea Salad

Potato, Veggie, and Chickpea Salad

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Vegan Dining at Silver Diner – a review

Regional Presence

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Clearly Marked Menu

Eat Well, Do Well program

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Sea Shepherd: Saving the Seas! A Dinner with Captain Watson

Surprise: Sea Shepherd Cares About Cows

Dinner with Captain Watson at Great Sage

A Colorful Character

The Status of the Seas

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The Vegetable Hunter Cafe and Boutique Brewery – a review

Charming, Eclectic Decor

Unusual Ingredients and Creative Combinations

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Cherry Pie in a Vegan Whole Wheat Crust

My Mom’s Pie Crust Recipe – But Better!

Begin Binding Your Filling Before Baking

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Cherry Pie in a Vegan Whole Wheat Crust

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Green Goodness Vegan Summerthyme Soup

Kustom Pizza & Subs – a review

SuperSeedz – a review

Vegan Dining at Lost Dog Cafe – a review

Vegan Macadamia Oat Cookie at Starbucks – a review

Vegan Dining at the Omni Homestead Resort – a review

Helping the Havasu Pack Horses