Hello Spring! Summon the glory of the sun with these healthy, sunflower-based cinnamon cookies (and a George Harrison tune).

Sunflower seeds contain magnesium—which relieves stress (when breathing through it just isn’t enough); and Vitamin E which can help with PMS symptoms and cramps (oh, the pain!) and give you glowing and radiant skin (or at least make it less dry).

This is a (relatively) simple recipe and only really requires a blender, the ingredients, and an oven.

It’s also completely free of refined sugar—which, just in general, is good to stay away from. Kind’ve like anything in white, powdered form.

Ingredients:

1 can chickpeas

3 tbsp sunflower seed butter

1 tbsp coconut oil

¼ tsp baking soda

⅛ tsp salt

½ cup honey

⅓ cup applesauce

4 tbsp ground flaxseeds (I grind mine in a coffee grinder to make it easier) + 12 tbsp water—this is used as the egg substitute

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp ginger

1 tsp vanilla (optional)

handful of sunflower seeds

1-2 figs finely chopped

1 George Harrison song

Preheat the oven to 350. Turn on this song (it’s the secret ingredient)—

Combine the ground flaxseed with water and let the mixture coagulate in a bowl. Chop the fig (or figs, if you’re feeling especially figgy). Combine the chickpeas, sunflower seed butter, and coconut oil in a blender or a food processor. Add in the flaxseed/water mixture.

Envision daffodils and dancing through fields and, of course, the sun (because Sun, sun, sun, here it comes).

Then blend in the honey, applesauce, and vanilla (I find it easiest to put the honey in a measuring cup and then put the applesauce in the same measuring cup afterwards—this way the honey doesn’t stick to the sides of the measuring cup as much).

Blend in the dry ingredients—baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger. Transfer the mixture from blender to bowl and mix in the sunflower seeds and chopped figs.

Or, feel free to mix in whatever your heart desires! Raisins, chocolate chips, goji berries, walnuts, almonds, maca powder—you can create something nourishing and delicious!

Drop spoonfuls onto pre-oiled cookie sheet (I usually use coconut oil), and bake for 20-30 minutes (depending on oven—keep checking on them…the toothpick method usually works on these).

Eat and enjoy the sunshine!

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Editorial Assistant: Lizzie Kramer/Editor: Bryonie Wise

Photo: Courtesy of Lizzie Kramer