Homemade Waffles (Dairy-Free)

I use to have a waffle maker years ago but never used it.  So when we moved to Japan it was one of the things we opted to not bring with us.  Now my daughter is in love with waffles and I don't really care much for the frozen ones at the store, even if they are whole grain.  So I bought a waffle maker and am very happily trying multiple new waffle recipes.  I adapted this recipe from Alton Brown's basic waffle recipe.  It really is great.  It is quick and easy.  I actually managed to wake up 5 minutes earlier than normal this morning to make them for my kids before my daughter went to school.  She was so happy.  I normally don't have time to do that on a school day but these really are that quick!  My husband didn't even realize until I told him these were made with 1/2 whole wheat flour.  I made substitutions to my recipe to make these waffles dairy free but you can use buttermilk in place of the almond milk and regular butter in place of the dairy-free butter substitute I used.  These also freeze great! One of my favorite things to do with these is to mash up a banana or two and add in some chopped pecans, yum!

Basic Waffles

1 c. all purpose flour
1 c. whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. sugar
3 whole eggs, beaten
2 ounces dairy free butter, melted
2 c. almond milk, room temperature
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Vegetable spray, for waffle iron

Preheat the waffle iron according to manufacturer's directions.  In a medium bowl whisk together the flours, soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar. In another bowl beat together eggs and melted butter, and then add the almond milk. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until combined. Allow to rest for 5 minutes. Ladle the recommended amount of waffle batter onto the iron according to the manufacturer's recommendations. Close iron top and cook until the waffle is golden on both sides and is easily removed from iron. Serve immediately or keep warm in a 200 degree F oven until ready to serve.

Chewy Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

So I don't think I've yet to be disappointment with an Alton Brown recipe.  I saw this gluten-free cookie recipe a while ago on Food Network but couldn't find tapioca flour in my one grocery store here on base and they certainly don't have it in one of the Japanese stores so I had to order it from Amazon and wait patiently until it arrived.  Seems slightly silly since you only use about 2 tbsp. of it, but I'm not use to not using flour in recipes so wasn't sure how important that one ingredient really was.  I did make some adjustments to the original recipe to make it not just gluten-free but dairy-free as well.  I substitute non-hydrogenated shortening for the butter, used soy milk for the whole milk, and used a 72% good quality dark chocolate that contained no dairy.  Most good quality dark chocolates don't contain dairy you just have to read the labels.  I wasn't sure what to expect with these cookies.  I certainly didn't expect to eat the entire pan of them myself, but I did, oops.   

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies (Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free)

8 ounces non-hydrogenated shortening
11 ounces brown rice flour (or white rice flour), approximately 2 cups
1 1/4 ounces cornstarch, approximately 1/4 cup
1/2-ounce tapioca flour, approximately 2 tablespoons
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 ounces sugar, approximately 1/4 cup
10 ounces light brown sugar, approximately 1 1/4 cups
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons soy milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
12 ounces 72% dark chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  In a medium bowl, sift together the rice flour, cornstarch, tapioca flour, xantham gum, salt and baking soda. Set aside.  Cream the shortening and sugar together in your standing mixer.  Add the whole egg, egg yolk, milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Add the chocolate chips and stir to combine.  Chill the dough in the refrigerator until firm, approximately 1 hour. Shape the dough into 2-ounce balls and place on parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, rotating the pans after 5 minutes for even baking. Remove from the oven and cool the cookies on the pans for 2 minutes. Move the cookies to a wire rack and cool completely. Store cooked cookies in an airtight container.

Light Wheat Bread

Since I can't have dairy I find it very difficult buying store bought bread, especially here in Japan.  In the states it wasn't that big of a deal as there are many alternatives and breads are much more fresh than what I can buy here on base.  So I've been trying out a few different bread recipes hoping to find something relatively healthy, no dairy and great for things like sandwiches.  My husband bought me The Bread Bakers Apprentice book for Christmas and this was one of the first recipes I've tried from it.  I was very pleased with the results.  It is light and fluffy and definitely can be used for sandwiches.  It did take a bit of elbow grease and time because you have to knead it for about 10 minutes by hand before letting it rise.   I opted to not use the powdered milk the recipe calls for to keep mine dairy free and you can substitute the shortening for butter as well to give it an even nicer flavor. 

2 1/2 cups (11.25 oz) unbleached high-gluten or bread flour
1 1/2 cups (6.75 oz.) whole-wheat flour
2 tablespoons (.75 oz.)  honey
2 teaspoons (.38 oz.) salt
3 tablespoons (1 oz.) powdered milk (*optional)
1 1/2 teaspoons (.17 oz.) instant yeast
2 tablespoons (1 oz.) shortening (or unsalted butter), at room temperature
1 1/4 cups (10 oz.) water, at room temperature
 
Stir together the high-gluten flour, whole-wheat flour, salt, powdered milk, and yeast in a 4-quart mixing bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer). Add the shortening, honey (if using), and water. Stir (or mix on low speed with the paddle attachment) until the ingredients form a ball. If there is still flour in the bottom of the bowl, dribble in additional water. The dough should feel soft and supple. It is better for it to be a little too soft that to be too stiff and tough.

Sprinkle high-gluten or whole-wheat flour on the counter, and transfer the dough to the counter, and begin kneading (or mix on medium speed with the dough hook). Add more flour if needed to make a firm, supple dough that is slightly tacky but not sticky. Kneading should take about 10 minutes (6 minutes by machine). Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
Ferment at room temperature for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the dough doubles in size.

Remove the dough from the bowl and press it by hand into a rectangle about 3/4 inch thick, 6 inches wide, and 8 to 10 inches long. Form it into a loaf by working from the short side of the dough, rolling up the length of the dough one section at a time, pinching the crease with each rotation to strengthen the surface tension. It will spread wider as you roll it. Pinch the final seam closed with the back edge of your hand or with your thumbs. Place the loaf in a lightly oiled 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch bread pan; the ends of the loaf should touch the ends of the pan to ensure an even rise. Mist the top with spray oil and loosely cover with plastic wrap.

Proof at room temperature for approximately 60 to 90 minutes, or until the dough crests above the lip of the pan.
 
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F with the oven rack on the middle shelf.  Place the bread pan on a sheet pan and bake for 30 minutes. Rotate the pan 180 degrees for even baking and continue baking for 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the oven. The finished loaf should register 190 degrees F in the center, be golden brown on the top and the sides, and sound hollow when thumped on the bottom.  When the bread is finished baking, remove it immediately from the loaf pan and cool it on a rack for at least 1 hour, preferably 2 hours, before slicing or serving.

I used a little bit of egg wash and to make some oats stick to the top of my loaf just to make it look pretty.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

This recipe is great.  I found it on Ann Arbor and decided the next time I got a sweet craving and was willing to cave I was going to make these.  This is a gluten-free and dairy-free recipe which is why I chose it.  You always think that if something is dairy-free or gluten-free then it probably doesn't taste very good.  Definitely not true.  This cookie really delivers, it gives you everything you want in a peanut butter cookie and you don't miss the butter or flour.   


Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies (Gluten-Free/Dairy-Free)

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
4 tbsp. non-hydrogenated shortening
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup gluten-free rolled oats*
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts finally chopped (optional)
1/4 teaspoon of salt
extra white sugar for coating

If you are truly sensitive to gluten make sure your oats are gluten-free because most oats are processed in facilities that process gluten products so just check your label.  I use regular quacker rolled oats because I just opt to limit my gluten. 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a food processor grind the oats to a powder. In another bowl, mix together the ground oats, baking soda and salt. Set aside.  In a medium-sized bowl using an electric hand mixer, or in a stand mixer, cream the peanut butter, shortening, white sugar, brown sugar and vanilla until well combined, about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and mix for another minute. Add the dry ingredients to the peanut butter mixture until combined.  Use a tablespoon to scoop the dough and make balls. Roll the balls in a little white sugar and place onto the baking sheet. Use a fork to press down on the balls in a criss-cross pattern.

Bake until the cookies until they are golden brown and the surfaces have cracked, about 7-9 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on the pan completely before moving to avoid breaking.

Makes about 24 cookies.

You can also freeze these cookies.  Just roll into a ball and roll in sugar like you are going to bake them.  Even go ahead with the criss-cross pattern.  Place them on the baking sheet in the freezer for about 30 minutes.  Then place them in a freeze safe container or bag and freeze until ready to use.  

Ginger Pumpkin Chia Muffins (Dairy-Free)

Up until about a month ago I had never heard of chia seeds.  These seeds apparently are some new little magical seed that has all these wonderful things for you in them.  They are high in omega 3's, fiber and protein.  These weird little seeds can be added to water and turn it to an almost solid gel.  I recently saw an episode of Doctor Oz talking about these seeds and giving me a recipe to try them in.  So I bought them and tried them.  These muffins call for ground chia seeds.  I have the whole seeds and just stick them in my spice grinder and grind them myself when I need them.  These muffins were really good.  I added ginger and cinnamon to mine and substituted sweet potato puree for pumpkin puree since I already had the pumpkin on hand.  I also added in dried cherries in addition to the dried cranberries.  I was worried they'd taste too healthy and not sweet enough but was pleasantly surprised that they were really good.  I could definitely eat one of these for breakfast and feel good about it.  The only thing I'd do a bit different next time is I'd add in some chopped nuts for a bit of a crunch, I think that'd really give a nice boost to these muffins.    

Ginger Pumpkin Chia Seeds

1 tbsp. ground chia seeds
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup 100% pure pumpkin purée
1 cup unsweetened apple sauce
2 egg whites
1/2 cup agave syrup
2 tsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp lemon zest
1 1/2 tsp. fresh grated ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup dried cherries (chopped)

Mix together wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients.  Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients.  Add in the dried fruit.  Scoop into muffin tins and bake for 15-20 minutes at 350˚F or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Chicken Ropa Vieja

I found this recipe at Skinny Taste.  I was looking for some new Mexican recipes that were relatively low in fat.  I made this recipe the day I found the recipe and oh boy was it a good one!  The shredded chicken can be eaten by itself, in a flour tortilla or in a regular store bought taco shell.  This is another one of those dishes I know I will be making again for my family and soon.  This might have to replace the ground beef we usually have on taco night.  You can actually get all the nutrition information from the Skinny Taste site linked above as well as Weight Watchers points if you are dieting.  I really liked having that information with a recipe when I'm trying to eat better.  Both my kids loved this recipe too, so a winner anytime I can get them to eat a new recipe.  



Chicken Ropa Vieja

3 (22.5 oz) chicken breast halves
1 small onion, quartered
1 tomato, quartered
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 small green bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 c. reserved broth
1 tsp cumin, or more to taste
2 garlic cloves
salt and pepper to taste

Place chicken, 1 onion, 1 tomato, 1 carrot, and 2 cloves of garlic into saucepan on stovetop.  Add water to cover, and cook on medium-low until the chicken is tender, about 45 minutes.  Place the chicken into a bowl and shred it into strips using a fork; set aside.  Make sure to reserve the liquid.

In a large deep skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add the remaining 2 garlic cloves, 1 onion, 1 red bell pepper, and 1 orange bell pepper.  Cook about 3 to 4 minutes.  Stir in chicken, tomato sauce, white wine, and about 3/4 cup of the reserved broth to create a nice sauce.  Season with cumin, salt, and pepper.  Cover and summer on low for about 10 minutes more adding more broth and seasoning if needed.  Makes about 4 cups.

Homemade Dashi & Miso Soup

 I decided this week to try making my own homemade miso soup.  It starts with a Dashi base.  In Japan Dashi is the base to basically everything.  It is to the Japanese what chicken stock is to Americans.  I took a picture of all the ingredients I purchased for this soup.  This recipe is from Alton Brown but since I'm shopping in a Japanese supermarket I cannot tell you 100% that the ingredients I purchased are as the recipe called for since all products were written in Japanese but I think I ended up with the right products.  Looking at a million different bags of seaweed trying to figure out which one is the right one for Dashi was exhausting.  Different types of seaweed are used for different things, the wrong one would ruin my Dashi which means no miso soup for me!  No one else in my house would even try my soup.  My husband use to like miso soup until he saw the ingredients used to make it.  He had no idea that Dashi was made with bonito flakes, which is basically a fish that is smoked for weeks over an open fire until rock hard and almost wood like then shaved into tiny little pieces.  It looks like just these weightless little flakes.  I thought this soup was amazing.  I will say I threw a few pieces of the top of my broccoli into the bowl for some color since I didn't have any scallions on hand and I thought it looked better than a bowl of brown soup!  I also didn't use any tofu just because I just wasn't in the mood for it that specific night.   

Dashi:



2 (4-inch) square pieces kombu
2 1/2 quarts water
1/2-ounce bonito flakes (also called katsubushi), about 2 cups

Put the kombu in a 4-quart saucepan, cover with the water and soak for 30 minutes. Set the saucepan over medium heat until the water reaches 150 to 160 degrees F and small bubbles appear around the sides of the pan, 9 to 10 minutes.  Remove the kombu from the pan. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, 5 to 6 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add the bonito flakes.  Simmer gently, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes.  Strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth.


(You can store the Dashi in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Use within 1 week or freeze for up to a month.)

Miso Soup

12-ounce block firm silken tofu (*optional)
2 quarts dashi
6 tablespoons dark or red miso
2 tablespoons light or white miso
4 scallions, thinly sliced (*optional)

Wrap the block of tofu in 2 layers of paper towels and lay on a plate. Invert a second plate on top of the tofu and weigh down with a 28-ounce can. Leave for 20 minutes then cut the tofu into 1/4 to 1/2-inch cubes.  Heat the dashi in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. When the dashi reaches 100 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, ladle 1 cup into a small bowl. Add the miso, and whisk until smooth.  Bring the remaining dashi to a bare simmer, approximately 10 minutes. Add the miso mixture and whisk to combine. Return to a slight simmer, being careful not to boil the mixture. Add the tofu and scallions\ and cook for another minute or until heated through. Remove from the heat, ladle into soup bowls and serve immediately. (You aren't really suppose to save miso soup but you can keep it in the fridge for no more than 2 days and reheat on low on the stovetop.  Also you will see that the miso and dashi may look like it is separating at times but it is fine, just give a stir.)

Machaca Burritos

This is the first time I've made this meat and man I tell you it will definitely not be the last.  This meat was amazing!  I got this recipe from Never Enough Thyme and decided to give it a try.  We love Mexican food but since we are in Japan the choices for Mexican are severely limited.  My best option is to learn how to make some Mexican dishes myself that can hold us over until we go back to the states.  I made homemade tortillas with this and homemade salsa but you can always use store bought too.   I can't wait to make this again and was so sad there were no leftovers.     




Machaca Burritos 

2-3 pound skirt steak, trimmed and cut into 3” pieces
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 large white onion, roughly chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, roughly chopped
1 medium orange bell pepper, roughly chopped
2 serrano chiles, chopped, seeds and ribs removed (optional)
1 cup beef broth
1 can diced tomatoes with juice
1/2 tsp. dried Mexican oregano
1/2 tsp. cumin
Salt & Pepper

 For serving:
12 6-inch flour tortillas
Sour cream (optional)
Salsa (optional)
Cilantro (optional)
Lime wedges (optional)
Guacamole (optional)

 Marinade:

1/4 c. vegetable oil
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp. water
1/4 c. fresh lime juice
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 serrano chili, finely minced, seeds and ribs removed
Salt & Pepper

To start, cut the skirt steak into about 3″ pieces. Combine all the marinade ingredients in a large zip top plastic bag. Close the bag and shake well to combine. Add the skirt steak and toss to make sure each piece is well coated with the marinade. Place the plastic bag with steak and marinade in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.

Allow the meat to come to room temperature before cooking. Remove from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Discard marinade. Cut the onions and peppers into rough chunks and set aside.  In a large, heavy pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Sear the meat on all sides, a few pieces at a time. Transfer the meat to a plate or platter and set aside.  Without cleaning the pan, add the onions, peppers, garlic and chilies (if using). Saute for approximately 5 minutes. The vegetables will pick up a lot of the browned bits left from the meat, which is what you want to happen.

Add the beef broth, tomatoes, oregano, cumin, salt and pepper. Mix well. Return the meat and any collected juices to the pan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and cover. Simmer slowly until the meat is very tender, about 2 hours.  Remove the meat to a cutting board and allow it to rest until cool enough to handle – about 15 minutes. Continue cooking the onion and pepper mixture until most of the liquid has evaporated, uncovered.  Using your fingers or two forks, shred the meat. Return the shredded meat to the pot, stir to combine and cook until the meat is very hot.  Spoon meat and onion filling onto tortilla and add your desired toppings.

Peanut Butter Granola Bars

My daughter adores these granola bars especially since she can make them entirely by herself.  This recipe was adapted from a Giada De Laurentiis recipe.  She used an entire stick of butter and I just didn't want to do that.  Her recipe called for honey but I thought the agave tasted better in this recipe.  It does have sugar but I feel the healthy things out weigh the sugar content and I even let my kids eat these for breakfast.  My daughter feels like she is pulling one over on me since it does have some dark chocolate in it.    



Peanut Butter Granola Bars 

1 egg
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/3 cup apple sauce (unsweetened)
1/4 c. canola oil
2 cups old fashioned oats
1/4 c. wheat germ 
1/4 cup ground walnuts (or any nuts you like chopped if preferred)
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Cooking Spray 

Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray a 7 by 10 3/4-inch nonstick baking pan with vegetable cooking spray. Lay a 6 by 18-inch piece of parchment paper in the pan, allowing the excess paper to hang over the sides. Spray the parchment paper lightly with cooking spray.  In a medium bowl beat the peanut butter, brown sugar, agave nectar.  Add in the oil and apple sauce and beat until combined.  Add in the egg.  Pour in the oats, ground nuts (or chopped nuts), chocolate chips and cinnamon.  Stir to combine.  Using a rubber spatula, spread mixture into the prepared baking pan, pressing lightly to form an even layer. Bake until the edge of the mixture begins to brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 1 hour. Cut into squares and serve. I like to keep mine in the fridge.

Egg & Toast Breakfast Bowls

My husband actually surprised me by making these the other day and I'm just in love with them.  They are so simple but sooooo delicious and it is just so versatile.  The new healthier 2012 me is trying to eat eggs for breakfast everyday and only eat whole grains so he uses white bread for his egg bowls and he uses whole wheat bread for the ones for me and the kids.  You can cook bacon and use that but he opted to use ham slices in ours.  He even says he's going to cook some sausage and put it in the bottom of his with some cheese then add the egg.  Yum!  These are so quick.  I love that you can quickly assemble them in the morning, start getting the kids ready for school and 12 minutes later your breakfast is completely ready with no watching or stirring or mixing on your part.  I think I love him more for making this for me! The recipe below makes four individual bowl, one for each person in my house. Also you can use butter in the muffin tin and on top of the bread for extra taste, but I'm avoiding dairy. 

Egg & Toast Breakfast Bowl

4 large eggs
4 pieces 100% whole wheat bread
8 slices of deli ham
Cooking Spray
Salt & Pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray so the bread doesn't stick and you can get these out after you make them.  Press your toast in and press it to form a circle all the way around the inside of the muffin hole.  Add to pieces of ham (or more if you want) and then drop in a whole egg.  Add some salt and pepper to the top of your egg.  Spray the top of the bread with cooking spray so it gets a nice golden color while cooking.  Bake about 12 minutes for a nice over easy egg.  Yummy!! 

Pumpkin Oatmeal

This is a great recipe and really gives your oatmeal such a nice flavor by adding in pumpkin and pumpkin pie spices, yum!  I like to make this recipe in a big batch and add just a bit more liquid than necessary and store it in the fridge for a really quick easy breakfast on school days.  By adding about 1/2 c. extra milk and keeping it runny, it'll set up perfect in the fridge.  You can then just reheat a serving for your own homemade instant oatmeal.  The recipe below is the exact measurements for oatmeal you plan on eating immediately.  I like to take a bowl full of my oatmeal now, then add the 1/2 c. extra milk into the leftovers and store.  You can also reduce this recipe to 1/2 c. of oats and 1 c. of milk for a single serving too, with just about 1/3 c. of pumpkin.  I love the flavor the almond milk gives the oats too.  Of course, you could always use your regular milk or water or soy milk, I just prefer almond milk.   

Pumpkin Oatmeal

1 1/2 c. rolled oats
3 c. almond milk (vanilla or original)
1 15oz. can of 100% pumpkin puree
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. vanilla extract (or almond if you prefer)

Bring almond milk to a gentle simmer.  Whisk in the pumpkin puree until smooth.  Add in the oats and cook 5-8 minutes or until done.  Add the cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla into the oats.  Top with nuts and a teaspoon of maple syrup.  Enjoy!

Oatiest Oatmeal Cookies

   

 

So this is the third time I've typed this now and it won't stop being in all caps and I'm about to just give up.  I was watching Food Network a day or two ago and Alton Brown was doing a show on oats, all oats.  Yum!  I love oats!  This is just one of the many recipes on there that I was excited to try.  This recipe requires absolutely no flour, just oats.  I also omitted the butter and substituted non-hydrogenated shortening to eliminate the dairy as well.  I actually made this recipe twice.  The first time I didn't have or use a scale and tried to just convert the weighed measurements to cups.  Totally didn't work. I had a big blob of a mess, a tasty mess, but not a cookie.  So I went out and bought a scale.  I needed one anyways especially since I just got the Good Eats 3 cookbook for Christmas and most of Alton Brown's recipes are done by weight.  This cookie was amazing.  I loved it, my kids loved it, and I didn't even feel bad indulging a bit since it was gluten-free and dairy-free.  This is a very thin, crispy cookie, but totally worth it.  Yum!   



This recipe was adapted from Alton Brown's Good eats.



16 ounces old-fashioned rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch kosher salt
10 ounces non-hydrogenated shortening
6 ounces dark brown sugar
3 1/2 ounces granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 ounces raisins, optional (soaked in hot water for 10 minutes to rehydrate)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Start soaking your raisins in hot water to allow them to rehydrate while you make the cookies.  Spread oats into a single layer on a half sheet pan. Bake until lightly toasted, about 20 minutes . Cool the oats for 2 to 3 minutes on the pan.  Grind 8 ounces of toasted oats in a food processor until the consistency of whole wheat flour, about 3 minutes. Add the baking powder, cinnamon and salt to the food processor and pulse 2 to 3 times to combine. Set aside.  Combine the shortening and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on medium speed using the paddle attachment until light in color, about 3 minutes. Stop once to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Reduce the mixer speed to the lowest speed and add the egg and vanilla extract. Mix to combine. Slowly add the flour mixture until just combined. Stop once to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the remaining toasted oats and the (drained) raisins. Stir to combine.  Scoop the dough with a 1 1/2-ounce disher onto parchment-lined half sheet pans, leaving 2 inches between each mound. Bake until the cookies begin to brown around the edges, 12 to14 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through cooking. Cool on the pans for 2 minutes, and then move to a cooling rack to cool completely.