Bean and Artichoke Salad

By Ann Crile Esselstyn, in Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease by Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., M.D.

AM: No oil and no salt in the dressing and I didn't even miss it! I'm going to be trying a lot of new recipes in this book and all of them will be completely vegan and guilt free.  If you haven't read Esselstyn's book yet, run to your nearest library or book store to get a copy now!

1 large tomato, chopped (2 c)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped (1/2 c)
1 small red onion, chopped (1/2 c)
1 c chopped parsley or cilantro
1 19-oz can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 14-oz can artichoke hearts, drained and rinsed
2 T fresh lemon juice
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 t spicy brown mustard
1 t dried basil
1 t dried oregano
1 t dried thyme
1 garlic clove, minced

1. Combine first seven ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl, stir with a whisk, and pour over bean mixture. Chill before serving.

Makes 6 servings.

Vegistrone

By Weight Watchers, originally called Weight Watchers Garden Vegetable Soup.

AM: This soup was dubbed "Vegistrone" by my good friend Jenn as she felt it needed a more clever name.  I agree, and I have now made this recipe twice. Delicious as is, great with a little parmesan cheese on top, wonderfully satisfying with a hunk of good bread.

Ingredients

Makes 6 servings

1/2 cup carrots, sliced

1/4 cup onions, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 cups fat-free beef, chicken or vegetable broth

1 cup green cabbage, diced

1 cup spinach, chopped

1 tbsp tomato paste

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup zucchini, diced

Directions

Spray a large saucepan with nonstick cooking spray, and heat.

Place carrot, onion and garlic in saucepan. Sauté vegetables over low heat for 5 minutes, until softened.

Add broth, cabbage, spinach, tomato paste, basil, oregano and salt. Bring saucepan to a boil.

Reduce heat, and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Stir in zucchini, and cook 3-4 minutes.

Healthy Potato Skillet

By Janae Devika, Cafe Janae.

Ann: Husband approved.  Most potato dishes are accepted by my sweetheart, but this one even received compliments and leftovers didn't last long.

Ingredients:

• 6 potatoes (pre-baked or parboiled)
• 2 avocados - diced
• 3 roma tomatoes - diced
• 3⁄4 cup black olives, sliced
• 2 bunches cilantro - chopped fine
• 2 bunches green onions - chopped fine
• 1 bunch kale - chopped fine
• 1 onion - diced
• 4 cloves garlic - minced
• 2 Tbs. dried seasoning of choice (Italian seasoning, basil, oregano, Mexican seasoning, etc)
• 2 Tbs. raw coconut oil or grape seed oil
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Optional:

• 1 cup artichoke hearts
• 1⁄2 cup sun-dried tomatoes
• 1⁄4 tsp cayenne pepper (if you like spicy food)

Directions:

Pre-bake potatoes. Cut potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Put them in cast iron skillet with 2 Tbs. oil. Fry until golden brown.
In separate pan, caramelize diced onion by putting it in a frying pan with 2 Tbs. oil and cooking it on medium-low heat until it is brown. When onions are caramelized, add garlic, spices, salt, and kale and cook for a few more minutes (with the lid on) until the kale turns dark green and begins to wilt.
Mix hot potatoes, hot onion-kale mixture, and the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and serve immediately with freshly ground black pepper and dairy free sour cream (recipe following).
This dish is very good served with fresh salsa or raw nut 'sour cream'. This is also delicious served in crepes like a burrito.

Non-Dairy Sour Cream
Ingredients:
1 cup raw cashews soaked for at least 4 hours
Juice of 1-2 lemons (depending on how tart you like it)
½ tsp salt (or to taste)

Optional:
1 probiotics capsule
¼ tsp. chipotle pepper


Directions:
Soak the cashews for at least 4 hours. Blend cashews in a Vita Mix with lemon and salt until smooth and creamy. Add a little bit of water if necessary to make it blend easier. Scrape into glass bowl and refrigerate until firm. Will last 3 days in refrigerator.

If you want to add active live cultures to the sour cream, add a capsule of probiotics to the bowl of sour cream. Stir with a spoon until well mixed. Cover and allow to sit undisturbed on counter (at room temperature) for 12 hours. Refrigerate and consume within 3 days.

Moroccan Spiced Vegetable Chili

By Julie Hession, 2010 winner of the Aetna Healthy Food Fight.

Ann: Hearty and also great over rice.

Ingredients

2 T olive oil
1 medium red onion, peeled and chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1 large red sweet pepper, seeded and chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
3 c peeled butternut squash, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 T cumin
1 T coriander
1 T chili powder
1 1/2 t cinnamon
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
3 c water
3 15-oz cans garbonzo beans, rinced and drained
2/3 c uncooked bulgur
cilantro
plain Greek yogurt

1. In a 5-quart Dutch oven heat oil over medium-high heat. Add next five ingredients; cook, stirring frequently until carrots are tender, about 6 minutes. Add butternut squash and spices; cook and stir for 1 minute.

2. Add the undrained tomatoes, water, beans and bulgur, bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat. Cover; cook 20 minutes or until bulgur and butternut squash are tender, stirring frequently. Ladle chili into bowls and top with cilantro and yogurt, if desired.

Makes 6 servings.

Six-seed Soda Bread

From 101 Cookbooks, by Heidi Swanson.

Ann: Another bread-making success for me! I really got a kick out of combining all the seeds, although I'm not a big fennel lover so I reduced the quantity of that one a bit, but the loaf came together so easily I'm starting to get a big head about it all.  This recipe calls for buttermilk, but an easy vegan substitute is achieved by adding 1T white vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup non-dairy milk, stir and let sit for 5 minutes.

I've been enjoying this combination of seeds, but feel free to experiment with other combinations if you prefer, based on what you have on hand, or what is available in your area. You can also make this with whole-wheat flour in place of the spelt flour.

2 1/2 tablespoons EACH sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds,
poppy seeds, flax seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 3/4 cup / 9 oz / 250 g spelt flour
2 cups / 9 oz / 250 g unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 3/4 cup / 14 oz / 400 ml buttermilk
a bit of extra buttermilk/milk

Preheat your oven to 400F / 205C. Place a rack in the center of the oven. In a small bowl combine all the seeds and set aside. 

Sift the flours, baking soda, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Stir in all but 2 tablespoons of the seeds. Make a well in the flour, pour in the buttermilk, and stir until the dough just comes together. If you need to add an extra splash of buttermilk because the dough is too dry, you can. As Hugh says, "Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead lightly for about a minute, just long enough to pull it together into a loose ball but no longer - you need to get it into the oven while the baking soda is still doing its stuff." 

Place the dough on a lightly floured baking sheet and mark it with a deep cross across the top, cutting two-thirds of the way through the loaf with a serrated knife. Brush with buttermilk and sprinkle with the remaining seeds, making sure plenty of seeds make it down into the cracks. 

Bake for 35 - 40 minutes, or until the bread is golden crusted on top and bottom (you may want to move the oven rack up for the last 15 minute if you need more color on the top of the loaf). Cool on a wire rack. 

Makes a single loaf.
Adapted from River Cottage everyday by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, published by Bloomsbury.

Prep time: 10 min - Cook time: 40 min

Burundi Beans and Rice

In Making West Home In Idaho, recipe by Josephine Nizigiyimana

Ann: This recipe came from a collection of stories and recipes from Boise's refugee community. Except for a fresh onion, I was able to use all ingredients I had stocked in my food storage. I used olive oil rather than red palm and corn oils, and a can of stewed tomatoes rather than fresh, because I was looking for a recipe I could make with items I had on hand. I also didn't cook the rice in oil before boiling in water, and just sauteed the onion and tomatoes. Loved the result: simple and satisfying.

Serves 8-10

 3/4 c red palm oil
2 pounds dried pinto beans
1 c shallots or onions, thinly sliced
3 large tomatoes
1 1/2 t salt, plus more to taste
4 c Thai jasmine rice
1/2 corn oil

Put the beans in a large saucepan and cover with water (about 7 cups). Add 2-3 T of salt. Bring to a simmer and continue to cook, covered, on a medium low heat until the beans are soft, about three hours. You may need to continue to add water to prevent the beans from drying out.

Rinse and drain the rice 3-4 times. Use your hands to wash the rice thoroughly. Heat a large saucepan on a medium heat for a few minutes, then add the oil. Heat the oil until hot, but not smoking. Add 1 T of salt to the oil.  Add rice and fry, stirring constantly for five minutes. Add water to cover (about 8 cups) and stir. Cover and cook at a medium heat until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is done, about 30-40 minutes.

Peel the uncooked tomatoes and slice them into large wedges, removing all the seeds. Heat red palm oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until smoking hot.  Add shallots and cover the pan. Let them cook in the boiling oil for 1-2 minutes.  Add tomatoes and stir. Cover the pot and continue to cook on medium high heat for 2-3 minutes. Using a metal spoon, break up the tomatoes in the pan and continue to stir until the tomatoes are reduced to the thickness of tomato paste, about five minutes. Add the tomato mixture to the beans and stir until completely combined. Add more salt to taste. Serve the beans in a bowl over rice.

Chickpea Salad Wrap

From Oh She Glows, by Angela Liddon.

Ann: I think Travis ate more of this than I did! I tried it in a wrap and in pita bread, both terrific lunch options.

Yield: 3 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 (15-oz) can chickpeas (or 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas)
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 2 tbsp chopped red onion
• 3 tbsp chopped dill pickle (~1 pickle)
• 1 tbsp minced fresh dill
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 tsp regular mustard
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds (or pecans/walnuts)
• salt/herbamare and pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 325F and toast the sunflower seeds for about 11 minutes.

2. Mix everything into a bowl, mashing up the chickpeas slightly with a fork, and season with salt (I used Herbamare) and pepper, to taste. Stuff into a wrap or pita, or enjoy with crackers or rice cakes.

Nutritional Info (based on 3 servings): 222 kcals, 8 grams fat, 32 grams carbs, 7 grams fibre, 1 gram sugar, 8 grams protein. 

Easy Vegan Pad Thai

From Mitten Machen, by Mary Lake.

Ann: Yes easy! Yes tasty! Yes cabbage!

Stir-fry:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
6 ounces extra firm tofu, cubed
2 cups finely shredded green cabbage
1 large carrot, grated

Garnish:
chopped scallions
cilantro
chopped peanuts
lime wedges
mung bean sprouts

Boil a large pot of water and remove from heat. Immerse rice noodles for 6-8 minutes, until soft. Drain and toss with a drizzle of vegetable oil to keep from sticking together. Set aside.

Whisk together sauce ingredients.

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high. Fry tofu 4-5 minutes, until golden. Add garlic and toss for 1 minute. Add cabbage a carrot and immediately remove from heat. Toss until vegetables are wilted.

Toss tofu and vegetables with cooked rice noodles and sauce. Top each serving with scallions, cilantro, peanuts, bean sprouts, and a lime wedge.

Makes 3 hearty servings.

Easy Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts

From About.com, by Jolinda Hackett

Ann: Just before Christmas brussels sprouts were calling to me from the produce section and I decided to explore unchartered waters: take an obscure vegetable (obscure to my family) to our big Christmas dinner party. I reviewed many possible recipes before finally settling on this one and what do you know...they were a hot topic of conversation and disappeared from my serving bowl.  Mission accomplished!

A quick and easy vegetable side dish recipe for brussels sprouts roasted with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. This easy brussels sprouts recipe is vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free.

Ingredients:

• 2- 3 cups brussels sprouts, sliced in half
• dash salt and pepper, to taste
• 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 3 tbsp olive oil

Preparation:

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Whisk together the vinegar, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Slowly incorporate the olive oil until a dressing is formed.

Place the brussels sprouts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle the oil and vinegar over the sprouts and gently toss to coat.
Bake for 25 minutes, turning once. Sprouts are done when they are lightly browned.

Lemony Chickpea Stir-fry

From 101 Cookbooks, by Heidi Swanson.

Ann: Full of flavor but not overpowering, delicious over rice.

2 tablespoon ghee or extra-virgin olive oil
fine grain sea salt
1 small onion or a couple shallots, sliced
1 cup cooked chickpeas (canned is fine, if you don't want to cook up a pot of dried chickpeas)
8 ounces extra-firm tofu
1 cup of chopped kale
2 small zucchini, chopped
zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon

Heat 1 tablespoon of the ghee/olive oil In a large skillet over medium-high heat and stir in a big pinch of salt, the onion, and chickpeas. Saute until the chickpeas are deeply golden and crusty. Stir in the tofu and cook just until the tofu is heated through, just a minute or so. Stir in the kale and cook for one minute more. Remove everything from the skillet onto a large plate and set aside. In the same skillet heat the remaining tablespoon of ghee/olive oil, add the zucchini and saute until it starts to take on a bit of color, two or three minutes. Add the chickpea mixture back to the skillet, and remove from heat. Stir in the lemon juice and zest, taste, and season with a bit more salt if needed. Turn out onto a platter and serve family style.
Serves 2 - 4.

Lentil Almond Stir-Fry

From 101 Cookbooks by Heidi Swanson.

Ann: I didn't have any mint leaves so I may have missed the whole essence of this dish but I found it tasty nontheless.

I used some fun marble-sized purple potatoes in this version, but you can use whatever smaller, new potatoes you come across. Just try to avoid big, starchy potatoes here. Also, Wayne brought home packets of cooked black lentils from Trader Joe's the other day. They're great if you are in a time crunch and don't have time to cook up a fresh pot of lentils.

Mint sauce (optional)
1 cup fresh mint leaves
1/2 serrano chile pepper, de-veined and seeded
2 tablespoons olive oil
pinch of salt
a touch of sugar, or honey, or agave nectar
1 tablespoon lemon juice 

extra-virgin olive oil
6 to 8 very small new potatoes, cut into 1/2 pieces
2 cups cooked brown or black lentils
12 brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted 

1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt, thinned out with a bit of water, and salted with a pinch of salt  2 dates, pitted and chopped

Start by making the mint sauce. Combine the mint leaves, serrano, olive oil, salt, sugar, and lemon juice in a food processor (or blender). Give it a few pulses, just enough for the mint to break down a bit. Taste, adjust for your tastes (more serrano? salt?) - set aside.
Now cook the potatoes along with a generous splash of olive oil and pinch of salt in a large skillet over medium heat. Cover the skillet and let the potatoes cook through, this will take five minutes or so. The water in the potatoes will help steam and soften them. When the potatoes are just cooked through (not mushy or falling apart) remove the lid and give them a good toss. Turn up the heat to medium-high and stir every minute or so (a spatula helps) until the potatoes look a bit golden. Stir in the lentils, and cook until heated through. Turn the potatoes and lentils out onto a large plate and set aside.
Now cook the brussels sprouts using the same pan. Heat another splash of olive oil in the skillet over medium heat. Don't overheat the skillet, or the outsides of the brussels sprouts will cook too quickly. Place the sprouts in the pan (single-layer), sprinkle with a pinch of salt, cover, and cook for a few minutes; the bottoms of the sprouts should only show a hint of browning. Cut into or taste one of the sprouts to gauge whether they're tender throughout. If not, cover and cook for another minute or two. Once just tender, uncover, turn up the heat, and cook until the flat sides are deep brown and caramelized.
Add the lentils and potatoes back to the skillet and add most of the sliced almonds. Turn out onto a large platter and drizzle with some of the yogurt and mint sauce*. Top with the remaining almonds and the chopped dates.
Serves 2-3.

Gougeres

From 101cookbooks by Heidi Swanson.

Ann: I always feel so proud of myself when I make any sort of bread item. I was a bit scared to try this recipe but it really was quite easy.  In Heidi's post about the gougeres (sorry I don't know how to add the accent grave over the first 'e') she recommends mixing the dough with a spoon, use large eggs rather than extra large, prep all ingredients ahead of time, and let gougeres brown all the way up the sides before taking them out of the oven.  You may want to follow the link above to read her account first hand.  Then be sure to eat these delights with a bowl of warm soup.  Mmm!

I've included a bunch of tips and things in the main post. If this is the first time you've made gougères, be sure to give that a quick read-through first, before jumping in.

2/3 cup / 160 ml beer / ale OR water
1/3 cup / 80 ml milk
8 tablespoons butter, thickly sliced
3/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
scant 1/2 cup / 65 g / 2.25 oz all-purpose flour
scant 1/2 cup / 65 g / 2.25 oz whole wheat flour
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/4 cup / 3 1/4 oz / 90 g sharp white cheddar, grated on box grater
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed w/ mortar + pestle

Preheat oven to 425F / 220C, with a rack in top third. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Bring the beer, milk, butter, and salt just to a boil in a large (thick-bottomed) saucepan over medium-high heat. Dial back the heat a bit. Add the flours and use a wooden spoon to stir, stir, stir. Really go at it. Keep going for a couple minutes, until the dough comes together smoothly, and gives off a faint toasty scent. Remove from heat and let cool, stirring occasionally to let heat out, for about five minutes. Long enough that the eggs won't cook when you attempt to work them in.
One at a time, add each of the four eggs, stirring vigorously after each addition. Stir in 1 cup of the cheese, and right away scoop gougères onto the prepared baking sheet in heaping tablespoon-sized dollops, leaving at least 1 1/2 inches between each. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and fennel seeds. Place in the oven, bake for FIVE minutes, then dial the heat back to 375, and bake another 20- 25 minutes, or until gougères are deeply golden all over, puffed, and well set. If you notice the gougers in the back browning much more quickly than the ones in the front, spin the sheet 180 degrees about 2/3 through.
Alternately, if you aren't baking the gougères immediately: shape pans of gougère dough, sprinkle with cheese, and freeze for 1/2 hour. Transfer to a freezer bag at this point, until you're ready to bake. Bake straight from the freezer, same as above, with a couple extra minutes.
Makes ~ 2 dozen 3-inch gougères.

Prep time: 10 min - Cook time: 30 min  

Fruity Baked Oatmeal with Crunchy Cinnamon Almond Topping

From Oh She Glows by Angela Liddon.

Ann:  I really like Angela's oatmeal/fruit recipes and this is no exception.  My picky Cael (2 yrs old) has to sniff and taste test everything with barely the tip of his tongue before he will let it pass his lips, and he downed this stuff while I watched with my jaw on the table.  Yes I will make it again, maybe even tonight.

It is like a hybrid between baked oatmeal and a fruit crisp. The crunchy cinnamon almond topping really made the whole dish. I also highly recommend a drizzle of maple syrup…it tied in all the flavours very well. When I make baked oatmeal I like to make a large batch so I can enjoy it for a few meals! It is a really quick breakfast that reheats in a flash. It reheats really well with a splash of milk. I even love it cold straight from the fridge!

Ingredients (4 servings)

Oatmeal

• 1 cup + 1/3 cup regular rolled oats
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 1 large banana, chopped
• 1 apple, peeled and chopped
• 1 tbsp raisins
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 1.5-2 cups non-dairy milk (I used 2 cups but you might need less depending on the volume of mix ins)
• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

Crunchy Cinnamon Almond Topping

• 1/4 cup raw almonds
• 2 tbsp regular rolled oats
• 1 tbsp Sucanat (or other dry sugar)
• 1 tsp pure maple syrup
• 1 tbsp non-dairy milk

Instructions

• 1. Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a 4 cup baking dish.
• 2. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, chia seeds, chopped banana, peeled and chopped apple, raisins, pinch of salt, and cinnamon. Now stir in the milk, maple syrup, and vanilla. Pour into casserole dish and set aside.
• 3. In a food processor, or by hand, process (or chop) the almonds. Now add in the oats, Sucanat (or sugar), Maple syrup, and milk and process until just combined. Sprinkle this mixture on top of the oatmeal mixture.
• 4. Bake in the oven for 26-30 minutes at 350F, uncovered. Watch closely during the last few minutes of baking so the topping doesn’t burn. Remove from oven and serve immediately. Drizzle with maple syrup. Will keep in the fridge, covered, for about 3 days. To reheat, simply, place in a bowl and add a splash of milk and heat in the microwave for a minute or so.

Sushi Bowl

From 101cookbooks.com, by Heidi Swanson.

Ann:  Can you tell I really like Heidi Swanson's recipes?  Someday I'm going to buy your book, Heidi. The dressing has a nice citrus tang and somehow I got hooked on nori seaweed, so anything with that ingredient always catches my eye.  Filling and lets me pretend I'm in Asia.

I've included the instructions for cooking brown rice here, but when I'm pinched for time I just grab for frozen, pre-cooked brown rice (freeze it yourself, or look for it in the freezer section at Whole Foods).

2 cups short-grain brown rice
3 1/2 cups water
2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt
2 (4-inch) square sheets nori seaweed
6 ounces extra-firm tofu
grated zest and juice of one orange
grated zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons (raw) brown sugar (reg. sugar is ok too)
2 tablespoons shoyu sauce (or soy sauce)
2 tablespoons (brown) rice vinegar
4 green onions, chopped
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

Rinse and drain the rice two or three times. Combine the rice, water, and salt in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat, cover, and simmer gently until the water is absorbed, about 45 minutes.
Toast the nori in a preheated 300F degree oven or a medium-hot skillet for a few minutes. Crumble or chop coarsely.
Drain the tofu and pat it dry. Cut the block of tofu lengthwise through the middle to make four 1/4-to 1/2-inch thick sheets of tofu. Two at a time, cook in a dry skillet or well-seasoned skillet over medium-high for a few minutes until browned on one side. Flip gently, then continue cooking for another minute or so, until the tofu is firm, golden, and bouncy. Let cool, enough to handle, then cute crosswise into matchsticks (see photo). Repeat with the remaining sheets.
To make the dressing, set the sheets aside. Combine the orange juice lemon juice, and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Cook for 1 or 2 minute, the add the shoyu and vinegar. Return to a gentle boil and cook another 1 or 2 minutes, until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the zests.
When the rice is done, stir in 1/3 cup of the dressing and add more to taste. Scoop the rice into individual bowls and top with the toasted nori, green onions, tofu, avocado slices, and a sprinkling of sesame seeds.
Makes 4-6 servings.

Peanut Butter Cookies

From 101cookbooks.com, by Heidi Swanson

Ann:  Ok, these cookies were way too good and I ate just about the whole batch.  They were soft and melt-in-your-mouth delicious.  I vow to make another batch only if I have someone else present to manage how many I pop in my mouth.

Spelt flour bakes into a slightly darker cookie (photo), whole wheat pastry flour is slightly blonder - more traditional in appearance in the end. Finish the cookies with chopped nuts or a sprinkling of flaky salt. I'd also recommend seeking out a peanut butter that is well combined, and not super-oily (extra slick) looking - to avoid problems with the cookie batter.

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour, spelt flour, or unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 cup organic, chunky natural peanut butter
1 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Place racks in the top third.
In a medium mixing bowl combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. in a separate larger bowl combine the peanut butter, maple syrup, olive oil, and vanilla. Stir until combined. Pour the flour mixture over the peanut butter mixture and stir until barely combined - still a bit dusty looking. Let sit for five minutes, give one more quick stir, just a stroke or two. Now drop by heaping tablespoonfuls onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Press down on each one gently with the back of a fork. It's a loose batter, so if you're set on doing criss-crosses, go ahead and chill the batter for an hour or so before this step. Bake for 10, maybe 11 minutes - but don't over bake or they will be dry. Let cool five minutes and transfer to a cooling rack.
Make 2 - 3 dozen cookies.