Date-Sweetened Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (vegan)

I know I should be posting something more "green" today but I decided to blow off st. patty's day and make some cookies, or biscuits as the Irish would say. They are sweetened mostly with dates and with a touch of agave nectar to seal the deal. They are not meant to be a super sweet cookie anyways...it's a hearty almost Irish soda bread in a biscuit type of cookie. So I decided to share.

Or, maybe I should have shared a good green smoothie recipe... hm, spinach, kale, and maybe pineapple... yeah yeah. I think I will eat my greens and fruit not blended up today. I mean you can get all of the same goodness by just eating your raw veggies and fruit, so what makes me think it is some what better for me if I blend it all up. :) OK ok, I am really not down on the "green" smoothie, and maybe I am just justifying the fact that I like to eat my greens as leaves and not as a liquid. Bottom line is that it doesn't matter how you eat or drink your vegetables, but your body needs them and will love you for consuming them. But that is another post, or another recipe, for another day...

Today I am sharing a little love in the baking department... what's new about that, right ?! :)

Date-Sweetened Oatmeal Biscuit Cookie Recipe

3/4 cup of sorghum flour

1/2 cup of gluten-free oat flour (made by grinding in food processor)

1/3 cup of flaxmeal

1 1/2 cups of gluten-free rolled oats

2 ts. of baking powder

1/2 ts. of sea salt

2 ts. of ground cinnamon

1/4 cup of pure maple syrup

1 ts. of pure vanilla

1/2 cup of room temperature organic coconut oil

1/2 cup of finely chopped dates soaked in 1 cup of coconut milk or non-dairy milk overnight

add 1/2 cup of raisins or more chopped dates

First thing, soak 1 cup of chopped dated (chop from whole) in 1 cup of non-dairy milk. I used So Delicious Coconut Milk Beverage. Soak for 6-8 hours or overnight. Then the sweetness from the dates will soak into the milk and you will have a very sweet date/milk mixture. Then milk all the dry ingredients above together first, then add the wet and coconut milk date mixture. Mix together well and form little cookie-like balls and press down just a bit on the baking sheet. I lined my baking sheet with parchment paper because it helps them bake better and not stick at all. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes and let cool before moving. They may be a little crumbly when then first from from the oven, so let them cool a bit.

This recipe will make about 2 dozen cookies.

And now I leave you with an Irish Blessing for the day:

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Have a beautiful day!

Much love,

Stephanie