Ok, I had decided to go healthy with the broccoli thing... but what’s Valentine’s Day without a little chocolate. As a general rule, I don’t keep chocolate or cookies around the house. Why, because they don’t stay around the house – they stay around my waist!
About once a year, I get a craving for those fudgie no-bake oatmeal cookies. I decided to make a batch in the shape of hearts. My little grandson has food allergies and can’t have most chocolate or most cookies - no eggs, no dairy, no nuts, no wheat, and so I made these so he could have them using shortening instead of butter and rice milk... awesome!
Start to finish, these are so quick -- no longer than 20 minutes.
The ingredients:
2 cups organic sugar
1/2 cup organic cocoa powder
2 tablespoons barley malt powder (optional)
1/2 cup shortening (or butter)
1/2 cup milk (or rice milk)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups rolled oats
Ahead of time, measure out the oats and set aside. Place a couple of sheets of waxed paper on the counter for the cookies.
Combine the sugar, cocoa, barley malt, salt, shortening, and milk in a heavy sauce pan. It’s best to use a 2 quart pan so you have room for the sugar to boil and to add the oats.
Bring the mixture to a boil and closely time the boil for 2 minutes. The timing is critical because if you boil the mixture too little it doesn't set up and too long you won’t get it out of the pan before it sets up. While it will still taste great, it’s one huge pile of formless stuff.
Take the pan off the burner and add the vanilla and the oats. Stir together vigorously and then begin dropping by teaspoons onto the waxed paper. I used two spoons to shape the hearts.
Delicious and delightful, and they have oats in them so they must be good for you, right?
Happy Valentine's Day!
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