Yesterday the weather was amazing--temperatures in the low 60s, and the smell and feel of spring in the air everywhere. Sometimes you can feel the change in the seasons in your bones, or on the ends of your hair as the wind lifts it up. The daffodils at the bottom of the yard have opened, there are purple crocuses along the rocky path in the front yard, and on the way home from work yesterday I noticed that some of the cherry blossom tree buds had opened up into flowers. Despite how springy everything is I feel a little sad about what might be a "false start" and can't quite give myself over to it. It is, after all, only February 1st today, and I worry about what will happen to the new flowers if we get a wintry cold spell, or snow or sleet.
And while baking on a balmy winter day seems contradictory somehow, I did it anyway, while T. was hard at work on her math problems.
In her thinking cap. Math was hard yesterday.
I made cookies--chocolate chip cherry ones, and they're healthy, to boot!
Chocolate Chip Cherry Cookies (Vegan)
1/2 cup Earth Balance, softened in the microwave
3/4 cup turbinado sugar
1/4 cup chia egg (I just added a tablespoon of chia seeds to my 1/4 cup measuring cup filled with water to create the "egg")
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 3/4 cups spelt flour
1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped dried cherries
Preheat the oven to 350. In a large bowl, add flour and baking soda. Mix in melted Earth Balance, sugar, chia egg, and vanilla. Stir until combined. Fold in chocolate chips and cherries. Drop in balls on an oiled baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the bottom edges are lightly brown.
"These are magical math cookies," T. said.
And they just might be.