Peanut Butter & Spelt Cookies

I have been on this sort of "health food" kick lately. Lame, I know. Maybe it's because my birthday is coming up (4 days.... I like presents) and I am starting to become more aware that what you put in your body really does make a difference. Maybe it's the charming few post-wedding pounds that have found a home with me.... or maybe it's because I spend way too much time at Whole Foods and I can't escape it. Who knows. But none the less... there has been kale in our fajitas, flax in our cereal and Rich is probably wondering why the white sugar and flour have suddenly disappeared from our home. 

Now, usually I would rather a full ban on tasty desserts than waste my time with ones that taste like cardboard. I have tried my fair share of "healthy" dessert recipes, whole wheat cookies (what a joke!) and gluten free nightmares.... but these cookies seriously take the cake.... like the full fat, calorie, sugar, diabetes inducing cake. And they have none of that in them! Ok, maybe a few calories..... but they are sugar free, dairy free, and egg free (Cindy Keith- these won't kill you!!) "Everything in moderation" have always been my words to live by...and they still are, but with these cookies you can totally have an extra one when nobody is looking.  I almost didn't want to admit how delicious they are.... but I am. The texture, which is usually the first thing to go with vegan cookies, is spot on. Now, you will have to make a Whole Foods run because even I didn't have spelt flour on hand, but 10 minutes in memorial day traffic is totally worth it! This is a super simple recipe that I feel like just became a staple for me. Delicious!

peanut better & spelt cookies

Ingredients:
2 cups spelt flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sea salt
1 cup natural peanut butter
1/3 cup tahini
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Method:
Heat your oven to 350 degree. Mix 1 1/2 cups of the spelt flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. 
In a separate bowl, combine peanut butter, tahini, maple syrup, olive oil, and vanilla. Stir until combined. Pour the peanut butter mixture over the flour mixture and fold them together until combined, try not to over work the dough. If it is too loose, you can add some more flour to it. Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Press down on each one gently with the back of a fork. 
Bake for 10-12 minutes, don’t over bake or they will be dry. 


This recipe is from Greenkitchenstories.com and is surely not the last one that I will try from them!