My Grandfather, the farmer, kept fastidious records of the weather- temperatures, precipitation, accumulation- all logged into black books that accumulated over the years. My grandmother later rid of the piles of books. We lamented his lost journals, but she waved her hand dismissively and lovingly at the same time. She loved him, and she loved his idiosyncrasies, but if she let him know that too much, she might have been tunneling through piles of black journals.
Fast forward to me, city dweller, bantering with my cashier as I bought the provisions for our stint at the Beaverdam Cabin. “What’s the weather like there?” the cashier asked me. “Uh…the same I think. It’s only an hour and some away,” I said, thinking about the forecast for the very first time. Like most of our winter so far, that day had been a freakishly warm Pittsburgh day.
As we neared the halfway point toward the cabin, I noticed the oncoming traffic had snow piled significantly on their hoods and roofs. Before I could finish uttering this observation, snow started falling on us, as if we had crossed a tangible line between seasons. My grandfather surely looked down from the heavens, amused at my city girl blunder. I had failed to factor in elevation.
The snow fell and formed a fluffy ground cover- the perfect white blanket for a cabin getaway and the best excuse to keep the fire crackling. Conveniently, the wintry wonderland also served as the “freeze” step in this simple recipe.
Eat Your Feelings
My friend Lindsey, aka The Food Mood Girl, made this recipe for “Cookie Dough Contraband” for her upcoming cookbook Eat Your Feelings. Having styled all the food and drinks for the book (ie: having sampled all the food and drinks for the book), I assure you, you’ll definitely want to stay tuned for its release.
I may not have prepared for the weather properly, but I did prepare for dessert. The simplicity of these no-bake treats makes them an easy, sweet indulgence for a weekend away from a full kitchen arsenal (sorry KitchenAid, you didn’t make the cut). The simplicity also makes them a healthy option for those times when the ol’ sweet tooth is calling. They’re a nearly instant gratification without the guilt, and they’re not a far cry from those raw cookie dough bites stolen when Mom wasn’t looking.
Cookie Dough Contraband
Recipe from the Food Mood Girl
About this Recipe: This will quickly become a sweet-tooth satiating staple, so try different combinations each time. My favorite so far is peanut butter sweetened with honey. For a vegan version, stick to the maple syrup and be sure to use a vegan chocolate.
Ingredients
1 cup organic almond butter or peanut butter
2/3 cup raw honey or maple syrup
2 cups organic almond or cashew flour (such as Bob’s Red Mill)
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (such as Guittard’s Extra Dark Chips)
Directions
Combine the almond butter and honey or maple syrup. Add the nut flour and mix until a ball of dough forms. Add the chocolate chips.
Roll into bite-size balls and freeze for 30 minutes.
Remove from freezer and serve. Keep leftover cookies chilled.
Enjoy!
