The Treats are HERE!!!

Well, it’s been a minute! I’ve been busy as have we all, although, goddess bless ya, maybe you haven’t. If you found me through a box of cookies (my Healthy Holiday Gift Box) then congratulations! The recipes for the three tasty bites in my boxes are here for the taking! Without further adieu…and a Happy, Healthy, Holiday to all.

-Chef Rachel

Almond Orange Tutti-Frutti Cookies

Ingredients

2 Tsp Ground flax seed

1 Tbsp Orange zest

2 Tbsp plus 2 Tsp Orange juice

2 Tsp Almond extract

1/3 C Extra virgin olive oil

1/3 C Virgin coconut oil, softened

2 Tbsp Maple syrup

2 C Whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat flour

2/3 C Coconut sugar (scant)

1/2 Tsp Baking powder

Rounded 1/4 Tsp Anise seed, ground (or ground star anise)

Two pinches coarse sea salt

1/2 C Dried cranberries, minced

For the Icing

1/2 C Powdered sugar

1 Tbsp Orange juice

1/4 Tsp Almond extract (glycerin base)

1/8 Tsp Beet powder, or to desired color

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment. Zest your oranges for 1 Tbsp zest and then juice one to produce about 1/4 C juice. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the zest, flax, juice, and almond extract together and set aside for 5 minutes to allow the flax to soften.

In another mixing bowl, combine the flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, anise, and salt and wisk well. Add the cranberry and toss to coat.

Add the oils and maple syrup to the bowl with the flax mixture and whisk until smooth. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet until the dough is just mixed evenly. Use an oiled tablespoon measure to create dough balls of exactly 1 Tbsp of dough. Tap the scoops out onto the parchment and lightly shape into little domes with the spoon about 1 inch apart. Bake the cookies for 13 to 15 minutes and allow to cool on the pan.

When the cookies are fully cooled prepare the icing by whisking all icing ingredients together in a small bowl. Adjust with more sugar or a drop more of orange juice if needed to thicken or thin. If you have a small squeeze bottle you may use this to drizzle the icing over the cookies evenly (I like to zig-zag) or use a small spoon to make some daring and artistic statements with the icing. It’s up to you!

Allow the cookies to sit at room temperature or refrigerate until the icing is set. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks if wrapped tight. Enjoy at room temperature.

Yields approximately 30 small cookies.

Mint-Chocolate Coconut Snowballs

NOTE: Shredded coconut can vary in moisture content. If your mixture does not hold together easily when pinched, you may need to adjust. You can let the coconut rest to absorb the moisture from the maple for a while and you can also add more coconut butter (or both), 1 Tbsp at a time, and process again, until the dough easily forms balls when molded.

Ingredients

3 C Dried shredded coconut, unsweetened, plus a little extra for garnish

1/4 C Coconut butter

2 Tbsp Virgin coconut oil

1/4 C Maple syrup

2 Pinches coarse sea salt

1/2 plus 1/4 Tsp, separated, mint extract in glycerine base (or more if you want to be extra minty! Go slow though…)

3 oz. Vegan dark chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a sheet pan, preferably an air pan or a thick sheet pan, with parchment. Blend all ingredients except chocolate in a food processor until they form a cohesive dough that sticks together when pinched. Using a 1 tablespoon measure, scoop all of the dough into 1 Tbsp portions and place on baking sheet. Now use a 1 Tsp measure and your hands to gently mold balls. Gently place each ball down squarely just enough to create a slightly flat bottom and space by 1 inch.

Bake for 6 minutes and check. If the bottoms have not browned lightly, bake one more minute. Bake up to 8 minutes if needed but be careful! The bottoms will get dark fast!

Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet. When they are cool, melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave in 20 second intervals. Use a bowl that will be easy to dip the cookies into. When the chocolate is melted, add the reserved 1/4 Tsp mint extract, stir in, and dip half of each cookie in chocolate. Gently return each cookie to cool on the pan (sitting on it’s little flat spot), and sprinkle with extra coconut. Allow the chocolate to set at room temperature or in the fridge. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Enjoy at room temperature, cold, or even frozen!

Yields approximately 24 small cookies

Date gingerbread bites

Ingredients

1.5 C Regular rolled oats

1 C Almond meal

2 Tbsp Cinnamon, ground

2 Tsp Ginger, dried ground

3/4 Tsp Fresh grated nutmeg

1/2 Tsp Clove, ground (scant)

2 Pinches coarse salt

2.5 C Pitted medjool dates

2 Tbsp Molasses

Thinly sliced candied ginger for garnish

Grind the oats in a food processor until a fine meal forms. Add the almond flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, clove, and salt and process until mixed. Tear the dates in large pieces and add to the bucket of the processor evenly. Pour the molasses over the dates evenly and process until a sticky dough forms.

Use an oiled tablespoon measure to portion all of the dough into even 1 Tbsp hunks. Roll each portion into a perfect ball. Cut the candied ginger in thin slices of any shape to decorate each ball as desired. I like to store these in mini muffin cups because they are a little sticky at first. Store in an airtight container, refrigerated, for up to two weeks. Enjoy at room temperature.

Yields 40 small bites