carrot cookies

Food Friday: Carrot Quinoa Breakfast Cookies

I think I may be a snack monster! "I'm hungry" may be the phrase I say the most ;) This is probably because I am not balancing my blood sugar effectively that day, simply out of habit or I just enjoy food too much! 

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These cookies do the trick for me when I am in that state of mind and my stomach is grumbling. I love freezing them and grabbing one as needed. They are packed full of nutrients from the carrots, quinoa and oats, fat from almond butter and nuts, coconut oil and flax, protein from almond butter/nuts and fibre from whole grains and flax. I see no wrong! (Unless you are on a paleo diet unfortunately.) Remember fat, fibre and protein is what keeps you full for longer and balances your blood sugar. I posted the link to these awhile ago on FB but considering I keep coming back to them I wanted them handy for both you and me. :) 

Depending on how runny my almond butter is, the cookies can be pretty wet before cooking or dry. I add a little more quinoa or oats if it looks too wet, which keeps them from crumbling. If you can eat eggs you may want to try them with 1-2 eggs instead of the flax mixture however I haven't done this yet. The recipe has several ingredients but I find they are a cinch to throw together if you have cooked the quinoa the night before (use the rest in a buddha bowl or salad). Thanks www.loveandlemons.com!

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup oat flour (made from 1¼ cups whole rolled oats ground in a blender - eg vitamix)
  • 1 cup (additional) whole rolled oats
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2-3/4 cup cooked quinoa
  • 1 cup finely shredded carrots
  • 2 tbsp ground flaxseed + 5 tbsp warm water (set aside for 5 minutes)
  • 1/2 cup almond butter
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
  • 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup nuts and/or seeds (I used walnuts & pumpkin seeds; pecans could be great)
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

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  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a glass, combine the flaxseed and warm water and set aside to thicken for about 5 minutes.
  3. Use a food processor or a blender to process the 1¼ cups rolled oats into a fine flour and measure out one level cup. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, the remaining 1 cup whole oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and sea salt. Add in the quinoa and then the shredded carrots, stirring until the carrots are completely coated with flour.
  4. In a medium bowl, combine the almond butter, coconut oil, and maple syrup and stir well to incorporate. Stir in the flaxseed mixture.
  5. Add the wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients and fold in just until combined. Stir in the walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and cranberries.
  6. Scoop just under ¼ cup of batter for each cookie onto the baking sheet. (I have used 1/4 cup and they come out pretty big - which I like.) Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
  7. When cookies are completely cool, they can be stored in an airtight container or frozen.

Let me know what you think or if you have any adaptations you like!

In health & happiness, 

Dr. Karen