Good For You Cookies

First, I'd like to apologize. I meant to have these to you before Monday, but our internet was out all weekend. Truly a horror!

I won't keep you waiting any longer...Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

1 cup raisins
3/4 cup flax seed, ground
1 2/3 cup walnuts, in pieces (I used almonds)
1 1/2 cup oats
1 cup brown or white rice flour
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
6 tablespoons safflower oil
2/3 cup honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350F. Soak the raisins for 10-15 minutes in warm water, enough to barely cover them. Reserve the soaking water. Grind 1/2 cup of whole flax seed--in a coffee grinder--which should make 3/4 cup of ground flax. As oven is warming, place half your oats on a cookie sheet and toast in oven. Then with a food processor, grind oats to a fine flour. Put whole oats, ground oats, ground flax, rice flour, walnuts, cinnamon and sea salt into a large bowl. Mix together your dry ingredients. In a smaller bowl, mix safflower oil, honey (might need to warm to increase fluidity), and vanilla extract. Pour liquid over dry ingredients and mix. Allow to sit for 5 minutes and if it still appears a bit dry, add 1/3 cup of reserved raisin water. Mix again and allow to sit. The batter should be moist enough to easily form.

Place cookie batter on sheet and press down into disc shape. Bake for 14 minutes or to desired crispness.

Let me know what you think!

Teresita