P H A S E O N E : I D E A T I O N
We were given the prompt to create a new cookie recipe. In order to start the exploration process I simply sat down and brainstormed. What kinds of cookies should I make? I thought about what was in my kitchen and the flavor combinations I liked. Zucchini cookies, black bean cookies, pear cookies, chips and salsa cookies, eggplant curry cookies, spinach feta cookies, tomato basil cookies, tea cookies, jalapeno orange/sweet and spicy cookies, watermelon cookies, rice cookies, green chili cookies, and flower cookies were some of my original ideas. I also thought about purposeful cookies, like cookies that give you energy (cup of coffee cookie), cookies that encourage healing, cookies for camping/backpacking trips, or cookies that could be eaten on the side of an entree.
Ultimately I settled on a combination of ideas I'm calling "Wanderer Cookies." Cookies that combine herbs to serve as natural medicine for backpacking trips. Holistic remedies for small discomforts experienced on trail.
When the idea came to me I felt excited, so I decided to go with it. My next question was: what ailments should my Wanderer Cookies address? Headaches? Sinuses/allergies? Muscle soreness? Menstrual discomforts? Stress relief? Insomnia?
I decided to address two specific and very different issues: menstrual cycle relief ("Peaceful Goddess Cookies") and muscle ache/soreness relief for the night after a long day of hiking ("Wayfarer Recovery Cookies").
The ideas started flowing after that. I thought about shape and what would be the most space efficient in a pack. I thought about preparation methods and whether or not the cookies could be made in the backcountry. I thought about packaging. Should they come in pouches the same way dehydrated backpacking food does? Or maybe a foil pack that could easily be set on top a fire would work better? Maybe even some type of biodegradable packaging that could double as a first aid bandage? Or a fire starter? I also decided vegan cookies would probably last longer than those with animal bi-products (I'm open to my assumption being wrong). Ultimately I figured I was striving not just for a cookie, but for some type of granola bar/cookie hybrid. With very approximate knowledge on herbal medicine and very minimal knowledge on egg-free baking, I knew my next step was to gather information.
P H A S E T W O : R E S E A R C H
These following were my initial Google searches:
- Vegan/Gluten Free Cookie Recipes
- Homemade Granola Bars
- Foods that help alleviate PMS symptoms
- Foods that help muscle soreness
- Herbal treatments for PMS
- Herbal treatments for muscle soreness
- Outdoor baking methods
September 3, 2014
P H A S E T W O : R E S E A R C H C O N T I N U E D
After my AM class I walked to Dinkytown and visited Magus Books & Herbs. By lucky coincidence the gentleman behind the counter regularly creates foods meant to encourage healing, not unlike my own efforts. He served as an extremely helpful well of information and encouragement. We spent a decent amount of time discussing "super-foods," cooking methods, and herbs. I took notes on a few plants the workers knew of (Maca, Spirulina, Dogwood, Guelder Rose Bark specifically) that my internet research failed to uncover. I left the shop after setting an appointment with a Master Herbalist and promised to return at 10 AM the following morning.
September 4, 2014
Here are the notes I took after meeting with the herbalist for an hour:
It's important to note that 1 teaspoon of raw herbs is considered a medicinal dose. To play it safe with these cookies, which are for a class, I decided to use no more than 2 teaspoons of any one of the tea herbs throughout for the entire batch of cookies. I walked out of the shop with the following flowers and herbs:
- Lavender, which encourages relaxation
- Meadowsweet, which is a natural source of aspirin
- Shave Grass, which helps remove lactic acid from the muscles (Side note: due to the plant's silica I learned it is the type of herb that must be infused into tea or oil to consume comfortably)
- Crystalized Ginger/Ginger Sugar, anti-inflammatory among other wonderful health benefits
- Goji Berries, which are a superfood that boost the immune system and promote good moods (Side note: they are also adorably called Wolf Berries and adorably look like little campfires)
- Agrimony, which releases shoulder tension (great after a day of backpacking!)
- And finally Cramp Bark, which earned it's name for it's fast acting relief of muscle and body cramps.
I spent the rest of the day getting lost on the road, exploring the 3M innovation center, and waiting tables. With my research complete and my resources gathered, my cookie experiments started the following day.
September 5, 2014
(the lower photo is the cleaned up version of the messy notes from the above photo)
It was a good idea in theory, but my first attempt cookies were a crumbly disaster. They were also quite bland. I forgot to add salt, which I think was part of the problem.
Oops. In any case I decided to try again and this time add more flour, oats, and almond butter. Below is the recipe for my second attempt. For this batch I also decided to start incorporating medicine by infusing it into the coconut oil.
And low and behold, this time the cookies worked! So I had my base recipe set. However the herbs gave this batch an extremely earthy taste that probably wouldn't suit most preferences. My goal shifted then to make my Wanderer Cookies actually taste good. Because what's the point of a cookie nobody wants to eat? I decided to play with flavors the next day.
September 6, 2014
At this point in the project, inspired by a friend's suggestion, I also decided to switch the focus of my medicine to work for before and after a day hike. For example, say you're climbing a 14er, a strenuous all day hike. The idea is you eat one cookie in the morning before the hike to give you sustained energy while gently activating the muscles, and one after the hike to relieve muscle soreness and relax. The before hike recipe culminated on the right hand side of the paper.
And the after hike recipe culminated on the left hand side of the paper.
As I was working out flavors I also found the cookies were easier to make by separating the wet and dry ingredients in different bowls. The process looks like this.
(this was taken on the 7th)
(this was too)
Resulting in cookies that look something like this:
It took me all day Saturday to work out the flavors for the Revival cookies. The Crampbark is really bitter to my taste, so I found it works best in the coconut oil. The Goji Berries also have a very forceful flavor, in my third batch I found infusing them with tea calms the taste a bit. It also has the added benefit of turning the berries into something like Natural Medicine Gushers, which is fun. I made my first batch of Relaxation cookies Saturday night. I used a dry blueberry granola in place of some of the oats and for some reason my first batch of lavender cookies fell apart. I decided to try again the next day.
September 7, 2014
With my second batch of Relaxation cookies I discovered adding a touch more Almond Butter helps hold the cookies together. Unfortunately with my second attempt I used way too much lavender, but I happily discovered ginger is an exciting flavor to pair with the plant. After the failed first root recipe batch, the two batches of Revival cookies, and the the two batches of Relaxation cookies, I arrived at the recipes listed below. For now they work just fine, but I feel as though there's plenty more refining to do. I would love to apply this to granola bars. In any case here are my final recipes for the week.
September 8, 2014
"Wayfarer Revival"
1.) Infuse 1 tablespoon of Coconut Oil with two teaspoons of Crampbark
2.) Heat up 1/4 cup of water just below a boil. Add 1 teaspoon of Meadowsweet and one bag of Raspberry Leaf tea. Steep for a few minutes.
3.) Strain tea.
4.) Add 1/2 tablespoon of cane sugar, 1 1/2 tablespoons of Chia Seeds, 1 teaspoon of Vanilla, 1 1/2 tablespoons of Agave Nectar, and 1 tablespoon of Flax Seeds to tea.
5.) Strain and add in Crampbark/Coconut Oil Mixture. Stir.
6.) Add 1 tablespoon Goji Berries to wet ingredients. Let soak.
7.) In a new bowl combine 1/4 cup Almond Butter, 2/3 cup Oats, 1/4 cup Almond Meal, 2 tablespoons of Cinnamon, a pinch of Almond slivers, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, and a pinch of salt.
8.) Stir dry ingredients.
9.) Mix dry and wet ingredients into dough.
10.) Place 1" balls on a cookie sheet (I coated mine with Sunflower Oil)
11.) Bake at 315 degrees for 14-16 minutes. Turn baking sheet halfway at around 7 minutes to ensure even baking.
12.) Give ample time to cool and enjoy in moderation.
Prep Time: 15-25 mins
Bake Time: 14-16 mins
Yields approximately a dozen
WARNING: DO NOT CONSUME GOJI BERRIES IF USING A BLOOD THINNER
"Wayfarer Relaxation"
1.) Infuse 1 tablespoon of Coconut Oil with 1 teaspoon of Meadowsweet and 1 teaspoon Agrimony.
2.) Heat up 1/4 cup of water just below a boil. Add 1 teaspoon of Shave Grass and one bag of Chamomile tea. Steep tea.
3.) Strain tea.
4.) Add 1/2 tablespoon Ginger Sugar, 1 teaspoon of Vanilla, 1 1/2 tablespoons of Agave Nectar, and 1 tablespoon of Flax Seeds to tea.
5.) Strain and add in Meadowsweet/Agrimony/Coconut Oil Mixture. Stir.
6.) Add 2 tablespoons of Crystalized Ginger to wet ingredients. Let soak.
7.) In a new bowl mix 2/3 cup Almond Butter, 1/3 cup Oats, 1/3 cup Blueberry Granola, 1/4 cup Almond Meal, 2 tablespoons of Cinnamon, a pinch of Almond Slivers, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, a pinch of salt, and 2 spoonfulls of Lavender.
8.) Stir dry ingredients.
9.) Mix dry and wet ingredients into dough.
10.) Place 1" balls on a cookie sheet (I coated mine with Sunflower Oil)
11.) Bake at 315 degrees for 14-16 minutes. Turn baking sheet halfway at around 7 minutes to ensure even baking.
12.) Give ample time to cool and enjoy in moderation
Prep Time: 15-25 mins
Bake Time: 14-16 mins
Yields approximately a dozen
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Also for anyone who may be interested in creating these cookies for a hike, my original batch that stuck together has kept well for three days now. They are somewhat delicate, but hold together well enough, and are really really soft. Until further notice I would not recommend taking these cookies on any trek lasting longer than three days, only because I do not know how long they will keep. Perhaps if someone else tries one of the recipes they can let me know how it worked for them.
Thanks for checking out my work. If you have any questions or suggestions I would love to hear from you, my ear is listening.
Crafting in Love,
- Katie
