My personal copy of Toolkit for Wellness automatically springs open to page 184. The pages are dripped on, crinkled, underlined, and generally represent the look of a well-loved recipe with notes in the margins.
Which recipe has become so beloved? Breakfast Cookies, of course!
Years ago, I had taken a recipe I loved and grew it up several nutritional notches by adding a few ingredients to boost protein, omega 3s, and fiber content.
With nine power-packed dry ingredients, I find keeping these little beauties around so much easier when I measure out extra batches for later use. The dry ingredients are easily stored in a zip lock bag in the refrigerator and all I have to do is add the wet ingredients, stir, and bake!
Easy peasy!
Over the last couple years, I have modified the ingredient list a bit and simplified assembly. I am pleased to share the latest version with you. I am also including a printable PDF version BELOW so you can keep it handy. I’m going to laminate mine!
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BREAKFAST COOKIES- version 3.0
Assemble dry ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine well:
½ cup almond flour
½ coconut flour
¼ cup ground flax seed
¼ cup hemp seed hearts
¼ Great Lakes Collagen Hydrolysate
1 Tbs. Ceylon cinnamon
2 tsp. baking soda
½ cup dried fruit – I prefer golden raisins
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes. Pulse flakes in a food processor to create smaller pieces of coconut flakes – about ¼ inch in length, THEN measure out 1 cup. A 7-ounce bag of coconut flakes should yield about 2 cups of smaller shreds.
In a food processor place the following:
Juice from ½ lemon
3 large, ripe bananas broken into chunks
7 medium-sized PITTED dates /or/ 5 large, PITTED, Medjool dates /or/ 7 dried figs with stems removed /or/ a combination of dates and figs – SOAKED in warm water for 15 minutes and drained
Pulse the lemon juice, bananas, and dates/figs until smooth with no big chunks remaining.
Then add:
2 Tbs. coconut oil
1 cup unsweetened applesauce (2 – small 4-ounce containers)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
Pulse all wet ingredients until well combined with no chunks.
Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir well to combine.
At this point, start pre-heating the oven to 325/convection or 350/standard.
Tap the dough. Your fingers should come away clean. If the dough seems too wet, (mine usually does – depending on the size of the bananas and lemon), add some coconut flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, and stir to incorporate. I often add up to ¼ cup extra.
Using a golf-ball sized cookie scoop, (2 inches in diameter), fill and pack scoop by pressing dough into the scoop at the side of the bowl. Place cookies onto parchment paper covered cookie sheets.
Using 2-3 damp fingers, gently press each cookie down a bit.
OPTIONAL – Measure out 1-2 tsp. of course sugar such as Turbinato or Demerara into a small dish. Sprinkle just a pinch of granules on top of each cookie. This is not intended to be a big sugar hit I just like the sparkly effect on the top.
Looks like a bakery confection!
Bake cookies for 20-25 minutes. Cookies will still be a bit soft but not mushy when done. Place cookies on a wire rack to cool and firm up.
One recipe yields 27 – 28 cookies.
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A couple of cookies will make a totally satisfying breakfast. These freeze and refrigerate quite well. I package nine of them in a gallon zip lock bag, making a tube of cookies at the bottom of the bag. Expel the air, roll up the tube, and freeze for a later day.
I keep one package in the refrigerator at all times and simply reheat two in the toaster oven.
Perfect!
Today I made a double recipe which yielded 55 cookies – plenty for future use. I also set up dry ingredients for two more single batches. Now, all I will need will be three ripe bananas and a lemon; everything else is on hand. Easy!
In health-
Deidre
Thanksgiving? Leftovers may be my favorite part of the holiday, so it seems appropriate to have savored my Cranberry Secret Sauce over some peanut butter on gluten free toast for breakfast today.
Check last week’s post to keep that tasty and versatile jewel of redness around for the whole holiday season.
bacterial hand soap.
Finally, Bath and Body Works and other purveyors of “soap-ness,” have returned to offering most of their wares in the non-antibacterial form. Excellent!
squirt-top container, I discovered regular liquid is too thick to go through the apparatus. What to do? I tried diluting the liquid – one-part soap to 2-3 parts water – guess what? Foaming soap! Think of all the water I had been buying all those years.
No matter what soap we use, the trick is in proper handwashing technique. Rub, rub, rub those dirty paws thoroughly. Get to all surfaces of the hands, between fingers, and scrape your nails along the palm of the opposite hand to drive the soap bubbles underneath them. The rubbing process with soapy hands should last for 15-20 seconds or two hums of the Happy Birthday song.
truly proper handwashing, coupled with not touching your face, will break that hand-to-mouth/eye/nose circle of germ circulation.
Today’s next tidbit is something I’ve successfully employed in my recovery from being in a hypervigilant state for the past two years – even longer, as I endeavored to be “on-the-ready” for my husband’s changing needs.
mean our nervous systems magically switch to a normal maintenance mode. Some of my symptoms were manifesting as an irregular heartbeat at bedtime.
Maybe you, too, are trying to come off of a hypervigilant state. Whether it’s a different living circumstance, a change in jobs, or a change in relationships, converting to a calmer state of mind is not easy. Others may wonder why you may be having a rough time since the “problem” has been eliminated.
While I am still very much a work in progress, I would like to share a bit of success that may help you, too. Curing hypervigilance and anxiety requires a multi-faceted approach, often with professional counselors, but this may be a starting point for you.
This is how that went for me – here comes that nightly tension; I’m feeling those strong erratic beats of my heart which causes more anxiety – and instead of the usual tailspin, I applied alternate thinking.
quiet breathing.
Remember to be “off screen” before bed each night; the blue light of electronic screens is detrimental to the production of sleep-inducing hormones. Read something relaxing and helpful from a good old-fashioned printed book. It can be part of your winding-down routine for a good night’s sleep.
working is a big job. While post-hurricane mold spores swirl in the air along with the usual mix of wintertime viruses, many of us are walking a thin line between health and vocal collapse.
I’ve cheated the all-night simmering of chicken bones with large boxes of organic, free range, chicken bone broth.
2 chicken thighs
It’s that good.
“bad ones”
1 cinnamon stick
sweetness later on during cooking)
Place a sieve over a bowl. Pour raspberries and their juices into sieve. Using a spoon or rubber spatula, press the berries through the sieve until only seeds remain.
Dice up the peeled pear. I usually make a small dice by slicing through the thick part of each pear quarter, make lengthwise slices of both layers, then cut horizontally to make small pieces. Add pear to the cooking berries.
When you deem the sauce is finished cooking by noting the consistency and the popped state of the berries, turn off the heat and allow to cool a bit. Remove the cinnamon stick.
may have some sense of a lack of fulfillment – or downright panic -with no added sugars. Dessert seems to be a thing of the past.
In the recipe section of Toolkit for Wellness, I included a few ideas to dress up these seeds into what I call a jam. If you add berries and cook them in on the stove, you can get a bowl of chia goodness (that will be prettier).
add creates the flavor. A small handful of dried fruit works well, too.
Forget the New Year’s party hats. Where’s the chicken soup?
In a saucepan, assemble:
Sauté the onions, garlic, ginger, and lemon slices in butter and olive oil until onions are translucent.
There is nothing like Mama’s TLC and chicken soup, to be sure, but this comes in at a close second- especially if you are the source of your own TLC!
stomach that just ingested a bit of the divine … that is … a spoonful of Coconut Ganache.
For my one post this Holiday Season, let me share this little bit of Heaven. It will challenge you to dish out this goodness with all you meet. Spread the love and possibly heal a past hurt by sharing the healing “salve” of Coconut Ganache!
different things. As my beloved continues to slumber more than 15 hours a day now, it would be easy for me to just ‘spin in place’ as I watch his winding down. The three rounds of planks that energized me on Tuesday, are just not motivating me today. My yoga mat is not calling to me.
oncept instead.
The first step is to smash-up some watermelon.
Having made this three times this week, my salad contents have varied with the addition of leftover sautéed okra, avocado, mango, blueberries, steamed broccoli, and of course that chicken.
ever so quiet lately due to my caregiving ministrations, which are always a priority. Thank you for your patience and understanding concerning my unpredictability. My dear husband continues to be under hospice care and my care at home. Still confined to bed, his uncomplaining and appreciative attitude is sprinkled with humor, insight, and love.
With a Valentine’s Day post in mind, I kept making these little darlings in heart shapes. Needless to say, I missed that deadline; but a heart-shaped scone is so precious any time of year! A good way to say, “I love you!” don’t you think?
e problematic if the walnuts are not finely chopped. A secret method? I ended up actually filling the heart shape, pressing the dough down to reach the edges and height of the cookie cutter exactly. Consistent results and portion control.
ks” of proteins. Just 1/3 cup of quinoa flakes contains 4 grams of protein.
Walnuts- a great source of plant-based Omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and an amino acid l-arginine which is heart healthy. Walnuts have been shown to help with brain function, suppression of tumor growth, weight control through increased satiety, as well as improved blood sugar levels. Experts say that even a quarter of a cup of walnuts a day can positively impact our health.
benefit. But wait! You’re not done! Remember to soak your raw walnuts overnight in salted water; rinse and drain; then dehydrate at a low temperature (110-118 degrees) until light and crispy. The results are crunchy and much more digestible. As always, refer to your copy of 
Flax absorbs moisture. Wait a minute to test dough again before adding another tablespoon of it, if needed.
king instructions.
Apply egg wash using a brush.
enjoy a big game, final tournament, or the Olympics, (YES!), every once in a while. What’s a big game without big game food? Can the words, ‘big game food,’ even be uttered by someone trying to, “Do my body good,” at every turn?
Wonder why that weight is not melting away after holding back on gluten? It’s probably because you have a cupboard full of gluten-free equivalents. In other words, you are still eating pretzels, pizza, brownies, pasta, cakes, and cookies. That’s a lot of carbs, folks.
done in such a rush, you know? I was hastily scanning the gluten-free frozen foods section when I spied what I thought was frozen thin crusts for pizza. A quick read of the very short ingredient list passed the test for no chemicals or high fructose corn syrup. Okay. Grab it. Done. Out of the store.
Prep an assortment of vegetables. I used purple onion, red and yellow bell peppers, mushrooms, baby spinach leaves, and olives. Use your imagination- colors and textures abound!
Maybe this paper thin crust pizza will become your go-to big game or Friday night treat. It has for me!
