Happy birthday watermelon cake

One of my daughters has requested watermelon instead of a cake for several years now. I like this year's version, as it actually looks relatively cake-like. We used toothpicks broken in half to attach the fruit to the sides.

Flax Gel Egg Replacer

I am sure you have heard of replacing eggs with flaxseeds. They are very cool, but this is cooler! normally you grind up flax, mix it with water, and let it sit for 15 minutes while it mucilages. It is used as an egg replacer in every recipe except truly eggy ones like soufflé or quiche. But, it has lots of brown flecks, affecting the texture, it does require a 15 minute head start, plus the ground flax, which I usually freeze to keep some of the nutrients. Well, flax egg gel is even cooler!

This smells delightful!

Boil 1/4 cup of flax seeds in 5 cups of water for 20 minutes. It should boil down to 2 or 3 cups. Than, you strain out the flaxseeds and are left with a lovely egg replacer! Use 3 tablespoons to replace each in baked good (not like quiche or soufflé, of course, but muffins and pancakes and all that). We store our in a jar and write "3 T=1egg" with a permanent marker on the jar. It keeps in the fridge for up to two weeks.

These taste better than eggs, have the same holding powers, but don't change the texture or flavor like flax eggs.

Flax Gel Egg Replacer
1/4 cup flaxseeds
5 cups water

Place flaxseeds in water, bring to a boil and reduce on low for 20 minutes. Strain out and discard flaxseeds. Use 3 tablespoons of gel for each egg. Stores in fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Peanut Butter Cookies (with Garbanzo Beans)

I could call these grain-free, sugar-free, vegan bites of peanut delight...but then my kids would never eat them. Which would really be ok, because I love them! Peanut butter cookies were always my favorite growing up, and our vegan friend brought these to my daughter. Do you notice how my best recipes lately have been personally passed to me from other people? What a blessing!

I used a recipe found at Texanerin.com, and for once made no changes. Well, except that I didn't use chocolate chips. There I go modifying again! Check out the original blogged post for tips if you want more info about these. They do require a food processor. Since I donated mine one day when I was attempting minimalism, I used the hand blender (which of course I acquired after I realized I would rather make my own mayo than have only 100 possessions). I suggest the food processor, as the
occasional Garbanzo bean chunk was not husband-approved. The rest of us, however loved the texture.

Peanut Butter Cookies (with Garbanzo Beans)
1 1/4 cups garbanzo beans, or chickpeas, patted dry with a towel(I soaked and cooked mine on low overnight, but canned would be fine)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla

Mix all ingredients until smooth with a food processor.  Form into golf ball sized balls. Place on a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a pizza stone. Flatten lightly, then criss-cross mark with a fork. Bake for 10 minutes at 350.