Coconut Lime Cookies- Happy Mother's Day

Mother's day is this weekend. Last year I was feeling a little down because it was my first mother's day divorced and it was hard to watch all of my friends who are moms getting breakfast in bed and cute crafts made by their spouse and child. Last year I am very grateful that my parents made my day special and I got a lot of hugs and a few cards from friends and family. This year in general my goal is to be more positive and let things I can't control go.... it's a work in progress, but I am going to be grateful that I get to snuggle my little one while she will still let me and enjoy a day I get to celebrate purely because of her. I think until I was in this situation I never realized that when you are a single parent no one helps your child make the day different than any other day...we will still be getting up at 6am, she will still need me to be a mom all day, and I will still need to food prep for the week, clean, and whatnot.... so maybe consider reaching out to a friend in my same boat to let them know you think they are doing a great job, or stop by with a coffee. :) As much as you might not agree with their choices, we are all just doing the best we can with what we know... all moms, grandmothers, motherly figures, etc. should get an extra big hug and an "I love you" because it is not easy to be this tired all the time and still put everyone else first. 

Going to get ice cream at our local spot is one of our favorite summer things and we recently took Henry to do that for the first time this year... although I look tired and I haven't showered from being at the gym I think this captures my day-to-day life and it's hard to imagine it any other way.

I adapted this recipe from a dehydrator cookbook... they looked too yummy to pass up. The recipe used almond flour, different ratios of flour, agave, vanilla and lemon juice, but all of that can easily be changed for a nut-free, paleo version. Making them in a low-set oven or dehydrator creates a firm outside and almost a melt-in-your-mouth inside. I know a lot of people don't have a dehydrator- I just got one a present for Christmas- and although I make a lot of my own dried fruit, etc. I realize that it is way more convenient for most people to buy dried fruits and jerky because, for example, pears take 10-12 hours to dehydrate. Setting your oven on the lowest setting gets the same result with these cookies- just reduce the "cooking" time and keep an eye on them.

Coconut Lime Cookies

(makes 16 cookies)

- 1 Cup Raw Sunflower Seeds
- 1 Cup Unsweetened Coconut Flakes
- 1/4 Cup Coconut Flour
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 Lime- juiced and zested (about 3-4 Tbsp Juice)
- 1/4 Cup Raw Honey, melted if it is not a liquid
- 1/4 Cup Coconut Oil, melted

1. In a high-powered blender, add the sunflower seeds and pulse until a flour is formed. Stop the blender to stir the clumps from the bottom so you don't make sunflower seed butter.

2. In a large bowl, add the sunflower seed flour, coconut, coconut flour, salt and zest. Mix.

3. Whisk the juice, honey and oil together. Add them to the dry ingredients and mix until a well-combined dough is formed.
4. Using a tablespoon, scoop the dough and roll it into a ball. Flatten it slightly as you lay it on the cookie sheet or your dehydrator.

5. Dehydrate at 135 degrees for 1 hour. In an oven- on the lowest setting (mine was 175 degrees) - bake for 20-30 minutes... this depends on how low your over goes. Let them cool completely and place them in the fridge for at least an hour before eating.