Recipe: Oatmeal Sesame Chocolate Chip Cookies

I’ve combined the ingredients of 2 of my favourite cookie recipes to come up with this one. I love these cookies mainly because of the tahini (great for you because it’s made from sesame seeds), coconut, and oats. The chocolate chips and sunflower seeds  add the final touch! A real treat in my books! Enjoy!

Makes about 2 dozen

1 cup     quick cook oats

1 cup     flour (whole wheat or spelt)

½ tsp.    baking soda

½ tsp.    Sea salt

1/3 cup dried coconut (unsweetened)

1/3 cup Tahini (also known as sesame seed butter)

2 Tbsp.  butter (softened)

¾  cup   organic sugar (or sucanat)

½ cup    almond milk

2 tsp.     vanilla extract

2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/3 cup sunflower seeds

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease 2 baking sheets lightly with coconut oil. In a large bowl, mix oats, flour, baking soda, salt and coconut. In a mixing bowl, mix tahini and butter until well blended. Mix in sugar until smooth and then add almond milk and vanilla until combined. Add the dry ingredients in slowly while mixer is on low. Don’t over-mix the dough. Turn off mixer and fold in the chocolate chips and sunflower seeds.

Drop the dough by large spoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets and flatten with a fork. Bake 15-20 minutes depending on the size of the cookies and your oven. The cookies will still be soft (but the tops will look dry). Just let them set, and cool for 15 minutes, then you can lift with a spatula and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!

Recipe: Chocolate Chunk Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

Makes about 2 ½ dozen

2/3 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup organic brown sugar (or sucanat)
2 eggs
¼ cup almond milk
1 ½ cups quick cook oats
1 ½ cups spelt flour (or I used a combination of millet & barley flour)
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon sea salt
¾ cup sweetened dried cranberries
2/3 cup chopped dark chocolate bar (70% cocoa)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using an electric mixer beat butter and brown sugar together in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs and mix well. Add almond milk and mix well. Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl. Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition. Stir in sweetened dried cranberries, chocolate chunks and walnuts.
Drop rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Press down with a fork. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until gold brown.
Enjoy!

Recipe: "Lemony Lentil Goodness" Soup

This is my favourite Persian Red Lentil and Onion soup recipe as the lemon really stands out!I call it Lemony-Lentil Goodness! Red lentils are so easy to add to any recipe. Packed with protein, fibre, iron, Vitamin A and B-Complex, they also cook up faster than other lentils and are also easier to digest. Normally you wouldn't have to cook red lentils for more than 30 min. but you want the lentils to completely fall apart in this recipe. Enjoy with a side salad and a few brown rice/black sesame crackers and you have a delicious meal! Enjoy!

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 medium onions - diced (organic)
3/4 cup red lentils (organic)
6 cups boiling water
1 tsp. organic suger (or sucanat / agave nectar)
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 tsp. mint (chopped fine) (but I used dried and it was fine)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in large pot and then add the onions and sauté until softened. Add red lentils, water, sugar and let water come up to a boil. Once it starts to boil, lower heat to medium-low and cover with lid. Let it cook for 45 minutes.
After the 45 minutes, you'll notice the lentils have fallen apart and they will now be yellow. Add in the lemon zest, lemon juice, mint, cinnamon and sea salt and pepper to taste. Turn off the heat and let sit for 5 minutes or so. (Make sure you add these items at the end as you don't want to cook the cinnamon or mint very much)

Enjoy!

Recipe: Healthier Yummy Black Bean Nachos

These veggie nachos are so easy and delicious - and a FUN weekend meal! Who needs meat on nachos??!

"Que Pasa" Organic Tortilla chips (these are only lightly salted)
1 jar salsa (I love HERDEZ Mild Mexican salsa - minimal ingredients)
1 can "EDEN" Organic black beans
2-3 green onions (chopped)
low fat real cheese (optional

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Lay out the tortilla chips on the baking sheet.Rinse the beans well in a strainer and place in a saucepan along with the salsa and simmer for 5-10 minutes to allow the beans to soak up all the flavour from the salsa. Pour the hot mixture over the tortilla chips. Sprinkle with cheese (optional) and sprinkle the chopped green onions over top (you can use fresh chives as well -but very important for the flavour!) Bake until the cheese is melted through and the chips become more golden in colour. (it won't take long as the mixture was already hot) If you like cilantro - add some on top!
Enjoy!!