During December's gathering, the table was decorated with flowers, champagne, and three delicious treats. Whipped coconut cream sat beside a beautiful and warm apple tart next to a dish of the tastiest chocolate chip oatmeal cookies ever. Today, I'm (Emily, here!) dishing out an oh-so-easy dessert recipe you need to make asap. Seriously. I'm thinking this is the perfect recipe to say I love you this V-Day. You know, if you're into that kind of thing.
Does that make sense? Do you ever get overwhelmed by the concept of how you have the power to shape your emotions, to control the outcome, to work with all you have and make it more or less? Because you actually have that power. Every time you sit in your pity party, you have the power to turn it off and make it a dance party. When you are angry, you have the power to shape that anger into productivity and progress. When you are sad, you have the power to turn that sadness around to a form of hope.
1. Floss, because I gotta
Crust -
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
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The Yummiest Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies (v, gf) & Forgiveness for Biting Off More than I Could Chew
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At last week's gathering, the table was decorated with flowers, champagne, and three delicious treats. Whipped cream sat beside an apple tart, both behind a dish of the tastiest chocolate chip oatmeal cookies ever. Today, I'm (Emily, here!) dishing out the best cookie recipe for you to make asap. Seriously. A must-make recipe with ingredients you probably have on hand right now.
But before we get started, I wanted to talk about biting off more than you can chew, about me biting off more than I could chew. This last year has been humbling with necessary weekends of rest, of moments of silence, of tasks not being started or completed. Some really energizing projects were finished quickly and with pride. Not everything is cake and champagne, however, and some did nothing but land me in bed and leave me feeling defeated.
I wanted to accomplish a lot of things this year, and I didn't get to most of them. Shocker. It occurred to me, though, the ones I did complete were important. To not recognize them would be dismissing key triumphs of 2015. If we forget to reflect on what we did do - even if it's watching 12 seasons of TV on Netflix - we'll never be happy. Ever. It will always be an and then or but then game. It will be a game of always chasing instead of stringing together the happy moments that make a life of happiness.
So yeah, I sure as heck bit off more than I could chew, because that's who I am, and I'll always want more of the great feeling of accomplishment. But I'm starting to realize it's okay. It's okay I didn't finish them or even start them to finish them. They will be there for next year's growth. They will be there when I'm running out of ideas. They will be there just as they are intended. I've completed what I've completed, and this is enough. I am enough. No eBook or extra program or additional client or extra photo will make me worthy. I am already worthy. I extend this freedom to you. You are already enough. You are already worthy. You don't need to complete another project, cross something off your never-ending to-do list, or lose 10 pounds to be better. You are already enough.
So bite off more than you can chew, and then be okay if it doesn't work out. Set your sights to bigger and better, but be content with whatever happens, because it's all working out regardless.
If you don't want to think any more of your to-do list, you might want to bite into more than you can chew of these cookies, so get ready and get set for some serious yum!
This recipe brings all of the Great Vibes because it's ...
super easy to make
ready to eat in under 30 minutes
sweet
chewy
rich
decadent
versatile
Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients ::
+ 2 cups gluten-free rolled oats
+ 3/4 cup oat flour (process 1 cup of oats in a coffee grinder or blender to make your own and then scoop out desired amount)
+ 1/2 cup coconut sugar
+ 1/2 tsp sea salt
+ 1 tsp of cinnamon
+ 1/2 tsp baking soda
+ 1/2 tsp baking powder
+ 1 small banana, mashed
+ 1/3 cup olive oil
+ 1/2 cup maple syrup
+ 1 tsp vanilla extract
+ 1/4 cup - 1/2 cup chocolate chips or other add-ins (I did 1/2 - 1 cup chocolate chips, because I love chocolate. No shame.)
Recipe ::
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, add all dry ingredients - except add-ins. Stir to combine.
3. In a blender, add all wet ingredients, and pulse until fully combined. Alternatively, use a fork to mash the banana, and then whisk all the wet ingredients together.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir until completely mixed.
5. Toss in desired add-ins and mix.
6. Drop tablespoon-full sized balls of dough onto the parchment paper. If crumbly, use fingers to mold into circles. They will hold once baked.
7. Bake for 12-15 minutes until the tops brown, and the edges are slightly crispy.
8. Remove from oven to let cool.
9. Devour & enjoy!
Notes::
Makes between 17 and 20 cookies.
Other add-in options include raisins, walnuts, other types of chocolate, etc.
If you're not feeling bananas for health reasons or otherwise, try subbing equal applesauce or sweet potato puree at your own risk.
All ingredients are vegan and most are organic. If these things are important to you, I encourage you to do the same. Finances, availability, and personal consumer choice can impact purchase decisions. My hope is that you closely follow the recipe, but make allowances where necessary -- my feelings won't be hurt, and your taste buds will still have a party. Promise!
+ What are your favorite cookies?
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P.S.S. Have you checked out all of the
other places Emily's spreading the Great Vibes?
Toasted Coconut Butter
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You guys. I (Emily, here!) LOVE this recipe. I used to spend 10 dollars plus on jars of this stuff from *those who take whole paychecks* and would go through it within a couple days - cue the bank robbery. It took me such a long time, even after reading recipes (!) to finally make it for myself. Thank goodness I finally did, because let's talk about a bang for your buck. Now, I spend a fifth of the price and get fresh, homemade coconut butter that takes less than 15 minutes to make and requires only one ingredient. Can I get a booyah? Too lame? Alright ... we'll move on.
This recipe brings all of the Great Vibes because it's ...
ONLY one ingredient
a perfect base recipe
done in under 15 minutes
creamy
rich
decadent
versatile
I put this yummy goodness on basically everything. A couple weeks ago, it was featured in it's non-toasted variation in my Mexican Cold Chocolate recipe. I've been known to eat it by the spoonful, drizzle it over sweet potatoes with a little bit of cinnamon, stir it into a can of pumpkin with honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, and tumeric, or mix it with maple syrup and a little lemon juice to make a yummy frosting for cinnamon rolls. *cravings beginning now*.
Note: Notice in my ingredients where I've written organic and where I've written vegan. If these things are important to you, I encourage you to do the same. Finances, availability, and personal consumer choice can impact purchase decisions. My hope is that you closely follow the recipe, but make allowances where necessary -- my feelings won't be hurt and your tastebuds will still have a party. Promise!
What is it we love so much about coconut? I spent all day Monday, chatting up my favorite healthy fat, coconut, over on twitter - follow me here -, because why not? Coconut is amazing and it comes in so many different forms... flaked, whole, liquid, butter, oil, the list is endless! Okay, not endless, but definitely a lot of options from which to choose. Coconuts are made up of 90% fat, which has most people gasping and pinching their waistlines, but 65% are medium-chain fatty acids. These guys are absorbed by our body in a way that fuels us, not fattens us, and have been known to boost our metabolism, slim our waistlines, help moisturize our skin and boost it's integrity, aids in gut and digestive health, and may even have antimicrobial power. Hot dammmnnnnnn. So many benefits thanks to the nutritional profile (I'll just mention a few...) boasting of vitamins E & C, sterols, fiber, and electrolytes - i.e. potassium, magnesium, manganese, sodium.
Ingredients & steps after the jump ...
Toasted Coconut Butter
Ingredients ::
+ 1 bag of unsweetened flake coconut
(organic, nothing added - I use Trader Joe's brand)
Recipe ::
Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Spread unsweetened flake coconut onto a baking tray.
Toast coconut in the oven for about 5 (maybe more) minutes, until lightly golden brown, stirring occasionally to avoid burning.
Remove from oven and let cool.
Place cooled, toasted coconut flakes into blender or Nutribullet (if using Nutribullet, using milling attachment, not blender attachment).
Blend coconut, scraping down the sides or shaking the coconut back down, until fully blended and creamy. You'll know it's done when it's the same, even consistency of peanut or almond butter.
Top on smoothies or oatmeal, eat by the spoonful, or drizzle over sweet potatoes with cinnamon for a decadent treat packed with nutrients. The options are endless. Enjoy! Xx.
