Sunday, April 17, 2016

Carrot Oatmeal Raisin Cookies #SundaySupper

I am very leery of declaring that spring has arrived... being an April baby (along with my sister), I've heard far too many retellings of the snowstorm that occurred the day before I was born, and definitely remember being snowsuit clad the week my sister entered the world three years later. That said, this weekend has been double-digit (Celsius) for the first time this year, and the rest of the week is supposed to follow suit (fingers crossed). The family has been out gardening, preparing the beds for eventual seedlings and direct-sowing, and I even got my butt in gear to start my tomato, squash and nasturtiums in my indoor greenhouse this week.

Carrot Oatmeal Raisin CookiesNow of course, all this glorious weather has been short-lived, and there's no way we'll even be seeing backyard rhubarb for at least another month or two. Therefore, we're still embracing the freezer stockade of greens, berries and peaches, plus the "storage crops" like carrots, cabbage, onions and potatoes for a lot of our dishes, slotting in (imported) lettuce, hothouse tomatoes, citrus and berries to brighten up the plate. I always think of carrots in the springtime for some reason, probably due to the Easter carrot-cake tradition, and it's a wonder that I don't usually turn orange by May after eating them for months!

Ironically, as the days get warmer and sunnier I become more prone to roasting and sauteeing the roots, which brings out the sweetness hidden deep within their cores after months of storage. Since growing my own heirlooms every year, I'm spoiled when it comes to the flavours I enjoy raw - nothing beats the crisp, bright and lightly sugary snap of a bright red (or purple, yellow, white, black orange...) carrot freshly pulled from the (pesticide-free) dirt, rinsed with the garden hose and devoured immediately. So roasting away I go, and often I'll do a whole 3-lb bag at once to portion and freeze for simple side dishes, sauce extenders or last minute stir fry additions.

When I was given a copy of my school's "classic" carrot cookie recipe to make for Easter, I immediately started thinking of ways to elevate the recipe from it's rather spartan, highly sugared, slightly chewy-cakey roots to something worthy of a spring cookie tray. I pulled a couple tricks out of my back pocket that I had learned from years of oatmeal cookie experimenting - namely, chilling the dough as long as possible so as to rehydrate the oats and flaxseed - and used pureed roasted carrots in lieu of baby food for a thicker moisture component. A few extra swaps later and I had vegan, bite sized drop cookies perfect for Peter Cottontail (and his brood).

What I love about this cookie is that it's a great spice cookie open to possibility in terms of additions and twists. Don't like raisins? Add craisins, nuts, coconut, white chocolate... whatever floats your boat. Personally, my next step is going to be supersizing the cookies into whoopie-pie like rounds for cream cheese ice cream sandwiches. Oh, to think of ice cream weather!

Spring has arrived at the #SundaySupper table this week, and along with our host Renee from Renee’s Kitchen Adventures our gang is sharing recipes to welcome the season to 2016!


Breakfast:

Appetizers:

Beverages:

Main Dish:

Side Dish:

Dessert:

Plus Spring Vegetable Minestrone and more Spring Recipes from Sunday Supper Movement
 
Sunday Supper MovementJoin the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement

Carrot Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Carrot Oatmeal Raisin Cookies 
Makes 30
1/2 cup dairy-free margarine (I used Earth Balance)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup low fat, unsweetened soy milk
2 tbsp ground flax seed
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp maple extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup pureed roasted carrots or good quality carrot baby food
1 cup flour
1 cup spelt flour
1 1/2 cups thick-cut rolled oats
1/2 cup instant oatmeal
1/2 tbsp baking powder
2/3 cup raisins
  1. In a bowl, beat together the margarine, sugars, soy milk, flaxseed, extracts, spices and salt.
  2. Add the carrots and beat well.
  3. Stir in the flours, oats, baking powder and raisins until combined.
  4. Cover and chill at least 1 hour, preferably overnight.
  5. Heat the oven to 375F and line cookie sheets with parchment.
  6. Drop half-tablespoons of dough onto the sheets, spacing about 1" apart. Flatten slightly with damp fingers.
  7. Bake for 14-15 minutes. Cool on the sheets
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 114.4
Total Fat: 3.8 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 57.7 mg
Total Carbs: 19.3 g
Dietary Fiber: 1.6 g
Protein: 2.2 g

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