Vegan Andes Mints

I don't know what has happened lately that's caused to me to suddenly stop posting here! I really need to get back into the habit soon! I've had this recipe ready to post for a while, but I was just waiting for it to be a little closer to Valentine's Day, because really, what's a better way to win a vegan's heart than with homemade chocolate mints (hint, hint)? 

I'm not gonna lie, Andes Mints are one of the few foods I've missed an awful lot since going vegan. They were absolutely delicious, such a fantastic combination of rich, sweet flavors. And they always were such a nice surprise, showing up at unexpected places (on top of pillows at hotels, with the receipt at Olive Garden, etc.). After three years without being eating an Andes Mint, I finally decided it was time to make my own. At first, it seemed like a pretty easy task, but there was a problem! The middle layer is white chocolate. I know there's vegan white chocolate brands available online (none are available in stores in my area), but I have never had to special order ingredients and I really don't want to ever have to. I thought maybe I could make my own white chocolate, but every recipe I found required cocoa butter, another ingredient I would have to order. So I gave up. But a couple weeks ago, I decided I would make something totally unlike white chocolate and use it instead - and, to my delight, it turned out to be very much like white chocolate! It doesn't necessarily have the same appearance as white chocolate, but it has a very similar smell and taste (well, until you add the peppermint, of course). Of course, I didn't ate white chocolate very often in my pre-vegan days, so maybe it's not as similar as I claim it it...however, it's delicious, and that makes it worth trying! As for the chocolate layer, recipe credit goes to the lovely Chocolate-Covered Katie.

Vegan Andes Mints

Chocolate Layer

• 1/4 cup cocoa (or carob) powder
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup or other liquid sweetener
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp peppermint extract

White Chocolate Layer

• 3 tablespoons melted coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup or other liquid sweetener
• 1 tablespoon sifted soya powder or soy milk powder
• 1 tablespoon organic powdered sugar or 1 tablespoon stevia for baking (such as Stevia In The Raw Bakers Bag)
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp peppermint extract

1) Line an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Place in freezer to keep cool. 

2) In a small bowl, mix together chocolate ingredients until completely smooth. Remove pan from freezer, then spread about one half of the chocolate into the pan, making a square about 5 or 6 inches long. Place in freezer for at least 10 minutes.

3) Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, mix together white chocolate ingredients until completely smooth, being sure to sift the soya powder. Remove pan from freezer (assuming it's been there for 10 minutes already) and carefully spread all of the white chocolate on top of the regular chocolate. Immediately put back in the freezer and leave for another 10 minutes.

4) Finally, once the time is up, remove from freezer once more, and cover with remaining chocolate. Then put it back in the freezer and freeze for 10 minutes, or until it's completely solid.

5) When you cut the chocolate, use a very sharp, large knife (such as a butcher's knife) and cut it in quick movements.  It will crack, as you can see in my pictures, but hey, it tastes good and that's what really matters, right? If you happen to have some green foil and lots of patience, you can wrap up these cute little chocolate to look just like real Andes mints. Whatever you decide to do, you must keep these frozen because they melt pretty quickly. 

Almond Butter

I suppose I should make up some excuses as to why I haven't made a post in almost two weeks - I've been busy with school, I've had an awful ear infection, I've been making meals out of my new cookbooks I got for Christmas rather than making up my own recipes to post, I've had a food blogger's version of writer's block, I'm actually just incredibly lazy, etc. I really have been cooking even more than usual lately, thanks to my newfound love, Veganomicon. I adore that cookbook and I have no idea what I used to do without it! There are so many fantastic recipes, with so many helpful tips and tools (the sections on how to cook grains and beans has saved me from much Google searching). Almost every recipe includes good ideas as to what would be good served with the specific meal you're cooking; there's even a menu section in the back with pre-planned meal ideas, with entrees, sides, soups, salads, desserts, and everything. This is definitely my favorite cookbook, and everything I've made so far has been great.

I've also been enjoying using my new food processor, and I use it at least once a day for something. Such as: 

Almond Butter

• 4 to 6 ounces/1 to 2 cups (really as much as you want) raw or roasted almonds

So this is what I did: In my food processor, I ground up the nuts on a high speed until it turned into a sort of powder. I changed it to a medium speed and let it go for 10 to 15 minutes — it will thicken, then turn into a ball, and, eventually, right when you're about to give up because you think you did something wrong, it will magically transform into a smooth butter. Store in a jar in the refrigerator.

This is a pretty versatile recipe, and you can use most other types of nuts. You can also add salt (or just use salted nuts) or some syrup. 

Had I known I was going to post this recipe, I would have taken photos of each step in the process, but I didn't. Thankfully, someone else already did.

I won't be taking another long break for a while! I already have several chocolate recipes ready in time for Valentines Day. :) 

Vanilla Cake with Banana-Coconut Frosting (Sugar-Free)

Well, it's been almost two weeks since 2013 started, and I still haven't eaten any (refined) sugar. I don't really agree with the concept of "new years resolutions", however, I have been making several decisions lately for my physical and mental health, and one of them has been to cut back on sugar. As you can probably tell, I not only have a major sweet tooth, but I also love to bake. That puts me in a bad situation as I've realized cane sugar has some pretty noticeable side effects for me; it gives me terrible migraines, heartburn, mood swings, and fatigue. Also I'm sure it's not particularly beneficial for my psoriasis (or Crohn's!). So I'm trying to stop eating refined sugar, or cane sugar, except maybe the occasional treat on a birthday or holiday. I've been hearing a lot of nasty stuff about agave nectar lately, so I doubt I'll be using that much either (which is such a bummer considering it's so much cheaper than the other alternative sweeteners). I still eat maple syrup and brown rice syrup, but hopefully some day I will cut back significantly on my intake of those too; I'm taking this one step at a time.

This cake is pretty fantastic, if I do say so myself. Not only does it taste great, but it's the perfect consistency (not even a sugar-eating omnivore would be able to guess it's sugar-, egg-, and dairy-free!). Even if you choose to use a different frosting, this cake a fabulous base. It can easily be doubled (or tripled!) to make a layer cake. This recipe is modified from the book More Great Good Dairy-Free Desserts Naturally, but I changed it enough that I feel okay posting it. The frosting recipe was inspired by this recipe by Chocolate Covered Katie, only I changed it somewhat, mostly because coconut butter is definitely not sold near me and my food processor is not cooperative when I try to make my own. It's not exactly the prettiest color in the world, and I would recommend decorating the top with coconut. Of course, if you're not so strict about avoiding sugar, you could use a different frosting, but this stuff really does have a good flavor and I would recommend trying it. 

Vanilla Cake

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons canola oil, or other mild-tasting oil
• 5 tablespoons pure maple syrup or agave nectar
• 1/2 cup non-dairy milk
• 1 1/2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1) Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly oil a circular 8-inch cake pan.

2) In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.

3) In another medium bowl, mix together oil, syrup, milk, vanilla, almond extract, lemon zest, and vinegar until completely combined. 

4) Add liquids to flour mixture and stir until combined and no lumps remain.

5) Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

6) Cool on a wire rack in pan for 10 minutes, then carefully remove from pan and let cake rest on rack until completely cool.

Meanwhile, prepare frosting:

Banana-Coconut Frosting

• 1 overripe banana
• 2/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes (okay I have to admit I didn't measure this at all, so have at least 1 cup available, but you might not need it all)
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, or more, to taste
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• dash of cinnamon
• dash of salt

1) In a blender or food processor, blend banana until smooth. 

2) Add 2/3 cup coconut flakes and combine. At this point, it should be about the consistency of frosting (not smooth, obviously, because of the coconut, but the same thickness); if it seems too liquidy to be spread on cake, add a bit more coconut. 

3) Add maple syrup, extracts, lemon zest, and salt and mix until combined. 

4) Refrigerate until ready to use (it tastes best cold).

To assemble cake, frost with banana frosting, then sprinkle on some extra coconut flakes and lemon zest. 

Enjoy immediately or refrigerate until serving.

 

Orange-Banana Smoothie

I have to admit that, even though I live in Maine, I don't like winter. I mean, I enjoy cold weather and snow for a week or two, but by the time Christmas is over, I'm ready for spring. There's something about walking through the icy snow to get into a freezing car in the morning that just isn't pleasant. So on particularly cold days I usually end up subconsciously making summery drinks. Such as today, when I made this drink. I don't know what to call it. It's almost similar to an Orange Julius, but then again, maybe I'm wrong, since I've only had one once in my life and it was several years ago. It is just sweet enough and the lemon and vanilla add some nice subtle flavors. I was really pleased at how foamy it became after blending it for a minute or two. You can feel free to add ground flaxseeds or protein powder if you'd like.

Orange-Banana Smoothie

• 1 banana, sliced
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 cup nondairy milk
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup or other sweetener
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup ice

1) In a food processor or blender, puree banana for one minute or until smooth. 

2) Blend in orange juice and nondairy milk until combined. 

3) Add maple syrup, lemon juice, and a vanilla and pulse several times to combine.

4) Add ice and blend for 1 to 2 minutes, until no chunks of ice remain. 

Serves 2 to 3

Reflecting on My Health & Diet in 2012

I can't believe it's already a new year! 2012 seemed to go by so quickly. I spent the first half of the year totally focused on my trip, fundraising, shopping, daydreaming, you name it. After I got back from Europe and had finally accepted the fact that I live in America and not a beautiful city in the Mediterranean, I began to spend most of my free time researching nutrition and plant-based diets. Up until this summer, I was still eating Oreos, Ritz Crackers, and all junk food that can technically be classified as "vegan". I had never heard of seitan and spinach was my least favorite food (which is a shock, considering I eat it at least two times a day now). There were a few things this summer that sparked my desire to try a true plant-based diet. While I was overseas, I do remember the food being one of the most fascinating aspects of the trip. Everything we ate was so pure, whole, organic. I had always hated tomatoes, but in Greece and Italy the tomatoes tasted like an entirely different food. And so did the cucumbers, potatoes, peppers, apricots, cherries, plums... When I got home, I knew I had to find those flavors again and that was when I discovered I can get equally delicious fruits and vegetables at farmer's markets and farm stands. All of these exciting new ingredients challenged and inspired me to eat differently.

 

Another reason I started a plant-based diet was to get my health in order. Rewind back about a month or two before my trip. I was finishing up all final preparations to travel (I had my suitcase packed weeks ahead of time of course) when, in a matter of days, my entire body broke out in an awful rash. It didn't itch or hurt or anything, it was just there, and it was the most traumatic thing I could imagine as I was preparing to leave for three weeks on a trip where I had hoped I could truly be myself and make new friends. I rushed to a dermatologist who said I had developed psoriasis as a reaction to the Remicade I was on for Crohn's disease (which is awfully ironic, considering Remicade is often used to treat psoriasis). He prescribed some lotions which certainly reduced the patches, but it became a battle of chasing the psoriasis around my body, as it would come and go in spots but never truly go away. I had the most difficulty treating it on my scalp, and I began losing hair - lots of hair; eventually, I couldn't even go out in public without wearing a bandana or spending an hour trying to cover each bald patch with bobby pins. Anyway, this summer, as I dealt with the realization that I had been diagnosed with a second chronic auto-immune disease, I knew it was time for me to do something on my own.

My dermatologist and my GI doctor didn't get along. He wanted me to go off the Remicade, she didn't. My Crohn's had been in remission for two years, ever since I started the medication (also when I originally went vegan..hmm), so I definitely understood her viewpoint; but it was making me go bald, and as a fifteen year old girl I knew I couldn't stay on it. So that was when I started really getting interested in health, nutrition, and various diets. I watched about a billion health documentaries on NetFlix, dabbled in macrobiotics and gluten-free, and finally decided on a plant-based diet: vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats. Originally I had thought this diet would restrict my food choices even further, and I suppose it technically has, but it doesn't bother me at all because I no longer consider the things I don't eat as food. To me, animal products are not food - they are a sentient being's flesh, they are products belonging to the creatures who created them, they are not my food. Processed and artificial substances are not food - they look like food, they taste like food, but they are not food. This change made me fall in love with the vegan lifestyle all over again. Cooking became my favorite hobby and I even started a food blog to share my thoughts and recipes. :-)

After a few months of eating whole plant foods and feeling like an entirely new person, I had a endoscopy/colonoscopy, and my GI doctor said that my colon was basically as healthy as a colon could be for a Crohn's patient. She gave me her full permission to stop using Remicade (at that point I had actually not had a Remicade infusion for about four months, so it was pretty much completely out of my body). For the first time since I was ten, I was finally able to go off Crohn's medications. It has been so liberating. But at the same time, it's terrifying, knowing that if I ever mess up my diet significantly enough, I could send my body into a flare up. Since then, I have been working so hard to make sure I eat well, and my diet is improving every day. My psoriasis has been gradually improving too; around Christmas, I noticed that I could wear my hair loose without having any bald patches show for the first time since summer (which was odd since only a few weeks before, the hair loss seemed to be at it's worst). I only have a few patches now, and they are so minimal that I hardly notice them. I don't know if my psoriasis will ever go away completely, but I hope that as I continue to eat better food and improve my lifestyle, my symptoms will continue to diminish. Through these experiences over the past year, I've learned to willingly accept the challenges life presents me, and instead of letting them build up and overwhelm me, to face them head on and give them a challenge of their own.

Pictured above (my favorite things I cooked this week!):

Chickpea Romesco served on Garlic-Saffron Rice from Veganomicon by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero

No-Bake Brownie Bites (sweetened by dates, best tasting things ever actually) from Vegan Junk Food by Lane Gold

Hamburger Buns from this recipe, using vegan versions (so far this is the best hamburger bun recipe I've tried but it was much more dense then your typical store-bought hamburger bun..it was more like a roll)

Black Bean Burgers also from Veganomicon, served with those fancy hamburger buns and some homemade baked french fries

Spinach Hummus

So if you know anything about me, then you probably know I like hummus. A lot. About a year ago I made a blog on Tumblr devoted to posting pictures only of hummus (you can check it out here!), and I was shocked how quickly it became popular. It was really nice knowing I'm not the only one with a love for hummus. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to make my own very often, since my blender was rubbish and I didn't have a food processor. But now that I have a food processor, you can expect many hummus recipes in the future!  

You should be able to throw all the ingredients in at once and have a perfectly good hummus, but I've learned to use a specific order that seems to make it the smoothest. First, blend the tahini and lemon juice; then add olive oil, water, garlic, and salt and blend; next, add and blend garbanzo beans; and finally, blend in spinach (or roasted red peppers or whatever extra flavor you choose).

Spinach Hummus

• 1 (14.5 oz) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/3 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 olive oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 cups fresh spinach

In a food processor, blend all ingredients until smooth. Refrigerate before serving. 

Makes about 2 cups

Christmas 2012

I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas! I had such a nice day.

On Christmas Eve, after church, we drove through the neighborhood to look at the luminaries. I went on a walk later to take some pictures. My neighborhood is the only one in my town that has luminaries, and it's always been one of my favorite things about this holiday. Ever since I was little, the first thing I'd do when I woke up on Christmas morning was look out the window to see the dim lights of the remaining luminaries (of course, I couldn't do that this year because it snowed overnight, but that's okay because snow is even prettier).

Christmas at my house is always very relaxed. Basically, we get up whenever we feel like it (9:30 this year!), and start the morning off with coffee, cinnamon rolls, and opening stockings. We didn't have stockings this year, since we now have cats who I'm sure would have loved to have pulled them down from the mantel. But we did have what may be the greatest cinnamon rolls! I used this recipe, and really, it was great. There's only a few changes I'd suggest. Don't use nearly as much margarine as it calls for in the filling and the pan sauce, because that's really disgusting and it doesn't need it at all. When you roll out the dough, it's going to be pretty huge (I don't have the measurements), but don't worry that you did something wrong. Roll it up so that's it's long, not short (I can't think of a better way to explain what I'm trying to say…..), and cut it into what looks like mini rolls. They will expand plenty once they rise and bake, and you should be able to get about 14 decent sized rolls from it.  I'd also really recommend baking them in a springform pan, if you have one, because that way you can pop the sides off and drizzle on the icing and have a very nice arrangement.

We got a Christmas present for our cats - a shelf for the window. Needless to say, they spent the entire day there, birdwatching.

After we ate our breakfasts, we spent most of our day sitting in front of the fire, opening presents, and eating snack food. We always keep out tray of crackers and cheese (and Daiya cheese), dips, and veggies, plus a pot of soup with some bread, to snack on all day, and I really like it so much more than planning a huge meal. It's such a relaxing day! We used this recipe for a spinach artichoke dip, and it was way better than I had expected it to be; even my brother (an omnivore) liked it! We also made a potato soup that was pretty fantastic.

I don't normally like to brag about what I got for Christmas, but I am going to mention that with a couple new vegan cookbooks plus a brand new food processor (!!!), you can expect some fabulous recipes in the near future.

Anyway, I hope you had a wonderful holiday, and that 2013 is a great year for you! :-)

Cinnamon Roll Recipe

Spinach Artichoke Dip Recipe

(Pretty Much Refined-Sugar-Free) Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies

It's almost Christmas! I thought I would be posting loads of cookie recipes, but I really haven't been baking many of my own recipes lately. Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar is my most used cookbook, and even though I change the recipes a lot, to reduce the fat and omit the sugar, I have never made a single cookie from that book that I didn't like. It's a beautiful collection and would definitely recommend it!

Anyway, it's almost Christmas! It snowed a couple days ago and thankfully I got to take some pictures of it before the rain came and washed it all away. Tomorrow's supposed to be more rain (and apparently wind gusts up to 50mph?!), but I'm hoping for at least an inch or two of snow by Christmas. Honestly it doesn't feel like Christmas without snow. That is, unless you're eating one of these fantastic peanut butter blossom cookies! Delicious, soft peanut butter cookies with little pieces of love and joy placed directly in the middle. I only allow myself to make these at Christmas, due to them being so darn addictive. 

Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (alternatively, you could do 1 cup AP flour plus 1 cup whole wheat)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup vegan margarine, softened
• 1/3 cup natural peanut butter
• 2/3 cup pure maple syrup (or agave nectar or brown rice syrup)
• 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Sugar for coating cookies (you could probably use coconut sugar for a refined sugar-free version if you want but I wouldn't know for sure because I've never used coconut sugar before)
• Several dozen chocolate candies*

1) Preheat oven to 375°. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2) In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. 

3) In a large bowl, mix together margarine, peanut butter, and maple syrup until smooth and completely combined. Stir in flaxseed and vanilla. 

4) Add flour mixture to liquids, and stir until a soft dough is formed. 

5) Shape dough into balls the size of walnuts. Roll cookies in sugar and place on baking sheets.

6) Bake for 6-8 minutes. Remove from oven. Top each cookie with chocolate candies, pressing down firmly so cookie crack around edge.  Return to oven and bake for 1 minute, or until golden brown. Cool on cookie sheets for a few minutes, then transfer cookies to wire racks and let them get some nice rest until they're completely cool and the chocolates have hardened.

Makes 3-4 dozen cookies

*Traditionally you would use Hershey Kisses, but obviously that's not an option, as they're not vegan. However, if you know of any good brand that sells vegan chocolate in a similar size and/or shape as Kisses, you can definitely use it! If you can't find any premade chocolate, you can make your own! It only takes a few minutes to do. :-) You can use this imitation Hershey Kiss recipe or use my vegan chocolate recipe (except omit the fillings and instead pour all of the chocolate into the entire mold and freeze it only once - rather than painting the sides and freezing and adding fillings and freezing again and everything). I used cute heart-shaped molds because who doesn't want chocolate in the shape of hearts?? I don't have a sugar-free chocolate recipe yet, but I plan to look for one soon!

Single-Serving Tempeh Bacon + BLT Directions

I know it's not in season or anything, but I've been eating BLTs on a daily basis lately, ever since I figured out how to make this "bacon". It was inspired by the recipe for tempeh bacon in Vegan With a Vengeance,  but I changed it a bit as I'm incredibly impatient person and don't ever want to wait for an hour while my tempeh is marinating. Also I cut it down to a single serving and changed a few ingredients. You can omit the maple syrup if you want, but it does add a nice flavor.

Single-Serving Tempeh Bacon

• 1.75 oz/50g tempeh (should be about 1/3 of a package), sliced into thin strips (1/4" or thinner)
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp Bragg's, soy sauce, or tamari
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp ketchup
• 1/2 tsp maple syrup
• 2-3 drops of liquid smoke (be incredibly careful not to use too much!)

1) In a small bowl, combine apple cider vinegar, Bragg's, garlic, ketchup, maple syrup, and liquid smoke. Set aside.

2) Lightly grease a non-stick pan with oil or cooking spray. Place tempeh pieces in pan so they don't touch each other. 

3) Pour the liquid ingredients into the pan and heat over medium heat. When garlic begins to brown, flip tempeh pieces over to cook the other sides. Once both sides of the tempeh are a shade of brown, remove from heat and serve immediately.

Vegan BLT 

I think "recipes" for sandwiches are weird, especially for ones as simple as this. But I've seen BLT recipes in cookbooks before, so I guess recipes for them are commonly accepted. Basically, what you'll want to do, is toast two pieces of bread - I usually do this while my tempeh is cooking because I have what may be the world's slowest toaster. While your toast is toasting and tempeh is cooking, slice a few pieces of tomato, just to be ready. As soon as your toast is finished, apply a light layer of Vegenaise (or vegan mayo of choice, or margarine if you don't have any mayo) on the inside of both pieces. Add tomatoes, tempeh, and a handful of fresh spinach (you can use lettuce too, but I just love spinach). Close sandwich and eat.

Simple enough?

Almond Snowball Cookies ( + seeing Conor Oberst live)

• 
  

First off, I just need to say that these are in no way sugar-free or low-fat or even just healthy in general - but they're absolutely delicious. I feel like these are one of those cookies that every person already has a recipe for, and every cookie cookbook includes, but in case you happen to be a rare case and don't have a recipe of your own, I'm posting this one. It's supposedly a family recipe, but it's probably just a Betty Crocker recipe that my family first made in the 60s. Either way, they're incredibly good. Nothing says winter quite like these cookies.

Almond Snowball Cookies

• 1 cup margarine, softened
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar, plus more for rolling
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup almonds, ground [use a food processor or even a clean coffee grinder)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

1) Preheat oven to 350°. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2) Cream margarine in a large bowl until light.  Add powdered sugar, creaming well until mixture is light and fluffy.  Stiff in vanilla. Set aside.

3) In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, ground almonds, and salt. Pour flour mixture into the margarine and stir until completely combined.

4) Shape dough into small balls and place on cookie sheets. Bake for 15 minutes. Pour additional powdered sugar into a small bowl or dish (about 1 cup).

5) Remove cookies from oven and immediately roll in additional powdered sugar, then set aside. Once cookies have cooled, roll in sugar again.

Also, I feel like I just need to add an update since I haven't made a post here in a while. My week was rather uneventful, except for on Thursday when I went with a friend to the Conor Oberst concert in Boston. It was probably the most wonderful concert I've ever been to. Every single song on the setlist was perfect. I saw Conor almost two years ago with Bright Eyes in Portland, Maine, and he was incredible then too (also, I had front row that time and he touched my hand, NO BIG DEAL), but I think I enjoyed it more this time. Periodically throughout the concert, I would realize that I was actually in the same building as Conor Oberst and start crying. He's such a beautiful and talented person, and it's really a life-changing experience to see him live. I can't wait to see him again some day!

Also, just to keep this on topic, Conor is, or at least was at some point, a pescetarian. In case you were wondering. 

(I took this during the encore, when we moved closer. We had a better view during the rest of the show though. It looks like we were really far away, but we were actually pretty close the entire time. Forever regretting not having a phone with a better camera.)