Recipe: Peanut Butter and Jelly Heart-Prints
By Bridgette Blakey, MSN/DPD student
February is American Heart Month, which gives us the opportunity to focus on our own cardiovascular health. The tradition of celebrating the heart this month began in 1963 to encourage Americans to join the battle against heart disease. This is the perfect time to incorporate foods that support a healthy lifestyle, with an emphasis on including more fiber, whole grains, and healthy fats in your diet.
These heart cookies are fun to make and include all of the above nutrients. Feel free to use whatever frozen berries you like; raspberries and blueberries work great too. Enjoy!
Peanut Butter and Jelly Heart-Prints
Ingredients for chia jam:
4 cups of frozen strawberries
3 tablespoons maple syrup
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons chia seeds
Ingredients for cookies:
1 cup oat flour
½ cup rolled oats
½ cup almond flour
2 Tablespoons chia seeds
1 teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon salt
½ cup peanut butter
½ cup maple syrup
To make chia jam:
1. Add frozen berries to a large pot over med/high heat. Add maple syrup and a pinch of salt.
2. Cook down until most of the liquid has been absorbed (5-7 minutes).
3. Add chia seeds and cook over low heat for another 7-10 minutes until thick.
4. Put in fridge to cool and thicken.
To make cookies:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a pan with parchment paper.
2. Combine oat flour, oats, almond flour, cinnamon, salt, and chia seeds in a large bowl.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine peanut butter and maple syrup. Mix on high speed until thoroughly combined.
4. Pour the peanut butter mixture into the flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until thoroughly combined. It will be thick that’s normal!
5. Roll dough into balls and shape them into hearts with a dip inside.
6. Spoon a little jam into each heart-print.
7. Bake for 9-11 minutes, until bottoms being to brown.
8. Cool for at least 10 minutes.