Nourish the Budding Lotus

A Key West Cookie Creation

We are back from our Key West vacation, and were happy to find that it is actually warmer in Boulder than it was when we left Key West! It was a nice chance to visit with family and see a few friends, but I realized that my love for cooking and my desire to feed my body with nourishing foods set me up for a vacation full of grocery shopping and cooking. Lets just say between the cooler weather and my time in the kitchen, I did not come home with a tan.

I did however come up with a great new recipe for oatmeal cookies. Improvising from a basic cookie recipe that I had, and using what was available in the house, I came up with these delicious Cashew Oat Cookies which are full of many other yummy ingredients.

(Although I did not make them with gluten free oats, those of you who eat only gluten free could easily use the gluten free version.)

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Cashew Oat Cookies

1 3/4 c whole oatmeal
1/4 c flax seeds, finely ground
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
1/3 c cashew nut butter
1/3 c apple sauce
1/4 c agave
1/2 t vanilla
1/2 t coconut flavor
1/4 c raisins
1/4 c semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a food processor grind 1 c of the oatmeal until it is fine.  In a bowl combine ground oats with the remaining 3/4 c whole oats, flax, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon.

In a measuring cup, mix cashew butter, apple sauce and agave with vanilla and coconut flavoring.

Combine the wet and dry ingredients in a bowl reaching a thick consistency. Stir in the raisins and chocolate chips.

Using a large spoon, scoop the dough forming rustic cookie balls onto the parchment paper.

Bake for 20 minutes.  Cookies should be partially firm and browned.

Let cool on a rack.

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Let me know what you think!