Healthy Lactation Cookie Dough Bites
I have had major chocolate issues these last two weeks.
Hormones? Possibly. And also because it's fun to blame everything on hormones.
But seriously, this chocolate business. I wound up asking a few of my other preggo friends in their last trimester whether they also were going "chocolate" crazy. Disorder confirmed.
Chocolate can be a great snack and sweet treat in moderation, but it is that much more rewarding to you and your body when you pick a healthy source. This means avoiding chocolate made with soy, GMOs, and chemicals and preservatives, which have no business in your chocolate. Of course, this is usually what you will find, but I find a great exception is Enjoy Life chips. These GMO, gluten, soy and dairy free chocolate chips have been a resident in our house for quite some time now, and if you ask anyone who routinely uses these chips what they think of them, they all love them!!
So speaking of chocolate. I was determined to start making lactation cookies for some of my girlfriends who are due shortly with their babies- just like me!! I have heard about these lactation cookies for some time now, but was wondering, what's all the fuss?
Lactation cookie recipes are known for their galactogogue content. These substances increase milk supply, usually by increasing prolactin to initiate the breast milk let-down reflex or oxytocin to aid in breast milk ejection.
What foods support lactation? Oats, alfalfa, barley, flaxseed meal, brewer's yeast, almonds, papaya, ginger, and chickpeas just to name a few. What about herbal supplements? Fenugreek, milk thistle, fennel, chaste berry, goat's rue, torbangun and shatavari are herbs with proven galactogogues. Even the Journal of the American Pharmacist's Association (1) recognizes that these products, while not FDA regulated with pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, and dosing, are widely used within the breast-feeding community, often with success. The Journal of Applied Biosciences recognizes that botanical galactogogues have both chemical and antimicrobial properties, not only having benefits for lactation, but also helping new mothers with required nutrients, relief from constipation, and prevention of infection (2).
Most women make an adequate amount of breast milk, however, galactogogues can be most effective when combined with increased breastfeeding frequency and milk removal. So why not give them a try?
I made these paleo, gluten free, dairy free, soy free lactation cookie dough bites recently and have gotten great feedback!! No doubt, I expect to enjoy in my pregnancy and continue to share with others. Besides being great for lactation purposes, the great omega-3s in this recipe make it a great snack for kids and adults alike. Give them a try ;o)
Healthy Lactation Cookie Dough Bites (GF, DF, soy-free, GMO-free)(makes 2 dozen 1 in. balls)
1/2 cup almond meal (I used Trader Joe's brand, link on right to purchase)
1/2 cup flaxseed meal (I used the rest of my Hodgson Mills but recommend Bob Mills brand)
1/2 cup enjoy life chocolate chips
1/2 cup organic coconut oil or grassed butter (use coconut oil to make DF; my batch used kerrygold)
1/3 cup organic coconut sugar (could probably omit or consider trying 1/4 cup)
2 tbsp almond butter
1 tbsp organic chia seeds
1 tbsp organic cocoa (could also try the superfood raw cacao powder!)
1 tsp organic vanilla extract
dash of himilayan sea salt
2 tbsp brewer's years (optional; I omitted because I have not concluded whether this ingredient is GF yet)
In a small bowl combine the flaxseed meal, almond meal, coconut sugar, sea salt and brewers yeast and mix. Then melt your coconut oil or butter in a small pan over medium low heat, followed by adding the vanilla extract. Pour the melted mix into the dry ingredients bowl and stir well. Add the almond butter and enjoy life chocolate chips last, and mix it all up. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes or until it is hard enough to roll into balls. Roll into 1 inch balls, and then refrigerate for an hour or so to harden. Keep these refrigerated if not eating right away.
Hormones? Possibly. And also because it's fun to blame everything on hormones.
But seriously, this chocolate business. I wound up asking a few of my other preggo friends in their last trimester whether they also were going "chocolate" crazy. Disorder confirmed.
Chocolate can be a great snack and sweet treat in moderation, but it is that much more rewarding to you and your body when you pick a healthy source. This means avoiding chocolate made with soy, GMOs, and chemicals and preservatives, which have no business in your chocolate. Of course, this is usually what you will find, but I find a great exception is Enjoy Life chips. These GMO, gluten, soy and dairy free chocolate chips have been a resident in our house for quite some time now, and if you ask anyone who routinely uses these chips what they think of them, they all love them!!
So speaking of chocolate. I was determined to start making lactation cookies for some of my girlfriends who are due shortly with their babies- just like me!! I have heard about these lactation cookies for some time now, but was wondering, what's all the fuss?
Lactation cookie recipes are known for their galactogogue content. These substances increase milk supply, usually by increasing prolactin to initiate the breast milk let-down reflex or oxytocin to aid in breast milk ejection.
What foods support lactation? Oats, alfalfa, barley, flaxseed meal, brewer's yeast, almonds, papaya, ginger, and chickpeas just to name a few. What about herbal supplements? Fenugreek, milk thistle, fennel, chaste berry, goat's rue, torbangun and shatavari are herbs with proven galactogogues. Even the Journal of the American Pharmacist's Association (1) recognizes that these products, while not FDA regulated with pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, and dosing, are widely used within the breast-feeding community, often with success. The Journal of Applied Biosciences recognizes that botanical galactogogues have both chemical and antimicrobial properties, not only having benefits for lactation, but also helping new mothers with required nutrients, relief from constipation, and prevention of infection (2).
Most women make an adequate amount of breast milk, however, galactogogues can be most effective when combined with increased breastfeeding frequency and milk removal. So why not give them a try?
I made these paleo, gluten free, dairy free, soy free lactation cookie dough bites recently and have gotten great feedback!! No doubt, I expect to enjoy in my pregnancy and continue to share with others. Besides being great for lactation purposes, the great omega-3s in this recipe make it a great snack for kids and adults alike. Give them a try ;o)
Healthy Lactation Cookie Dough Bites (GF, DF, soy-free, GMO-free)(makes 2 dozen 1 in. balls)
1/2 cup almond meal (I used Trader Joe's brand, link on right to purchase)
1/2 cup flaxseed meal (I used the rest of my Hodgson Mills but recommend Bob Mills brand)
1/2 cup enjoy life chocolate chips
1/2 cup organic coconut oil or grassed butter (use coconut oil to make DF; my batch used kerrygold)
1/3 cup organic coconut sugar (could probably omit or consider trying 1/4 cup)
2 tbsp almond butter
1 tbsp organic chia seeds
1 tbsp organic cocoa (could also try the superfood raw cacao powder!)
1 tsp organic vanilla extract
dash of himilayan sea salt
2 tbsp brewer's years (optional; I omitted because I have not concluded whether this ingredient is GF yet)
In a small bowl combine the flaxseed meal, almond meal, coconut sugar, sea salt and brewers yeast and mix. Then melt your coconut oil or butter in a small pan over medium low heat, followed by adding the vanilla extract. Pour the melted mix into the dry ingredients bowl and stir well. Add the almond butter and enjoy life chocolate chips last, and mix it all up. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes or until it is hard enough to roll into balls. Roll into 1 inch balls, and then refrigerate for an hour or so to harden. Keep these refrigerated if not eating right away.
Blessings,
Lindsay
Amanda I have found that if you buy them in bulk you can get for under $3.50 off amazon! My favorite are the dark chocolate kind :o) I have also found them at Richards, Whole Foods, Earth Origins, Walmart and Super Target, with Super Target having them for the most affordable price :o)
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