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Green cookies?

I am currently sitting in my living room, procrastinating on packing the last of my things for beautiful British Columbia.  Heeeyy, don't look at me like that!  I'm 95% done, I just have to pack the last of the things for my carry-on, do a quick tidy and then wait for my dad to pick me up so we can head to the airport.  I figured I might as well kill a few minutes by writing a quick entry for ya'll (oh yeah I did) before I head out right?

This week I surely won't be cooking anything fancy.  We are staying at a chalet, and will have a full kitchen, but my priority this week isn't to be in the kitchen, absolutely not, no I want to take full advantage of the snow, the slopes and the beautiful scenery that this province has to offer.  I will however still be posting if I have time, as I always have recipes that I can share (I really do get backed up when it comes to posting, but I mean, how could you not with all the delicious meals you eat in one day?  They add up!)

Today, I'm going to post you my third and last post for St-Patrick's Day.  Again, to my delight these turned out brilliantly, as I was a little afraid at first they wouldn't or that they'd alter the taste but thankfully they did not, and they still kept their beautiful bright green colour, woohoo!

Over the Christmas break I made one of the darn right most amazing cookies I had ever had in my life.  When it comes to alcohol I'm a pansy, and I looooove anything that is creamy and or insanely high in sugar, anyone seen those Caramilk Cream Coolers?  Now that's what I'm talking about!  My absolute favourite, hands down, hey, it even get's the guys excited when they seem them!  Anywho, with all that being said, Baileys is one of my absolute favourites, plus, it's alcohol that people don't give you shifty eyes when you drink some no matter how early or how late it is in the day, that is always a bonus right? When incorporating Baileys and cookies together, well hot dang, you have yourself probably the most sinful cookie ever.  Yes, I've seen some crazy cookie concoctions, but to me, this is crazy, and is definitely my favourite without a doubt.

I didn't take any pictures of these cookies when I initially made them because well... they went waaayyyy too quickly.  This time however, because I also spruced up the recipe I needed to make sure to snag some pictures before they go (because well, they're already going quickly!)  I decided to split the batch in half and make two kinds.  Between the two I'm not sure which one I liked more, because both of them have some of my favourite ingredients.

In the first batch, the one that I got the idea to spruce up while I was trying to go to sleep (such an awful idea to get a cookie idea, because I seriously contemplated making these cookies, and it was two in the morning, and it was clearly distracting me from actually getting to bed...) nonetheless, I waited until the next day to make them.  I decided that, I would like to add in some natural green colour to these cookies, especially because I really am not a huge fan of using artificial colouring.  So, that is what I did, and thankfully just like my Tropical Green Pancakes the colours didn't fade and the spinach wasn't known to the tastebuds either, absolutely love it.

Next, I decided to not use Mint Chocolate Baileys, but instead use the original version and chop up my all time favourite chocolate bar EVER Cookies n' Cream (hey, it's white chocolate, I'm a huuuuuge sucker!)  These came out soooooooo well!  My boyfriend eats one, "you are something else, you know that?" - yeah, that's what I like to hear!

What I love about these cookies is that, they are puffy, with crispy outsides yet ooey-gooey soft centres, the dark brown sugar gives them a darkness and you get certain salty bites that's just delightful.  Regardless of which cookie between the two, you are sure to have your socks knocked right off, they are downright sinful and seriously need to be labelled so, because these could certainly kill a diet that's for sure!



Mint Chocolate Chip Baileys Cookies

Recipe inspired from here

Ingredients:
  • 1/8 cup plus 1 tbsp canola oil
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 tbsp ground flaxseed + 1 1/2 tbsp water
  • 1/8 cup Mint Chocolate Baileys
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/8 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp fleur de sel (or other salt)
  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips 
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh baby spinach
Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl mix together your flaxseed and water.  Allow to sit for five or so minutes until it has turned into an almost like gel state - set aside.

In the bowl of your food processor add your spinach and Baileys until spinach chunks disappear.

With your paddle attachment on high, mix together the brown sugar and oil until well incorporated.  Add flaxegg, Baileys, and vanilla extract.  Mix well.  In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Add to the wet ingredients and stir until everything is moistened.  Fold in the chocolate chips.

Scoop tablespoon-sized dollops onto your cookie sheet, spacing about two inches apart.

Bake for 10 - 12 minutes, until golden.  Repeat with the rest of the dough.

Cookies n' Cream Baileys Cookies

Recipe inspired from here

Ingredients:
  • 1/8 cup plus 1 tbsp canola oil
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 tbsp ground flaxseed + 1 1/2 tbsp water
  • 1/8 cup original Baileys
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/8 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp fleur de sel (or other salt)
  • 1 1/2 Cookies n' Cream bars ~ 1/2 cup
Directions:

Same directions as above, only there is no processing of spinach, and change the Baileys from Mint Chocolate to original and use Cookies n' Cream chocolate instead of dark chocolate!

Peanut Butter Cookies

Recipe taken from here

The last cookie that I have for you guys is one of my recent favourites.  I am not one to make the same recipes over and over again - however, both the Baileys cookies and these are an exception.  I have never been the biggest fan of peanut butter cookies to be honest, but it is my mom's favourite cookie.  A few months ago, as I was doing my thing, and looking through recipes I stumbled across a peanut butter recipe that actually sounded very good.  I figured that if I didn't like them, then at least my mom would eat them.  However, this is also when my peanut butter craze started, actually these could possible be the thing to blame as to why my peanut butter obsession has lasted so long.

These cookies are soft, with the perfect amount of peanut butter, if you add salt on top of the cookie before it bakes, it takes it's already perfect self to a whole new level.  The first time I made these, I sandwiched two cookies together with some raspberry jam before baking them, and it tasted like a sinful peanut butter and jam sandwich.  I love these cookies, and they are so incredibly versatile.  This recipe is definitely my go-to peanut butter cookie for now on.  The maple syrup also creates the perfect sweetness that to me, is what separates these peanut butter cookies from the rest.  Go on, and give them a try.

Ingredients:
  • 2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp fleur de sel (or other salt)
  • 1 cup natural creamy peanut butter
  • 3/4 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup soy milk (or other non-dairy milk)
  • 3-4 tbsp canola oil (or extra virgin olive oil)
  • Raw sugar & sea salt for sprinkling
Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a non-stick mat.
Stir the peanut butter, maple syrup, optional olive oil, and vanilla until combined in a large mixing bowl. Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt over the top and stir until just combined. If the dough is hard to work with, chill in the fridge or freezer for 15-30 minutes or until easy to shape.
Shape into balls (I like to use a teaspoon) and gently flatten with a fork. If the dough sticks, sometimes moistening your fingers or the fork helps. Sprinkle the tops with salt and raw sugar. 
Bake for 11 minutes until set.

Happy St-Patrick's Day!
How are you celebrating?

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