By Hayley Stobbs R.Ac, CNC
Sweet potato ginger cookies are a yummy nourishing treat and a source of complex carbohydrate and minerals. According to Chinese medicine food therapy conventional sweet baking and ice cream cause a damp internal environment when eaten in excess. Dampness hinders water and food metabolism, which results in digestive, hormone, and immune symptoms, including water retention and edema, poor circulation, frequent colds and flus, fatigue, heaviness, and foggy thinking. Swapping conventional deserts for nutritive high-fiber whole food sweets such as fruits and root vegetables offers nourishment, balance, and content.
Sweet potato is neutral in temperature and sweet in flavour. It enters the kidney, spleen, stomach and large intestine meridians, tonifies qi, blood, and yin, and assists in removing toxins. Combined with the following spices, ginger cookies are warming and strengthen digestion.
GINGER COOKIES
Cook time: 30 minutes
Yields: 9 small cookies
Ingredients
¾ cup baked and mashed white sweet potato, acorn squash, or parsnip, packed
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 - 3 teaspoons maple syrup, unsulfured blackstrap molasses,
*or sprinkle of green leaf stevia powder for sugar-free
3 tablespoons coconut flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
1 tablespoon arrowroot flour
2 teaspoons ginger root powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder, optional
1/4 teaspoon clove powder, optional
1/3 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of sea salt
Directions
1. Place a large white sweet potato or halved and de-seeded acorn squash on a baking pan and bake at 400F for about an hour or until super soft. If using parsnip, peel, slice, and then steam in a steamer insert for about 5 minutes.
2. Scoop and pack the sweet potato or acorn squash flesh, making sure to discard the skin, into a 1 cup measuring cup, to the ¾ cup line. If using parsnip, puree with the melted coconut oil in a food processor or blender until smooth.
3. Preheat your oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with non-bleached parchment paper.
4. In a medium sized mixing bowl, mix together the mashed veggie with the coconut oil and maple syrup with a fork, making sure that no lumps remain. You can use a potato masher to ease the process.
5. Sift in the coconut flour. Add the arrowroot, ginger, cinnamon, clove, making soda, and sea salt. Mix well.
6. Spoon 1 ½ tablespoon portions onto the baking pan. Shape with your hands into cookies shapes, smoothing the edges as desired.
7. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes. Cool completely before serving. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.
Variation: Coconut Carrot Cookies
- Fine grate 1/2 cup carrot. Gather the grated carrot in your hands and squeeze its juice into a bowl.
- Decrease coconut oil to 1 tablespoon, omit maple syrup and arrowroot flour, and add an extra tablespoon of coconut flour.
- Add 2 tablespoons each: shredded coconut, whole golden flaxseed, and pumpkin seed.
- Resume with ingredients and directions above.
I hope my post has given you insight today. If you’re interested in acupuncture I’d be happy to guide you along. Please visit www.vcaspa.com to book online or call 250-590-4341. To learn more about my acupuncture practice, follow @hayley_stobbs on Instagram.
Wishing you love & vitality,
Hayley Stobbs R.Ac, CNC