Pistachio, Dark Chocolate, and Sea Salt Cookie Sticks

After arriving home from vacation, I soon found myself preparing for a blizzard. Naturally it only made sense to bake an absurd amount in order to occupy my time. I decided to make cookie sticks (in addition to cookies and mini cakes), but as in my new year's resolution, I wanted to make it without butter. According to my multiple taste testers, they came out great. Although having to shell my own pistachios, since no pre-shelled (for the lazy cook) could be found in stores, was not all too fun. Regardless, enjoy this sweet and a bit healthier treat to help stick to those resolutions.

Adapted from the Kosher Palette

Servings: about 25 cookie sticks

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1/2 cup of melted coconut oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup of unsalted, roasted, chopped pistachios
1 cup of dark chocolate chips
Sea salt

Directions:

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Mix the sugar and melted coconut oil together.
Then add in the egg, vanilla, and baking soda.
Slowly add in the flour.

Lastly add in the pistachios and dark chocolate chips.
On a parchment lined cookie sheet, form the dough into a log. Before placing into the over, sprinkle sea salt over the dough.

Bake the dough for about 25 minutes. Take the dough out once golden brown and allow to cool for ten minutes. Then cut the dough into sticks and allow to fully cool.

Enjoy!

Thai Coconut Soup

Slowly winter break has come to an end and spring semester has crept up. Although I do no want to go back to class, I do miss my college house. To kickstart the new semester I though a new soup post would be nice, especially due to the predicated snowfall to come. 

It was hard to come back to freezing temperatures from 60 degree Las Vegas weather. But no, I did not gamble my life savings, get married, or wake up with a tiger in my room. Although my entire vacation I was craving Thai food, which could have spurred from forcing feeding peanut butter to my boyfriend's dog in order to prevent him barking on our plane ride there. Whether enjoying warm or freezing temperatures, enjoying curling up with this delicious soup!

Servings: 5-6

Ingredients:
1 14 oz can of light coconut milk
2 cups of vegetable broth
1 1/2  cups of water
3 cups of chopped oyster mushrooms
3 cups of chopped broccoli
1 cup of mung bean sprouts
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 cup of carrot slices
1/2 cup of red quinoa
1 teaspoon of freshly grated ginger
1 tablespoon of fish sauce
2 tablespoons of red chili paste
1 stalk of lemon grass

Directions:

Lightly sauté the garlic, carrots, broccoli, beans sprouts, and mushrooms. Then add in the coconut milk, water, and vegetable broth.
Add in the lemon grass, ginger, chili paste, and fish sauce.
Then add the quinoa. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower to a simmer and allow the quinoa to cook, for about 15-20 minutes.
Once the quinoa is cooked and the vegetables are tender, remove the lemon grass. Adjust spices to your preference and enjoy!

Sun Dried Tomato Pesto with Spaghetti Squash

Post New Year's- after a night of who knows what and waking up to strangers sleeping in various places in my house, it made sense to make a common New Year's resolution; eating better.  Of course that night my food intake included cereal bars, pizza, and sushi- yes an odd combination but one that could most likely be found at some type of kosher establishment (sushi and pizza always seem to be served together). I have always been health conscious but slowly surrounding myself with a house of people constantly making frozen chicken wings that always seem so tempting- I tend to cave. Instead of eating those yummy late night snacks, back on the kale kick once again. This pesto is healthy and packed with nutrients. 

Servings: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:
1 spaghetti squash
2 cups of kale
2 cups of spinach
1/2 cup of walnuts
1/4 cup of basil
2 teaspoons of olive oil
2 cloves of garlic (more or less depending on your garlic preference)
5-6 tablespoons of water
1/2 cup of sun dried tomatoes
Dried parsley flakes, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut the spaghetti squash in half and scrape out the seeds. Place the squash on a baking sheet and place the spaghetti squash in the oven for 30-45 minutes, depending on how tender you prefer the squash.

While the spaghetti squash is cooking, place the sun-dried tomatoes in hot water to soften them. After about ten minutes place the tomatoes, olive oil, basil, kale, spinach, walnuts, garlic, and water in a food-processor. Adjust the spices to taste.

Enjoy!