Baby, it's a Brand-New Day

I'm a huge fan of breakfast. I know it doesn't really show on the blog (okay, heck, not much in general has shown up on this blog recently), but to me a day simply cannot get started without some sort of nosh. Whether it's hot or cold, sit-down or on-the-go, as long as that food gets into my belly I'm happy.

Of course, I do prefer the hot (or at least warm) breakfast when I get the chance. Be it a bowl of nuked leftover rice from the night before (I stir in jam... nummy!) or a couple toasted corn flatbreads with cinnamon-sugar, the heat seems to keep me a bit more "up" the rest of the morning than a plain bowl of cereal. I know that a lot of people both my age, younger and older than me hate the whole concept of breakfast, though. My dad and sister, for example, could basically eat one meal at "lunch" and another around "dinner" and be done for the day. A couple of my friends who take transit into class in the early morning or work weird shifts simply say they have no time for breakfast. And then you have some of my clients with allergies - one girl who I've mentioned before, a celiac allergic to fungi, corn, strawberries, dairy and brassicae, is both run-off-her-feet busy with school, 4 jobs and army cadets is simply overwhelmed by the prospect of fnding anything convenient and safe to grab in the morning rush.

So that's where these cookies of mine come in. Dense, heavy, and crammed full of everything under the sun but those allergens, these discs of deliciousness are a concentrated energy source in a convenient, easy to hold and ever so slightly chewy wrapper. It's a new day, and the morning looks tasty!

Brand New Day Breakfast Cookies

Makes 22
2 1/4 cups (12 oz) raisins
1 cup (5 oz) chopped pitted dates
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1/3 cup hot water
1/3 cup amaranth grains
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup raw sesame seeds
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup whole raw almonds, chopped
1/2 cup whole raw hazelnuts, chopped
1/2 cup shortening
2/3 cup smooth peanut butter
1/3 cup sunflower seed butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp vanilla
1/2 cup plain soy milk
1 tbsp agave nectar (or honey)
1 1/3 cups gluten-free all purpose flour
1/2 cup ground almonds
1/2 tsp guar gum
3/4 cup psyllium fibre husks
1/3 cup soy milk powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup roasted chickpeas

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line 4 cookie sheets with parchment or SilPat.
2. Place raisins and dates into a bowl and cover with hot water. Let stand 30 minutes, then drain and set aside.
3. Combine flaxseed and hot water in a small dish and set aside for 10 minutes.
4. In a dry pan over high heat, toast the amaranth grains, all the seeds, the almonds and the hazelnuts until the grains begin to pop and the nuts toast. Pour into a bowl and set aside.
5. In a large bowl, beat together the shortening, peanut butter, sunflower seed butter, brown sugar and vanilla until creamy.
6. Add the flax mixture, soy milk and agave nectar and beat in well.
7. In another bowl whisk together the gluten free all purpose flour, ground almonds, guar gum, psyllium fibre, soy milk powder, spices and salt.
8. Gradually add this mixture to the creamed ingredients, stirring gently, then fold in the toasted mixture and the soaked fruit.
9. Drop big mounds of dough onto the sheets, no more than 6 to a sheet. Flatten tops slightly with wet fingers (you can sprinkle with coarse sugar if you'd like).
10. Bake 18 minutes. Cool cookies completely on the sheets.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 399.0
Total Fat: 20.5 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 75.9 mg
Total Carbs: 51.9 g

Dietary Fiber: 8.9 g

Protein: 9.3 g