Ugliest, Healthiest Cookies

ugly but good

Today my baby boy, who is 10 years old, told me that when he grows up he wants to be like Snuggles.  He wants to be like Snuggles because Snuggles is big, buff and hairy.  Now Snuggles is a player on the University Rugby team that my husband coaches.  Snuggles is also a cage fighter.  Not exactly what I had pictured for my boy, only time will tell. Is it almost April Fool’s or Halloween???

Until then, why not start off with these deceptively delicious mounds of healthy goodness?

One morning after a delicious bowl of hot quinoa flakes, there were still some lingering in the pot after everyone had parted the table.  What to do? What to do? I hated dumping it down the drain.  I knew that warming it up the next day was a grand idea, but there was not enough for all the hungry mouths and someone would feel left out–or hungry.

I know that you do not come here to find the most gorgeous baked goods.  You and I would go here, here and maybe even here, but passion4eating is not a place for fussy perfection. I am not a patient woman.  So why then am I posting about these cookies that look like something that you might catch one of these rolling along the Savannah?

Because both my children requested that we have an unlimited supply of these morsels.  Do they know that these are whole grain, hippy food?

Yes they do and they don’t care.  How ’bout them apples quinoa?

I used teff flour, which is the world’s tiniest grain and is gluten-free.  It is an ancient grain from Ethiopia and has a nice nutty taste and is chock full of fantastic nutrients.  It was not overwhelming in this recipe and might be the reason for the soft texture inside.  They did not look like they would be.  I would imagine that you can substitute any flour here.  Depending on how dry or moist the left-over cereal is you may need to adjust the amount of flour to add.

These have an unusual texture, almost muffin like. A little crispy on the outside and tender, spongy, cake-like on the inside.

They are delicious dressed up with a dunk in dark chocolate.

Healthy Cookies

• 1/2 cup leftover quinoa or oatmeal hot cereal, cooled
• 3/4 cup teff flour
• 1/3 cup oat flour
• 1 ripe banana
• 1/3 cup unrefined sugar
• 1/2 cup finely shredded, unsweetened coconut
• pinch of sea salt
• 1/2 cup neutral oil, such as grapeseed or coconut oil, melted and cooled
• 1/3 cup silvered almonds
• 1/3 cup rolled oats
• 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips (optional)
• few gratings of fresh nutmeg
• 1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl mix the quinoa cereal with the flour and banana until smooth.  Add the sugar and pinch of salt and combine again until well combined.  Stir in the vanilla and oil.  Then combine the coconut, almonds, oats and chocolate thoroughly.

The dough will seem funny, soft and sticky.  You can chill it for a few minutes if you wish to make it easier to form, but it is not necessary. You think they are going to spread but they do not. If in doubt bake a test subject to make sure.

Scoop by the Tablespoon or with a small scoop and place on a lined cookie sheet.  Cook in the oven for 15-18 minutes, until starting to brown on the bottom.

They taste amazingly buttery, go figure.

Tagged as: dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, healthy, kid friendly, vegan, wheat-free, whole grain