Lactation (Oatmeal) Cookies.

My lovely sister in law just gave birth to TWINS!  I could not be more thrilled.  It is my first time being an Auntie!  Now I have two adorable little boys to love and spoil.  Now that the twins are here, my brother and sister in law have a lot to keep them busy! 

One thing that a lot of new moms struggle with (so I am told) is keeping up their milk supply, sleeping, and keeping their calories up sufficiently to breastfeed.  My friend Heather created the idea of a "lactation cookie" when she had her first child (and she has also had twins recently!).  This is exactly what nutrition is all about, using food to meet your bodies needs.

These lactation cookies are pretty much just like your standard oatmeal raisin cookie. (Men don't worry, you won't lactate if you eat these).  These are called lactation cookies because the main ingredient is oats, and they also have some flaxseed.  Oats are very well known to increase milk supply for mothers, and flax help increase milk supply too.  They also do not have a lot of sugar (you can eat many and not get blood sugar spikes), and the oats and almond flour provide some protein, which is crucial for breastfeeding!  Cookies are also great for new moms because suddenly life revolves around the baby(ies) and finding time to eat can be hard.  Having twins doesn't leave a lot of time on your hands!  Cookies can easily be grabbed and eaten with one hand.  Just make sure they're as nutritious as these!  Beware - I am told husbands like lactation cookies too!  Moms may want to guard them ;)

Lactation Oatmeal Cookies.
    makes over 2 dozen cookies

    2 1/2 cups  toasted rolled gluten-free oats (mine were sprouted and soaked oat groats)
    1 cup  blanched almond flour
    1 Tbsp  organic coconut flour - source
    2 sticks  grass-fed butter, softened - source
    1/2 cup  coconut sugar - source
    2  real eggs
    1 cup  organic unsweetened shredded coconut
    1 cup  organic raisins (can use chocolate chips)
    2 tsp  vanilla
    2 tsp  cinnamon
    1/4 tsp  unrefined sea salt
    2 Tbsp  organic raw honey -- for topping - source
    2 Tbsp  organic raw ground flax seed -- for topping
    2 Tbsp  warm water

To make your cookies:
  1.  To toast your oats, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour oats onto a silicone lined a baking sheet and spread evenly. Place in the oven for 5 minutes, stir and return to oven for another 5 minutes or until oats are toasty (be careful not to burn!).
  2.  In a large bowl combine almond flour, coconut flour, sugar, coconut, cinnamon and sea salt. Whisk until combined. Add toasted oats.
  3.  In another large bowl, beat together butter, eggs, and vanilla with an electric mixer.
  4.  Combine the dry into the wet ingredients, incorporating together with a spatula. Add raisins, and mix again.
  5.  On silicone lined baking sheets, use your hands to make balls of the dough and place cookies in rows 4x3.  Place sheets into the fridge to set for about 30 minutes.  Then pull from fridge and bake in oven for about 12 minutes until golden brown.
  6.  Make your topping in a small dish combine honey, warm water and ground flax.  Mix together with a pastry brush. Let cookies cool for about 10 minutes.  When cookies are warm, but not hot, brush the flax-honey mixture on top of the cookies.  Remove cookies from pan with a spatula, transfer to a wire rack, and place in the fridge to set the topping.
  7.  After about 10 minutes in the fridge, cookies are ready to eat!

Do the new moms in your life a favor - bring them these cookies :)