Not too healthy but pretty darn delicious cookies!

 

Why is it that the things that taste delicious are also the worst for us? Each one of these cookies is filled with fat.....and that's what makes them so good. They are even better if dipped in melted chocolate (dark), butterscotch or caramel. The process is a little complicated as I use both a stand mixer as well as a food processor, but the results are better that way. The yield is between 18-20 3 1/2 inch by 1/4 inch thick. Like medicine, I prescribe myself just 1 daily! These are crisp, crunchy cookies, not soft and chewy!

 

2 cups old fashioned rolled oats

1 cup puffed millet

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup Durum Atta flour

½ cup oat bran

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon allspice

½ teaspoon ground cloves

2 tablespoons Golden syrup

1 teaspoon salt  (if no salt restriction)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup unsalted butter , cubed

1 cup vegetable shortening

½ cup boiling water

Thick cut oats for rolling (if desired)

 

 

Instructions

1.    Preheat oven to 400 F or 375 degrees F if using convection oven.

2.    Combine all dry ingredients in a large stand mixer bowl except 1 cup flour, sugars, vinegar, vanilla, golden syrup, butter and shortening. Place those ingredients in a food processor and blend until whipped and smooth looking.

3.    Set up the stand mixer with a dough hook. Combine the mixture from the food processor bowl with that in the stand mixer and use the dough hook to combine the two. Add the boiling water at this stage and the mixture will come together as a dough. Turn off the mixer and remove the bowl. Form the dough into a ball with your hands then let it sit for about 10-15 minutes so that the oats can absorb any excess liquid. You should not have to add more oats or flour to bring the dough to the correct consistency where it can be handled.

4.    Prepare two large cookie sheets with parchment paper. Use an egg ring and shape ¼ cup of cookie dough, pressing it into the ring sitting on the parchment paper until ½ full (the rings are usually 3 ½ inches round and ½ inch high, so half full gives you a ¼ inch thickness.)

5.    If desired, generously cover the top with extra rolled oats; roll or pat them firmly into the surface of the dough

6.    Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until golden. Remove from oven. Cool for 10 minutes, turn over cookies using an egg lifter. Return to oven and bake for another 5-6 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes. Discontinue convection mode and reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees F in standard mode. Return cookies to oven and leave cookies to dry out for another hour in oven. Turn off oven and leave cookies in oven until it has cooled.

7.    Place cookies on a cooling rack (do not leave on the parchment paper). Store in an airtight container. Makes 18-20 3.5 x 0.25-inch cookies

A Simple Date Loaf

 

This is a very simple date quick bread that is ideal to have with tea or coffee, or as breakfast with a topping of your choice. I like it with caramel baked apples. It is not very sweet. 

1/2 cup boiling water

¼ cup half and half

1/2  teaspoon baking soda

Juice of 1 lemon

1 1⁄2  cups chopped dates

1 1⁄3  cups all-purpose flour

1   teaspoon baking powder

1  teaspoon salt (if no sodium restriction)

1  large egg

1⁄4  cup firmly packed dark brown sugar (I like to use coconut sugar, Jaggery or Piloncillo)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon orange flavoring

1⁄4  cup unsalted butter

5 whole allspice berries

5 pieces of cloves

5 green cardamom pods

 

DIRECTIONS

 

    Preheat oven to 350F. Line the bottom of a standard loaf pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour sides.

    In a small bowl mix the dates, butter, baking soda, vanilla and orange flavoring. Bring the water, cardamom pods, cloves, allspice, and brown sugar to a boil, let the spices steep in the water for 5-10 minutes then remove them. Pour the hot water over the mixture of dates, butter etc. You will see it bubble up. Add the lemon juice and set aside to cool.

    In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

    In a different bowl, beat the egg and half and half with an electric mixer until pale in color.

    Separate the date mixture into two halves. Take half of the date mixture and blend to a paste using a blender or food processor. Mix the paste with the original half of unblended dates.

    Mix the wet and dry ingredients together, stirring until just combined.

    Pour this mixture into the prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for approximately 55 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

    Let cool 10 minutes before removing from pan, then cool completely on a rack.

Slice into 12 pieces when cool and serve with caramel baked apple topping.

Honey Oatmeal Cake Bars

 

These are sliced cake bars that are very filling as a mid-morning or afternoon snack. It's a type of "Dump" cake where all ingredients are dumped in the mixer bowl and whisked together. The toasted Buckwheat flour gives the cake a nice, nutty background note, and takes away the more "earthy" taste of "green" Buckwheat flour. Toast it in a wok or fry pan over medium heat until the flour begins to smell aromatic and nutty. 

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup buckwheat flour, toasted (toast in a wok until it starts to smell aromatic)

1 cup old fashioned oats

¾ cup brown sugar

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon low sodium baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

Juice of 1 lemon

½ teaspoon salt (if not on sodium restricted diet)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon allspice

½ teaspoon nutmeg

¼ cup unsalted butter

¼ cup unsweetened applesauce

½ cup water

½ cup unsweetened apple juice

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon vanilla

1-2 tablespoons oats

Blueberries for sprinkling

 

Line the bottom of a 13x9x2 inch baking pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour sides, set aside. “Dump” all ingredients into a mixer bowl. Mix at low speed until just blended, then high speed for 3 minutes. Pour into prepared baking pan. Sprinkle blueberries on top along with 1-2 tablespoons oats. Bake at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in pan before inverting and cutting into 16 pieces!