Spring is close, I can just feel it! I made these cookies as a lighter, smarter, yet still comforting treat to enjoy warmed up with my afternoon tea. They contain no oil and no flour, yet are gooey and substantial and delicious with a dab of nut butter on top! I hope they help you stay optimistic through the last month of winter.
about amaranth: think of amaranth as the antithesis of flour in this recipe. It is a tiny seed that contains more complete protein than quinoa and more calcium than milk. It’s also high in fiber. What’s not to love?
about fenugreek and fennel: fenugreek has been shown to lower blood sugar and reduce bad cholesterol in the blood due to its soluble fiber and saponins. Soluble fiber slows the absorption of carbohydrates in the blood, and saponins bind to cholesterol and prevent it from being absorbed. Fennel is a great digestive aid and tastes great, as well! Adding these or any of the spices I suggested to these cookies will make them more delicious and more supportive of your amazing body and all it does.
Spiced Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
adapted from Peggy Kotsopolous
Dry:
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup cooked amaranth
½ cup zante currants (or any dried fruit or chopped nut)
1/3 cup coconut sugar
1 tbsp ground spices: fenugreek, fennel, anise, cardamom, turmeric, coriander cinnamon…or whatever you like
You can grind whole spices in a coffee grinder to achieve a fine powder, like I did. They will be more flavorful than pre-ground spices. Make sure you clean the grinder well before and after, or consider dedicating a grinder just for this purpose.
Wet:
4 ripe bananas
1 tsp vanilla extract
generous pinch of salt
Assembly:
Cook ½ cup of amaranth in 1 ¼ cups water to yield a little more than 1 cup cooked. Preheat the oven to 375, and while the amaranth is cooking, mash the bananas with the vanilla extract. Mix in all other dry ingredients until well incorporated. Spoon onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and flatten slightly with the spoon. They will not spread much, so give them the shape and thickness that you desire. Bake for 25-30 minutes and let cool.
