Biscuit as in the English version of cookie. Here one single bite floating towards your mouth.
Over the years I have given out this recipe dozens of times. It is at once healthy, tasty, and satisfying. It can be breakfast or a snack. My husband calls it bichermuesli in a biscuit.
Sidenote, the official definition of Birchermuesli - a breakfast cereal of Swiss origin consisting of rolled oats, nuts, and fruit.
According to this definition, the cookies are a bit off, unless you choose to add raisins. As I do not like raisins, they are nowhere near my cookies. What is on about them being like Birchermuesli, they are hearty and good for you with the perfect balance of protein, complex carbs, and good taste.
You can make them with or without the chocolate dip. If you do dip it, best 85%+ dark chocolate, it is rich and keeps in line with the healthy quality of the cookie.
Ingredients of note for their health properties:
1. Black strap molasses/Turkish pekmez Sometimes black strap molasses referred to as the healthiest molasses because it contains a ton of vitamins and minerals, including iron, manganese, copper, calcium and potassium.
About 1 tablespoon of blackstrap molasses provides 8% of the daily value for calcium and 10% for magnesium. Adequate levels of magnesium contribute to the prevention of diseases like osteoporosis and asthma along with others that can affect the blood and heart. This recipe calls for two tablespoons, a good healthy dose.
Alternatively and equally healthy Turkish pekmez can be used in place of the black strap molasses.
Known by some as the original 'energy drink,' pekmez is especially valued during long cold winter days because it too contains several vitamins and minerals - calcium, iron, potassium, and magnesium.
2. Oats Among the healthiest grains on earth. Oats are a good source of complex carbs, proteins, healthy fat, and fiber including the fiber beta-glucan. Beta-glucan partially dissolves in water and forms a thick, gel-like solution in the gut. The health benefits of beta-glucan fiber include:
Reduce LDL and total cholesterol levels
Balance blood sugar and insulin response
Give satisfying feeling of fullness
Increase growth of good bacteria in the digestive tract
Help neutrophils travel to the site of an infection more quickly and enhances their ability to eliminate bacteria they find there
Oats are also loaded with important vitamins, minerals and antioxidant plant compounds. A short list of their healthy components inlcudes; manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, iron, zinc, vitamin B9 (folate), vitamin B1 (thiamin), vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid).
Concerning anti-oxidants. Whole oats are high in antioxidants and beneficial plant compounds called polyphenols. Most notable, a unique group of antioxidants called avenanthramides, which are almost solely found in oats.
Avenanthramides may help lower blood pressure levels by increasing the production of nitric oxide. This gas molecule helps dilate blood vessels and leads to better blood flow thus the role of oats in reducing the risk of heart disease. In addition, avenanthramides have anti-inflammatory and anti-itching effects.
3. Almond flour Has a low glycemic index and gives the cookies the balance of protein required in any snack or meal meal. As my nutritional therapy practice reignites I am consistently amazed about people’s ideas of protein, what it is and how much we need.
The vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants in almond flour provide important health benefits. For example, manganese helps the body properly clot blood, allowing it to heal after injuries. Manganese also helps the body break down carbohydrates and cholesterol. Almonds are rich in magnesium, which can help better control blood sugar levels.
Almond flour aids digestive health as it contains prebiotic dietary fiber. This type of fiber is digested by bacteria in the small intestine. Getting enough prebiotic dietary fiber leads to a healthier, more efficient digestive system.
Finally, almond flour is rich in vitamin E and other antioxidants, which can help reduce the risk of serious health conditions like cancer, diabetes, stroke, and heart disease.
NOTE: In my research I was faced with the concept that almonds are not necessarily sustainably farmed. Some are of the opinion that is is better not to eat them. At the end of the day, we each make choices about what we will or not ear based on taste, sustainability, environmental impact, health, and nutrition.
4. Buckwheat flour
Considered a super food, buckwheat (despite its name) contains no wheat and is gluten-free. It is also a good source of fiber, and rich in minerals and various plant compounds, especially rutin. As a result, buckwheat consumption is linked to several health benefits, including improved blood sugar control and heart health.
Buckwheat belongs to a group of foods commonly called pseudocereals. Pseudocereals are seeds that are consumed as cereal grains but don’t grow on grasses. Other common pseudocereals include quinoa and amaranth.
The most abundant minerals in common buckwheat are:
Manganese - essential for healthy metabolism, growth, development, and the body’s antioxidant defenses
Copper - an essential trace element that may benefit heart health when eaten in small amounts.
Magnesium - this essential mineral may lower the risk of various chronic conditions, such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease
Iron - the body uses iron to make hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body, and myoglobin, a protein that provides oxygen to muscles
Phosphorus - plays an essential role in the growth and maintenance of body tissues
Buckwheat is also rich in various antioxidant plant compounds, which are responsible for many of its health benefits. In fact, it provides more antioxidants than many other cereal grains
Buckwheat’s main plant compounds include:
Rutin - the main antioxidant polyphenol in buckwheat, rutin may lower the risk of cancer decrease inflammation, stabilize blood pressure, and blood lipid profile
Quercetin - an antioxidant with variety of potential beneficial health effects, including lowering your risk of cancer and heart disease
D-chiro-inositol - a unique type of soluble carb that reduces blood sugar levels and may benefit diabetes management. Buckwheat is the richest food source of this plant compound
Overall, I love this cookie. It is easy to make, a key issue for me, it tastes great and can be made with a variety of nuances. Writing this post I also discovered it has even more healthy benefits than I realized. It checks important boxes for health; aids digestion and blood sugar balancing, benefits heart health and contributes to the reduction of inflammation. Go make them, they are good for you and taste good too.
Cookie collage left over greens; middle resting in the fridge overnight for the chocolate to set; right cookie bite floating towards being eaten.
Download the recipe and enjoy them today.
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