Hazelnut Cardamom-Rose Mini Sandwich Cookies with a Chocolate Orange Mousse Filling
Why on Earth is it so prudent and downright fulfilling to your bones to nourish yourself? Well, let us count the ways!!
I want to ask you how you would feel/what you would do if you could ‘indulge’ per say in a life of sweetness, health, AND wealth- enjoying cookies, scones, brownies, and all the mainstream “no-no’s” WHILE maintaing healthy weight, increased energy, optimal digestion and still feeling incredibly comforted and certainly satisfied? Well, alongside my greens, and other balanced whole foods, that is what I do by cooking with all organic, gluten free, refined sugar free, and whole foods products.
A friend said recently, “How do you bake all these cookies etc and not gain weight?” For me, it’s not separate from the rest of my diet. It’s not either ‘healthy’ or ‘unhealthy’. When I eat something with sugar, I don’t separate it or categorize it from the rest of my food, or feel the need to ‘make up’ for it. I don’t hide my chocolate in the far reaches of my cabinet. I don’t feel guilty for crafting delicious desserts. Why? One, because everything I source from is a whole food so it’s not processed in a way that my body can’t assimilate. I use natural sweeteners such as raw honey, maple syrup, and dates. It is in its natural form and actually makes me feel good, sustainably! Theobroma cacao (raw cacoa) is one of the healthiest foods on the planet when it’s not altered from its natural form! It’s known to actually boost the mood, fill you up with antioxidants, and calm stress.
Two, for my particular constitution, the natural sweet flavors you can taste in dates, rice, or yams, are very grounding and comforting for me. For some individual body constitutions, too many sweet tastes may not be grounding or comforting for them and may contribute to stagnancy or lethargy so it’s helpful to know your healthy balance. Three, I’ve healed a lot of my own emotional attachments around food through the years and eat sweets from a balanced perspective, not necessarily in response to stress or upset. Along with that, I just completed a 10 day Ayurvedic winter cleanse to reset my system from any accumlated toxins. All a welcomed dose of liberation!
We all have ways that work for us, and new ways we can implement to reach even greater success. What is our version of success? Success is a malleable trait. It shows up and reminds us more certainly in moments when we’ve achieved greatness in the world around us like passing an exam, running a marathon, paying off a credit card, or strengthening a relationship. Success’ ways may also show up like the moon, more soft, supple, inward with her graces, and just for you to know. Through your integrity and honesty, that which often you only know its status, the self-nurturing you guide inside during difficult moments, or the remembrance to own your power when the world may be spiraling around you, is undoubtedly success, a Hail Mary YES! of accomplishment for listening to yourself. What is your current understanding of success? Perhaps you have different definitions of success for different aspects of your life.
When that listening results in a desire for some wholesome sweet treats, here is a fun mini sandwich cookie with luscious flavors. You will most likely find, if you are transitioning from a diet of processed sugars, these cookies may initially be less sweet than you are used to while your taste buds re-sensitize to the colorful spectrum of natural foods.
Roses represent romance for a very practical reason actually, they literally soothe the heart and calm emotions. In Ayurveda, it is balancing for all three doshas and very helpful for Vata’s and Pitta’s due to its soothing and cooling nature. It also kindles the digestive fire which maintains healthy eyes, skin, mood, digestion, and much more. In its calming properties, it’s also known as an aphrodisiac.
Now we have cardamom. The two pared together on the palette conjure up a sumptuous, luscious, and even sensual environment to enjoy with pleasure and sweet glee. Cardamom, a warming spice, is also tridoshic, and has a sharp flavor often used in desserts. It holds potent cleansing and digestive properties. Trust your senses and play around with this recipe, feel free to make adjustments!
Recipe:
Cookies:
2 cups almond flour
1/2 cup chopped hazlenuts
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 T cardamom
1 T crushed & dried rose petals
2 eggs
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup butter/ghee
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients in medium mixing bowl. Mix wet ingredients in separate mixing bowl. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Place parchment paper on cookie tray. Roll cookie dough into flat 1 1/2″ rounds. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
Raw Chocolate Orange Mousse Filling:
1 to 1 1/2 avocado
1/4 cup raw honey, dates, or maple syrup
1 whole fresh sqeezed juice from an orange
1/8 cup cacao powder
dash sea salt
dash cinnamon
dash vanilla
Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth and creamy. Adjust any ingredients to taste.
Once the cookies have cooled a bit, assemble your mini sandwich cookies with a layer of mousse filling in the middle. Feel free to sprinkle unsweetened coconut flakes on top of the mousse. Eat warm or place in the fridge to set.
