Ingredients:

½ cup raw quinoa, rinsed (yields about 1½ cups cooked)

1 tbsp ground flax seeds

3 tbsp almond milk or water

¼ cup coconut oil, at room temperature

½ cup strawberry flavored vegan cream cheese alternative

¼ cup plus 2 tbsp coconut sugar

½ cup corn meal

½ cup rolled oats

¼ unsweetened cocoa powder

¼ cup shelled pistachios

Zest of 1 lemon (about 1 tsp)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375F.

2. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and grease slightly with cooking spray.

3. In a medium size sauce pan, bring water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt and quinoa.

4. Reduce heat and cook for 8-9 minutes until tender, but not mushy.

5. Drain well and set aside to cool.

5. In the meantime, combine ground flax and almond milk or water in a small bowl. Set aside.

6. In a large bowl and using a hand mixer, whip together softened coconut and strawberry cream cheese for 2-3 minutes.

7. Add coconut sugar and whip for an additional 5-6 minutes, until creamy and slightly fluffy. Add flax mixture and mix for another minute (the mixture might look curdled at this point).

8. In a separate bowl, combine cooked quinoa, corn meal, oats, cocoa powder (if using) and lemon zest.

9. Add cream cheese mixture and shelled pistachios to dry ingredients. Mix gently using a spatula or wooden spoon, until all the ingredients are well combined.

10. Working with a heaping tablespoon at a time, drop cookies on lined baking sheet, flattening them slightly with the palm of your hand.

11. Bake at 375F for about 10-12 minutes (a couple of minutes longer if you're not using cocoa powder). Let them cook before eating.

Bon Appetit!