Power Cookies
I used to have to make a daily trip to the health food store in order to stock up with foods I couldn't get anywhere else - gluten-free products, more specifically. Now, supermarkets all over the place have started offering gluten-free and health foods (following several gluten- and other allergy hypes), but health food stores are still my very own food shopping paradise. Every time I'm there, I'm fascinated by the progress in the health food and organic sectors and specialty areas like veganism.
Health food stores have shed the musty, old-fashioned veneer they used to have, which was in all likelihood based on their limited product choice and variety. Today, vegan and raw products come in beautiful packaging and are often too irresistible not to buy and taste. I confess, this is one of my favourite pastimes - discovering and tasting new foods and getting inspired to create new recipes.
Unfortunately a lot of health food stores (compared to common supermarkets) aren't exactly a short walk away. I guess this makes them even more special, but even so - a 30-minute trip just to by groceries is a bit much. This must be even harder for those who don't live in the city.
Whenever I passed by the Rochusmarkt in Vienna, I used to love to drop into Prokopp health food store, but these days, I just order them from their online shop - and their selection is absolutely huge.
In the making of these delicious and healthy powerfood-containing cookies, this way of shopping was ideal. Order your ingredients from the comfort of your sofa, smugly watch other people schlep their groceries home, and two days later - bake some cookies.
This recipe got its inspiration from The Green Kitchen Stories, but ended up with several alterations - and the result is a sight to behold! I also added a seasonal indulgence - the beautiful apricot.
These cookies are made with buckwheat flakes. Of course, any other gluten-free flakes would work as well, such as quinoa, rice flakes or gluten-free oats (or even normal oats for non-coeliacs).
The reason I decided to use buckwheat? Because its healthy molecular structure makes it the ideal food for everyone: buckwheat contains tons of iron, potassium and B-vitamins. Its high level of silica works wonders on our skin, hair and nails. Compared to common grains like wheat, spelt, barley, rye etc., buckwheat contains a particularly high quality protein composition with essential amino acids.
The name "buckwheat" is a little confusing, as despite its name, it bears no relation at all to common wheat. On the contrary, it's gluten-free and therefore ideal for coeliacs like me.
[print_this]Power Cookies
Ingredients:
- 325g buckwheat flakes
- 150g unsweetened applesauce
- 175g almond butter
- 10 deseeded dates
- 50ml coconut oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp vanilla or Sonnentor's Süßes Zaubergewürz (spice mix)
- 4 apricots (or other fruit like apples, bananas or even dried apricots)
- ½ lemon
- 60ml maple syrup
- 1-2 TBSP chia seeds
- 40g pumpkin seeds
- 40g cranberries
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 180°C (fan) or 200°C (upper/lower). Mix the chia seeds with 3-5 tablespoons water and set aside until ready to use. Pit and quarter the apricots and squeeze the lemon.
- In a food processor, grind around 1/3 of the buckwheat flakes to a coarse flour. In a bowl, combine the buckwheat flakes, the ground buckwheat flour, vanilla or spice mix and salt.
- Mash the dates with a fork. Melt the coconut oil in a pan, add almond butter and dates and mix well. Let the mixture simmer gently over a medium heat (be careful not to let it burn!).
- Now add the dry ingredients along with the almond-date batter, the lemon juice, the chia seeds, the maple syrup, the applesauce and the apricots to the food processor and mix well. If the batter is too dry, add a little bit more of the coconut oil. Pour the finished mass into a bowl and fold in the cranberries and pumpkin seeds.
- Now form medium-sized balls from the dough and set them on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Press the balls flat with the underside of a tablespoon (keep dunking the spoon in the gluten-free flour to prevent it from sticking), then bake the cookies in your preheated oven for 15-20 minutes. They keep in a cookie jar for up to a week.
SPONSORED POST / https://www.prokopp.co.at/
Power Cookies
30 pieces
Ingredients:
- 325g buckwheat flakes or flour
- 150g unsweetened applesauce
- 175g almond butter
- 10 deseeded dates
- 50ml coconut oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp vanilla or Sonnentor's Süßes Zaubergewürz (spice mix)
- 4 apricots (or other fruit like apples, bananas or even dried apricots)
- ½ lemon
- 60ml maple syrup
- 1-2 TBSP chia seeds
- 40g pumpkin seeds
- 40g cranberries
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 180°C (fan) or 200°C (upper/lower). Mix the chia seeds with 3-5 tablespoons water and set aside until ready to use. Pit and quarter the apricots and squeeze the lemon.
- In a food processor, grind around 1/3 of the buckwheat flakes to a coarse flour. In a bowl, combine the buckwheat flakes, the ground buckwheat flour, vanilla or spice mix and salt.
- Mash the dates with a fork. Melt the coconut oil in a pan, add almond butter and dates and mix well. Let the mixture simmer gently over a medium heat (be careful not to let it burn!).
- Now add the dry ingredients along with the almond-date batter, the lemon juice, the chia seeds, the maple syrup, the applesauce and the apricots to the food processor and mix well. If the batter is too dry, add a little bit more of the coconut oil. Pour the finished mass into a bowl and fold in the cranberries and pumpkin seeds.
- Now form medium-sized balls from the dough and set them on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Press the balls flat with the underside of a tablespoon (keep dunking the spoon in the gluten-free flour to prevent it from sticking), then bake the cookies in your preheated oven for 15-20 minutes. They keep in a cookie jar for up to a week.
