Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies with Shatavari Chocolate Ganache

11/21/2018

Cookie Recipe
1 stick grass-fed butter (room temp)
½ cup unrefined coconut oil (room temp)
2/3 cup (200g) coconut sugar + 2 tbsp molasses
1 egg (room temp)
2 cups (170g) old-fashioned rolled oats
1.5 c toasted oat flour (if you can’t find toasted, good ole oat flour or coconut flour works. We like to stay away from almond flour because of bees)
1 tsp baking soda
2 heaping tsp sea salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 15 oz can pumpkin with liquid squeezed out

Directions
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Drape a thin linen towel, cheesecloth, or paper-towel over a small bowl. Delicately dump the canned pumpkin unto the cloth. Squeeze the liquid out of the canned pumpkin as best you can. (this makes your cookies crispy and less cakey!). Set aside. With a mixer or whisk by hand, beat butter & coconut oil until smooth. Slowly add sugar + molasses until the mixture is light and fluffy. Lastly, beat in the egg, vanilla, and pumpkin. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet, mixing evenly. Lastly add the oats. Scoop the dough by heaping tablespoons onto a cookie sheet topped with a Silpat* . Once on the sheet, pat down the dough balls with your finger pads to form 1/2" thick discs. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies are browned around the edges. Remove from oven and let them rest on sheet for 2 minutes. Then, transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, add a dollop of Shatavari Chocolate Ganache (recipe below) and let set in fridge so chocolate hardens.

Shatavari Chocolate Ganache Recipe
1 cup coconut butter (if you can’t find this- I typically order in bulk online because it’s so dang good!- you can use coconut oil)
1 c bittersweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup cocoa powder
½ cup Shatavari root powder
1/3 cup Psyllium husk powder (thickens and adds fiber)
2 tsp Cinnamon

Pinch sea salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
Splash coffee (this is optional but really balances out the chocolate)

In a double boiler with water gently simmering, melt chocolate and cocoa butter until relatively smooth. Mix in remaining ingredients and stir until you have a silky consistency. Let cool to room temp. When your cookies have completely cooled, you can dip the cookies into the sauce or put a pretty spoonful on top, possibly topped with a toasted nut to finish it all off. This recipe makes extra sauce that you can store in a mason jar in the fridge for at least a month (it will definitely be gone by then).

This ganache is bitter and only slightly sweet, but the bitterness compliments the sweet pumpkin and activates those bitter receptors critical for beneficial anti-inflammatory and digestive function.

*Silpats are a baker's best friend. These silicon sheets are totally nonstick so you don't have to deal with greasing and lining your pans.

What is Shatavari?

Everyone is raging over Ashwaghanda right now, but have you heard of Shatavari? Traditionally, Ashwaghanda is viewed in Ayurvedic medicine as a man’s herb, promoting endurance, fertility, immunity, and confidence. The literal translation is “Sweat of the Stallion”. Though once specific for men, research is showing the hormone-balancing and immune-boosting effects can be equally useful for women. Shatavari, on the other hand, is a traditional nourishing woman’s herb. Translating to “She Who Has 1000 Husbands”, it’s obvious that we have another herb useful for enhancing fertility and strength. Shatavari (Asparagus racemosa) belongs to the Asparagus family. If you took a look at her massive root system, you might be able to understand why humans were inclined to use this plant for reproductive purposes- beneath one plant are many substantial roots, resembling a fat handful of pale carrots bundled together. Shatavari is a nourishing tonic herb for our adrenals and endocrine (hormones) system. When we are stressed, our body uses the ingredients for making healthy sex hormones to make stress hormones instead (this is why it’s hard to feel amorous when we are under too much stress). Nourishing tonics are meant to be take daily- you must be diligent about taking your herbs daily if you want the results you desire. Shatavari is also mucilaginous, nourishing, healing, and removing inflammation throughout our entire GI tract. She also helps re-establish imbalanced vaginal pH. Clinically, Shatavari has been shown to reduce symptoms of PCOS, PMS, and amenorrhea to name a few.

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