GLUTEN FREE OATMEAL COOKIES W/ ZEGO FOODS

I have to thank Zego Foods for sending me some new goodies this week! They released some new products, and they arrived just in time for the deep freeze we are currently experiencing in MI! Yesterday morning I tried their new products, and created a completely gluten free oatmeal cookie sans all the bad stuff!

You all know that I eat paleo nearly most of the time. One of my guilty pleasures, though, is a warm bowl of gluten free organic oatmeal topped with berries and grassfed butter - which I usually eat once a week for a "special" breakfast. It's good to spice things up from time to time. But, there's always that little whisper in the back of my mind that would say "are these really gluten free"? There's a fine line, but when I saw oats in my box from Zego, I immediately felt at ease. Why? Their oats are grown using the Purity Protocol - a superior gluten free growing process that removes cross contact potential right in the field. Every batch is tested for allergen + gluten cross contact and every harvest is tested for over 400 chemicals, pesticides, and glyphosate. Insert deep breath here. Finally, completely safe oats.

I received Zego's new exceptional oats, apple cranberry muesli, cinnamon twist muesli, and their pure protein  made from sacha inchi seeds! Muesli is basically raw oatmeal topped with dried fruits. You can use these muesli mixes for a simple breakfast topped with almond milk, or you can make overnight oats, OR you can bake with them. I did just that! With their protein, too! The sacha inchi protein tastes very nutty, and tastes great in the cookies I made. Sacha inchi is high in plant based omega-3s. 3 tablespoons of the sacha inchi is nearly 20 grams of protein. 

I wanted to create something that complimented all of these wonderful products. What better way than with a batch of cookies? I made apple cranberry muesli cookies with Zego's Pure Protein! Oh so good! Light! Crunchy! Chewy! Buttery! 

Oats technically aren't paleo, so I can't call these paleo cookies, but I can proudly call them gluten free without all the scary stuff that can be found in other gluten free oats - even organic. These are the cleanest oats out there, I promise. This is why I love this company. They go above and beyond, and I know I can trust their products. They simply give you peace of mind. These lovely oat products will be available starting on February 4, 2019!

Check out my recipe below, and if you haven't already, I suggest you browse Zego's site, and check out all of their products. They have so many safe, clean snacks waiting to be consumed by you!

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ZEGO APPLE CRANBERRY PROTEIN MUESLI COOKIES
gluten free, dairy free, soy free, junk free
Makes approximately 22 cookies
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INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 cup paleo baking mix (I mixed 1 cup almond flour, 1/2 cup arrowroot powder, 1 heaping teaspoon cassava, and 1 heaping teaspoon coconut flour)
• 1 tablespoon Zego Pure Protein powder
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon paleo friendly baking powder (2:1 cream of tartar and baking soda)
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh nutmeg
• 4 tablespoons organic, grassfed butter OR ghee, softened
• 4 tablespoons organic palm shortening
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon local maple syrup
• 1 egg
• 1.5 cups Zego Apple Cranberry muesli 

METHOD

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• If using butter, set it out on the counter and let it come to room temp. Since you're probably by your fridge, grab that one egg, and let that come to room temp, too.
• Mix your paleo baking flours together. Add the 3/4 cup baking flour, protein, salt, baking powder, and nutmeg in a bowl. Set aside.
• Cream butter/shortening with coconut sugar. Slowly add the maple syrup. Whip for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
• Add the egg to the fat/sugar mixture. Mix well. 
• Slowly add the dry ingredients until just combined.
• Stir in the Apple Cranberry  muesli until well incorporated.
• Using a tablespoon measuring spoon, scoop the cookies onto the parchment lined baking sheet. Be sure to give enough space between each cookie, because they do spread a tad - it's ok! 
• Bake for 10 minutes at 350, turning the baking sheet halfway through. If you have a convection oven, no need for turning the baking sheet.
• Let cool, and enjoy!