THE SWEET FLAVOR AND DESSERT

It is a statement of fact in Chinese medicine that “too much sweet injures the Spleen.” With the holiday season coming soon, there are gong to be a lot of injured Spleens around. Chinese medicine is concerned primarily with the sweet flavor itself, regardless of the source. Even too much fruit can damage the Spleen.

Quality does matter, however. Eating sweets and desserts made from whole, unrefined foods can make a tremendous difference in the impact on the body. I personally escaped a sweet tooth for most of my life, until my wife decided to explore baking simply because it was an area she was not familiar with. There is one cookbook that stands out for good quality, whole foods baking – Simple Treats by Ellen Abraham. If you plan to do any baking at all this fall, I highly recommend this book. The recipes are more than just acceptable for natural foods baking. They are delicious, far better than any other baked goods I have ever had. All of the recipes use no refined flour, no refined sugar, no dairy, no eggs, no wheat, and are relatively low in fat. All of the things people believe you need to bake – you don’t need. You can also order some items directly from the website www.simpletreats.com. Ellen and her sister Jill run a bakery in Vermont, and will send freshly baked goods right to you. The recipe is used with permission from Ellen.

Chocolate Chip Cookies (Makes 18 cookies)

1 cup rolled oats
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons canola, safflower, or sunflower oil
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chocolate or vegan carob chips
¼ cup chopped nuts (optional)
1 cup barley flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Process the oats in a food processor or blender until they are the consistency of coarse flour. In a small bowl, mix the oil, syrup, and vanilla.

In a separate, larger bowl, place the ground oats, chocolate chips, and nuts, if using. Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the oat mixture. (Sifting isn’t absolutely necessary, but it ensures there won’t be clumps of flour or salt in the batter.) Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula until everything is well incorporated.

With a 1-ounce ice cream scoop or 2 spoons, scoop out 1 heaping tablespoon of the batter onto well-oiled or parchment-lined cookie sheets. Flatten the cookies slightly with the bottom of a cup or glass. (Dip the bottom of the cup or glass in warm water before flattening each cookie to prevent the batter from sticking to the glass.)

Bake for 11 minutes; rotate the cookie sheets a half turn to ensure even baking. Bake 5 to 6 minutes more or until the cookies arte golden around the edges. Let cool on the cookie sheet for 5 to 6 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.

For a nuttier cookie – Add 1 cup roasted, skinned hazelnuts; process with rolled oats in the food processor or blender until they are the consistency of coarse flour.

Personal note – We use Sunspire brand chocolate chips for these cookies. Sunspire produces chocolate items made without dairy or refined sugar. Also, my wife has found that the baking time needs to be reduced if you use a non-stick baking sheet, which is dark and holds more heat.