It's the holiday season and I couldn't be more excited to bake more healthy treats to share with my family and friends.  This cookie recipe is not only super simple, but it's grain and dairy-free too!  Did I mention these moist little gems tasted amazing as well?  I was practically licking the batter bowl, because I just couldn't help myself.  The biggest test for me is if the batter tastes amazing, then the cookies will too! 

​Well let's get to the sweet stuff, the recipe to make these tasty healthy cookies in less than 30 minutes. If you don't like cranberries, swap in some mini semi-sweet chocolate chips instead! Yum :)

SIMPLE CRANBERRY COOKIES
makes about 13 cookies

Ingredients: 
Wet

• ​3 tbsp. pure maple syrup
• 2 tbsp. of coconut oil, softened or melted 
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 egg

Dry 

• 2 cups of almond meal or almond flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• sprinkle of salt
• 1/2 cups of dried cranberries (or your favorite cookie mix-in)

1.  Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Using a silicon mat (like the one pictured) or parchment paper to line a baking sheet. 

2.  In a large bowl, mix the wet ingredients together with a whisk until well blended.  

3.  Then add in the dry ingredients and combine with a wooden spoon. 

4.  Once all ingredients are mixed together, use a small spoon to scoop out the cookie batter to place individual cookies on the lined baking sheet.  The batter should make about 13 small cookies. You can flatten the cookies slightly using your fingers if you'd like. 

5.  Bake these cookies for about 9-11 minutes or until golden to your liking. 

6. Enjoy these soft delicious cookies with a glass of milk or cup of coffee for a healthy sweet treat! 


                           
                                  Always craving good food,
                                                 Jillian 

As many of you know I was infertile, and going to an amazing fertility facility for about a year and a half.  During that journey my doctor discovered a fibroid tumor that had to be removed (yuck-surgery), which in turn put off my path to having a baby for about 2 months.  After recovery it was back to the daily grind of more lovely injections to get my body where it needed to be.  After two cycles of injections I was finally ready to receive my first IUI (turkey basting of my husband's handsome sperm). The doctors warned me that the first IUI only gave us a 15% chance of getting pregnant, but that the more IUIs I did the better my chances would be (sarcastic yippee).  I was convinced I wasn't getting pregnant and seemed to convince everyone else I wasn't getting pregnant either; not because I am a pessimistic person, but because I was just being a realist at this point. Let's face it, 15% is not much, it's like a tiny sliver of pie from a whole pie (sorry- I'm a sucker for food analogies). 

Boy was I wrong, and happy to be wrong!  That tiny sliver from that delicious pie was totally worth the wait.  My body accepted my husband's healthy sperm and thus began my pregnancy journey and ended my infertility journey. I was still in shock and didn't believe it until I saw our baby's heartbeat for the very first time (sigh).  Sonograms are such an amazing experience, whether your'e pregnant or not, because you can see what your body is doing or producing on the inside.  It's crazy how our body knows exactly what to do, it's like this scientific machine that we sometimes have no control over (which is the frustrating part at times). But now I was pregnant (non-sarcastic yippee!) and my new journey would lead me to experiences I have never felt. 

Currently I am 10 weeks along, and I am often wondering, "Who am I?"  Mostly because everything I was passionate about has slowly leaked out of me, temporarily.  I loved cooking, eating lots of vegetables, creating recipes, exercising regularly, drinking coffee, and was always that person who was full of energy.  Now, I am the COMPLETE opposite of that person I have just described. At first I was frustrated with these crazy changes, but I've learned after reading about pregnancy that it was completely normal to feel the way I was feeling. Bummer, I was hoping I would be that abnormal one that didn't have those symptoms (wishful thinking). 

So now a days I am eating delicious meals that my mom or husband cooks, ordering or eating out once during the school week (hello there Ledo's), and sleeping any chance I can get. Did I mention I have crazy pregnancy dreams at night (yea, it's totally a thing!), so getting a good night sleep hasn't happened since I got pregnant. But luckily my naps are providing me with that extra sleep support, GO TEAM NAPS! 

In the end I wanted to keep it real and share what I am experiencing, since unfortunately it's not new recipes or health tips (sad face).  I understand that I am creating and growing another person inside of me and my lifestyle has completely changed because of it. I wish I would have been more prepared for what was to come, but hey I guess that's what surprises are for! I am so grateful for being pregnant and super duper excited for more changes to come not only to my body, but my life as well. 

Well this chick is signing off until I am motivated again to share more about my journey, hopefully once this bump has grown a bit more :). 


                             Craving everything,
                                               Jillian