Smoothies can be a quick breakfast meal, if they have the right stuff in it. I frequently make this fruit smoothie for my daughter using hulled hemp seeds. They are whole seeds that have had their crunchy outer shell ( insoluble fiber) removed. This removal makes the total protein content higher and easily digestible by the body. They give an amazingly creamy and smooth texture to a fruit drink and keeps you in good mood all day long.
My daughter often eats cookies for breakfast so keeping the jar full is a must in my house. I made these pistachio cookies, so sharing both the recipes today. These cookies are delicious, easy to make and not to mention naturally gluten free. They are soft and somewhat chewy in the middle. I have used ground almonds (with skin) but you can use blanched almond meal for a lighter color and I left out the green color just to keep everything natural.
When I asked my husband’s opinion about the cookies, his answer was, 10/10.
Before moving on to the recipe let me share an incident that happened last week.
I was pulling off from a parking lot a lady approached me begging for money to buy food. She said she was hungry and has not eaten anything from last night. I usually ignore beggars and panhandlers. I grew up in a country where begging is the most acute problem and I feel uncomfortable giving money to people who roam around in parking lots or stand on stop signs. I suspect that many of these people aren’t as desperately in need as they portray. I worry they might use the money for other things, like alcohol or drugs, so I try to avoid them. Moreover, it’s hard to tell who is genuinely begging and who is not.
For a second I completely ignored the lady, but then it hit me what if she really is hungry and wants money to buy food. It was a cold morning and was also wet snowing ( yes, in Vancouver it sometimes snows in march). My heart went for her and I parked my car back. I offered to buy her breakfast and took her to the nearby coffee shop. I let her pick anything she wanted; She was surprised and felt very grateful. When we came out of the shop she thanked me several times. I walked towards my car and from my car window I saw that she put all the food in her backpack and walked towards the bus stop holding the coffee.
It felt a little strange that she did not eat the food even though she said she was hungry but I did not give it a second thought and went my way.
Later that evening I talked about the incident with my daughter. She said, “Mom, maybe she took the food for her kids.”
What are your thoughts?
Do you give cash to people who beg? In what ways do you help them?
BREAKFAST HEMP SMOOTHIE
Ingredients:
any fruit ( I used altafou mango and strawberries)
Your choice of liquid – milk, yogurt or juice (I used 1 1/2 cup regular milk)
2 tbsp hulled hemp seeds( increase the amount if using juice)
1/2 tsp green cardamom powder
honey/ agave syrup/maple syrup (optional)
Method:
Blend all the 5 ingredients in a heavy duty blender (use sweetener if you like).
You can thin it with water, ice or juice. Pour in glasses.
Serve with nutty pistachio cookies.
SICILIAN PISTACHIO COOKIES
source: trissalicious.com
Ingredients:
120 gm ground almonds
120 gm ground pistachio
2 large egg whites
120 gm granulated sugar
90 gm pistachio
icing sugar for dusting (optional)
green color (optional)
Method:
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Chop the 90 gm of pistachio with knife or in a food processor (The original recipe asks for toasting the pistachios but I used raw).
In a bowl place the 120 gm of ground pistachios, ground almonds, sugar and egg whites. Mix well until you form a thick paste like consistency. (If you feel the dough is thin, add almond meal but you might not feel the necessity as I already increased the amount from the original recipe).
Scoop the cookie dough (it will be sticky) so drop it in the chopped pistachios, roll them and form a cookie shape. Place on a prepared cookie sheet, around 2 cm apart and bake for 15-20 minutes at 325 degrees F.
Dust with icing sugar when cool.
anne
You’re such a good person ! Bless you ! I love both as it makes a healthy and yummy breakfast ( and not only for breakfast ! ;D )
Kalpana Sareesh
yuumiest breakfast.. n too good cookies
Kiri W.
That smoothie looks tasty! I’ve never used hemp before, what a great idea!
Balvinder Ubi
Hemp seeds are like flax seeds,if you are familiar with it. But they have far more protein than almond or flax. So 1 tbsp in a glass goes a long way.
Soni
A good deed indeed!At least your intentions were good!Love these smoothies and the cookies.I have to try these cookies soon, they look so healthy and delicious Neetu!Looking forward to cooking some recipes from the cookbook you sent me :)Thanks!
Balvinder Ubi
I am glad you liked the book. It is going to be a part of your treasure.
Anonymous
What you did was right, I do not help with money.
The use of hemp seeds is nice in the smoothie. I have tried these pistachio cookies when I was in Chicago at some Gelato.
Balvinder Ubi
Yes, I have heard that you get these cookies but I tried it first time at my friend’s.
Tina (PinayInTexas)
What a perfect breakfast combo!
Love the look of the pistachio cookies!
Nami | Just One Cookbook
I’ve never used hemp seeds before and your smoothie looks so delicious! I can’t wait for the smoothie season to come! And oh my, I LOOOOVE your pistachio cookies!!! My husband and I can kill one whole batch!
Balvinder Ubi
I can get that, I made some flour pistachio cookies for my daughter but she liked these better.
mireia badia
Great recipes! Thanks for sharing 🙂
motherrimmy
What an inspiring story. I agree that you have to be careful when you help the homeless, but you did a wonderful thing. Your heart told you what was true, and your lovely daughter confirmed it. 🙂
Balvinder Ubi
That’s right I just followed my heart.
Choc Chip Uru
This sounds like my ideal breakfast! Smoothies and cookies? Yes please because they both sound delicious 🙂
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Baker Street
the smoothy looks so good neetu! 🙂
Liz
Great recipes, I particularly like the idea of the biscuits but that might be my sweet tooth talking. Thanks for setting me straight about the meaning of saag – I appreciated the clarification. I am enjoying exploring your blog, thanks for visiting mine.
Balvinder Ubi
Liz they are not sweet like other cookies. My husband does not have a sweet tooth but he and my daughter are the one who relish the most.
Tina
I have always been told if you have doubts then it is best not to give. I rarely am approached but I do give and I know my heart is in the right place, irregardless of how it is spent by them. Glad you did help that woman out. Sweet story.
Anyhow, I really do like both of these recipes. Very unique and very healthy. These would make for a great breakfast on the go or a snack. Enjoy the day.
Balvinder Ubi
I avoid them if I see them from far, but this lady almost knocked on my car window and it seem like a genuine person.
Asmita
Hi Balvinder,
That was so kind of you. Maybe, she took the food for her kids at home Who knows?
The smoothie and cookies look yummy. A great way to start the day!
Jennifer
The hemp seeds was an interesting addition to the smoothie! You were smart buying food for her. I tend to give money, which is probably wrong in light of the reasons you mentioned.
Carmen Anderson
Oh these cookies look so delicious! I will have to try this recipe soon! I love the smoothie too! I am a huge smoothie fan, and I like to sweeten mine with honey! You’d try that too, it’s really really good. 🙂
Balvinder Ubi
We do not like to sweeten our smoothies not even with honey.
Lizzy
What an act of kindness…you handled that with grace. And look at the wonderful treats you’ve shared with us today…thank you!!!! xo
Jivjot Singh
somebody show this to my mother….looks so delicious……u r great…
Balvinder Ubi
E-mail the recipe to your mother. There is an option besides print friendly button.
mjskit
I go through the same thing every time I get approached in a parking lot. I admire what you did and thought the same thing that your daughter did – maybe she was taking the food to someone else. So good going girl! Smoothies are great breakfasts and sometime lunch! It’s such a great way to use what you have. Well, those cookies are the most unusual cookies I’ve every seen. They sounds scrumptious! I love all of the nuts, especially the hug amount of pistachio! YUM! Great post!
Kim Bee
I am loving the pistachio cookies. Pistachios are my single most fave thing in the entire world.
Mary
I think you are a very kind person and someday someone will repay your good deeds. She probably was going to share the food with someone. I hope you have a wonderful day. Blessings…Mary
Elisabeth
I am like you…wondering what they would do if I give them money, but then, I do give them money because they come up to my car at the red light when I’m stopped, and I hate to turn them down. Feel so bad for them!
As far as buying them lunch, at a fast food place, I have done that too, a few times, and they are truly appreciative!
You pistachio cookies reminds me of my sister-in-law’s in Sicily, although I have not made them…their’s is like a “rock” which is supposed to be the beauty of it, with only the egg whites used. It is indeed very good, but you do have to dip them into tea, or coffee, to get the real “effect” of these little beauties. Well done, I’m taking your recipe…smiles…!!!
Also the smoothie is so yummy, healthy, and I love the berry swirl in it!
I’m following your blog, and invite you to follow mine, as well:DDD
Food Frenzy
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Balvinder
Thank you, food frenzy.