Comments (8)

By Estela - Weekly Bite, December 2, 2011 7:58 am

It’s funny how things change once you have kids.

Pre-kid’s, I use to make these elaborate cookie trays, create the cutest packaging, handmade gift tags, and pass them out to friends, neighbors, and coworkers throughout the holidays.

With kid’s, the thought of making those same cookie trays is utterly exhausting. With a 2-year-old and a 4-month-old, I need easy. I still have a love for baking and love the idea of handmade gifts, but this year, I’m keeping it simple.

When it comes to simple and easy, biscotti is one of my favorites. Mostly anyone can eat them with coffee or tea. Plus, all you have to do is put them in a cellophane bag, tie a cute ribbon around it, and you’re all set.

You can make them plain, or add in some fruit and nuts. My staple biscotti recipe is my Anise Almond Biscotti, but for a different flavor I changed up the recipe and added some dried cranberries and walnuts.

These were delicious, simple, and tasted perfect alongside my morning cup of coffee. Hopefully my friends and neighbors will enjoy them just the same

Cranberry Walnut Biscotti adapted from Taste of Home

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 3 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, whisk eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla; add the wet ingredients to your dry ingredients and stir until mixed through. Fold in walnuts and cranberries .

• Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Divide dough in half.  Lightly floured hands and shape each half into a 10-in. x 2-1/2-in. rectangle. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
• Carefully remove to wire racks and cool for 10 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and cut diagonally with a serrated knife into 1-in. slices. Place cut side down on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Comments (18)

By Estela - Weekly Bite, February 21, 2011 7:22 am

Hi There A couple weeks ago I received an email from Weekly Bite reader Maura. Her email included one of her favorite recipes {VEGAN OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES}. She gave these cookies such high praise I just had to try them!

These cookies are AMAZING! I kid you not, these are some of the best cookies I’ve ever tasted. And it has nothing to do with the fact that they’re vegan. They are rich, moist, gooey, and delicious. Everything I look for in a cookie.

Mr. Weekly Bite couldn’t stop eating them. After each bite he’d ask “Are you sure these are vegan?”

No mixer is needed with this recipe. Just a bowl & spoon.

Here’s how to make these delicious cookies….

First thing you want to do is combine all your dry ingredients in one bowl: flour, brown sugar, oats, salt, & baking soda.

In a separate bowl, combine all your wet ingredients: canola oil, orange juice, & vanilla.

Add your wet ingredients to your dry ingredients. Mix well with a spoon. The mixture will be crumbly. No need to worry, its suppose to be that way .

Add in your chocolate chips.

Roll the dough tightly into 1.5-2 inch balls & bake.

Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2 cups unbleached flour
1 cup quick cook oatmeal
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup vegan chocolate chips
3/4 cup vegetable oil, or melted vegan butter (I use corn oil, I find it works better)
1/3 cup orange juice
1 tbsp. pure vanilla extract
In a large bowl mix together the dry ingredients. Combine the oil, orange juice, and vanilla; then mix with the dry. Roll the dough in your hands to make 1 1/2 inch balls. Place them on a large cookie sheet and flatten them to about 1/4 inch thick with your fingers or a fork. Bake at 400 degrees on middle rack for about 12 minutes or until they are just beginning to brown. Cool on cookie racks.

These cookies will be making regular appearances in our house! Thanks Maura

If you have a recipe you’re in love with and would like it featured on Weekly Bite, email me at contact@weeklybite.com

Have a great day!!

Comments (23)

By Estela - Weekly Bite, May 28, 2010 8:19 am

Happy Friday!! Are you excited for Memorial Day weekend? I know I am!!

I’m so glad you all enjoyed my Nutrition Q & A! Your comments were all so sweet! I am so proud to be a cancer survivor and I do my best to support the cause. I plan on writing a more detailed post on it in the future.

On most days, my day starts at 6:15 a.m. My alarm goes off at that time every morning. Sometimes I wake up to it… sometimes I get woken earlier by you know who.

This day she slept in till 7 a.m., so I was able to get breakfast ready for her before she woke up.

This is her “Mom why are you taking a picture of me so early in the morning with egg on my face?” face.

On the menu for Miss M was a scrambled organic farm fresh egg, chopped kiwi, and a toasted whole wheat english muffin with Crofter’s Super Fruit Spread.

She ate all the egg and kiwi, and picked at the English muffin.

It still amazes me that two brown eyed people conceived a child with some of the bluest eyes I’ve ever seen!

My mission for the day other than taking care of my little munchkin was to purchase a large suitcase and play around with a new cookie recipe.

M and I are traveling to Minneapolis to visit my brother We’re so excited! But… traveling alone with a baby is tough. There are so many items to pack… hence the need for a very large suitcase!

Here are just some of the items I will be traveling with:

• Stroller
• Car Seat
• Car seat base
• Pac-n-play for her to sleep in
• Tons of diapers
• Wipe
• Multiple changes of clothes
• Snacks
• Travel Meals
• Toys to keep her occupied
• Not to mention a million odd and ends and my clothes too!

Between my husband and I, we had accumulated a lot of REI dividend points, so I ventured to REI and ended up purchasing this monster of a suitcase! Its not the most attractive suitcase… but with all the points we earned it was practically free! Score!!

I was also able to squeeze in a yoga class. My yoga studio has childcare now! I’m so happy about that because no childcare = no yoga

I also experimented in the kitchen.

I’m such a messy baker!

I’ve seen these cookies before but have never attempted to make them. I decided to add my own little twist to them and try to make them into a healthy snack.

I used whole wheat flour and flax meal as the base. These cookies were so moist and dense! It made for the perfect afternoon snack!

Ingredients:

• 2 very ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter (softened)
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 14 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup flax meal
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream bananas and butter together. Add sugars and vanilla. Mix until creamy. In a separate bowl, combine flour, flax meal, salt, and baking soda. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Mix until combined.

Drop by rounded tablespoon onto cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Let cookies set on cookie sheet for a few minutes, then move to a cooling rack.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Do you have any big plans for the holiday weekend?
My husband will be in town so we’ve got lots of fun family time planned
Have a great weekend!!!!