Do you ever hold onto things in your life that are not useful to you? Perhaps it is a pair of jeans that you no longer wear, but keep because at one point, they looked really great. Maybe it's the closet, full of baseball cards you're holding onto because they might be worth something someday. Perhaps it is anger towards a person or situation in your past or maybe it's an expectation of your present situation that isn't matching with your current reality. Every so often, we naturally "clean house" and purge some of these things but still hold on to others, no matter how useless they are in your life.
When we're young, naturally we expect that we will achieve our goals and be successful in whatever career we have chosen. In my life, I have made a series of career moves, all for the sake of being happy and simultaneously paying the rent. All these moves, though I've been happy through all of them, have led me to where I am now: temporarily (for the last four months) unemployed (until another project comes my way). I am happier than I've ever been in my life, and it's given me the chance to throw myself into starting a blog (something that had been bubbling up inside me for a long while), take up yoga on a regular basis (my butt is happier than it's been in a long while), walk with Samantha, my pup, on the beach every day, and still pay my portion of the rent and the bills. I have a great life, but there is that expectation I had of myself, created at the age of seventeen, that I would be very successfully employed. Frustration stems from unmet expectations, so you could say that I sometimes have a generous amount of frustration that I hold onto for no good reason.
In the middle of each yoga class, my instructor has us all raise our hands into prayer, at heart's center, close our eyes, take the deepest breath we've taken all day, and with our huge exhale, let go of something that "no longer serves us." With everyone of these exhales, I try to let go of these expectations, these old ideals, this frustration, because they no longer serve me. Inhale everything that is wonderful about this gift of life I've been given, exhale all that distracts me from that gift.
These cookies were born with that idea in mind. Bring in all that is good for me, let go of all that does not serve me. Bring in the rolled oats that give me energy and fiber; the goji berries that help erase free radicals in my body and slow the aging process; the cacao nibs that supply my body with more antioxidants and magnesium; the dark chocolate chips that release seratonin in my brain and make me feel euphoric; the peanut butter that gives me healthy proteins and fats; the chia seeds for their healthy omega fatty acids; the flaxmeal for added fiber; and the blackstrap molasses that provides iron for my body. Let go of the flour (though I do believe many flours are quite good for you), the eggs, the dairy, the unhealthy oils and fats, the refined sugar- none of which I benefit from (Disclaimer: though all of my dessert recipes will be vegan, I can't guarantee all of my recipes will be this healthy). What are you left with? One deliciously addictive Peanut-Butter-Oatmeal-Goji-Berry-Maple-Banana-Chocolate-Chip (Everything) Cookie that will serve your body as well as it will excite your tastebuds.
EVERYTHING/NOTHING COOKIE
makes about 30 cookies
Ingredients:
- 3 cups rolled oats (to make the cookies gluten-free, make sure the oats are certified gluten-free)
- ½ cup flax meal
- 1 ½ tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1 chia egg (1 T chia seeds mixed with 3 T warm water and left to set until gel-like)
- 1 banana, mashed
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 1 T maple syrup
- 1 T molasses (I used blackstrap molasses)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/3 cup goji berries
- 1/3 cup vegan chocolate chips
- ¼ cup cacao nibs
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 350. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Prepare your chia egg and let it “gel” for about 10 minutes.
- In a large bowl, mix together all of your dry ingredients.
- In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer to blend together all of your wet ingredients.
- Add your wet ingredients to your dry ingredients and use a wooden spoon to stir it together. This will be a very thick, sticky batter so prepare to use some elbow grease. Fold in the goji berries, chocolate chips, and cacao nibs.
- Using a tablespoon, shape heaping spoonfuls into round balls, then flatten a bit. Place them on the cookie sheets. Bake the cookies for 10 minutes and remove from heat. Let them cool on the baking sheet for about 3 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Enjoy!
What are you waiting for? Go ahead- inhale and exhale.
All Photos taken by Chris Miller
© Kristy Turner and Keepin' It Kind, 2012. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material (content and images) without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kristy Turner and Keepin' It Kind with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Michelle
Um YUM! !
THIS IS A KEEPER...looks so good
keepinitkind
Thank you! They are so YUM!
Michelle
Ok promise not stalking u..lol but your kinda local so your recipes will have things I can get 🙂
Besides your so thoughtful /nice in your posts
so I made these cookies and who knew Logan would like these cookies...as long as my 5 yo can see a chocolate chip on it he eats that cookie... yeah a healthier cookie for him!
keepinitkind
That's so awesome! My chocolate-loving stepdaughter went for them, but my stepson had no interest. That just means more for us. 🙂
I totally love hearing when readers try out my recipes! It's one of the things that makes all of this worth it! I totally don't think you're a stalker or anything- I love hearing from you, Michelle!
Caitlin
what a beautiful post, kristy. i am truly touched. and these cookies? spectacular. you are an amazing woman <3
keepinitkind
Awww. Thanks, Caitlin! You're giving me the warm fuzzies! 🙂
Caralyn @ glutenfreehappytummy
wow Kristy, what a beautiful post. That's exactly what i needed to hear this morning! and those cookies look delicious -- and so healthy! love it!!
thanks for sharing! have a terrific weekend!
keepinitkind
Thanks, Caralyn! I'm glad it connected with you! 🙂 Have a great weekend yourself!
Somer
Kristy, those are my kind of cookies! Your words gave me strength today. Inhaling and Exhaling. xoxo
keepinitkind
I'm so glad you like the post (and the cookies), Somer! 🙂 Hope you're having a great weekend! xoxo
Richa@HobbyandMore
i need to find a good yoga place to do the inhaling and exhaling.. it always works when someone else tells me to:) maybe i can apply it to myself. every few months i go thru the frustration cycle. going from earning equally well as hubbs to none at all is extremely difficult to accept. I love the less stress and being able to do other things i always wanted to do.. but the expectations usually my own are frustrating at times
I am trying to inhale the beauty of all things around me! along with these super healthy cookies:) and exhaling the stupid frustrations which dont get me anywhere. Have a beautiful weekend!
keepinitkind
It is so much easier when someone else tells us to do it, isn't it? I totally understand how you feel and I think we are likely in the same, or at least similar, boats. I find that not contributing financially as much as I used to frustrating, but I'm happier and I'm contributing more in other ways. It is quite a struggle to just let those old expectations go and fully love where you are in life. Let's take a collective inhale and exhale, shall we? And now let's go eat cookies! 🙂
Heather
The last breath in class is the best one isn't it- they are all fantastic, but at the end I am always quietest and settled so it always seems to have the most influence.
And the cookies! I loved the background information you provided on each ingredient- so wonderful!
keepinitkind
Thanks, Heather! It is the best breath. 🙂 I never would have thought yoga would have such a profound effect on me (even though that's what people praise yoga for). I absolutely love it.
Gabby @ the veggie nook
This was such a beautifully written post Kristy- I love your practice of trying to let go old expectations and thoughts that aren't helping and nurturing you in some way. I myself thought I'd be somewhere different in life, but everything that has brought me to this point has changed me for the better, so how can I be sorry? While at times it's hard to remember or believe that, I know in my heart it's true.
I love these cookies too by the way- so much goodness in there! I can't wait to try these 🙂
keepinitkind
Thank you, Gabby. I am so thankful for everything that has brought me to where I am today, but it is tough to remember to let go of old expectations. I'm glad you like the cookies, Gabby- Enjoy! 🙂
cj
I could use a cookie that serves me well 🙂
keepinitkind
Couldn't we all? 😉
Basil
Huh. I have never thought about cookies like that. Actually, I have never really thought about cookies very much at all (except for eating them). Well, there's always a first time for everything, no? 😉
keepinitkind
Glad I was able to present you with some thought-provoking cookies! 😉 Have a great weekend!
Kay
These cookies look so fantastic! I cannot wait to try them. Great post by the way. It sounds like you are, in fact, very successful.
keepinitkind
Thank you! You are so right! Since being happy is my goal, I am quite successful! 🙂
Paije Lidster
I made these cookies last night and they are delicious! I used raw almond butter and didn't have any cacao nibs but I still ate 4 of them as soon as they came out of the oven 🙂 Thanks for a great recipe!
keepinitkind
Oh, that's great to hear! I am so glad you liked them, Paige! 🙂
Courtney Jones
Awesome post! So excited to make these. I really need to bring something like these to work for afternoon snack every day to keep energy levels up 🙂
keepinitkind
What a great idea! I'm excited for you to make them too! Have a great weekend, Courtney! 🙂
Jorjah-Kourtney
Hi! I love your blog and I can't wait to try out this recipe! Except my brother is allergic to nuts and my house is strictly no nuts or peanut butter. Do you know what I can replace it with? Many thanks! 🙂
keepinitkind
Thank you! If seeds are okay, I would try sunflower seed butter. If that won't work, I would try coconut butter (though you may need to heat it just a bit to soften it up). Good luck!