Blueberry Oatmeal Cookies

First and foremost, I need to give credit where it is due. My friend Melody's daughter, Iris, came up with the idea to add blueberries to cookies. It turned out to be a delectable dessert we'll definitely be making again.

For the recipe I used dried blueberries, but I am sure freeze dried, frozen or fresh would work well too. If you try out another kind, please let me know how it works out.

Blueberry Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup flour
1/2 cup margarine (I use Earth Balance Buttery Sticks)
1/3 cup applesauce
2 /3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 cups oats
2/3 cup dried blueberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cream together the margarine and sugar. Next add applesauce, vanilla, and baking soda and mix. Blend in the flour until well combined, and then mix in the oats and blueberries.

Spoon a tablespoon of cookie dough onto a lightly greased cookie sheet (unless it is non-stick, then skip it). Bake for 9-12 minutes or until golden brown around edges.

Calling All Bakers for the Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale

Yep, it is that time of year again. We are fast approaching the infamous Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale. It is an excellent opportunity to show off your baking skills, and gorge yourself on delectable vegan junk food.

If you are located in the Twin Cities, please come on by the Animal Rights Coalition on Saturday April 21st from 10 AM to 4 pm. There is still plenty of time to plan to bake for the sale, just contact mnveganbakesale@gmail.com for more details.

If you are new to this annual extravaganza, let me fill you in on the nitty gritty details. It was first started in 2009 with the proceeds going toward various animal causes. Since its beginning year, a $100,000 has been raised for charity. That is some serious moola in bake sale land.

Check out the Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale's web site for a list of participating sales around world. It runs from April 21st through the 29th.

If there isn't one near you, consider organizing one. The central site provides helpful tips on how to get started, what to bake, advertising, etc. Heck, it has even been covered by CNN and VegNews the past couple years.

You need not be an expert baker to participate. If you simply can't imagine producing baked goods, you certainly can come out to buy some. Hope to see you there!

Simple Spring Taco Pizza

First off, please excuse my prolonged absence. I have been dealing with some health issues. Since health comes first and foremost, I had to put this on hold. Luckily I think I've got all that business worked out now.

My family loves taco night, and I wanted to try a fun, new approach to spice things up a bit. One day this popped into my head, and now I finally got around to trying it out.

There really isn't a recipe required. It is just that simple. We used two frozen organic corn meal crusts, fat free refried black beans, and taco toppings. Ours had onions, tomatoes, and avocado. It would also be great to try it out with vegan cheese sprinkles, guacamole, and hot sauce.

Before adding the refried beans to the crust, bake crust in the oven until it is starting to brown (according to package directions). Remove from the oven and layer on the refried beans, then layer with toppings. Bake for 4-5 minutes on 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you are feeling particularly ambitious, this homemade cornmeal crust would be a great place to start.