Ginger Molasses Cookies

Happy Leap Day! 

A day that doesn't come around but every 4 years. I always thought it would be fun to have a birthday today because even though you would get older every year you could really say you were like 7 years old when you turned 28. Well, maybe that wouldn't be so great if you wanted to go out an rent an "R" rated movie or vote. Yet, the older I get the more I value the younger years of yesterday. Is there is pause button I don't know about somewhere?

Life just moves too fast. I was just recently looking back on some wedding photos and was mesmerized on how I and my four siblings looked so young. It was only 7 years ago, but in seven years I now have three siblings that are at least half-foot taller than me now. That day is forever locked in my memory.

Or I just look at my growing son. I had to cut his hair the other day because he couldn't see with the hair dangling in his eyes. And now he looks less like a baby and more like a boy. How is it that he is so big? It was just 2 years ago that I found out that I was pregnant with him and now he is talking to me and finding new hiding places in the house. I now know what it means when others have said "It just goes so fast!"

I also recently lost an aunt to a short battle with cancer. Life is so fragile. My uncle and family are left only months after a diagnosis without their wife, mother, best friend. Life moves even faster sometimes and leaves you thinking that you have to treat every day as a gift. That every moment is living. And that we must not live bored or take love for granted. My uncle's words to me were to love those closest because you just don't know how long we all have together. Sobering words, but words of truth I am willing to swallow and live by.

And, because I can see the gift of today I celebrate by making some cookies with my sweet boy. He is my little chef already. Loves to mix with spatulas in the pots and pans. Not really knowing what he is doing only but imitating his momma. He loves food and loves to be in the kitchen... hmmm, I wonder where he gets that from?

So today we made a batch of some super yummy, baby-friendly, and not too sweet cookies. An all time favorite treat that is very simple and easy to whip up and enjoy.

Ginger Molasses Cookie Recipe (vegan)
1 1/3 cup of freshly ground buckwheat flour (1 heaping cup of groats finely ground)
1/3 cup of millet flour (or sorghum flour)
1/3 cup of tapioca flour
2/3 cup of sucanat or coconut palm sugar
1 ts. of baking powder
1 ts. of baking soda
1/2 ts. of sea salt
1 ts. of ground cinnamon
1 ts. of ground ginger
dash of ground cloves and allspice
1/3 cup of room temperature organic coconut oil
2 TB of blackstrap molasses
2 TB of fresh lemon juice (1 lemon squeezed)
3 TB of apple butter or apple sauce (I use homemade here)

optional additions:
*add a few TB's of finely chopped candied ginger to spice it up more
*add 2 TB of honey or maple syrup to make it softer and sweeter
*roll the cookies in a bowl of more sucanat or sugar before baking to create a crunchy crust

First, grind 1 cup of buckwheat groats in a magic bullet or high powered blender. Then mix the buckwheat flour with the rest of the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Then add the oil and the rest of the wet ingredients. Mix well and let sit for a few minutes to soak up the moisture. The batter will be a tad wet, but that is just what makes these cookies chewy too. So try and press it down with a spatula, or if you must add a sprinkling of more GF flour of choice on the top of the dough to make it easier to handle. Then roll out little TB-sized balls in the palm of your hand and press down on a parchment paper cookie sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 12-14 minutes. Then pull from oven and let cool for 10-15 minutes before moving to a plate or container. Recipe makes about 3 dozen cookies. Then ENJOY!

Hope you find ways to celebrate life and breath today. 

Many blessings to you and yours!