Posts tagged On the Go

We all have those mornings where we just don’t seem to have enough time to sit down for breakfast. It’s important as Moms to start the morning with a nutritious, protein-rich meal.  Finding the time to serve a healthy recipe that is equally simple enough to comprehend in the morning – especially when the school bus is out front or we’re rushing to catch a flight – these Sunrise Morning Cookies are the quick and healthy grab-and-go bite you’ve been looking for.

Snack on these Sunrise Morning cookies morning, afternoon or night for a delicious alternative to sugary processed food or store-bought sweets. Easy to prepare, these cookies are lightly sweetened and packed with healthy ingredients like pistachios, apricots, oats and flax seeds.  Plus, there’s hemp seeds in there for that added dose of protein that will really help to jumpstart your morning routine. When a recipe is this easy to prepare, there’s no excuse for serving little ones anything but the best – prepare these cookies ahead of time (maybe on the weekend or late at night) and serve them up hot with a glass of milk.

Sunrise Morning Cookies {by Kristin Marciochi}

3 Tablespoons ground flax seed mixed into 9 Tablespoons room-temperature water

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

3/4 teaspoon ground ginger

2 1/2 cups rolled oats (not instant)

1/2 cup vegan butter

1/4 cup coconut oil

3/4 cup coconut palm sugar (or golden brown sugar)

3/4 cup cane sugar

3/4 cup finely diced dried apricots

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup golden raisins

1 Tablespoon raw hemp seeds (optional)

1/2 cup shelled roasted pistachio nuts

1. Preheat you oven to 375 degrees.

2. Make your flax seeds and water.  Set aside.

3. Mix all dry ingredients (from flour to oats).  Set aside.

4. In a large stand mixer, blend vegan butter, coconut oil, and sugars on medium until mixture is lightly whipped and golden.

5. With mixer running on low, add 1 cup of dry ingredients at a time until all are incorporated.

6. Add in the dried fruits, hemp seeds and pistachio nuts just until incorporated.

7. Using two large spoons, scoop up about 2 – 3 Tablespoons of dough and form into a ball.

8. Flatten out slightly and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing cookies about 2 inches apart.  Repeat until all the dough is used.

9. Bake for 17 minutes, or until golden on top. Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before removing the cookies from the baking sheet.

Kristin Marciochi is a Washington-based teacher.  She strives to make family meal time as easy, healthy, and enjoyable as possible and to keep nutritious cooking fun.  Her blog, www.shelfishness.blog.com, focuses on vegetarian cooking, great books, and new music.