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    snack

    Tahini Breakfast Cookies

    January 10, 2019

    cookie, healthy, tahini, breakfast
    cookie, healthy, tahini, breakfast, lebanese
    Delicious, healthy and A COOKIE!!!!

    Cookies aren't just for December!

    Oh yeah, I am totally bringing the "C" word in January! I know, I know, we're all on a health kick, eating veggies, lean protein and and nothing else. But word to the wise, breakfast cookies are GOOD and good for you.

    I am the first to admit that I struggle with food, eating too much, too little or just not the right things. This year I turn 40, a huge milestone but also a little reality check for myself, a time to make sure I am fit and healthy for myself and my family.

    Mornings are a flurry of lunches being made, gathering homework, sometimes even a morning piano practice before heading out the door. By the time I'm back from school drop off it's 9:00am and I've been up for about 3 hours with nothing more than coffee. This year I'm treating myself better, and I have cookies to prove it!

    I set off to create a cookie filled with wholesome grains, nuts and fruit, something that would be tasty yet filling with little to no sugar. Of course, delicious enough for kids to gobble up. With a few unique ingredients these cookies have such depth of flavor and umph you're sure to go back for more.

    cookie, healthy, tahini, breakfast, lebanese
    The sesame seeds are definitely extra, but add a nice little touch.

    Lebanese Flair

    Wholesome doesn't have to be boring, I sought out some interesting flours to create a wholegrain cookie. Buckwheat flour intrigued and spelt flour is always a winner. I wasn't sure if they cookies would become dense with these heavy hitters but the results were the exact opposite, soft and moist. Tahini and olive oil provide the much needed delicious and healthy fats. While brown sugar and honey give them the sweetness they need. Keeping with that Lebanese flair, I added all spice, apricots and walnuts, all very common in Lebanese cuisine and pastries.

    I hope you enjoy making these and boost your mornings with something healthy, delicious and satisfying. As always, I love seeing your creations, tag me on Instagram or Facebook!! Don't forget to Pin the recipe!

    xoxo,
    Cosette

    cookie, healthy, tahini, breakfast, lebanese
    Print Recipe
    Breakfast Cookies
    Adapted from: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/218671/whole-grain-breakfast-cookies/
    cookie, healthy, tahini, breakfast
    Course Baked Good, Breakfast
    Keyword breakfast, cookies, lebanese, snack
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 10 minutes
    Servings
    cookies
    Ingredients
    • 1 cup ground walnuts plus additional for add-in*
    • 1 ½ cup old fashioned oats
    • ⅓ cup buckwheat flour *
    • ½ cup spelt flour *
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ tsp salt
    • 1 teaspoon all spice
    • ¼ cup olive oil
    • ½ cup tahini
    • ¼ cup honey
    • ⅓ cup brown sugar
    • 1 large egg
    • 1 large egg yolk
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • ½ cup chopped walnuts
    • ½ cup chopped apricots I prefer Turkish apricots*
    • sprinkling sesame seeds
    Course Baked Good, Breakfast
    Keyword breakfast, cookies, lebanese, snack
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 10 minutes
    Servings
    cookies
    Ingredients
    • 1 cup ground walnuts plus additional for add-in*
    • 1 ½ cup old fashioned oats
    • ⅓ cup buckwheat flour *
    • ½ cup spelt flour *
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ tsp salt
    • 1 teaspoon all spice
    • ¼ cup olive oil
    • ½ cup tahini
    • ¼ cup honey
    • ⅓ cup brown sugar
    • 1 large egg
    • 1 large egg yolk
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • ½ cup chopped walnuts
    • ½ cup chopped apricots I prefer Turkish apricots*
    • sprinkling sesame seeds
    cookie, healthy, tahini, breakfast
    Instructions
    1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
    2. In the bowl of a food processor, grind your cup of walnuts until it forms a powder/flour. Remove and add into a bowl with your oats, flours, baking soda, salt and all spice.
    3. In the bowl of the food processor add in your wet ingredients: olive oil, tahini, honey, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla. Pulse a few times to combine.
    4. Pour the wet ingredient mixture into the bowl with your dry ingredients as well as your walnuts and apricot pieces.
    5. Mix together until a cohesive dough forms. The dough will be very thick.
    6. Using a cookie scoop, scoop out dough portions and place on parchment or silpat lined cookie sheets. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
    7. Bake each tray for 8 minutes, after 8 minutes, press cookies down gently with a wooden spoon to flatten slightly and bake for another 2 minutes.
    8. Remove, let cool and then place on rack. Store in sealed container or fridge. Enjoy!
    Recipe Notes

    **You could substitute flours if you choose, I have not done so yet but I would imagine traditional all-purpose would yield similar results. 

    **Feel free to change out your add-ins if walnuts and apricots aren't your style.

    **You could use almond flour or other nut flour in place of walnut flour (chose walnut due to an almond flour allergy in the family)

    Share this Recipe

    Date Rice Krispie Treats

    October 3, 2018

    rice krispies, dates, tahini, lebanese, school, treat

    rice krispies, dates, tahini, lebanese, school, treat

    Wholesome, filling and delicious. These Rice Krispie treats will be a hit with anyone.

    Date Rice Krispie Treats

    I know exactly what you're thinking, why on Earth did you think it was a good idea to change a classic Rice Krispie treat? To be perfectly honest, I love rice krispie treats as much as my kids: sweet, gooey and almost so light and fluffy you forget how bad they are for you. I'm a firm believer of everything in moderation so we will ABSOLUTELY still make traditional rice krispie treats. But, these new treats will have you wishing for more. 

    Why Dates? 

    I'm pretty much obsessed with dates, they are sweet, filling and not to mention, good on the digestive system. They also happen to be a perfect natural sweetener, truly nature's candy. Dates in Arabic is pronounced "Tammr". Tammr is a natural filling for many Lebanese desserts including ma'mmoul or these easy and delicious date cookies. Dates are commonly found in the Middle East including Lebanon. These sweet pieces of nature's candy are perfect alone or to create into a paste for easier use. Date paste is simply dates pitted, softened, blended and packaged. Using date paste in desserts is much easier and less time consuming than pitting and processing dates oneself. 

    Tahini, the perfect match

    It seems only fitting to pair dates and tahini. Tahini, sesame paste is nutty, warm and rich. While tahini is traditionally used in many savory dishes like hummus, baba ganoush or garlicky sauces, it also has it's place in sweets. Think of tahini like any nut butter and can truly replace a nut butter in a recipe for an allergy-free alternative. Not quite as overpowering as many nut butters, it is the perfect accompaniment to the very sweet date. 

    rice krispies, dates, tahini, lebanese, school, treat

    Try and not to eat the whole tray!

    Breakfast or Snack

    What better way to bring these two superfoods together in an easy to grab treat good for breakfast or snack anytime of day, rice krispies! Even though dates are sweet and tahini has characteristics of nut butters, sometimes kids are reluctant to eat either. I wanted to create a healthy, delicious and sweet treat I could give my kiddos and not feel guilty. Something that will satisfy their sweet tooth but also fill their bellies with goodness. These would be a great lunchbox addition or to serve as a school snack.  Not to mention my hubs and I love them! I can easily grab one and go in the morning with my coffee for a healthy and filling breakfast. 

    I hope you enjoy this simple recipe, wholesome and delicious! As always, I love to see your creations be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook if you give this a try. Don't forget to Pin for later, tap the "Pinterest" button on any image. 

    Xoxo
    Cosette

    rice krispies, dates, tahini, lebanese, school, treat

    Pin for later!



    Print Recipe


    Date Rice Krispie Treats

    I cut these into 20 small squares in my 9x7 pyrex glass dish. Smaller sized bites are perfect!

    rice krispies, dates, tahini, lebanese, school, treat

    Course Dessert
    Cuisine Lebanese
    Keyword breakfast, snack

    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Cook Time 5 minutes

    Servings


    Ingredients
    • 13 ounces date paste
    • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
    • ¾ cup tahini
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • 4 ½ cups Rice Krispie cereal
    • flake salt for tops

    Course Dessert
    Cuisine Lebanese
    Keyword breakfast, snack

    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Cook Time 5 minutes

    Servings


    Ingredients
    • 13 ounces date paste
    • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
    • ¾ cup tahini
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • 4 ½ cups Rice Krispie cereal
    • flake salt for tops

    rice krispies, dates, tahini, lebanese, school, treat


    Instructions
    1. Spray a 9x7 pan with cooking spray and set aside.

    2. In a large pot, add your date paste and coconut oil. Heat on low until the date paste begins to soften and melt.

    3. Add in your tahini and salt and continue melting until the mixture is combined and soft.

    4. Add in your cereal and fold into the date mixture using a spatula until all pieces are coated.

    5. Dump mixture into prepared pan and press down to flatten.

    6. Top with flake sea salt if desired. Cut and enjoy!

    7. Cover or place pieces in sealed container. Good for 3-5 days.


    Share this Recipe

    Creamy Hummus

    March 31, 2018

    Creamy Hummus

    Stop what you are doing right this second and grab a bag of garbanzo beans and take them for a soak! Seriously, you NEED to make this hummus right away and you will thank me. I have strived to get the super creamy hummus many, many times. I will say, that having a very high powered blender or food processor is key, I recently got a Wolf Blender and couldn't be happier with it! If you don't have one, definitely invest in one that you can use for dips, soups, spreads and smoothies. It's worth it! 

    I grew up eating hummus, so basically before it was cool and popular. What's not to love? Garlic, lemon, creamy beans, and tahini, it's a superfood like none other! I'm glad it's gained popularity and people have come to realize how amazing it really is for you. There are so many variations to making hummus, some that don't even require chickpeas! This is a VERY classic Mediterranean version, nothing fancy, just simple ingredients that meld together so incredibly well.

    Tahini ~ Sesame Paste

    The key to this recipe is tahini, many recipes call for adding olive oil to the hummus mixture itself, traditionally it is just used to top the hummus. The tahini is what gives it that creamy texture and depth of flavor, so be sure you are using good quality tahini when preparing. This process of preparing the beans is very specific to making hummus, this creates a very, very soft bean that is perfect for hummus. If you're preparing garbanzo beans for salads or anything else, these will be too soft. 

    Traditional Method

    There are definitely shortcuts to making hummus but the classic way includes an overnight soak then cooking to ensure very soft and creamy hummus. Another trick is adding baking soda to your garbanzo beans to help them soften even more, it changes the pH in the water creating a better environment for the skins to soften. The baking soda also helps to reduce the gas that beans will generally give you, bonus! With all these great tips and tricks, you are just a few hours away from beautiful and delicious hummus and you will NEVER go back to store bought. 

    Canned Beans

    You can ABSOLUTELY still use canned garbanzo beans if you don't have time to soak or just want hummus a little quicker. It is still crucial to boil down your beans, without this step you'll be left with chunky hummus. Once boiled and cooled, you'll follow the same steps to creating the perfect hummus.

    Instant Pot

    My Instant Pot is one of my favorite kitchen appliances, especially with beans!!! It makes a long process super quick. The beauty of using the Instant Pot is the ability to skip an overnight soak if you forget. 

    1. Place dried beans into your Instant Pot and cover with water by 2 times. Omit your baking soda but add in your garlic and bay leaves.
    2. Set your Instant Pot to high pressure, beans for 45 minutes.
    3. Quick release after 5 minutes and check the texture of your beans. 
    4. They should be soft and ready to process after cooling, continue with same steps as traditional method. 

    Tips and Tricks

    A few things to consider when making hummus that will ensure you have the BEST results!

    1. Process cooled beans: Processing the chickpeas when they are too warm/hot can make your hummus too thick and more like a paste instead of that creamy texture that you want. I recommend processing once your mixture has fully cooled to room temperature. 
    2. Ice cubes: Some folks may think it's weird to add in ice cubes to make hummus but it allows the mixture to stay creamy and also gives it that bright and vibrant color.
    3. Baking soda: Adding baking soda to your cooking beans is a old trick that helps to soften the skins. If making traditional dried beans adding it during the soak process and then again when boiling really gives the best texture. If using canned beans, adding to the boiling process helps to break down the skins - no more peeling skins!!!
    4. Thinning out: If you process your hummus and realize it's too thick, you can always thin out by adding some more cold water and or lemon juice if it needs a little more zing. 
    5. Instant Pot: If you choose to use the Instant Pot without soaking beans, be aware that they may cause more gas. Yes, the soaking process actually helps to eliminate some of the properties that cause gas. The hummus will still taste amazing and you'll have wonderful results, but maybe a little more gas.
      More about the degassing process (oligosaccharides) from Taste of Home

    I hope you enjoy this hummus recipe as much as my family does. Remember, eating healthy and balanced doesn't need to be expensive. A bag of beans goes a long way and is a great way to enhance your family's diet and menu.

    As always, I love seeing your creations. Please leave a review or share your dish with me on social media which lets me know what is working for you! You can find me on Facebook,  Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest. For more delicious recipes to your inbox, sign up for my newsletter!

    xoxo,
    Cosette

    FeedFeed
    Catch me make this delicious hummus on Afternoon Live
    • Chickpeas soaking
      Get your garbanzo beans soaking in a large bowl of cold water, cover about 2" and add in ½ teaspoon baking soda. Let sit overnight.
    • Boiling garbanzo beans
      Day 2, drain your chickpeas that were soaking and give them a rinse. Transfer to a large pot, cover with water and add in 1 bay lead and 4 cloves of peeled garlic.
    • Garbanzo Beans
      Be sure to skim the white stuff that comes to the top of the pot while boiling. Skim and boil for about 45 minutes to an hour.
    • Garbanzo Beans, hummus
      Once your beans are super soft and skimmed, drain. It should be very soft.
    • Garbanzo beans, hummus
      Let your beans cool to room temperature.
    • garbanzo beans, hummus
      Finally, begin blending. You'll add your tahini, lemon juice, ice cubes, water and beans together into your high powered blender to process. See full details below.

    Recipes to try:

    Lamb Skewers with Hummus
    Fasolia bi Zeit (Beans with Olive Oil)
    Baba Ganoush

    If you have leftover aquafaba, try out my friend Candice's Dalgona Chocolate Milk or Dalgona Matcha Latte drink!

    Print Recipe
    Creamy Hummus
    Creamy Hummus
    Course Appetizer, Side Dish
    Cuisine Lebanese
    Keyword lebanese, side dish, snack
    Prep Time 20 minutes
    Cook Time 1 hour
    Passive Time 8 hours
    Servings
    cups
    Ingredients
    • 1 cup dry garbanzo beans, soaked overnight or 2 cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda, divided
    • 1 leaf bay leaf
    • 4 cloves garlic, divided
    • 5-6 ice cubes
    • ¼ cup tahini
    • ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice adjust to taste
    • a few tablespoons cold water, as needed adjust as needed to smooth
    • 1 teaspoon salt to taste adjust to taste
    • olive oil to top
    • toasted pine nuts to top
    • chopped parsley to garnish
    • paprika to garnish
    Course Appetizer, Side Dish
    Cuisine Lebanese
    Keyword lebanese, side dish, snack
    Prep Time 20 minutes
    Cook Time 1 hour
    Passive Time 8 hours
    Servings
    cups
    Ingredients
    • 1 cup dry garbanzo beans, soaked overnight or 2 cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda, divided
    • 1 leaf bay leaf
    • 4 cloves garlic, divided
    • 5-6 ice cubes
    • ¼ cup tahini
    • ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice adjust to taste
    • a few tablespoons cold water, as needed adjust as needed to smooth
    • 1 teaspoon salt to taste adjust to taste
    • olive oil to top
    • toasted pine nuts to top
    • chopped parsley to garnish
    • paprika to garnish
    Creamy Hummus
    Instructions
    Preparing the beans
    1. The night before you want to make your hummus, soak your dry beans in a large bowl filled with the beans and water to cover the beans about 2". You'll want to leave room for them to expand. Add ½ teaspoon of your baking soda to this mixture and let sit 8 hours or overnight.
    Making Hummus
    1. Drain your soaked beans and give them a quick rinse. (if using canned beans, rinse and drain then continue as directed). See instructions above if using Instant Pot method.*
    2. Add beans to a large pot, fill with water to cover the beans about 2" or more. Add in your bay leave and 2 cloves of peeled garlic and your additional ½ teaspoon of baking soda.
    3. Bring beans to a boil on medium-high heat, continuously skimming the top foam.
    4. Continue this process for 45 minutes to an hour on medium-high heat.
    5. Once the beans are soft, drain (you can reserve the liquid if you'd like, this is aquafaba which is used in place of eggs in many dishes). Remove the bay leaf, keep the garlic cloves with the beans.
    6. You'll want to let your beans cool to at least room temperature, processing warm beans will result in a very thick and paste like consistency.
    7. Once your beans have cooled, in a high powered blender or food processor, add your beans, ice cubes, remaining 2 garlic cloves, tahini and lemon. Blend, add a few tablespoons of water as needed to thin.
    8. Taste and add in salt and any additional lemon (to taste). If your mixture is too thick, thin out with some additional water, one tablespoon at a time.
    9. Scoop out into dish, and top with your adornments. Enjoy with pita bread, veggies or chips.
    Recipe Notes

    *Hummus can be frozen in a freezer safe container, top with a thin layer of olive oil on top, seal and can be stored for up to 4 months. Remove from freezer and place in fridge when ready to use.   

    *Instant Pot method:

    1. Place dried beans into your Instant Pot and cover with water by 2 times. Omit your baking soda but add in your garlic and bay leaves.
    2. Set your Instant Pot to high pressure, beans for 45 minutes.
    3. Quick release after 5 minutes and check the texture of your beans. 
    4. They should be soft and ready to process after cooling, continue with same steps as traditional method. 
    Share this Recipe

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