Circle of Grace

Try something new – Try something different

After the birth of my son I struggled with chronic constipation. I’m not afraid to say it because this may help someone. Something went out of whack because that wasn’t the case pre-pregnancy or even when I was younger. So, I did my research and realised that in addition to increasing my water intake, I also needed to eat high fibre foods and exercise more. I cut out all white products (mainly white flour, white sugar and Irish potato) and began using products like Food for Life’s Ezekiel 4:9 bread https://www.foodforlife.com, sweet potato, greens and other vegetables with the skin on. Of course the fringe benefit of those changes was weight loss.

Fast forward 15 to 20 years, I am still eating that way, although sometimes I fall off the wagon. When I do fall off, I suffer the consequences so that has kept me in check for the most part. There is one thing that I do to make sure that I stay committed to eating right, and it’s that I hardly ever include on my grocery list those foods that I know will have an adverse effect on my body and health.

Which brings me to the reason for this post. So I have no flour in the pantry or in the fridge. I do have some brown sugar and honey in stock, but I don’t use them unless it’s absolutely necessary. For the times when I crave something sweet I would buy some kind of dark chocolate or Tates’ Bake Shop raisin cookies. Omg those are irresistible because they are thin and crunchy and every bite has a raisin in it.

Anyway, today I really felt like eating something sweet and the recipe below is the result. Because I do not do flour, I do not bake bread or cakes, I did make an exception for this cookie though. I didn’t follow a recipe. I just happened to have the ingredients and thought I would try something. My effort paid off. They satisfied that sweet craving and I’m good for a couple of weeks. You can try it if you want to. Measurements aren’t precise. I just went with what I felt would be good enough.

Sue’s Sweet Crave (Fully loaded Oatmeal Raisin Cookies)

1/2 cup old fashioned oat meal (blended to flour consistency)

1/2 cup old fashioned oat meal (whole)

1 egg

1/4 lemon 

A dribble of honey

1 banana

1/2 tspn baking soda 

1 tspn I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter  (vegan)

1/4 tspn cinnamon 

1/4 cup flaxseed

1/4 cup hempseed

Fingers’ scoop of dried cranberries

Fingers’ scoop of raisins

Fingers’ scoop of sunflower seeds

Fingers’ scoop of pumpkin seeds. 

INSTRUCTIONS

Turn oven on to 350 degrees 

Since I do not own a cake mixer, I used my Ninja Chopper. (I usually use it to chop my seasonings and to make my smoothies)

Throw first measurement of oats in chopper and chop away until it’s as fine as it can get. That will be your flour substitute. Next throw in baking soda, cinnamon and a pinch of salt. I found out after the fact that the salt wasn’t necessary. But you can use salt if you like.

Melt butter and throw in. Mix.  I also added a little water, but you can omit if you want to.  

Crack egg into a dish, squeeze the lemon juice on it and pour into the chopper.  Mix. 

Pour mixture into a bowl and stir in all the other dry ingredients. 

Stir until everything disappears into the mixture.  

Get a baking sheet. I smeared mines with a little bit of butter. Take a regular table spoon and scoop out your batter unto the sheet. Let sit for a bit and then place in the oven.

Set timer to 20 mins and keep your eyes and nose on it. 

Mines came out pretty good. Soft in the middle and a little crunchy at the edges. I’d be interested to know if you tried it and how it came out.

Eating healthy does not mean that you deprive yourself of some of your favorite food items. It just means that you reconstitute the recipe to suit your needs. Happy baking.