c-cooking

Kung Hei Fat Choy!

Happy Year of the Sheep! 

The Chinese believe that your temperament and actions, and everything you eat during the first week of the new year, sets the tone for the rest of the year. So the festivities and meals are filled with symbolic foods for the Lunar New Year like Steamed Fish & Fried Noodles and New Year's Dumplings / Vegetarian Dumplings. Almond cookies are also a symbolic sweet treat during the new year. They symbolize ancient coins, thus "giving" you good fortune for the year.

I googled a traditional recipe and, of course, the only almond to be found in these cookies was the almond on the top and some almond extract (full or white sugar, white flour, and shortening). Then I searched some healthier versions and came up with the following recipe. It's a good thing I always have almond flour/meal onhand from the homemade almond milk I make every week! I used coconut/palm sugar, which is low-glycemic, and coconut oil (coconut symbolizes promoting togetherness, another good New Year food.)

HEALTHY FORTUNE ALMOND COOKIES

1 Tbsp white chia seeds

3 Tbsp water

1/2 coconut sugar

1/4 cup virgin coconut oil, melted

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp almond extract

1 1/2 cups almond flour/meal

2 Tbsp coconut flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup almond milk, unsweetened

20 whole almonds

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a small bowl, add water to the chia seeds, stir to combine and set aside for 10 minutes. 
• In a large bowl, beat the coconut sugar and oil together. 
• Beat in the chia seed- water mixture ("chia egg") and the extracts. 
• Next, add the almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda and sea salt, mixing to combine. 
• Beat in the almond milk until you have a nice, moist batter. 
• Roll into 20 balls and place them onto lined baking sheets about 2" apart. 
• Flatten each one gently with a fork. Press an almond into each one, reshaping the cookie if it has cracked too much. 
• Bake for 15-17 minutes. Let cool completely before storing. 

Wishing you a vibrant, joyous, abundant, and peaceful year!