The week ahead

So I am back and life moves forth...
Here's the week in food:
Enchilada's
Cheese and Broc soup with salad
Jeff's Birthday dinner request- FULL FAT versions of Alfredo tortellini, chocolate cake with Bavarian cream filling and Buttercream frosting (after all this I will not be eating the rest of the week)
Homemade veggie burger and smokey onion rings
Taco casserole
Vegan Ruben wraps
Veggie curry

I came across this quote - "Learn to love prep work -Holding raw ingredients in your hands and throwing fresh veggies into pots. Watch in amazement as your fingers hold an onion and a bunch of greens and create magic"
Its true there is magic in food. It heals, mends, holds, makes friends, marriages, and grows us all.
I have never been an emotional eater, I am an emotional cooker but I must say aren't we all. Watch someone's face as the set out a home cooked meal for the first time or make their child birthday cake, or bring a meal to an ill friend or grieving family or a newly made family.... Emotional, yes, magic, yes!

As it Jeff's birthday week I wanted to make our sweet treat of the week in honor of him.
Iced Oatmeal Raisin cookies
2 Tbsp flaxseed meal
1 cup oat flour ( make your own by processing the oats in the FP)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 Tbsp vegan margarine, softened (I use SmartBalance)
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup applesauce or prune puree (I went with homemade applesauce)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries (I used currants)

Icing:
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 Tbsp lemon juice

1. To make cookies: stir together flaxseed meal and 3 Tbsp water in a small bowl. Set aside. Whisk together oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. Set aside.

2. Beat margarine, brown sugar and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer (or a Kitchen Aid!) 1 to 2 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add applesauce, vanilla and flaxseed mixture, and beat until smooth. Stir in oat flour mixture with a spatula or wooden spoon. Add oats and dried fruit and stir to combine. Cover and chill for two hours or overnight.

3. Preheat oven to 350F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or coat with cooking spray. Roll cookie dough into golf-ball sized rounds, and place dough balls 1.5 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. (This recipe says it makes 24 cookies, but I only got about 16.) Flatten each cookie to 1/4 inch thickness with the bottom of a drinking glass dipped in water. Bake 10-12 minutes or until cookies look dry on top and are just beginning to brown.

4. Meanwhile, prepare icing by whisking together confectioners' sugar and lemon juice in small bowl until smooth; icing should be thick, but spreadable. Gently brush icing on hot cookies with pastry brush. Cool 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container.

I made the mix tonight and in the morning will pop them in the oven and send him off with fresh cookies....