For someone who has an obsession for food and doesn't get fazed by cooking any dish for any number of people, it is odd that I have never desired nor attempted to bake any cookies.
A dear friend who loves drinking JostArriba gifted me a box of orange cookies, and assured me of the enhanced experience of this combination. I was intrigued.
One obvious obstacle came to mind: you will never find the two staple baking ingredients in my kitchen: wheat flour and sugar. There is no milk or butter in my fridge either.
As a nutritionist and formulating chemist with a rebellious nature, I turn this challenge into an opportunity: how about a gluten-free, dairy-free, high protein, low carb, high fiber, zero added sugar cookie with a zest, which I would be willing to eat everyday and feed my family with?
After a quick review at my ingredient inventory, I decided to simply work with what I already have, no need for an elaborate shopping trip.
And I found a bag of almond flour my niece brought over a couple of weeks ago to make JostArriba bliss balls. Let’s see how it holds up for baking cookies!
After watching a couple of youtube videos on cookie baking, I was equipped with the fundamentals, and will leave the rest to improvisation and creativity.
Time to get messy!
JostArriba Cookie with a Zest Recipe
Ingredients:
2 servings JostArriba
2 cups Almond flour*
1/2 cup Cacao Powder*
8 Medjool Dates*
1 tsp Cinnamon Powder
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Himalayan Salt
2 Eggs* (Omega-3)
1/2 cup Almond Butter*
2 tbsp Maples Syrup*
1/2 Coconut Oil* (unrefined)
2 tbsp Orange Extract*
1 tbsp Vanilla Extract*
1 Orange*, freshly grated orange zest
*Organic
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F
- In a bowl, mix dry ingredients together.
- In another bowl, mix wet ingredients together.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and mix all until homogenous.
- Roll the dough into balls and place them on the baking pan approximately an inch apart.
- Use a spoon to flatten the tops of each cookie, and then flatten further with a fork.
- Sprinkle with freshly grated orange zest.
- Bake for 10 minutes, and then ENJOY!
I had a blast making a mess along with all the uncertainty and the irregular shapes and random sizes that came with my first ever cookie-making experience.
Exactly 10 minutes later, the aroma sipped through the oven, filled the house with sweetness and my mind with endorphins. The first warm, soft, chewy bite of my own invention was heavenly: how could something so good for me be so delicious?!!!
Why is it so good for me?
In addition to its magic brain and mood boosting power and sustain energy from JostArriba:
- High protein
- High fiber
- Gluten-free
- Dairy-free
- Zero added sugar
- Rich in antioxidants
My dear friend is absolutely right; the zestiness of orange and bitterness of JostArriba are match made in heaven! This pairing is how I would like to start my mornings and satisfy afternoon munchies from now on. And according to the toughest judge in my life, my mom, this is the most delicious dessert she has ever enjoyed!
