Spring has arrived and the trees are in full bloom here in my neck of the woods. Even the evergreens are showing their new growth with their bright green tips. Always one to take advantage of free stuff from nature, I couldn't pass up on the gift of soft and savoury Spruce Tips. So, while I was away teaching piano lessons on Saturday, Mitch and the boys foraged a big bowl full of spruce tips for me. I am going to dry a third of what they picked to use for teas to help us when cold season hits (spruce is great for respiratory issues). Mitch is using another third to turn into 18th Century inspired Spruce Beer. And the final third I am freezing so I can make more of these....
Yes I know it's not the prettiest shortbread cookie you have ever seen... I threw these together and didn't have time to roll out or cut out the cookies and just shaped them by hand (if you know me at all you'd know I'm all about quick and easy and convenient when it comes to cooking). But, trust me, they are SOOOOOO good. Mitch said that they are arguably his favourite cookie now. If any of you have some new growth Spruce Tips available I really encourage you to give this recipe a try: INGREDIENTS: 2 c light spelt flour 1/8 tsp pink Himalayan salt
1 tsp baking soda 1/2 c spruce tips 2 large eggs 1/2 c softened butter 1/2 c organic cane sugar OR 1/4 raw honey 5 drops Orange + (or Vitality) Essential Oil from Young Living DIRECTIONS: 1. Preheat the oven to 350F 2. Finely chop spruce tips (using a food processor or high speed blender work well, but you could easily chop finely with a knife instead) 3. Combine all wet ingredients in one bowl, and all dry ingredients in another. 4. If you're feeling fancy roll out to 1/8' thickness on a floured surface, and cut using a cookie cutter. Or you could simply use your hands to form small round balls and squish them to 1/8" thickness like I did. 5. Place one a greased baking sheet and bake until firm to the touch -- approx. 15 minutes. Enjoy!!!!