Peanut Butter and Chocolate Bars (Cookies)

 This post is for the people who felt my Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Squares weren't quite cookies. Admittedly, they are a bit mushy. I happen to love eating them, and making them is SOOO easy!

But someone told me they preferred a more traditional cookie texture, so here's one that will fit the bill.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Bars (Cookies)

Ingredients:

3 Tbp ground flaxseed, plus 2/3 cup warm water OR 2 eggs

1 1/4 cups sugar (plain sugar works. brown sugar is better)

3/4 cup peanut butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

1.5 cups whole grain flour (wheat or spelt both work)

2/3 cup oats (the flake kind, not steel cut)

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 tsp baking soda

6 oz chocolate chips (dairy or non-dairy, whichever works for you)

(OPTIONAL: 100g of chocolate - dairy or non-dairy, whichever works for you. Save this for topping the cookies. I break up a bar of "cow chocolate".)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 190C/375F

First, mix the flaxseed with water in a large mixing bowl. Let sit for about 10 minutes before you continue. OR beat the eggs.

Then add the rest of the ingredients (except the chocolate chips and chocolate pieces, save those for the end) and mix well.

Fold in the chocolate chips.

Spread the mixture out on a large cookie sheet, lined with parchment paper.

Bake for 15-17 minutes MAX. Take them out, even if you don't think they are done.

OPTIONAL: While they're still hot, dot the top with pieces of chocolate and let that sit for a few minutes till melted enough to spread around. Spread the chocolate over the top with a heat-proof spatula. Cut into squares before the chocolate fully cools.

Cool further before serving. There won't be any leftovers, so don't worry about storing them. If there happen to be leftovers, I wrap the whole pan well in plastic wrap.

Vegan Chocolate Chip Squares

I baked some cookies. I mean cookie bars. Chocolate chip squares. Whatever name you prefer.

The kind of thing you bake when you need cookies around the house but you don't have any intention of actually taking the time to shape cookies...

Do I need an excuse about why? I don't think I do! After all, we all have the same excuse. It's the middle of a global pandemic. I needed cheering up. There were no snacks on hand.

See, I have plenty of excuses!

Anyhow I just wanted to share some virtual cookies with all of you!

Enjoy!

These are vegan.

Recipe:

2 T. chia seed, soaked in 2/3 cup water

1/2 cup oil

1.5 cups demarrara sugar (what I had on hand, use the sugar you prefer)

splash of vanilla extract

2 cups white spelt flour

dash of salt

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 bag mini chocolate chips

I mixed it all together in a big bowl, chocolate chips at the end, and spread it out on a large cookie sheet.

Baked at 180 C for about 20 minutes, it could have been a bit more. 

I'm really not a scientist, sorry.

Cut into squares, and eat them... probably best to share them with your family! 

(Great with coffee!)

Catch ya later!

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Bar Cookies with Chocolate (Recipe)

Cookies.

When you're more or less living in lockdown (as we're all doing right now due to the pandemic), sometimes you just need some cookies!

And personally, I can't get enough of these peanut butter and chocolate creations - and the recipe is super simple so ... well, let's just say I've been making them a little too often!

So, for those of you who've been asking as well as those of you who didn't know to ask, here is the recipe:

Peanut Butter Bar Cookies with Chocolate Topping

Cookie bars:
1 cup natural peanut butter
1 cup Demerara sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla

Stir everything together with a wooden spoon until well combined. Spread out in a large pan (9x13 or so). It will be relatively thin and that's all good.
Bake at 180 C for 20-22 minutes. Turn off oven.

Topping:
1 bar bittersweet chocolate. If you want it extra chocolate-y, use 2 bars. You could totally do this with milk chocolate if you prefer, but I like to keep my baking pareve (dairy allergy!)!

Break the bar up and put it on top of the baked cookie layer (uncut). Return the pan to your still-warm (but off) oven. Leave it in the warm oven for about 8-10 min. Remove from oven when the chocolate is warm and spreadable. Use a silicone spatula to spread the chocolate evenly on top of the cookie layer. Allow to cool slightly before cutting into cookie bars.

Cool further before you eat them.

Enjoy!

Please tag me on Instagram (@kosher_frugal) or FB (@kosherfrugalmenus) if you make them!

Food Recall!

I am so sorry I have been negligent about posting food recalls and related issues lately. There's been another undisclosed allergen report you should know about, so I decided it is time to pick up these posts again.

Here are the details you need to know:

Brand: Matzot Aviv / Golden Heart
Product: Biskvitaminim - Biscuits for Toddlers and Kids
Variety: Vanilla Flavor
Production Code: 161
Expiration Date: 10.4.19

Brand: Matzot Aviv / Golden Heart
Product: Biskvitaminim - Biscuits for Toddlers and Kids
Variety: Vanilla Flavor
Production Code: 162
Expiration Date: 11.4.19

Brand: Matzot Aviv / Golden Heart
Product: Biskvitaminim - Biscuits for Toddlers and Kids
Variety: Chocolate Flavor
Production Code: 162

Expiration Date: 11.4.19

These products do not mention peanuts in the allergen listings but it should note that it may contain traces of peanuts. These products are being removed from store shelves so they can be relabeled.

Consumers who have purchased this product and who have a peanut allergy, are instructed NOT to eat it. To arrange for a refund, or if you have any questions, please call Matzot Aviv customer service at 03-618-2151, or Golden Heart at 03-644-5095

Please help get the word out! Share this post with anyone who might have bought these products.

Follow me on Facebook to stay up to date with recalls and other information!

Undisclosed Allergen Warning!

This warning is super important for anyone with a PEANUT allergy.

picture for illustrative purposes only

The following items are being recalled from store shelves in Israel because the Hebrew labels that were affixed to the packages DO NOT CONTAIN AN ALLERGY WARNING. In particular, the products may contain peanuts (which may not be obvious when reading the ingredients).

The recall affects the following products:

1. Chocolate Oreos (chocolate cookies with chocolate creme), 137 gram packages, expiration date 21-5-2016

2. Oreos (Chocolate cookies with vanilla creme), 137 gram packages, expiration date 19-5-2016

3. Oreos (Chocolate cookies with chocolate-vanilla creme), 137 gram packages, expiration date 19-5-2016

4.Oreos (Chocolate cookies with vanilla creme), 274 gram packages, expiration date 5-4-2016

5. OREO Double Delight Chocolate Sandwich Cookies With Peanut Butter & Chocolate Creme, expiration date 21-5-2016

The recalled cookies were produced in Mondelez Indonesia,Bekasi,Indonesia

Consumers with questions should call 058-447-5105

Vegan Chocolate Chip Squares (Gluten free, as well)

It's been a few months since I decided to go wheat-free as an experiment. And I finally decided that if I was going to make dessert, it should be something I can eat, too.
This may not have been my best decision - it is so much easier for me to exercise willpower when something is COMPLETELY off limits. But when it's allowed in small quantities? Uh oh.

But I did it. I made nut-free, pareve, wheat-free chocolate chip squares.
And they are pretty good, if I say so myself, and even got Michael's approval... So I'll share the recipe with you! (and since it's nut-free, unlike many wheat-free baked goods, it's pretty frugal!) (Oh, and all you need is a bowl and a wooden spoon to mix these, no fancy mixer required, because some days I am just too lazy to pull out the KitchenAid!)

Vegan, Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Squares

4 Tablespoons ground flaxseed
1 cup warm-to-hot water
1/2 cup oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup sugar (I used raw cane sugar)
1 cup potato starch
1 cup chick pea flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
chocolate chips, as many as you like - I used 1/2 a bag

First, mix the ground flaxseed with the water and allow to stand for 10 minutes. Then add oil, vanilla extract, and sugars. Mix well. Add remaining dry ingredients (except chocolate chips), and mix well with a spoon. Fold in chocolate chips. 
Transfer to 9X13 inch baking pan (you can use a bigger pan and make thinner squares - totally up to you!) and bake at 175 C for about 25 min. Make sure it's done (you want the pan to be fully set - no jiggly middles - when you take it out) before you remove it from the oven! BUT if you underbake it, you're ok. There are no raw eggs to worry about!

Enjoy your "shehakol" chocolate chip squares! (Perfect for sukkot outings where there's no guarantee you'll have a kosher sukkah!) 

this post contains affiliate links, thanks for your support!

Granola Cookies

I am posting this recipe because the people who were over and tried it really wanted to have the recipe! So, for those of you who requested it, be sure to make the cookies, share them, and then pass this link along to your friends! :-)

So, here goes!

Granola Cookies
 
2 T. ground flaxseed + 1/2 cup hot water (or 2 eggs) (mine are eggless)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup oil
1 cup sugar
1 3/4 cups flour (I used "white whole wheat" - yes, there is such a thing in Israel too!)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups granola (I used homemade granola, but you can use any granola you like)

optional mix ins - raisins, dried cranberries, nuts, seeds, chocolate chips, coconut flakes, anything you think will taste good!
(I used 1/2 cup dried cranberries and 1/2 cup chocolate chips, plus about 1 T. shredded coconut)

 



Mix together eggs or flaxseed/water mixture, vanilla, oil, sugar. Fold in dry ingredients. Add mix ins at the end.

ready to go in the oven!

To bake, wet hands and form cookies - flatten them somewhat - and place on cookie sheet.

10 min later, they are ready!

Bake at 190 C for about 10 min. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.








Enjoy! (Watch them fly off the plate!)

Pesach Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

We are being a little cookie crazy here in my house.

The cookies keep flying and after Pesach we can reduce our sugar intake again, I hope!

Anyhow, my latest is chocolate chocolate chip cookies...

Here's what you do:

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies for Pesach

2 T. ground flaxseed + 1/2 cup almost boiling water ( or 2 eggs)
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup oil 
1 1/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup cake meal (finely ground matzah meal)
1 cup potato starch
1 cup ground coconut or ground nuts
1 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 bag chocolate chips

Mix flaxseed with hot water and let stand 10 min OR beat the eggs.
Add vanilla, oil, and sugar and mix very well.
Add dry ingredients and then stir well
Fold in chocolate chips
With wet hands, form balls and FLATTEN them into cookie shape, and place on lined cookie sheet.
Bake for 10 min (12 if you use eggs instead of flaxseed)
Makes about 4 dozen cookies

Allow to cool fully before serving
THEN - enjoy!
Perfect with coffee...

If you try these, please let me know what you think! Thanks!

Pesach Chocolate Chip Cookies

We needed cookies BIG time.

See, my cousin came over and she said "it's not worth it to eat Pesachdik cookies, just go straight for the chocolate so you're not disappointed".

Well, that was a challenge. I said, "just wait 20 minutes and then tell me if it's really not worth it..."

And this is what I made:
Preheat oven to 175 C
Line a cookie sheet with parchment/baking paper

2 T. ground flaxseed + 1/2 c. hot water OR 2 eggs
1/4 c. oil
1 tsp vanilla
1.5 - 2 c. sugar (yes, that's a lot. you can cut back if you like)
1 cup "cake meal" (finely ground matzah meal)
1 cup potato starch
1 cup ground coconut
1/2 cup ground nuts
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
chocolate chips (I splurged and used almost a whole bag)

Mix flaxseed and water and let stand 10 min, or beat the eggs together.
Add oil, vanilla and sugar, and mix really well
Add dry ingredients and mix well with a spoon. 
Fold in chocolate chips

Form cookies and place on cookie sheet, and bake for 8-10 min if you've made them with flaxseed. You'll need a few more minutes if you make them with eggs, I assume 12-14 minutes... (I wet my hands so the dough wouldn't stick to my fingers)

Makes about 3.5 dozen cookies

before baking

ready to eat!

Let cool for a few minutes before serving

Enjoy!





Everyone here loved these cookies! Please tell me what you think of them!

Mislabeled Cookies!

This recall is SUPER important for people who are allergic to peanuts.

Packages of Peanut Cookies for Pesach were mislabeled as Coconut Cookies for Pesach.

The product in question is produced by "Tvuot Bar Mazon" and the affected product are their "Chagigat Ha'Aviv Peanut Cookies" in 400g containers, with an expiration date of 21.09.2014. Some are mislabeled as "Chagigat Ha'Aviv Coconut Cookies."

If you've purchased a package of these cookies, thinking they are coconut cookies, they may in fact be peanut cookies.

The product is being recalled, but consumers who have purchased these cookies can return them to the store where purchased for a refund, and can call 03-906-8621 with any questions.

If you haven't already, please like my Facebook page so you don't miss out on more updates!

Printable Coupon (Israel)

This week Shufersal has another coupon for Facebook fans!

Get your coupon for a 3-pack of chocolate covered biscuits for 16 shekels.

Coupon expires Sept 4, 2013

Pesach Mandel Bread

Pesach Mandel Bread

3 eggs
3/4 c. sugar
4 T. oil
1 c. cake meal (finely ground matzah meal)
1/2 c. ground nuts (I used walnuts, as that's what I have in the house)
2/3 c. shredded coconut
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 bag chocolate chips (or other embellishment of your choice - nuts, etc)

Mix eggs, sugar and oil together. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Add chocolate chips and combine. Refrigerate dough for 15 min or so (I've skipped this step). Divide into 3 parts, and form each part into a "log". Place on an oiled baking sheet (or lined with parchment paper). (Leave room between the logs, they should expand somewhat when baking). Bake for 20-30 min. at 350 F (about 175 C). Remove from oven, and cut each log into pieces. Then - spread the pieces out on the pan and bake for another 10 min.
Super yum. Amazing with coffee. 

Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookies/Squares (vegan)

This post is long overdue.

We had some family over for Shabbat a while ago, and I made these chocolate chip squares. Well, the guests wanted the recipe, and I promised I would write it up.

I'm a little late, but trying to keep my promise!




Ingredients:

3 Tbp ground flaxseed
2/3 cup near boiling water
1.5 cups sugar
1/3 cup oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
2.5 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup oat bran
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
6 oz chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 190C
First, mix the flaxseed with water in a large mixing bowl. Let cool for about 10 minutes before you continue.
Then add the rest of the ingredients (except the chocolate chips, save those for the end) and mix well.
Fold in the chocolate chips.
Spread the mixture out on a large cookie sheet, lined with parchment paper.

Bake for 15 minutes MAX. Take them out a bit BEFORE you think they are done. Trust me, if you wait till they are "done", they will get rock solid.
You can also form these into cookies and bake for 8-10 min
While they are still warm, cut into squares.
This recipe yielded 4 dozen smallish squares.
Watch them disappear, while you smile that your kids are eating a treat that has a few slightly healthier ingredients!

Oatmeal and Honey Cookies (egg-free)

I may be using up my honey too quickly! I managed to buy some for less than 30 shekel/kg and I got some for free as well (sorry, that deal is long gone). So I felt like I could indulge. I made honey-teriyaki chicken, honey-sweetened challot, honey cakes, and now, oatmeal and honey cookies.

I kind of winged this recipe today, using my Oatmeal-Molasses Cookies as an inspiration, but really it needed a lot of changing it up!

Here's my recipe for these delicious confections! They are 100% whole grain! And are only honey sweetened. And are delicious. (They are not super-sweet, but they have a great honey flavor, if that makes sense to you. If you want them sweeter, roll them in powdered sugar before you bake them, or add 1/2 c. sugar or so to the recipe.)

1 T. ground flaxseed
1/4 c. boiling water
2/3 c. honey
1/2 c. oil
dash of ground cloves
dash of ground ginger

Mix well.
Add:

4 c. flour
2 c. rolled oats
1/2 tsp salt
1.5 tsp baking soda

Combine well. If the dough is too sticky to form cookies with, gradually add more flour as needed. A lot depends upon the humidity in your house and the origin of your flour... I added about 1/3 cup more.

Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

I used my fingers to form cookies, slightly flattened. Place on prepared cookie sheet. Bake at 190 C for about 12 min.

Enjoy!
Shana Tovah!

I filled up my cookie jar. I rarely use my cookie jar, but today I thought, "Why have a cookie jar if I'm never going to use it?!" So now we have a jar full of cookies.

I used the old camera and it's really not working so well these days. Sorry.

Printable Coupon (Israel)

It looks like the yogurt coupon wars are slowing down.

Right now Shufersal has a coupon for FB fans for their filled wafer-cookies so hurry on over to their page and print it out!

Expires Aug 6.

Enjoy!

Oatmeal Molasses Cookies!

My kids were complaining about my lack of cookie baking lately...
So, to see if we had overcome a serious hurdle (the one where every cookie must contain chocolate or it's not good enough) in the last few cookie-less months, I picked up some molasses at the health food store, and here's what I threw together today, after checking out umpteen recipes for molasses cookies...

3/4 c. sugar (I used organic raw sugar)
1/3 c. oil
2 T. ground flaxseed + 1/3 c. hot water
1/2 c. molasses
1 tsp. vanilla
Mix well, then add:
2. c whole wheat flour
1 c. oats, whole or just lightly ground
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Mix it all together, it will be rather thick.
I broke off little teaspoon size bits and then rolled them in demerara sugar, cuz I had some in the house. But next time I'd use less.

Place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet, and bake at 190 C for about 10 min.
This recipe made about 5 dozen small cookies - but my kids gobbled them up! I  had to hide what was left so they would be somewhat reasonable in their cookie consumption!

Those sugar crystals look so huge! And I definitely went overboard...

Printable Coupon!

Mega recently introduced a new line of private label cookies, and right now you can print this coupon and try them for 4 NIS off the introductory price... Coupon good through Dec 24, so hurry!

I'm not one to buy cookies often, I believe home baked are usually better, but once in a while it makes sense to serve store-bought.

Printable Coupon!

Here's a coupon for a product that i definitely consider a luxury. But at this price, an affordable luxury for some...
Store-bought cookies!

This coupon is good at Shufersal thru Nov 21.

Tuesday Night (Feb. 8, 2011)

I'm a little under the weather, but I still need to run my household. I hung out a couple of loads of laundry today, even though it's raining (I put the drying racks in the covered part of my mirpeset). (I have no dryer)
I didn't think of putting on a coat for that task... I'm cold.

If you have great warming foods to serve, please tell me! I could use some creative and different ideas.

My kids are wondering why I've been serving soup so often lately. Don't they notice it warms them AND fills them?

Here's tonight's menu:

Minestrone Soup
Cheesy Baked Cauliflower
Rice
Roasted Beets
Tomato and Chick Pea Salad

Some notes about this menu:

Minestrone Soup is very forgiving - you can really use all sorts of veggies in it!

I'm experimenting with the cheesy baked cauliflower. I bought a whole lot of cauliflower  for 1.99 NIS/kilo. Now I hope I have the energy to clean and check it... I know cheese is not the most frugal food, but you can stretch it pretty far with enough ingenuity.

I will make oven-baked rice, since I'm roasting beets also, and I'll probably bake something else since the oven will be on already. Date bread? Chocolate Cake? Cookies?

I cooked a lot of chick peas the other day, and now we need to be sure to eat them... so we're having a salad repeat. Especially since tomatoes were 1.99 NIS/kilo...

Let me know what you're making for supper!