Breakfast Cookies and Tea

Morning happiness (and nutrition)

Sweet potato, oatmeal, peanut butter, cranberry cookies

Recipe Inspired by Run Fast, Eat Slow (Shalane Flanagan and Elyse Kopecky)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of sweet potato puree (bake sweet potatoes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 45–60 minutes, remove skin, and blend in a food processor or blender)
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup of coconut oil (melted)
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon of almond extract
• 1/2 cup of peanut butter
• 1/2 cup of dried cranberries
• 3 cups of blended oats (use food processor or blender to crush 3 cups of oats into what looks like oat flour)
• 1 cup of almond flour or almond meal
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
• In a medium sized bowl combine the sweet potato puree, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla, almond extract, peanut butter and dried cranberries. Mix thoroughly
• In a separate larger bowl combine and mix the blended oats, almond flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.
• Combine all ingredients (pour wet ingredients into the bigger bowl with dry ingredients). Mix until all the flour / oats have been absorbed into the thick batter.
• Use a 1/4 cup or a big spoon to create generously sized cookies on a baking sheet (about 1" apart). You can get artsy about it, if you want to add a fancy fork press design, or you can be practical and just use the back of the measuring cup / spoon to softly press on the dough.
• Bake at 350 for 25 minutes (or a bit longer if you like a crunchy bottom).
• Store cookies in the fridge up to a week (or freezer if you plan on eating them for the next couple months).

Chai for your brain

Favorite form of caffeine (feels good on the mind, body and soul)

Ingredients:

• 1 spoonful of loose leaf chai (I like this one: Organic Masala Chai Tea — Positively Tea)
• ~ 2 tablespoons almond milk (favorite brand: Califia Farms)
• 1 spoon full of coconut oil

Directions:

1. Boil water in electric kettle or actual kettle (on the stove)
2. While water is boiling, put one spoonful of loose leaf chai into a strainer and place in your favorite mug
3. Let boiled water sit for about a minute without heat before pouring into your mug (leave a bit of room for almond milk)
4. Let the tea seep for about 2–7 minutes (the longer it seeps, the stronger it will be.
5. Remove tea strainer and add the coconut oil and almond milk
6. Enjoy :)