Smart Cookies

Baking burn-out is a real danger, especially as the annual holiday demand for festive cakes, sweet presents, and spirited pastries ramps up to a fever pitch. Smart scheduling is the key to success, and maintaining, sanity, but sometimes it’s downright impossible to account for last-minute additions to the baking agenda. By the time it’s all said and done, I’ll be predictably exhausted, and without a morsel of sweetness left for myself.

That’s why it was truly a gift to receive a bundle of NoMoo Cookies in the mail. These are not your standard mail order biscuits, formulated to withstand harsh shipping conditions and remain equally impervious to gnashing teeth. Every last variety is as soft and chewy as if it had just come out of the oven hours ago, only long enough to cool.

Formulated primarily as a dairy-free option for allergy sufferers, NoMoo has recently launched an entirely vegan line of treats to accommodate a wider range of cookie lovers. Short but truly sweet, there’s not a single dud on this tempting menu.

Despite my penchant for unusual flavors and wild combinations, I must admit that my very favorite morsels brought me right back to the simpler days of my childhood preferences: Chocolate and vanilla. Glittering flecks of crushed vanilla bean pods and seeds rest right on the surface of the Vanilla Bean Dream, genuinely celebrating the aromatic bean instead of relegating it to the bottom of the ingredient list. A deeply fragrant, floral vanilla cookie with buttery undertones, the quality of each note places it firmly in the realm of high-end bakery goods, far superior to the average sugar cookie. Similarly, the Loco for Coco boasts an impossibly deep, dark chocolate flavor, like a thick, fudgy brownie wrapped up in cookie form. Visible shards of flaky salt dance across the surface, enhancing without overwhelming the flavors within. Pardon the hyperbole, but I believe this may be one of the best cookies I’ve eaten all year. I truly wish I could steal this recipe.

The remaining palate of dessert delights won’t disappoint either. Chocolate Chills adds a hint of mint to the original chocolate format, rendering a bright, cool, and refreshing peppermint essence throughout. Sugah Cinnayum offers a gourmet update to the classic snickerdoodle, coated in crunchy coarse sugar and earthy, subtly smoky cinnamon spice. Raspberry Bliss is a colorful curiosity; adorned with a red dot matrix of freeze-dried raspberry dust, the dough itself appears a bit blue, thanks to the mingling of acidic berries and baking soda in the oven. Though lacking the tart bite of fresh raspberries, it’s certainly no slouch when it comes to fresh flavor, which is a truly impressive feat for any average cookie dough. Finally, the Classic Chipper and Oatmeal Choco-Chip stay close to their roots, providing nostalgic comforts for cookie purists near and far.

Based out of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, NoMoo Cookies can be delivered to a majority of the country in one to two business days, which means that it’s not too late to order up a batch as holiday gifts. Whether those presents are for friends and family, or just for you, they’re a guaranteed hit across even the pickiest panel of tasters.

Protein For The Holidays

In this day and age, it’s stunning that there are still any lingering concerns about where vegans get their protein from. That said, not all sources are created equal, and I’m still a big fan of protein shakes for quick nutrition infusions on the go. The field is littered with failed attempts at appealing only to health nuts, and not necessarily their taste buds, so it’s with great trepidation that I would tempt fate and deviate from my tried-and-true rotation of powdered options.

Thank goodness pea protein gives us an allergen-free option that works beautifully in drinks, cakes, and cookies alike. Excited by this new protein-packed ingredient, I wanted to see what else it could do to supercharge some other snacks. With an eye to the holidays, it seemed like the perfect thing to turn into a festive, yet healthy indulgence.

Does anything say “indulgence” better than a vanilla bean-flecked bark, covered with toasted pistachios and sweetened dried cranberries?

Well, what about a thick slab of chocolate, dotted with crunchy crushed cacao nibs and a smattering of flaky sea salt?

Just because it’s classified as candy doesn’t mean it has to be unhealthy. I’d like to think that protein bark is the new protein bar, with an extra dose of holiday whimsy mixed in. Whether it’s a gift you give to friends and family or simply to yourself, it’s guaranteed to be in good taste!

Yield: Makes 20 - 24 Servings

Protein Holiday Bark

Protein Holiday Bark

Just because it’s classified as candy doesn’t mean it has to be unhealthy. I’d like to think that protein bark is the new protein bar, with an extra dose of holiday whimsy mixed in. Whether it’s a gift you give to friends and family or simply to yourself, it’s guaranteed to be in good taste!

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Additional Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

Peppermint Cacao Bark:

  • 6 Ounces (1 Cup) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
  • 1/4 Cup Chocolate Pea Protein Powder
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Peppermint Extract
  • 1/4 Cup Cacao Nibs
  • Coarse or Flaky Sea Salt

Cranberry-Pistachio Bark:

  • 1/2 Cup Refined Coconut Oil
  • 1/2 Cup Vanilla Pea Protein Powder
  • 3 Tablespoons Confectioners' Sugar
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste or Powder
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1/2 Cup Toasted, Unsalted Pistachios
  • 1/2 Cup Dried Cranberries

Instructions

  1. For the Peppermint Cacao Bark, place the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe dish and heat at 30 second intervals, stirring thoroughly between each cycle, until completely melted. Add in the protein powder and peppermint extract, mixing thoroughly.
  2. Once the powder is completely incorporated, spread the mixture out on a piece of parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Smooth it out as thinly as possible with a wide spatula; exact dimensions aren’t important.
  3. Sprinkle the cacao nibs and a pinch of sea salt over the top, gently pressing the goodies into the surface so that they adhere. Place in the fridge for at least 20 minutes for the bark to solidify before breaking into pieces and enjoying.
  4. For the Cranberry-Pistachio Bark, place the coconut oil in a microwave-safe dish and heat until liquefied. Add in the protein powder, confectioner’s sugar, vanilla paste or powder, and salt, stirring until the mixture is homogeneous.
  5. Allow it to sit in a cool place for about 15 minutes, stirring periodically, until it begins to thicken and solidify again. If you house is very warm, place it in the fridge for only 5 – 10 minutes, stirring every minute or so for the same effect.
  6. Spread the mixture out on a piece of parchment paper or a silicone baking mat as thinly as possible with a wide spatula; exact dimensions aren’t important. Once smooth, sprinkle the pistachios and cranberries evenly over the top, gently pressing the goodies into the surface so that they adhere.
  7. Place in the fridge for at least 20 minutes for the bark to solidify before breaking into pieces and enjoying.
  8. Store either rendition in an airtight container in the fridge or a cool place for up to a week.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

24

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 160Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 65mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 1gSugar: 11gProtein: 3g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.

Ode to Soy

Pulp. By-product. Waste.

To describe the venerable soybean substance known as okara by any of the above terms strikes me as ranging from unpleasant to downright offensive. Though in truth, no one has ever set out specifically to create okara, it’s a shame that such a vital component of the whole bean is often cast aside, still brimming with unrealized nutritional and culinary potential.

If you want to make soymilk or tofu, you’ve got to blend some beans, and what’s leftover after straining out the liquid is fresh okara. Still packed with impressive amounts of fiber, protein, and calcium, it’s stunning that the stuff hasn’t spawned a new superfood craze of its own. Pitifully hard to come by on grocery store shelves, some metropolitan areas might boast Asian markets savvy enough to carry this uncelebrated soybean substance, but manufacturers are more than happy to help with direct requests.

I was lucky enough to take away a heaping helping from my visit to Hodo Soy and have only just begun to explore the limitless recipe possibilities. It freezes beautifully and has a mild flavor that can agree with just about any dish. One of my favorite simple preparations is Bryanna Clark Grogan’s okara parmesan, but with the new abundance on hand, I wanted to explore farther beyond the typical okara preparations.

Protein bars are always in high demand; a perfect snack or light meal on the go, their only fault can be excessive sweetness or secretly lack-luster ingredients. Not so of homemade renditions, and this okara-based beauty turns the standard format on its head. Based almost entirely on soybeans in a number of different forms and gluten-free to boot, it’s a delicious change of pace that won’t leave you in a sugar coma soon after indulging.

The following recipe calls for dry okara, such as you would find resulting from commercial production. Okara borne of homemade tofu is generally wetter simply because home cooks don’t have fancy machines designed specifically for squeezing every last drop of moisture out of the pulp. Not to worry; just plan on baking the wet okara on the lowest temperature possible for a little bit longer before moving on to the toasting phase.

Yield: Makes 8 – 12 Bars

Super Soy Okara Bars

Super Soy Okara Bars

Protein bars are always in high demand; a perfect snack or light meal on the go, their only fault can be excessive sweetness or secretly lack-luster ingredients. Not so of homemade renditions, and this okara-based beauty turns the standard format on its head. Based almost entirely on soybeans in a number of different forms and gluten-free to boot, it’s a delicious change of pace that won’t leave you in a sugar coma soon after indulging.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. After toasting the okara, raise the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Lightly grease and set aside.
  2. From here on in, the procedure is very simple. Place all of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well with a sturdy spatula. Stir until the batter is smooth (aside from the mix-ins, of course) and don’t be afraid to really have at it. There’s no gluten to worry about it, so keep mixing until everything is fully blended.
  3. Transfer the batter into your prepared prepared pan, spreading it out to fill the space evenly and smoothing the top.
  4. Bake 15 – 20 minutes or until golden brown and surface feel dry. Let the bars cool completely in the pan before using the parchment or foil as a sling to lift the whole lot out. Slice into single servings and wrap with plastic for later enjoyment. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to a week to maintain maximum freshness.

Notes

*To toast your okara, preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Start with at least 3 cups of dry okara to ensure there will be enough for this recipe, and spread it out in a large baking pan to a thickness of no more than 1/2 inch. Cook for 1 – 1 1/2 hours, stirring every 15 – 25 minutes, until lightly golden all over and smelling wonderfully nutty. Cool completely before using or storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 112Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 122mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 1gSugar: 8gProtein: 3g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimates.