Oaty yacon syrup cookies

Well my first giveaway ended last week and was a great success (in my opinion!) I loved having something to giveaway to my readers and am planning a few more giveaways in coming weeks and months... so watch this space! 

Let's get back to food! ...namely cookies!

When I was following the candida diet, I was trying to find any loophole possible to get my sweetness. Sweet tooth...me? ...never!! :-)

I researched the guidelines, talked to specialists and asked lots of questions to others who had followed a similar restricted diet. One of the sweeteners it initially appeared ok for me to consume in very limited quantities was yacon syrup. Ultimately I was advised against eating it at all during the strictest stage but it is a great alternative for those following a low sugar diet for others reasons, or phase two of the candida cleanse.

I had a play around with the syrup in making some cookies, it's a lovely thick syrup very similar to brown rice syrup and with a similar flavour also.  Since I was using a very small quantity of syrup (bumping the sweetness with stevia- but you could use a little extra syrup if you prefer) I used lots of nut butter to help give a lovely crisp/chewy texture. I've previously found that low sugar and low fat cookies tend to be quite soft and 'cakey' and this wasn't what I was going for here.

I made two versions, a plain one and then a second batch with some cocoa mixed through a a drizzle of raw cacao liquid on top. Both were yummy! You may want to add a little extra syrup to the choc version to help bind  the fry ingredients but also because for me a chocolate treat automatically wants to be a little sweeter (that's my personable taste!)

I loved the fact these cookies were so 'substantial' (if you know what I mean), no messing with these bad boys! The'll kick mid afternoon cravings right into touch.

Recipe: Oaty yacon cookies

Makes approx 10-12 cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups oats
• ¼ cup chia seeds
• 2 tbs coconut oil
• 3 tbs nut butter
• ½ an avocado- mashed
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 heaped tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbs carob or 2 tbs cocoa (optional)
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tbs yacon syrup
• 10 drops pure stevia (or approx ¼ tsp powder)
• ½ cup chopped nuts/seeds/cacoa nibs- optional
• Decoration- 3 tbs melted cacao with 4 drops stevia mixed in.

Method:

Melt the coconut oil, nut butter, yacon, vanilla extract and salt in a medium saucepan over a low-medium heat. You’ll need to whisk a little to break up and blend the nut butter.

Add all remaining Ingredients and turn off the heat. Mix well to coat evenly and make sure the mashed avocado is evenly mixed through.

Scoop dollops of the mix and flatten into round cookies on a lined baking sheet. Bake at 180C for approx 15 minutes until slighly golden. If desired drizzle with a little melted cacao and allow to set.

Will store in an airtight container for a 1 week. These cookies are more crisp when fresh then become a chewy oaty cookie in the following days.

I'd love you to join me in other places too!  

Why not sign up for emails in my sidebar where I feature roundups and special offers. If you are new round here check out my 'About' and 'Getting Started' tabs up top. To buy nibbles you can also find me over at Wholeplus.  Day to day you can also find me in these places:

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Granola-cookie breakfast clusters (gf)

I'm all about grab and go snacks. Snacks that pack a punch with a dense nutritional value.

But i'll be honest, I have a sweet tooth, so i'm more likely to opt for the lightly sweetened snacks over the savoury. That's why I love my quinoa cookies and veggie infused porridges (coming soon) so much!

I also love granola, I think it's a texture thing as I very rarely eat is as a bowl of cereal drenched in 'milk'...but I make clumpy bits and eat handfuls of it on the fly. Sometimes this can get a little out of control....hmmm.

So these are almost like a larger version of granola clusters... kind of like a granola-cookie-cross. These are also gluten free. Does that sound like your kind of breakfast?

Oh and these little nuggets are no-bake! If you are struggling with them holding together then you could try lightly baking them too.  The quantities are listed are pretty flexible, just add what you have to hand and use enough date paste to hold it together.

For more breakfasty bites...have a look here!

Recipe: granola-cookie breakfast clusters

Makes 8-10

ingredients:

• ¼ cup each: gluten free cereal flakes, buckwheat groats, coconut curls, goji berries
• ¼ cup date paste
• a pinch- 1 tsp of cocoa, maca, spices (to taste)

Method:

Make sure the date paste is fairly sticky and not firm (add a drizzle of syrup if needed). Lightly mix in the spices and then mix through the remaining ingredients to combine into chunky balls, they should hold together well.

 Refrigerate to firm and store, consume within 2-3 days.

Notes: you could use other mix-ins such as quinoa flakes, puffed rice, chia, flax, superfood powders (e.g acai, maca), dried fruits, chopped seeds or nuts. Keep all the pieces fairly small so that they bind together without falling apart.

I'd love you to join me in other places too!  

Why not sign up for emails in my sidebar where I feature roundups and special offers. If you are new round here check out my 'About' and 'Getting Started' tabs up top. To buy nibbles you can also find me over at Wholeplus.  Day to day you can also find me here:

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Pinterest

Christmas Cookies!

Christmas is closing in so fast!   I have been so crazy busy making, packing and dispatching Wholeplus goodies, having a stall at a Christmas fair (last weekend) and talking to companies about suppling goodies ready for the New Year I've hardly been creating in the kitchen... plus I still have a backlog of posts I really want to get up for you!

All in good time. ....aaaaand BREATHE!

Today is a quick check in to let you know of a healthy Christmas collection going on over Candida Diet Plan. Remember thiese cookies from a few days ago?

Well, they were my submission for the collection and now there are 17 other healthy, allergy friendly delights to inspire you. Click on the image below and check them out!

A big thank you goes to Sandra at the Candida Diet Plan for hosting the cookie party!

Back soon to squeeze in a few more recipes before Christmas.... I promise!

Choc quinoa cookie cake​- in one minute!

Something ridiculously exciting might just be about to go down...waiting on a final email. Will have to leave you in suspense there- but i'll be sure to update you in the next few days once things are confirmed!

Anyway, I'm all a bit excitable and so was browsing my photos of recipes not yet posted and found this one I'd forgotten about- the photos were taken back in August but I've made this little snack a few more times since as its so quick… Seriously I can't believe I had not come up with this a long time before!

I love my single serve microwave breakfast cookies and hadn't made one a while, but since I was going through such a quinoa phase it suddenly occurred to me to switch it around and make a super speedy quinoa microwave cooking. It was fantabulous! 

Not the pickup in your fingers kind of cookie, but more of a soft and fancy dessert cookie designed to be eaten off the plate it's served from...maybe added a dollop of coconut or cashew cream!  Feel free to add extra mixing as you fancy.

Recipe: 1-minute choc quinoa cookie cake

Makes: one single serve

Ingredients:

• 1tbs peanut butter
• 1tbs cocoa
• 1tbs ground flax seed
• 1 tbs agave syrup (or a few drops stevia)
• 2 tbs water
• 1/4 cup cooked quinoa
• sprinkle of chia seeds- optional (or other toppings)

Method:

Mix all ingredients (other than quinoa) together to form a thick smooth paste. Add the quinoa last and coat evenly. Spoon into a flattened cookie shape onto the serving plate (make sure it's microwaveable) Smooth the top with the back of a wet spoon if necessary.

Cook for 60-80 seconds in the microwave until firm to touch. The cookie with be soft and fudgey and eaten from the plate. It's not a pick up in your hands type!

o there you have it, a little plateful of power food that literally took one minute to mix and one minute to cook in the microwave- simply can't go wrong there. Obviously this could also be made in the oven if microwaving is not your thing and you had a little extra time on your hands... But for my 'one-minute' mind this was the perfect satisfying answer.

Chocolate trailmix breakfast cookie

The breakfast cookies are back...in time for the long bank holiday weekend (here in the UK at least)!   

I'm spending my weekend visiting family by the seaside so I enjoyed my breakfast cookie a day early just so I could get it up to post for you today. ;-)

It's been a while since i've had breakfast cookies, though the 'single serves' are definitely back with a kick... with my (amazing) choc cherry pots and a new blueberry version I have in the works. These single serves are a great way to recipe test whilst also ensuring i don't eat a whole batch of 12 cookies all at once....portion control!!

My original choc chunk cookie is still one of the most popular recipes on my blog, but I reckon this little cousin packed for of chewy fruit and chunky nuts has the potential to over-take in the popularity stakes! Add a dollop of creamy topping and you have 'bressert' to go!

Oh, and surely you know me by now...speed and versatility are the key, so get creative and raid your cupboards, the trail mix concept really begs you to throw in any fruits of nuts you fancy!  One sure way of making your breakfast (or snack) fire you through to lunch!

Enjoy the weekend and make the most of the final days of summer before it's back to school and back to routine!

Recipe: Choc trailmix breakfast cookie

Makes one fat cookie

• ¼ cup oats

• 1 tbs cocoa powder

• ¼ tsp baking powder

• 1 tbs ground flax or chia

• 1 tbs each dried cranberries, chopped nuts, raw cacoa chunks (optional)

• Vanilla extract to taste (approx. ½ tsp) or other spices as preferred

• up to 1 tbs sweetener of choice- agave, maple syrup, coconut sugar

• approx. 3 tbs vegan yoghurt or mashed banana to mix

• Topping: 1 tsp peanut butter, 1 tbs vegan yoghurt and 2 drops of stevia (use ratios to make as much as you want)

Method

Mix and mash all ingredients together well to form a thick sticky ball of dough. Roughly flatten the ball with your palms and place on a small microwaveable plate.

Cook on full powder in the microwave for 1 minute. Press with your finger and if it springs back and there are no visibly sticky bits you’re done!

Of source this could also be baked in the oven for 10 mins or so- watch just out for the dried fruit burning. 

For the topping, simply whip together yoghurt, sweetener and PB and dollop on top.

Raspberry almond cocoa cookie

So many recipes I want to share!

I have an amazing ‘realistic’ burger recipe I tried out last weekend that I am dying to share but before all that we’re still in ‘birthday land’ so first I must share with you my breakfast cookie that was my morning birthday treat.

I love the breakfast cookie! So quick and simple, so filling and also good for you too…obviously if you don’t go overboard with chocolate and other sweeteners but then it wouldn’t really be a breakfast cookie would it!

This little cookie was a little more indulgent than my previous blueberry cookie as I used cacao in the batter and a tiny grating of chocolate over the top.  But I think you’ll agree it’s still pretty virtuous and makes a change from my bowl of oats.

You’ll also see a little green smoothie sneaking in the background. I’m still on my ‘30 day green smoothie challenge’ and its going well so far… I will wait until the end of the challenge in a week or so to round up my thoughts, findings and various recipes.

Well, I think that cookie pretty much speaks for itself… I have nothing left to add! So I’m going to leave it there and be off for my birthday celebrations with my family, a trip down to Reading to visit my sister who is at uni there. The weather is looking good today so hopefully we’ll take a nice walk along the river after lunch…tapas! Tapas is one of my favourites, I love lots of mini portions to dip into and try and there’s always something for everyone. I also get plenty of choice which is great as in most restaurants there is a limited number of dishes I can order from the menu.

I’m hungry already!

Recipe: raspberry almond cocoa cookie

Makes one fat cookie

Ingredients

• ¼ cup oats
• 2 tbs buckwheat flour (other flours  would probably be fine too)
• 1 tbs cacoa powder
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp ground flax/chia
• Ground cinnamon and vanilla or almond extract to taste (approx. ½ tsp each)
• 1 tbs agave syrup
• 2-3 tbs soy yoghurt (or regular yoghurt for non-vegan)
• Handful of frozen raspberries
• Sprinkling of flaked almonds
• A little grated dark chocolate-optional

Method

Mix and mash all ingredients (other than almonds and raspberries) together well to form a thick mixture, add the raspberries last and mix through so they are still chunky. Bring the mixture together as a ball and roughly flatten the ball with your palm and place on a small microwaveable plate. Sprinkle the flaked almonds over the top and lightly press them in.

Cook on full powder in the microwave for 1 minute (you may need an extra 20 seconds depending on your microwave power). Press with your finger and if it springs back and there are no visibly sticky bits and the berries are fully cooked you’re done.

Grate a little dark chocolate over the top if desired before serving.

Blueberry pie breakfast cookie

Remember my chocolate chunk breakfast cookie?

…How could you forget! It was very good.

Well, for those among us who simply cannot contemplate chocolate in any form for breakfast, I now have a little fruity offering. The perfect breakfast… or brunch.  I also have a little admission to make here, when I woke up this morning  I was so busy with bits and pieces on my laptop upon waking that I didn’t actually make it out of my bedroom until just before midday when my stomach started shouting at me for food…I had no idea how late it had got! So, I doubled the recipe and had one massive cookie. It was very filling indeed. Ok so that’s my little guilty admission!

So, the photos below is for one biiiiiig ‘double’ cookie however the ingredients below are for a regular sized cookie more like the original choc chunk version…. Double it if you dare!! (p.s if you do you’ll need to microwave it for longer- mine took approx. 2 ½ mins to cook through in the middle, no dramas if it is a little soft. Also it will be too big for your hands so you'll simple need to spoon and spread it onto the plate in a neat circle). I had another thought once I made this cookie, and I’ll give it a try on another occasion but I reckon you could substitute the yoghurt for a small mashed banana for a blueberry-banana combo, this will also help to sweeten and you can reduce the maple syrup. Let me know how it works out for you if you try this.

The photos look much less ‘oaty’ than the previous chocolate cookie, I think that’s simply because I whipped the ingredients together fairly ferociously, so it had more of a cakey texture. Either way tastes good to me.  I used blueberries but you could use any berry you fancy. I advise using frozen blueberries as they will hold their shape as you push them in and they will be perfectly cooked through after 1 minute in the microwave, no need to thaw first.

One last note- I suggest you taste the batter before cooking to test for sweetness. As its for breakfast I prefer a mildly sweet cookie but you may prefer to modify this, particularly if you make it for a dessert or snack.

Well, I think I’ve just about caught up with my life now that I’m back from my holiday. It’s been a day of bits and pieces, I was so glad for the Easter bank holiday!  I still have a few things to tick of the list for today, not least dinner that is currently in the oven.  If successful that will a post for later this week…Oh the excitement!

Recipe: blueberry pie breakfast cookie

Makes one fat cookie

Ingredients

• ¼ cup oats
• 2 tbs buckwheat flour (other flours  would probably be fine too)
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• 1 tbs ground flax/chia
• Ground cinnamon and vanilla extract to taste (approx. ½ tsp each)
• 1 tbs flaked almonds (or other nuts of your choice)
• 1 tbs maple syrup
• 3 tbs soy yoghurt (or regular yoghurt for non-vegan)
• Handful of frozen blueberries

Method

Mix and mash all ingredients (other than almonds and berries) together well to form a thick sticky ball of dough. Roughly flatten the ball with your palms and place on a small microwaveable plate. Push the frozen blueberries into the surface evenly across the cookie dough. Sprinkle the flaked almonds over the top and dust with a little extra cinnamon if desired.

Cook on full powder in the microwave for 1 minute. Press with your finger and if it springs back and there are no visibly sticky bits and the berries are fully cooked you’re done!

Choc Chunk Breakfast Cookie

I love the weekend mornings…all the more because I can spend a little longer in my PJ’s, spend a little longer pondering how to fill the day, spend a little longer contemplating breakfast…..

Mmmm….Saurday morning breakfast! Today we have another new twist on my oats (you know I love oats, right?!) This breakfast snack (or any time of day snack) was inspired by this recipe by Ashley at the Edible Perspective, such a perfectly simple concept and with a few tweaks of my own I was ready to roll.

Please let me introduce  the ‘Choc Chunk Breakfast Cookie’

A super speedy, healthy but ever so slightly indulgent breakfast cookie….made in minutes. Ticks all the boxes, right? You could of course double or triple this recipe and form into two or three patties but for me the one was enough to fill me up and give me a morning boost (until my next snack in a couple of hours!)

This cookie is soft and ‘cake’ like with a lovely chewy moistness and contrasts of the chunky nuts and melted chocolate adding to the cakeyness. Without the chocolate it might be  a little dryer so feel free to add a tsp of oil to the mixture if this is more your thing.

You could make this recipe with other fruit and nut combos and omit the chocolate chunks if you were wanting to be really virtuous, (I am planning on testing this out soon) but for me the melty chocolate really hits the spot… and it is the weekend after all. The recipe below contains no additional fats (other than the choc chunks and good fats in the nuts,  and with its whole grains it’s still healthy and filling…so go ahead and enjoy your chocolate moment and start your weekend with a (chocolatey) smile!

If you're already done with breakfast and fancy a super speedy mid morning snack....treat yoursef to another little indulgence of the microwave variety....may be my chocolate mug cake or raspberry cheesecake will give you a bit of inspriation.

Right, better get on (and out of my PJ’s) I have lots of plans to investigate today, too soon to give anything away but I will hopefully be able to fill you in on all the happenings in a few weeks time!

Recipe: Choc chunk breakfast cookie

Makes one fat cookie

Ingredients

• ¼ cup oats
• 2 tbs buckwheat flour (other flours would probably be fine too)
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• 1 tbs ground flax
• Ground cinnamon and vanilla extract to taste (approx. ½ tsp each)
• 1 tbs choc chunks
• 1 tbs chopped nuts or your choice
• 1 tbs agave or maple syrup
• 3 tbs soy yoghurt (or regular yoghurt for non vegan)

Method

Mix and mash all ingredients together well to form a thick sticky ball of dough. Roughly flatten the ball with your palms and place on a small microwaveable plate.

Cook on full powder in the microwave for approx. 1 minute. Press with your finger and if it springs back and there are no visibly sticky bits you’re done! Eat immediately whilst chocolate is melty!