Cardamom Breakfast Cookies

These breakfast cookies are perfect with a cup of tea in the morning or for a nice, relaxing moment during the day.  Just the right little touch of sweetness, they are dense, crumbly and flavorful. Plus you don't even need to get out a mixer to whip them up, you just stir everything together and throw them in the oven. It's really nice having these ready to grab if i'm on the go or if I need a zen moment.  Seriously, with a cup of tea, they are heaven. Cardamom has magical calming powers! ;)

Recipe:

3/4t cardamom

1/4t cinnamon

1/2 cup almond flour or almond meal

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

4T coconut oil, melted

1 flax egg (1T ground flaxseed mixed with 3T water)

3T nut butter

3T maple syrup

1 cup oats

1/4t salt

1/2 cup golden raisins or chopped dates or dried apricots or a combination

1/4 cup chopped raw pecans (optional)

-Heat oven to 350* and spray a cookie sheet

-In a bowl, stir together coconut oil, maple syrup, peanut butter and flax egg.

-Add the cardamom and cinnamon and stir.

-Add the flours, oats, dried fruit, pecans and salt and stir to combine

 -Form cookie dough into balls and flatten a little bit with your hand into a cookie shape (these cookies will not spread out while they cook) and place on cookie sheet.

-Bake for 18 min (makes about 15 cookies) 

*these cookies are crumbly when they are warm, but firm up when cooled.

Hearty Carrot Lentil Soup

I try to cook a meal with lentils at least once a week because they are just so good for your body. This soup is thick and hearty and a great one to make when you barely have any groceries. Somehow I always have a bag of carrots (I guess because I make veggie stock on a weekly basis), and the rest of the ingredients are regular staples that we always have around. Give it a try on a cold day with a nice rustic slice of bread. It's really filling and hearty but wont weigh you down because the ingredients are so clean and healthy!

Recipe: 

1 onion

2 cloves garlic

8 peeled and chopped carrots

1t cumin

1t tumeric

1t coriander

1/2t paprika

1/4t cinnamon

2 cups red lentils

1 tomato chopped or 1 small can diced tomato

6 cups water or veggie broth

unsweetened coconut milk (or almond or soy)

cilantro and crushed red pepper for serving

-Chop and saute onion in olive oil over medium heat in large pot until translucent.

-Add minced garlic and spices. Stir around for a minute or two.

-Add carrots and saute for about 10 min, stirring frequently.

-Add water (or broth), tomato and lentils.

-Bring to a boil and then cover and reduce to simmer for 20 min or until lentils are tender.

-Add salt and pepper to taste

-Carefully pour hot soup into high speed blender and blend until smooth.

-Pour back into pot and add some milk so thin to your desired consistency. 

-Serve with cilantro and crushed red pepper.