Yummy Carrot Oat Cookies

Recipe courtesy of Plant-Based Goodness by Tracey Bennett, The Reckless Foodie, RRP $49.99

While having a little ‘tutu’ in the kitchen I came up with these cuties. I definitely had the kids’ lunchboxes in mind when creating them, but the adults in the house seem to love them just as much . . . it keeps those with a sweet tooth very happy. A batch lasts little more than half an hour in our house!

Makes 14–18 small cookies

Gluten and Sugar Free

Ingredients

• 12 regular dates, soaked in warm water for 15–30 mins, then drained
• ¼ cup mild-tasting oil (light olive or sunflower oil are good)
• 1 cup jumbo wholegrain oats
• ½ cup sunflower seeds
• ½ cup ground almonds (or fine oatmeal)
• ¼ cup sesame seeds
• ¼ cup currants
• 1 carrot, grated
• 2 Tbsp brown rice syrup
• ½ cup desiccated coconut

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.

Blend drained dates with oil (mash and mix, or you can whizz in your food processor) to turn them into date paste — this acts as a binder and a sweetener.

Put your date paste in a big mixing bowl and add all other ingredients, then use your hands to combine well into a sticky mixture. Press the mixture down into the bowl so it sticks together.

Take a little more than a teaspoon’s worth and roll into a ball — you’ll need to squeeze it in your hands to bind it together. Place on the baking tray and flatten the ball very gently with your fingertips to form a cookie. Repeat with the rest of the mixture.

Bake for roughly 15 mins or until golden.

Transfer to a wire tray to cool, and see if yours find their way to the cookie box or get gobbled up while still warm.

Chef’s Hint

You can play with this recipe by adding pumpkin seeds, linseed, chia seeds, cranberries, omitting the carrot and so on. Have FUN creating your own version!

Do keep the brown rice syrup, though, as it’s an important binding ingredient.