I’ve probably mentioned some time before that I went to boarding school.
It’s quite a few years now since I left but there are some things I remember very well — the food being one of them!
I rarely enjoyed the meals at school, although there were a few pretty decent desserts…
But, after sport on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday afternoons, we’d come back to the boarding house to a tray of “treats”. Usually brownies, cookies, fairy cakes or a traybake of sorts. I have a very clear picture in my head of Matron sitting there guarding them to make sure nobody had more than one!
I guess sources of excitement were fairly few and far between as those “treats” were definitely one of them and we’d eagerly discuss what we were hoping to find that day on our way back from a cross-country run or hockey practice.
My very favourites were the Chewy Coconut-Oat Cookies.
I hadn’t actually thought of those cookies since school days but these took me right back. I’m very happy to say that they’re just as good as those I used to love, while being vegan, gluten-free and probably considerably healthier too.
They’re ultra chewy with a lovely crisp exterior and are jam-packed full of coconut and oats. They’re also quick and easy to make so hopefully you have all the ingredients at home and can whip up a batch today!
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 C Rolled oats
- 1 C Oat flour*
- 1/2 C + 2 Tbsp Coconut sugar
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1 C Unsweetened shredded (desiccated) coconut
- 1 Tbsp Ground flaxseed
- 1/2 C + 1 Tbsp Melted coconut oil
- 2 Tbsp Maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp Baking soda
- 3 Tbsp Water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 175C/350F and line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, stir together the oats, oat flour, coconut sugar, shredded coconut, salt and flax.
- In a small pan, melt together the maple syrup and coconut oil. Remove from the heat and stir in the baking soda.
- Add this mixture to the dry ingredients, along with the water and stir until well combined.
- Leave for 5-10 minutes to cool slightly then scoop balls of the mixture using a cookie scoop or spoon and place on the prepared baking trays. Flatten slightly (they don't spread much) and bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.
- Leave to cool for at least 10 minutes before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- They will firm up a lot when cool.
- Store in an air-tight container at room temperature. They also freeze well.
Notes
- I grind my own oat flour from whole oats in my Froothie Optimum 9400 blender. It's much more economical than buying it pre-ground.
I’d love to hear if you have any positive memories of school food?!
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