No.4 - Vegan Oatmeal Parsnip Cookies "Opie's Cookies"

A common mistake in cooking, particularly baking, is making the wrong substitutions. Although a recipe is never set in stone the combination, quantity, and quality of ingredients stated yields a certain chemical reaction. If you start swapping ingredients—which we all do at some point or another for various reasons—the dish won’t turn out the same way, it’s basic science. Sometimes changes result in lower calories and more flavour, while other times they can cause a dish to fall apart or look/taste as appetizing as a cinder-block!

Substituting with Alternative Flours

I am always looking for ways to make baked goods healthier and have been guilty of using whole wheat all-purpose flour when the instructions say white all-purpose flour for years, amongst other things. The Easy Pleasing Cornbread recipe that was posted a couple of weeks ago is forgiving, but if I had listened to the experts and used half and half it probably would’ve made a lighter and fluffier bread, but no one’s complaining, right? For those who care to “do things right” or simply see the difference, here is a comprehensive description of Substituting Flours in Baking.

Leavening Agents

Furthermore, leavening agents should be tested for freshness. I have been using the same container of baking powder for 3 yrs—I know...—and finally took the time to conduct the baking powder test. I dissolved 1 tsp. of the store bought leavener in 1/3 boiling water; to my dismay it did not bubble immediately. If you ever find yourself in a similar situation, you can make your own baking soda. For 1 tsp, combine 1/4 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar, plus 1/4 tsp. cornstarch or 1/4 tsp baking soda plus 1/2 cup of buttermilk or yogurt. The downside to homemade BP is that it loses its CO2 quickly when moistened by the batter, so you should bake the batter asap.

This week I decided to issue a vegan recipe because 1) it’s hard enough being a vegetarian in town let alone a vegan and 2) I still haven’t forgotten the face on a Celiac when I brought gluten-free brownies to a potluck last week; tasty food for all.

So, without further ado, I introduce Opie’s Cookies. This is what Dad’s wishes it could do with oatmeal: combine it with fruits and vegetables and still satisfy your cravings. Dad’s may be old-fashioned, but Mr. Christie has got nothing on his elders!

Opie’s Cookies are Oatmeal Parsnip Cookies. While they’re good for Grampie—both are rich sources of soluble fibre, while oat contains avenalin, a plant protein nearly equivalent in quality to soy protein, and has been shown to lower cholesterol and parsnip is a great source of potassium—they’re much more flexible than him. Both these crops are being planted as we speak for next year’s harvest. If parsnips aren’t available, use carrots. However they are lower in vitamins and minerals than their close relative, the parsnip. Tip: Farmer Kent Coates of Nature's Route Farm is currently selling parsnip at the Saturday Farmer’s Market on Bridge Street and on Tuesdays starting at 4:30PM outside the Cackling Goose Market.

Vegan Oatmeal Parsnip Cookies

Ingredients:

½ cup neutral oil e.g. canola, corn, or grapeseed oil

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup packed brown sugar or another ½ cup

granulated sugar with 1 Tbsp. molasses

¼ cup applesauce

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour *replace up to ¾ cups regular AP with whole-wheat flour if desired

2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick cooking or instant)

1 ½ cups (about 3 medium) peeled and grated parsnips or carrots

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

Pinch salt

Pinch clove, nutmeg (optional) *pinch means less than ¼ tsp.

2 tsp. baking powder or 1 ½ tsp. baking soda + ½ tsp. cream of tartar

½ cup non-dairy milk e.g. soy, rice, or almond

½ tsp. vanilla or almond extract

Non-Vegan version:

Substitute 8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened, for the oil, 2 eggs for the applesauce, and cow’s milk for the nondairy milk.

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Use an electric mixer to cream the oil and sugars together; add the applesauce and beat until well blended.

2. Swap the electric mixer for a wooden spoon and combine the flour, oats, parsnip, spices, salt, and baking powder in a bowl. Alternating with the milk, add the dry ingredients to the batter, stirring to blend. Stir in the vanilla.

3. Drop tablespoons of dough about 3'' apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until lightly browned, 12 to 15 mins. Cool for about 2 mins. (otherwise they will crumble, badly) before using a spatula to transfer the cookies to a cooling rack. Store in an air tight container at room temperature for up to two days. Freeze leftovers.

I experimented by adding 1/6 cup chopped dried apricots to 1/3 of the batter and 1/6 cup chopped dark chocolate (left over from Chocolate Caliente) to another 1/3. Feel free to try you own add-ins, up to 1/2 cup.