RUSTIC HEARTS for VEGANUARY & VALENTINE'S 🌸💖🌸

Hello My Dearest Foodies,

There are still few days before the end VEGANUARY, initiated by wonderful lady @lolzwithlisa and three week before Valentine's Day, so I decided to share these totally guilt free, yet super delicious cookies that are actually good for you and your loved ones.

RUSTIC HEARTS
Quinoa Cookies Dipped in Chocolate
Vegan - Gluten free - Refined Sugar Free
Author: Lena’s Vegan Living

INGREDIENTS FOR 16 COOKIES
• Quinoa 1cup (cooked 2 cups, follow the cooking instruction on the package)
• Dates 1 cup (pitted and soaked in the water for 20min)
• Almond flour 1 cup
• Virgin coconut oil ½ cup (meted above the seatm)
• Raw coconut sugar 2tbs
• Baking powder 1 tsp
• Pure Vanilla extract 1tsp
• Himalayan pink salt just a pinch
• Heart cookie cutter
• Parchment paper

PROCESS

Before you start, have ready your baking sheet lined with parchment paper and large cutting board also lined with parchment paper (it is good idea to have ready a bowl with warm water to dip your utensils to prevent the dough from sticking)

• Blend everything in the high power blender or food processor
• Start with the dates and keep adding the rest of ingredients gradually
• When ready, place the dough into a bowl and store in a refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight
• When ready, shape the dough into a cylinder about 1inch diameter (like the Pillsbury dough)
• Cut the cylinder in equal 1/4 inch slices
• With a rolling pin, roll down one piece at a time to a thinner but wider slice and cut out the heart shape with your cookie cutter (what’s left can be reused to make few more hearts)
• With moist spatula, move each cookie to a baking sheet lined with baking paper
• Preheat the oven to 400F
• Bake for 20 to 30 min
• Let them cool down at least for couple of hours before dipping in the chocolate

FOR THE CHOCOLATE LAYER
• Vegan Dark chocolate chips ½ cup melted over steam water
• Fat coconut milk from the can ½ cup
• Maple syrup to taste
• Whole blenched almonds to decorate
• Cooking tongs
• Pastry cooling rack

PROCESS
• Blend the melted chocolate with milk and maple syrup possibly with a whisk
• Make sure you have deep enough bowl for dipping the hearts up to the middle line
• Use tongs to help you to hold firmly so you make the line in the middle straight t as possible
• Place each cookie on the pastry rack with a paper underneath (some of chocolate will drip)
• When ready, decorate them with almonds
• Place them in to refrigerator overnight, to make sure the chocolate dries as much as possible

You can also store them in a freezer but only before you bake them. So it is good idea to make larger amount, so you have them ready whenever you need. I actually discovered that they turn out better if they are frozen before baking. Although I have no idea why.

BON APPETIT & THANK YOU FOR VISITING 🌸💖🌸
MORE RECIPES AVAILABLE AT Lena's Vegan Living Blog