Zucchini Cookies

    Welcome, everyone. Today's post will be a little different. I won't be sharing any papercraft or sewing projects or shop update. Instead, I am going to share a recipe that I can up with that is so good. 

   Here is a little history. A year ago, my family stopped eating flour products, except on holidays (birthday and Christmas). Let me say it is no easy to forgo the flour so I had to get creative. Like soups, I will use pureed cauliflower to thicken them. However, I never really found a great sweet substitute until last week when my brother wanted cookies for Labor Day. I looked all over online to find something that was keto zucchini cookies but didn't find a recipe that I liked 100% for I used the basics ingredients and came up with the following.

Ingredients: 

11/2 c. zucchini shredded and squeeze all the moisture out 

1 1/2c. ground cashews (I ground with 1Tbsp. honey them until super fine and almost a butter.)

2 tsp. cinnamon

1Tbsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

2 scoops of whey protein

2 small apples, diced (I used Honeycrisp)

2 Tbsp. honey

2 eggs 

1 c. chocolate chips (optional, and you can always use more than a cup)

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350. 

2. In a mixing bowl mix together the cinnamon, eggs, baking soda, honey, vanilla, and protein powder. Mix well until honey is evenly distributed.

3. Now fold in the zucchini and apples. If you are using chocolate toss those in as well.  

4. Spoon dough by tablespoon onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Leave 2" space between cookies. 

5. Bake for 11-14 minutes. 

Makes about 2 dozen. 

 

Cocoa Zucchini Apple Cookies

  This time a year I find myself with loads of yummy fresh produce from the organic farmers at my local farmers market. That means I have been super busy in the kitchen making and processing things to freeze for the winter. If only you could see my freezer now. It is jam packed with mason jars full of zucchini, bell peppers, hot peppers, tomatillo salsa, tomato, sauce apple sauce and berries. So you can imagine I have been a busy bee preparing for the winter when it is impossible to find organic and USA grown items. 

   Anyway, I have been wanting to make a zucchini cookie but add cocoa powder and apple to it but my dad thought otherwise. I took that as a challenge. So this is what came out. A brownie like cookie that is moist from the grated zucchini and apples. I don't like my desserts super sweet so it only has a 1/2 c. of sugar which normally should be a 1c. Plus, the added apple adds a little sweetness. 

   My family loves these and my mom says it is her favorite cookie. She took some of them and made them into ice cream sandwiches. I haven't tried them yet but I am sure they are great.

Makes 2 dozen cookies
I used all organic ingredients. 

Ingredients:
1/3 c. butter, softened

1/2 c. sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 medium zucchini

3 firm apples ( I used zesters), shredded, or it you want little apple chunks throughout, chop up one of the apples finely. 

1 egg

1/2 c. cocoa powder ( I used 100% raw cocoa powder) 

2 1/4 c. flour, I used white spelt flour but have done it with whole wheat

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C).

2. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
3. Mix in the baking soda, salt, egg and the grated zucchini and apple.
4. Stir in cocoa and flour.
5. If, you are adding apple chunks this is when they should be folded in.
6. Place a tablespoon of batter onto a greased cookie sheet. Placing each cookie 2" apart.
7. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes. The edges should be firm and the center soft. Let the cookies rest on cookie sheet for 5 minutes before removing.

Tip: If the batter seems too thin mix in a 1/4 c. of flour. The batter should be loose but not like a pancake batter.