Chocolate-It's What's for Dinner

Pepitas (pumpkin seeds) are such a nice addition to salads and as toppings on soup.  What really brings out their flavor is toasting them. They are also really cool because when you toast them, they puff up and try to pop out of the pan. See how they puff up I usually use my little cast iron pan and put in enough to cover the bottom - no fat required.  Once they start to try to escape from the pan, puff, and are lightly toasted remove from heat. I usually let them cool right in the frying pan.  If you let them get a little too dark, don't let them cool in the pan. They will continue to cook in the hot pan a little. This is my little cast iron pan - guess you can't really tell because there is nothing to show its scale

I don't usually read Woman's Day magazine but it was a long wait in the chiropractor's office today. This recipe caught my eye. It interested me because there were no eggs in it. They also used a technique of dissolving the baking soda in boiling water and then adding it to the batter. That was intriguing. I assume that this activates the baking soda but I'm not sure why it needs to be activated in this way? If anyone knows why, please post in the comments section because I would like to know. Oatmeal Cookies (Adapted from Woman's Day ) 1/2 c whole wheat flour 1/2 c flour 1/4 sugar 1/4 brown sugar, packed 1 t cinnamon 1/2 t salt 1 c oatmeal (not instant) 1 c unsweetened shredded coconut 1/2 c raisins 1/2 c dried cranberries 1/4 c pepitas 1/2 c butter 3 T flour 1 t vanilla 1/2 t baking soda 3 T boiling water In a large bowl, whisk together flours, sugars, cinnamon, and salt.  Add oatmeal, dried fruits, and pepitas. Set aside. In a small saucep...