7 Ingredient Almond Butter Cookies

I love to cook.

Several years ago, I was stuck at a standstill with my meal prepping. I wasn’t thinking ahead about what I wanted to eat, so each night right around dinner time, I found myself staring hungrily into an empty fridge. Most nights I, more often than not, ended up roaming the aisles of the grocery store or ended up getting takeout. I was spending more money than I wanted and I was eating things that didn’t make me feel good.

It was around that time that I decided to get HelloFresh, the meal kit program that changed my life, and I haven’t looked back since.

HelloFresh revealed to me that I loved to cook. I loved creating something delicious with my hands and then enjoying it afterwards. It became a stress reliever, a place I could empty my mind, and a place of personal growth. It became a place where I wasn't striving or performing, but a place where I was creating. The portions of food were perfect too, so I wasn't wasting food or energy. 

I've learned that I love to cook, but I always hesitate in giving any validity to it. What makes one a "cook?" Can making meals for yourself be considered anything more than just making dinner? I'm also pretty hard on myself by nature, so sometimes I'm hesitant to consider my hobbies as more than something silly. 

But this year, I've decided to place more intention and purpose into the things I love, without label or expectation.

I discovered the Defined Dish in 2020. Her recipes are healthy and easy and full of color and flavor. They've stretched me to make new things and have brought joy along the way. Her latest cookbook - called "The Comfortable Kitchen" - just recently released and I'm making it a goal to cook my way through each recipe this year.

So, today, on my last day of Christmas break, I made her 7 Ingredient Almond Butter Cookies. They require... seven ingredients (maple syrup, almond butter, arrowroot flour, almond flour, vanilla extract, baking soda, and salt). So easy, so delicious! I baked them while listening to The Hatch - a podcast that dissects each episode of the show Lost (the hosts don't like Jack, who is my favorite character, so listening to this podcast might be short lived).

I was listening to a webinar this afternoon led by Jess Connolly and she talked about getting to the why of a goal. She said to make it a habit to ask yourself - "why is this a goal?" Power comes in holding the why up to the light. So, my why is because it brings joy. There are some recipes in there that I've never attempted before and I think there is a lot of beauty in failing. Also, who doesn't like good food!?

Cheers to all the food joy this year!