A RECIPE: Coconut krispies

Who hasn’t swooned over a Rice Krispie Treat in their life? They were certainly a prominent feature at all my school sports matches growing up and when I made them for my cousins last year they thought I was a some sort of culinary genius (bless their easy-to-please-sweet-toothed-souls). I thought my Aunt Nicky had really outdone me when she invented the Rice Krispie Treat avec Cadbury’s Caramel bars- now this was definitely a genius idea but I have no sooner learnt that Rice Krispie treats are more diverse than one would think. The other day at work we had to make Rice Krispie Treats (my job can be so challenging sometimes) and it bought back all these wonderful memories- sometimes it only the trashiest of recipes that are the most memorable. Being who I am though, I couldn’t possibly publish a recipe that was on the back of a box of cereal- it had to be altered, and that’s when I noticed the bottle of coconut oil, staring down at me, glistening enthusiastically in the sun.

Okay, okay so I admit that I’ve taken this whole coconut oil obsession a tad too far. And so, I promise you that this is the last of the recipes (at least for the time being). I do hate having half empty jars in my cabinets though and this finished the last of it off and so now I can move on to something else. This is hardly a recipe anyway- but it makes a wonderful afternoon treat and I even managed to stay away from adding chocolate, so it’s dairy free for all you intolerant people. If you don’t like the coconut oil, then suit yourself and replace with butter (you traditionalist you).

A RECIPE: Coconut muffins with lime curd

Ever since I produced these fabulous (if I do say so myself) cookies, I’ve become borderline obsessive compulsive about testing recipes with coconut oil. I get into little ruts like this on a fairly regular basis- like at breakfast for instance. Breakfast is the only meal of the day where I become infatuated with a particular thing and stick with it for six months to a year, unable to break the habit. That is until I’m forced to and then I, reluctantly at first move on to something else. For instance I have just broken the Total 2% yogurt with mango and blueberries phase and I’m now back to porridge dolloped with yogurt and sprinkled with grapenuts (sometimes berries). Every other meal of the day is different but breakfast is where I get stuck. And so I’ve digressed. Coconut oil is now consuming my every culinary thought and as I discover its versatility I’m becoming more and more infatuated.

Partially it’s the smell. Unscrewing a jar of coconut oil is like opening a bag of coffee to me. I just have to shove my nose inside and inhale like it’s the last breath I’ll take in all day. So, in lieu of my preoccupation with the use of coconut oil, this weeked I baked muffins. Lots of muffins. Lots of muffins that are now piled high in my freezer crying out for people to come over and eat so that they don’t fall out everytime that I open the door. It took me a while to come up with something that worked because I wanted to incorporate the lemon-lime curd I had in the fridge- initially with the idea that I would fill them with the curd. But it all became too tricky and so I stuck with spooning over the curd after the cooking (which is optional but highly recommended). Instead you could cut them open and spread with jam or honey. Enjoy and please pass on any suggestions for coconut oil that you have!

A RECIPE: Vegan chocolate chip cookies

The lifestyle of a vegan appeals to me, as equally does a lifestyle of eating out of a rubbish bin. I’m not criticising and I’m not saying it’s wrong to live as a vegan- it’s just not for me. I like meat and I like cheese, end of story. But just because I’m not vegan, doesn’t mean that I’m not up for trying vegan foods and it was shock, horror and a little head spinning that took place when I discovered that these cookies were not only vegan but they were also some of the best cookies that I’ve ever made in my life. Who knew a cookie without butter and eggs could be better than an “okay, considering it’s healthy” cookie? I have to give credit where credit is due, begrudgingly though it is- the idea came from the Skinny Bitch in the Kitch vegan cookbook (which no I did not buy, I was given because nobody else at work wanted it).

The book itself irritates me by the very recipe titles alone- why call something “chicken salad” if it’s made using a substitute soy product made to look like chicken. For those who don’t know what a vegan is- let me give you the dictionary definition: ‘a person who omits all animal products from their diet’ and this includes dairy products, eggs and honey. The whole concept of the book rests on the idea that if you cut out meat, dairy and foods with preservatives that you eat then you will be healthier and slimmer (and it implies that the lack of animal in you life will also turn you into a bitch). It’s a nice concept and the book, which is a follow up recipe book to Skinny Bitch, is funny and the recipes straightforward. But they promote using products like soy*, of which there is great debate over and vegan cheese and veganaise which are processed just as much as normal processed cheese and mayonnaise, only without the flavour. Some of the recipes I tried like “Macaroni and four cheeses” not only looked completely indigestible but smelled fake because of the use of fake cheese. Like I said, I can respect these two skinny vegans for their discipline and principals, but I will never be one.

However, the skinny bitches do have a recipe for chocolate chip cookies, which didn’t seem all that healthy to me but having never once eaten a cookie that was marketed for people with dietary intolerances that didn’t taste of cardboard, I was compelled to try. The flavour of the cookie was promising- though I found it a little sweet for my tastes and far too greasy. So, over the past two weeks I have played around with the concept of this recipe multiple times and culinary miracle worker that I am, I ultimately have come up with a couple of far healthier versions without turning myself into a kitchen bitch or compromising on their flavour and dairy-free origins. I say versions, because I found through making slight alterations in the ingredients you could produce an entirely different texture in the cookie- and we all have a type of cookie that we like. For me, I steer away from the soft and chewy cookie- if it hasn’t got crunch and a trail crumbs strewn across my jumper when I take a bite then it’s not my kind of cookie. But you can take your pick when making the recipe below following the guidelines for omitting and adding certain ingredients.

I never thought the day would come when I would add a vegan cookie to my top baking recipes of all time, let alone a relatively healthy one- but here it is, dairy free and ever so addictive. The coconut oil gives a wonderful natural flavour make sure that you use it when it’s in it’s solid form in a jar, like all oils it can melt. I recommend making them only when you have company or you may find your hands wandering to the biscuit tin a little too often- and that might make you a fat bitch in the kitch.

* for more on arguments against soy