School numero dos

four ingredient healthy banana maple cookies

Why do food bloggers make you suffer through 10 pictures of the same damn thing before giving you the recipe? I don’t know. I just don’t do it.

2 ripe bananas
1 cup rolled oats (GF if GF well duh)
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
handful of organic raisins or dark choco chips

Preheat oven to 180 C

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together.

Place tablespoons of mixture on a baking tray and bake for 25 minutes or until golden.

Three Ingredient Tahini Cookies

So a few months ago you bought a jar of tahini for that mad hummus craving and now you’re unsure of what to do with the remaining three quarters? Well my friend, I have just the solution for you (well, for a 1/3 cups worth at least)! What, where, how? Mixed into these delicious (yet oh so simple) three ingredient sesame seed cookies (yes, THREE)- which, may i add; are naturally free of gluten, refined-sugar and dairy.

In addition; what makes this recipe so damn brilliant is that it can either be baked into “regular” cookies (by simply adding 1 tsp baking soda and baking them for 8-10 minutes at 160C) OR enjoyed raw as is, in delicious fudge form. Droool.

1 1/2 cup almond meal 
1/3 cup honey (or maple)
1/3 cup hulled tahini 

1/4 cup sesame seeds (optional)

Place THREE main ingredients in food processor and whizz away until a dough-like mixture is formed.

If wanting to keep fingers in tact, turn off food processor, then, using your hands roll bits of dough into small balls.

Coat balls in sesame seeds (optional) then using a fork or your fingers or whatever else you desire (as long as it’s hygienic) flatten each ball into a cookie shape.

Keep cookies in freezer between snacking, allowing 1-2 minutes of thawing time before nom nom.

The most deliciously moist (gross word, i know) vegan peanut butter cookies

1 banana
1 cup all natural peanut butter (smooth or crunchy it don’t matter!)
1 1/2 cups almond meal
1/4 cup coconut oil (melted)
6 pitted medijool dates
2 heaped tsp honey (maple syrup if vegan)
2 tbsp almond milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 170 degrees

Place all ingredients in a food processor and whizz until a sticky dough is formed

Place spoonfuls of mixture onto a lined baking tray

Using the back of a spoon, press down on each dough blob in order to slightly flatten (hot tip: wet spoon to prevent sticking)

Bake for 10, maybe 11 minutes or until nice and golden

Non of this “let cool completely” shit, nom nom straight away but be careful not to burn yourself!

Best enjoyed with a glass of milk whilst blobbing on sofa, sporting stretchy pants and watching old (yet golden) reruns of FRIENDS.

*gluten-free
*dairy-free
*refined-sugar free
*vegan

MY FAVOURITE HEALTHY COOKIES

Who stole the cookie from the cookie jar? ME! Because they’re gluten, dairy, egg and sugar free!
I survive on these cookies. They are everything!!!!

1 cup 100% all-natural almond butter
1 cup medijool dates
1 tbsp water
1/4 cup unsweetened desiccated coconut
1/4 sunflower seeds
1/4 pumpkin seeds
1/4 sesame seeds

Preheat the oven to 160oC

In a food processor, process the almond butter, dates and water together until well combined.

Add the remaining ingredients and pulse only a few times to combine (you can also use your hands – just make sure the food processor is off LOL)

Using your hands, roll the mixture into little balls and place 1cm apart on a lined oven tray.

Flatten cookies in half with fingers or fork then bake for 10 minutes or until golden.

Allow to completely cool before nom nom as the cookies will be too soft when straight out of the oven.

Goodness, these are the best! Enjoy xxx

Persian Love Bites

If you’re looking to impress a Persian lady bake her a batch of these deliciously nutritious and oh so fragrant saffron cookies.

1/4 tsp saffron
1  cup almond meal
1 free range egg
1/2 cup unsweetened desiccated coconut 
4 heaped tbsp honey 
4 tbsp peanut butter 
1/2 tsp baking soda
raw pistachio nuts to decorate 

Preheat the oven to 160 C.

In a small glass, mix saffron with 3 tsp of boiling water then cover with a saucer to brew for about five minutes.

In a food processor combine the saffron water with the rest of the ingredients and whizz for a minute or until a dough-like mixture is formed. According to the type of your almond meal and dessicated coconut, you may need to slightly adjust the ingredients. By this, I mean just a little more almond meal, or a little less. The batter should be sticky but not wet.

Using wet hands to prevent sticking, make small balls and place 1cm apart on a lined baking tray.

Using a wet fork push each ball down in half then top with pistachio nuts.

Bake for 10 minutes or until nice and golden.

Enjoy with hot black tea (that’s how we Persians would do it).

Orange and Sesame Seed Cookies

I love coffee dates. Unfortunately though, I have an insanely large sweet tooth so going out for coffee means intensely craving a sugary something to go along with my drink. Unfortunately again, most cafes don’t provide sweet options that are even slightly healthy. “But Anisa, there is no such thing as a sweet that’s healthy” I hear you say? Wrong! These little cookies are so sweet, so delicious and SO good for you. They’re also naturally free from refined sugar, gluten and dairy! Plus, they’re the perfect size to stick in your purse/man-bag/jean pocket (preferably front pocket than back – so you don’t accidently sit on them of course, but then again, a front pocket could also be problematic…). Anywho, I don’t care if you’re not supposed to bring your own food into a cafe etc etc- these cookies are sho shmall; no one will see!

PS this recipe is quite adaptable so feel free to substitute the oranges for lemons (if that’s your kind of thing) and the peanut butter can be substituted for almond butter if that’s all you’ve got in your pantry.

1 cup almond meal
1/2 cup desiccated coconut 
juice of half an orange
zest of two oranges
4 tbsp honey
4 tbsp peanut butter
1/2 tsp baking soda
sesame seeds for decorating

Preheat the oven to 180oc.

In a food processor, blend all of the ingredients together until a dough-like mixture is formed.

Using your hands form little balls and place them 1cm apart onto a lined oven tray.

Using a fork, gently flatten down each cookie then sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Place in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden on the outside.

Leave to cool completely.

Enjoy with a cup of your favourite hot beve!