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Upstate NY Food, Wellness & Design

New York Food & Design

March 9, 2021 by Aimee Hockett Leave a Comment

Vegan Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies

Here is one special treat that I loved getting growing up. Whenever we went to the mall, we would get a bag of Mrs. Field’s cookies. One of their most memorable cookies for me was their chocolate dipped peanut butter cookie. Basically it was a way to trick my parents into letting me have a cookie and a candy bar (because there was so much chocolate). Chocolate chips just aren’t enough sometimes! Once I went dairy & gluten free, there was little chance of reconnecting with my old cookie love. As I felt nostalgic recently for going places like the mall and walking past the freshly baked cookie smell, I decided to recreate the memory with these Vegan Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies. They hit the spot and brought me straight back to that little corner of the mall, warm with the smell of cookies.

chocolate dipped peanut butter cookies

Now down to the details of these cookies. They are chewy and crunchy. The chocolate keeps them soft but make sure to store them in an air tight container or the cookies will get stale and too crunchy very quickly. If you want chewier cookies, bake them for less time and if you want them crunchy, bake them slightly longer.

The key to getting these cookies to be both chewy and crunchy at the same time relies on a few very important steps in the cookie baking process, plus one simple ingredient to help our chocolate solidify at room temperature. I use a similar technique in my Smore’s Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe. The first thing to note about these cookies is their crackle texture. There is no need to use a fork to press out these cookies. They spread out completely on their own, creating little chewy ridges and valleys running through crunchy clusters of peanut butter cookie.

chocolate dipped peanutbutter cookie

You can still achieve this texture in one bowl and without a mixer. In fact, I prefer to make these by hand using just a whisk and wooden spoon. If you don’t want to muscle through creaming the butter and sugar together in the beginning though, then I recommend using a mixer.

I want to make a note specifically about the process of creaming the butter and sugar together; you want to wait on adding the peanut butter until just before the dry ingredients. Because peanut butter is a very oily ingredient, it can make it difficult to cream the butter and sugar to the right consistency that helps give you the incredible chewy AND crunchy end result.

When you make this cookie, be sure to start in the order of creaming softened butter with sugar, brown sugar and some of the oat milk. Once you have a pale and fluffy mix, beat in the peanut butter and half the almond flour. This will emulsify the gritty almond flour into the sugar and butter via the oil in the peanut butter so that your cookie does not end up being oily OR grainy, dry / too crumbly. This step takes a bit of muscle to beat the ingredients thoroughly but you can just use the highest speed on your mixer too.

Once you have everything mixed together, add the dry ingredients and thoroughly combine everything. Let the peanut butter cookie dough set in the fridge for a few hours before baking for the best results.

Since the Mrs. Field’s cookies were extra large, I chose to make mine quite big too. I rolled out about 2 tablespoon pieces into balls and then gently pressed them down, making little disks instead of spheres. I make note of not pressing the dough in a way that leaves cracking. I want the cookie dough pieces to remain whole pieces so they stay perfectly round and the crackling happens on the top of the cookie. They will spread completely on their own so there is no need to press the cookie dough down much or use a fork, you just need to form small disks and let them do their magic.

For chewy cookies, bake for about 9 minutes. They will be barely golden and may need a time to cool and set or they will fall apart completely. For crunchier cookies, bake for 12-15 minutes (can vary depending on the type of oven you use and how large you make your cookies). Reduce the time to 7-11 minutes if you are making regular 1 Tbsp sized cookies.

Once your cookies are completely cooled, prepare your chocolate coating and dip your cookies. The chocolate will set completely on its own so there is no need to refrigerate. Leave the cookies to rest on parchment paper so the chocolate does not stick to your surface. Once the chocolate has solidified, enjoy your Vegan Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies!

peanutbutter chocolate cookie
chocolate pb cookie
chocolate dipped peanut butter cookies
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Vegan Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies

Vegan chocolate dipped peanut butter cookies are gluten free, vegan and a delicious reminder of childhood.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword chocolate, chocolate chip cookies, chocolate covered, chocolate dipped, chocolate dipped cookies, chocolate dipped peanut butter cookies, dairy free baking, dairy free chocolate, dairy free chocolate cookies, dairy free cookies, gluten free baking, gluten free cookies, peanut butter, peanut butter cookies, vegan baking, vegan chocolate, vegan chocolate cookies, vegan cookies, vegan peanut butter cookies
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Author www.theakkitchen.com

Ingredients

Cookies

  • 1/2 c sugar add 1/4 c if using unsweetened peanut buter
  • 3 Tbsp vegan butter
  • 1/2 c brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 Tbsp Peanut Butter
  • 3/4 c almond flour
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp oat milk
  • 1/4 c all purpose gluten free baking flour I used Bob's Red Mill Brand
  • 1/4 c cassava flour
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Chocolate Coating

  • 1/2 c semi sweet chocolate chips melted
  • 1 Tbsp powdered sugar

Instructions

Peanut Butter Cookies

  • Beat softened butter with sugar, vanilla and oat milk until the mix is a pale color and fluffy.
  • Add peanut butter and half the almond flour. Beat again.
  • Add the remainder of the almond flour and beat.
  • Add dry ingredients and mix thoroughly until combined.
  • Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to overnight.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • For large cookies, roll 2 Tbsp sized dough pieces into balls and gently press into a slight disk shape. Just gently shape the dough, do NOT press with a fork. Do not press the dough firmly into your baking tray, creating cracking in the dough. You want to keep the cookie dough whole throughout. The cookies will spread and crackle a lot on their own.
  • Bake on a parchment paper lined baking sheet for 9-12 mintutes. If you want a crunchy cookie, keep watch at 12 minutes and bake up to 15.
  • * If you make smaller, 1 Tbsp sized cookies, bake for 7-10 minutes.

Chocolate coating

  • Melt your chocolate and then mix in powdered sugar. Coat the baked and cooled cookies in chocolate, then place them on parchment paper so the chocolate does not stick to your surface.
  • Let the chocoalte set at room temperate for about 20 minutes.
  • Once the chocolate is completely set, store cookies in an airtight container.

Video

https://www.theakkitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/chocolate-dipped-pb-cookies.mp4

Filed Under: Dairy Free, Dessert, Gluten Free, Recipe

December 4, 2020 by Aimee Hockett Leave a Comment

Split Chicken Breast with Fall Marsala Pasta

I am getting nostalgic over this Split Chicken Breast with Fall Marsala Pasta. Marsala mushroom pasta used to be a favorite of mine at restaurants as a kid. Going dairy free eventually meant that I wouldn’t have it again until I decided to recreate the food memory (dairy free) with one of my regular weeknight meals – roast split chicken breasts.

Roast Split Chicken Breast with Pumpkin Mushroom Marsala Pasta

The recipe starts by searing the chicken breasts skin side down in butter until crispy. While the chicken finishes cooking in the oven, I add minced shallots to the pan to cook down and caramelize. The combination of rich mushrooms, sweet marsala wine, creamy cashew milk with the delicious roast split chicken makes for a seriously comforting meal.

I kept this recipe dairy free and gluten free but you can easily make with other options. You have the choice of using regular butter, milk and parmesan or feta cheese in this recipe but I kept it creamy and rich in fall flavor without the dairy with a few flavor enhancers like white miso paste and pumpkin pureé. The dairy free options I did use in this recipe are unsweetened cashew milk, cultured cashew butter and I added the optional topping of treeline cashew cheese. It is delicious without the added cheese at the end but does kick up the comfort factor.

To balance out the sweetness of the marsala wine, I added a few splashes of red wine vinegar and a few pinches of dried oregano and basil. The roast chicken is a perfect savory addition to the sweet and tangy sauce.

Split Chicken Breast with Fall Marsala Pasta
Split Chicken Breast
Split Chicken Breast with Pasta

Crispy roast split chicken breast with sauce appears often in my meal rotation but sometimes the quick and easy pre made sauces get boring so I like to switch it up with something that reminds me of ordering from a restaurant. This Split Chicken Breast with Fall Marsala Pasta has a great balance of flavors and can easily be made gluten free and dairy free. Some of the noteworthy nutrients from this dish are: Vitamin B1, B3, B5, B6, Calcium, Selenium, Vitamin D, Zinc.

If you make this recipe, I get a lot of joy in seeing how my recipes make their way into your kitchen. Leave a review and send me an image on social media:
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Crispy Split Chicken Breast with Pumpkin Marsala Pasta
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Split Chicken Breast with Fall Marsala Pasta

Crispiest Roast Split Chicken Breast with Fall Marsala Pasta is a tangy, sweet and savory comfort dish easily prepared gluten and dairy free.
Course Dinner
Cuisine Italian
Keyword chicken marsala, dairy free recipe, gluten free pasta, marsala pasta, roast split chicken breast, split chicken breast
Cook Time 45 minutes
Author Aimee from A.K. Kitchen & Nutrition

Ingredients

  • 2 split chicken breasts
  • 3 Tbsp butter (I use a dairy free option- not margarine)
  • 2 shallots minced
  • 1 c shiitake mushrooms sliced
  • 1 c rehydrated dried mushrooms I used chanterelle and oyster (optional)
  • 1 1/4 c marsala wine
  • 2 c chicken broth
  • 1 c cashew milk
  • 1 c pumpkin purée
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp white miso paste
  • 2 tsp red wine vinegar
  • 2 pinches dried oregano and basil
  • salt and pepper
  • pasta of choice

Instructions

Chicken

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
  • In a large sauce pan, heat 1 tablespoon of butter on medium heat.
  • Thoroughly salt and pepper split chicken breasts.
  • Add chicken to pan skin side down. Cook until golden brown (about 3-6 minutes) and flip.
  • After searing all sides of the chicken, add to a baking sheet or pan and bake for an addiitonal 20-40 minutes, depending on how large the chicken cuts are.

Pasta sauce

  • Turn stove to low heat.
  • Add minced shallots with salt to the pan you seared the chicken in.
  • Stir occaisonally and cook for several minutes until they begin to caramelize.
  • Add sliced fresh mushrooms and sautée until soft.
  • Deglaze the pan with the marsala wine & add the rehydrated (dried) mushrooms if using.
  • Add remaining ingredients: olive oil, butter, pumpkin purée, chicken broth, cashew milk, red wine vinegar, spices.
  • Mix miso paste in a little of the liquid and add to the sauce pan.
  • Add 1/3 c pasta water.
  • Boil until the liquid reduces and begins to thicken. Once it starts to look more like sauce, turn the heat down to low to finish with your pasta.
  • Once your sauce is nearly thickened enough, add pasta that is cooked al dente and finish cooking it in the sauce.
  • Grate or add dollops of your favorite cheese and a drizzle of olive oil to serve with roast split chicken breast on the side.
dairy free gluten free chicken marsala
Roast Split Chicken Breast

Filed Under: B Vitamins, B1 (Thiamin), B2 (Riboflavin), B3 (Niacin), B5 (Pantothenic Acid), B6 (Pyridoxine), Calcium, Copper, Dairy Free, Dinner, Fat Soluble Vitamins, Gluten Free, Iron, Magnesium, Minerals, Pasta, Phosphorous, Recipe, Selenium, Sodium, Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Zinc

November 19, 2020 by Aimee Hockett Leave a Comment

non traditional and cheap two person thanksgiving

2020 menu plan for a non traditional and cheap two person thanksgiving. We are making our leftovers a priority this year. Isn’t it every other year that we go through the best sides first and don’t know what to do with the rest of the leftovers? Since it will only be two of us this holiday, we might as well make the most of what we can, and for now that looks like an excess of thanksgiving sides for two. I included some indulgent elements to our plan but ultimately the main part of the meal was very affordable with lots of leftovers!

non traditional and cheap two person thanksgiving

Drinks:

Cranberry Lime Cocktail
Make Ahead: Zest limes, juice limes & clementines and freeze with pieces of dried wild apple mint.

Thanksgiving Day: Mix Frozen Juice Ice Cubes with Cranberry juice and Elderflower Rum (this was on sale at the Big Y in Great Barrington!)

Italian Pinot Noir
Hot Chocolate with Whipped Cream – if we aren’t already stuffed.

Appetizers/Lunch:

Dairy Free Port Cheese with Treeline Plant Based cheese (I have never tried making it before so I do not have the recipe details yet.)

Goat Camembert (for my partner that eats dairy)
A selection of crackers – Simple Mills, Hu Kitchen & a fancy fig/pumpkin seed option.
Apples

Bacon Bites
Make Ahead: Caramelized onion

Thanksgiving Day: Assemble onion, sage, mustard, date & treeline cheese with bacon

non traditional and cheap two person thanksgiving
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Gluten Free Baked Bacon Cheese Bites

The most crowd pleasing appetizer. They are always gone within 10 minutes and are the easiest appetizer to make. Makes about 16 bites.
Course Appetizer
Prep Time 10 minutes
Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  • 1 packet bacon- gluten free, free range cut in half down the middle
  • 1 onion* caramelized (see below)
  • 3 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 1/2 cup dates thick slices
  • fresh sage leaves
  • firm cheese (I like goat gouda) cut into cubes
  • 1 tbsp ghee
  • 1/4 tsp. salt

Instructions

  • Peel and cut your choice of onion in half. Then make sauté slices along the grow lines of the onion and cut away from the end of the bulb. 
  • *Heat a large frying pan to medium low heat.
  • *Once pan is heated, add about a tablespoon of your choice of fat- make sure to use a high heat oil like ghee or avocado oil and salt, stir frequently.
  • *Continue cooking, adding more salt if necessary, until onions are transparent and sweated through. 
  • *Once onions begin to brown, turn the heat up to medium or medium high (setting can vary depending on how hot your stove runs), and begin to stir less often. Only do so to prevent blackening or sticking to the pan.
  • *Once onions begin to caramelize, before they burn, add your choice of liquid to deglaze the pan. Set aside to cool.
  • Cut one package of bacon strips in half, hamburger style. Each bite will be half a strip of bacon.
  • Set your oven to 425 degrees F to preheat while you assemble.
  • On a lined baking sheet (preferably with raised sides), place a few strips of bacon to begin assembling.
  • Smear a dollop of mustard onto the bacon and layer with 1/2 tsp of caramelized onions, 1/2 a date, 1 cube of cheese, 1 medium sized sage leaf.
  • Fold over the ends of the bacon slice and turn over so the fold side is touching the pan. 
  • Leave about 1-2 inches of space between each bite.
  • Bake for 15-25 minutes, checking occasionally. Time can vary depending on your oven and how thick your bacon pieces are. 
  • Once out of the oven, use a spatula to scoop each bite onto a plate lined with paper towels to catch excess grease. Let cool for 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Notes

* The caramelized onions are optional. If you are short on time, no need to cook them up. If you do have the time, it is incredible!

The Cheap Meal Elements:

Main Protein:

Pork Tenderloin (I can find organic at $5 – $7 for 2 people w/ leftovers)

Thanksgiving Day:

cut into 3-4 sections. coat in salt and pepper.
-with dairy free butter in the pan, fry each side on medium low until golden.
Set aside then bake at 400F until done.

Sides:

Day Before Thanksgiving:
Garlic Confit in the Oven (I already made this and saved the garlic with some oil in the fridge and stored the rest of the excess oil in the freezer for a later day)
Mashed Potatoes (To reheat: add liquid to rehydrate then bake in the oven until golden on top)
Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows (same as mashed potatoes but add marshmallows)
Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Stuffing 2 ways (one gluten free and one regular)

*To keep ingredients fresh for the stuffing, I like to use mushrooms and sausage. I will be defrosting and browning sausage that I have frozen and will be rehydrating dried mushrooms.

Thanksgiving Day:
Corn & lightly dressed green salad (olive oil, mustard, red wine vinegar)
Gravy

Dessert:

All miniature pie bites using a mini muffin tin

I have already made & frozen:
Gingerbread Topping for the Pumpkin Spice Apple Cider Bites
A double recipe of pie crust
Pumpkin Spice Apple Cider Pie filling
Cherry Pie Filling

Weekend before Thanksgiving: make pumpkin pie filling & defrost frozen elements in the fridge
Two days before Thanksgiving: bake the pies so I don’t have to make the pies and sides all the day before or on Thanksgiving.

Pumpkin Spice Apple Cider Bites
Holiday flavor overload that just works and is the most deliciously nostalgic treat in a tiny bite sized package.
Check out this recipe
Pumpkin Pie Apple Cider Pie Bites
mini gluten free cherry pie filling
Tart fresh and cozy- the best elements in a berry pie. Swap almond extract in this pie with vanilla and nutmeg.
Check out this recipe
mini gluten free cherry pies

Topped with whipped cream of course!

Dairy Free Pumpkin Pie Filling
Delicious, creamy and not too sweet dairy free pumpkin pie filling that is not complicated to make. Don't forget to let it sit in the oven with the door open and the heat off once the pie has finished to avoid cracks forming in the center.
Check out this recipe
Print Pin

Flaky Gluten Free Pie Crust

This crust is hands down the flakiest and most flavorful gluten free crust. Tastes delicious and turns out crispy and holds well every time.
Author Aimee from A.K. Kitchen & Nutrition

Ingredients

Crust

  • 1 1/2 cups almond flour
  • 1/4 c cassava flour
  • 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
  • 1/3 c powdered sugar
  • 1/4 c bobs red mill all purpose baking flour OR 1/4 c white rice flour + ( 1/8 tsp more xanthan gum OR 1 tsp tapioca/corn starch)
  • 1 tbsp flax chia mix
  • 3 tbsp shortening or 4 Tbsp Butter/Dairy free butter (cold)
  • 1 tbsp ghee (cold)
  • 2-4 Tbsp ice cold water

Life never works out exactly as planned so I will be going with the flow with what I have on hand and what we feel inspired to eat and cook for our non traditional and cheap two person thanksgiving. I hope this was helpful for you to find some new items to spice up your thanksgiving or try new meal prep tricks!

Filed Under: Beverage, Condiment, Dairy Free, Dessert, Dinner, Gluten Free, Pantry Tips, Recipe, Side Dish, Snack

November 18, 2020 by Aimee Hockett Leave a Comment

Mini Gluten Free Cherry Pies

It’s simple, cherry pie is easily and has always been my favorite pie flavor. Not all cherry pies are great however. The best ones are worth having as leftovers for breakfast. Since this holiday season is very non traditional, I decided to go with a more varied dessert spread. It started with my Pumpkin Spice Apple Cider Pie Bites and decided my two person spread needed more than one mini pie flavor. Of course my favorite flavor needed to make an appearance so I put together these Mini Gluten Free Cherry Pies.

mini gluten free cherry pies

The Cherry Pie Filling

The filling is easily the most important part of this recipe. I could eat it by itself, however the magic of cherry pie is when the tart filling meets a sweet, crunchy crust. My mini pie recipes are all inspired off of one of my childhood favorites- mini pecan pie Christmas cookies. The most important element of that recipe is the sweet crust. It’s slightly different from a regular pie in that you include powdered sugar for a slight added sweetness to pair with the flavorful filling. I carried that concept over when creating the gluten free crust featured in my Pumpkin Spice Apple Cider Pie Bites and these Mini Gluten Free Cherry Pies.

This cherry pie filling is slightly different in what flavor enhancers I use to achieve that perfect heartwarming holiday taste. Instead of using traditional almond extract, I use almond flour in the crust and vanilla extract plus a dash of nutmeg and lemon juice in the filling to emphasize the tartness of the cherries.

The order in which you put these ingredients into the filling is very important. To enhance the flavor of the vanilla and nutmeg, I am careful not to add them until right when I turn off the heat. Heat is a tricky element to master when intensifying the flavor of your spices and can completely ruin the flavor of these mini gluten free cherry pies by burning the vanilla and nutmeg. When you add the vanilla and nutmeg right after cooking your pie filling, it has a more robust aroma and the end result has a more mouth watering sweetness. Don’t forget that the pie filling will be heated again once it is filled in the mini pie shells and baked so if there is any left over alcoholic taste from the vanilla extract, it will all mellow out in the oven.

Print Pin

Flaky Gluten Free Pie Crust

This crust is hands down the flakiest and most flavorful gluten free crust. Tastes delicious and turns out crispy and holds well every time.
Author Aimee from A.K. Kitchen & Nutrition

Ingredients

Crust

  • 1 1/2 cups almond flour
  • 1/4 c cassava flour
  • 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
  • 1/3 c powdered sugar
  • 1/4 c bobs red mill all purpose baking flour OR 1/4 c white rice flour + ( 1/8 tsp more xanthan gum OR 1 tsp tapioca/corn starch)
  • 1 tbsp flax chia mix
  • 3 tbsp shortening or 4 Tbsp Butter/Dairy free butter (cold)
  • 1 tbsp ghee (cold)
  • 2-4 Tbsp ice cold water
mini gluten free cherry pies
Print Pin

mini gluten free cherry pie filling

Tart fresh and cozy- the best elements in a berry pie. Swap almond extract in this pie with vanilla and nutmeg.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword cherry pie, dairy free pie, gluten free pie
Cook Time 20 minutes
Author Aimee from A.K. Kitchen & Nutrition

Ingredients

  • 2 cups frozen cherries
  • juice from 1 lemon
  • 1/2 cup sugar add 1 Tbsp more if cherries used are very tart
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • dash nutmeg
  • 1/4-1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp tapioca starch
  • 1 Tbsp (Dairy Free) Butter

Instructions

  • Add cherries and lemon juice to a pot and bring to a boil.
  • Add sugar and butter, stir until dissolved.
  • Once it begins to thicken, sift in tapioca starch and stir thoroughly to avoid lumps
  • Turn the temperature down when it begins to thicken. Cook the mixture down until it is thick and coats the back of a spoon and leaves a line when you draw through it.
  • Turn heat off and add vanilla, salt and nutmeg.
  • Let cool before filling into pre baked pie shells.
  • Bake in mini pie crusts at 325 for 10-20 minutes, depending on how hot your oven gets and how crispy you want your crust to be.

Filed Under: Dairy Free, Dessert, Gluten Free, Recipe

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Aimee K. Hockett, MS
www.theakkitchen.com
[email protected]
A.K. Kitchen & Nutrition LLC | New York 2021

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