I think I love coworkers birthdays more than my own. I get to bake something that I’ve never made and everyone gets to try it. Don’t get me wrong, I bake on my birthday too but there’s something about baking for someone else that makes me joyful. Do I sound like Betty Crocker? Martha a little? Gesh, I better stop that.
I used a recipe from La Dolce Vegan (of course I modified it). I’d like to make a LOW fat version of this recipe because it’s just far too much butter for me. The cookies do taste good though.

Oatmeal cookies

Ingredients
½ cup vegan margarine (at room temp)
¼ cup maple syrup or agave (you can add more for a sweeter cookie)
2 cups rolled oats
½ cup flour
¼ cup “milk”
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon of cinnamon (optional)
¼ cup of nuts (optional- I like sliced almonds)
Chocolate chips to taste. About a ¼ to ½ a cup

Pre heat your over to 325 degrees. Cream the margarine with your sweetener and vanilla. Add the oats, flour, milk, baking powder, spices, nuts and chocolate to the margarine mixture. I started with a fork and then ended up doing it with my hands and almost kneading it. I prefer smaller cookies so I scooped the dough into teaspoon size balls but you can use a tablespoon for larger cookies. You must shape these cookies and press them flat, they will not spread while baking.
Place on oiled cookie sheet. For smaller cookies bake for 8-10 mins. Larger cookies will take from 15-20 minutes.

Cashew Cream
1 cup cashews
¼ cup H20
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1-3 tablespoons agave
Large pinch of lemon zest

Soak the cashews for at least 8 hours. Place in food processor with all other ingredients and blend until smooth. You can really change this recipe up a lot (add spices, different extracts…). The most important part is soaking the nuts. You can change the amounts of most anything else to suit your taste.

I’m the only who has tried these so far but I like them!
Teddy