I've got to tell you about one of my favorite cooking and eating oils, coconut. Not the hydrogenized, processed to death crap that has been modified into an artery clogging poison, but the pure unrefined yummy stuff you can spread on toast right from the jar.
There is a ton of info to be googled about the health benefits, but I won't bore you here and rob you of the fun of the search. Let's just say that if all of the hype is true, I'm buying a vat and immersing myself. I do know that it is full of lauric acid which is great for regulating blood sugar and is diabetic friendly.
I do want to share a favorite The Noble Plan cookie recipe that I lifted from 101cookbooks.com (one of the best recipe and blog sources on the net, in my opinion). The cookies are mildly sweet and crumbly with coconut overtones from the oil. Enjoy.
Carrot Oatmeal Cookie Recipe
After your initial batch experiment with the type of nuts/seeds you use.
Lemon zest, clarified butter, and olive oil might be ingredients to play around
with as well - but I haven't tested them in this recipe. And I have to say, I
love the flavor and richness the coconut oil brings to these cookies. If you
have a hard time finding whole wheat pastry flour, feel free to substitute
unbleached all-purpose flour.
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
scant 1/2
teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 cup rolled oats
2/3 cup chopped
walnuts
1 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup real maple syrup, room
temperature
1/2 cup unrefined (fragrant) coconut oil, warmed until just
melted
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
Preheat oven to 375F degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment
paper.
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and oats. Add
the nuts and carrots. In a separate smaller bowl use a whisk to combine the
maple syrup, coconut oil, and ginger. Add this to the flour mixture and stir
until just combined.
Drop onto prepared baking sheets, one level tablespoonful at a time, leaving
about 2 inches between each cookie. Bake in the top 1/3 of the oven for 10 - 12
minutes or until the cookies are golden on top and bottom.
Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies.
