Sourpuss Turned Sweet

My last post didn’t publish correctly… I was thanking you for all of the thoughtful comments you left on my sweet and sneaky veggie series! I also asked what vegetables you’d like to see in the next sequel series, so please leave a comment with your requests!

 

And now on to fruits…

 

 

Everyone I know owns a lemon tree. My coworkers, my parents, the mailman, the speedy grocery cashier, that one house on my morning running route… Everyone but me.

 

I sulked for a while over that fact. They were so lucky; they could walk outside and pick citrus any time a lemonade, lemon bar, or lemon meringue pie craving hit. Me, I had to plan ahead for my cravings to ensure I wrote “lemons” on my weekly grocery list.

 

But then the light bulb in my brain flickered on…  

 

 

Those trees sprout more than enough fruit to feed an entire army as it is. Most of the lemons ripened too quickly and fall to the ground to rot, where they’re attacked by ants. So maybe, to prevent unnecessary lemon suffering, my friends would give me their extras.

 

My hypothesis worked! A coworker lugged in a grocery bag full of lemons and plopped in on his desk for me to enjoy. And I immediately drove home to bake cookies.

 

 

Blueberry Lemon Cookies

modified from this recipe

makes about 2 dozen

These taste even better if you let them sit in an airtight container overnight! Top with a little cream cheese for an extra tang.

1 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

¾ c. plain nonfat Greek yogurt

½ c. sugar

1 egg white

½ tsp vanilla

1 tsp lemon zest (about 2 small or 1 medium lemon)

½ c. blueberries

1. Preheat the oven to 375°, and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, stir together the yogurt and sugar. Add in the egg white, vanilla, and lemon zest, mixing well. Add in the flour mixture, stirring just until incorporated. Gently fold in the blueberries.
3. NOTE: At this point, if the dough is too sticky to work with, refrigerate for 20-30 minutes until slightly firmer. You won’t be able to shape or roll the dough out though!
4. Using two spoons, drop a spoonful of dough onto the prepared sheets, repeating with the remaining dough. Bake at 375° for 12-14 minutes, or until firm. Cool on the pan for 5 min before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

 

 

Advertisement