Day 28 Dessert - Rustic French Oatmeal Cookies

Since Obe and I are doing our best to stay away from packaged, processed foods, I've been doing a fair amount of baking at home.  Even though I used to do it for a living, I never seem to get sick of making cookies!  Since we are also trying to stay away from refined flours, I've been doing some experimenting with whole-grain cookies, lately.  This recipe calls for oats and whole wheat pastry flour, which is a wonderful substitute for white flour.

The floral aroma of the Herbs de Provence and rosewater with the bittersweet chocolate studded with coarse grains of salt is truly a flavor experience!  These cookies are fragrant, buttery, crispy-chewy and a little savory-sweet.  If you have become bored with the usual chocolate chip or oatmeal cookie, do try these.  Your taste buds will thank you!

Rustic French Oatmeal Cookies
about 2 dozen large cookies

1/2 pound butter, room temperature
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1 egg
2 tsp. rosewater (optional, may substitute vanilla)
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 T coarse kosher salt
2 T herbs de provence
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter with sugars on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Add rosewater and egg and mix on low speed until combined.  Combine baking powder, soda, herbs, salt and flour in a separate bowl.  Add to standing mixer and mix on low until combined.  Add oats and chocolate chips, and mix on low to combine.

Using a 2-inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto parchment paper-lined cookie sheets.  Make 6 cookies per medium-sized tray (these cookies spread out a lot).  Flatten each mound of dough with the palm of your hand, then bake until lightly browned, about 13 minutes.

Day 12 Dessert - Walnut Joys

I don't tend to eat a lot of snacks during the day.  Mostly, I think, because when I am at work I don't really have time!  But we, at the Ariss household, are very fond of our post-dinner snacks.  Late-night eating can often be a hazard to your health (almost as though when the sun goes down, so do your eating inhibitions!) but it doesn't have to be a bad habit.  We decided rather than go against our instincts, we replace the bad food with good stuff!  Usually, I have an apple and a cup of green tea, a handful of almonds and dried cranberries, or some freshly-popped popcorn with a little garlic oil.  Something simple, often sweet and nutritious.  Every now and then, though, you just want dessert!  So, I'm happy to say I will include a Good Dessert recipe when the occasion calls for it.

These cookies are a play on one of my favorite candy bars!  I used walnuts instead of almonds, because I snack on almonds regularly and I wanted to have something different.  The bulk of the cookie is plain, unsweetened coconut with a little chocolate to make them extra decadent!  For a different twist, replace the chocolate and walnuts with whatever the heck you want!  Dried cranberries, almonds, raisins, chopped dates, or pisachios would all be excellent substitutes. 

Once you try these, you may never waste your money on a crappy candy bar ever again!  You'll save yourself from something unsustainably produced with lots of artificial ingredients and corn syrup.  Victory is ours!


Walnut Joys
makes about 16 cookies

4 egg whites
1 3/4 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup honey
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a standing mixer, beat egg whites until foamy, about a minute or two.  Add all the other ingredients and beat until combined. 

Using a small ice cream scoop, about 2 inches, scoop mixture onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, leaving at least an inch between cookies.  Bake for about 15 minutes, until the cookies are set and the coconut is brown and toasted.  Allow to cool completely before enjoying.