Soft & Chewy Flourless Ginger Tahini Cookies

In January, well after holiday season was over, a client sent a big box of Tate's Cookies to the office, where they filled the kitchen counter for half a week. It was the worst (but also the best) kind of way to kick off January. I had been wanted to make a gingery version of these tahini chocolate chip cookies for some time -- I even had made a batch over the holidays that didn't quite work out. Despite it being peak resolution season, that counter full of cookies was just the push I needed to dive back into recipe development. 

The dream: a chewy, rich, flourless ginger cookie with chunks of crystallized ginger. 

I knew that tahini would be the perfect base, but my first attempt used far too much molasses and the cookies were WAY too soft. I learned, on that attempt, that coconut sugar really imparts enough molasses-y flavor anyhow, as it's unrefined so still carries all of the minerals that are stripped from refined sugars when molasses is made. 

Tips for making these chewy tahini ginger cookies: 

• STIR THAT TAHINI. This is in all caps because it's no joke. Tahini separates fast and if your tahini is all oil or all solids you're batter won't work. Last time I published a tahini cookie recipe someone asked about how to best stir tahini, which is a really good question because it's not the easiest to stir. But don't worry! Just scrape the entire jar into a blender, and let it rip. OR, carefully put your immersion blender into your tahini container (this is what I do, but also can foresee what a mess this might make in the wrong circumstances) 

• Let them cool. Really! I too like hot-out-of-the-oven cookies, but these cookies need a minute to set up. More like 5-10. They'll still be warm, and they'll stay soft for a week at room temperature. BUT, if you try to pick one up while it's still piping hot it will just collapse and melt in your hand (if you can even get it into your hand). 

Now, the recipe! 

Soft & Chewy Flourless Ginger Tahini Cookies

Published February 21, 2019 by Caitlin Sherwood

Yields: 16   |    Active Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients:

1 cup coconut sugar

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/16 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup tahini (stirred very well - try blending it with your blender if it is separated)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

1-1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger grated on a microplane

Optional: 1/3 cup ginger chips or finely chopped crystallized ginger

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine coconut sugar, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, and ground cloves. Whisk briefly.
3. Add tahini, vanilla, egg, and fresh ginger to bowl, and use a spatula to stir until a stiff, sticky batter forms.
4. Optional: place bowl of batter in the fridge for 10 minutes to allow dough to stiffen a bit more.
5. Using your hands, roll dough into spheres by the heaping tablespoonful. Place spheres at least 2 inches apart of a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and flatted slightly with your fingers.
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until cookies have spread and are golden. Cookies will still be quite soft when you remove them from the oven. Allow them to cool at least 10 minutes before attempting to move them to a cooling wrack or a plate.

Instant Pot Tom Yum Soup

This is an older recipe from Foraged Dish. I wanted to give it a little update, so here it is! 

There is a Thai restaurant in Estes Park, which we drive by after visiting Rocky Mountain National Park. After a long day outside, when it's starting to get a bit chilly, nothing is better than a stop at that restaurant for a cozy Thai soup or spicy curry. 

Tom Yum soup is also the ultimate soup when you're sick. It's brothy, with chicken and veggies, and scented with lemongrass and ginger. This version is an Instant Pot recipe -- easy is key when you're not feeling your best. 

Some typical Thai ingredients can be hard to find here in the states! Here's where to look and what to do if you can't find it: 

You can find lemongrass in the herb section of some grocery stores, at a local Asian Market, or online. Use it while it's fresh! The Asian Market near me sells it in sets of two stalks. This recipe only calls for one, but I try to use the second one for another batch of soup within a week because I find that as soon as the lemongrass dries out it loses it's flavor. I've had poor success in freezing it, unfortunately. (Anyone have tips?) 

In this recipe, I call for ginger and not galangal. Most Tom Yum recipes call for both, but galangal is another ingredient that can be hard to get your hands on. If you do go to an Asian Market, look there and use half galangal, half ginger in the recipe. Otherwise, don't worry about it for one minute -- the favor of ginger is very similar to galangal (galangal is just a bit more mild), so using all ginger is just fine!

Kaffir lime is in a lot of Thai recipes but I don't include it in the instructions below at all because I've found it's nearly impossible to buy in the states! (That said, it has an amazing aroma, so if you can find it, add 3 leaves to the pot before closing it up, and then remove them before serving). It's also very hard to buy kaffir lime seeds in the United States, but I would love to grow one! I have seen a few companies that will ship a grafted plant, so I might try it. 

Last but not least: fish sauce isn’t for everyone (but you can usually find it in the Asian section of your grocery store). If you're not that into it, use Worcestershire sauce instead (it's ok, I have my own trepidations). It's not quite the same, but it will provide some of that Unami flavor that rounds out the broth. 

Phew! Thai food is an adventure on it's own! But don't let that stop you -- this soup is delicious, nourishing, and cozy. And this version has been adapted to make it a bit more approachable. Enjoy! 

Instant Pot Tom Yum Soup

Published December 11, 2018 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 6   |    Active Time: 15 minutes

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Ingredients:

1 tablespoon coconut oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 onion, diced

3 tablespoons ginger, finely minced

1 large carrot, diced

1 zucchini, diced

2 cups mushrooms, sliced or quartered

1/2 pound boneless chicken breast

3 green onions, white and dark green parts removed, then sliced

2-5 minced Thai chili peppers, depending on spice preference

8 cups chicken or bone broth

1 cup canned full-fat coconut milk

1 teaspoon lime juice

1 stalk lemongrass

1/8 teaspoon fish sauce

Optional for serving: chili oil, cilantro, lime wedges

Directions:

1. Heat coconut oil in the bottom of an Instant Pot on the “Sauté” setting. When oil is melted, add diced onion, and minced garlic and ginger. Sauté until onions are translucent.
2. Add diced carrots, diced zucchini, sliced mushrooms, chicken breasts, green onions, Thai chili peppers, broth, coconut milk, lime juice, stalk of lemongrass, and fish sauce.
3. Place lid on Instant Pot and turn to “Soup” setting with timer set to one minute. Turn vent to sealed position.
4. When timer goes off, release the pressure through the vent. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, pull chicken from soup and use two forks to shred it into bite-sized pieces. Place shredded chicken back in soup and stir. Remove lemongrass stalks (you can use them as garnish, but they are not great for just eating -- they just add flavor to the broth).
5. Serve hot with additional chili oil, cilantro, lime, or hot sauce (such as Sriracha).

Green Machine Slaw with Ginger Lime Vinaigrette

With toasted slivered almonds, crunchy sugar snap peas, creamy avocado, and bright cucumber, this extraordinarily green slaw is everything you need and more when you're craving a plateful of veggies and something bright. 

It started as a simple thing -- a slaw to be served under some salmon burgers I've been working on. But then it spiraled out of control: as I drove home, I started to day dream about an everything-green slaw and what all could go into it. Next thing you know, I'm pulling off the thoroughfare and aiming for the closest grocery store to pick up a few things I don't have at home: green onions, limes, and a green bell pepper. 

With the color green as my muse, I headed home and immediately started slicing and dicing. The salmon burgers? I'm sure they were fine, but I don't quite remember. It was the slaw that got all of the attention. Dressed in a bright ginger-lime vinaigrette, it was refreshing and bold. Bits of toasted almond added a punch that was rather addicting, and avocado -- well, we all love avocado, don't we? 

Here's to the color green! It makes for one pretty slaw. 

Green Machine Slaw with Ginger Lime Vinaigrette

Published April 3, 2018 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 6   |    Total Time: 15 minutes

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Ingredients:

For the Slaw:
• 1/2 head savoy cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, cut julienne
• 1 cucumber
• 2 green onions
• 1 cup sugar snap peas, chopped
• 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced (optional)
• 1 avocado, cubed
• 1/4 cup minced cilantro
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted

For the Vinaigrette:
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil 
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup 
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated on microplane

Directions:

1. Place thinly sliced cabbage and sliced bell pepper in large salad bowl.
2. Cut cucumber on a bias (here’s a video on how to do that), and add to bowl. Then, remove roots and dark green parts form green onions, slice green onions, and add to bowl. Add add optional jalapeño, cubed avocado, minced cilantro, and slivered almonds. Toss salad to combine ingredients.
3. In a small jar, combine lime juice, olive oil, sesame oil, salt, maple syrup, and grated ginger. Place lid on jar and shake until combined. Pour dressing over salad and toss until everything is coated. Serve.