I have been itching to make a tahini-inspired treat ever since I first tried my girl Joy McCarthy's Chewy Chocolate Chip Tahini Cookies (OMG – they're so good!) Before then, I never thought to use tahini in anything other than hummus, which is pretty wild given that tahini is a seed-based butter just like peanut or almond butter is a nut-butter often used in desserts. In other words, thank you Joy for the inspiration for this super yummy recipe!

When recipe creating, I try my best to include as much #RealAssFood as possible (aka foods that typically come from the Earth that naturally offer nourishment). I find that eating these kinds of foods help me feel my best, even if is a cookie or a slice of cake, because the vitamins and minerals present in the ingredients either naturally help to balance my blood sugar (which is important when consuming treats if you want to avoid an energy crash) or signal to me when I'm full, due to the beneficial fibre found in the ingredients.

That's why when I came across Genuine Health's new fermented organic gut superfoods+, I knew it had to find it's way into one of my sweet treats! Genuine Health's fermented organic gut superfoods+ is the perfect addition to your smoothie, water or baked goods. It contains 22 fully fermented plant-based superfoods and prebiotics which help to nourish a healthy gut flora. If you've attended one of my Kombucha Making Workshops, you'll know how much I value a healthy gut flora and overall healthy microbiome.

Our microbiome is essentially the control centre of our overall health!

When working one-on-one with clients, despite what the issue at hand might be, more often than not, we begin by working on the gut. Indigestion? Mood imbalances? Uncontrollable cravings? Dissatisfying poops (ugh, there's nothing worse is there!)? Start with the gut!

Since fermented organic gut superfoods+ is well ... fermented, it improves the bioavailability of all of the nutrients meaning they are easier for your body to absorb. When foods are fermented, it also makes it easier to break them down during digestion since they're essentially pre-digested. In other words, you can say bye, bye to bloating as long as you are mixing this goodness into your health care regime and your Gut Loving Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies!

So you might be thinking "But Rach – I'm already drinking my kombucha, throwing back kimchi and taking my probiotic on the daily. Do I really need this?" The answer is YES and here's why! The difference between those things I just mentioned – kombucha, kimchi and probiotic supplements – is that they are all sources of PRObiotics. Probiotics are responsible for proliferating our gut with beneficial bacteria. Genuine Health's fermented organic gut superfoods+ on the other hand is a source of PREbiotics. Prebiotics act as nourishing food for probiotics to help keep them alive. The two go hand in hand and are essential to a healthy happy gut!

The other thing I love about these cookies is that they contain healthy fats from the delicious creamy tahini. Mmm, mmm! As a Disordered & Emotional Eating Coach, I don't like creating "rules" around food for people, but I will put on my Holistic Nutritionist hat and say that there are ways to enjoy foods, including sweets, in specific ways so it supports how you feel.

What I mean by this is that when we consume a healthy source of fat, fibre or protein with high-carbohydrate or naturally sweetened foods, it slows the release of glucose (sugar) into your bloodstream which will help to prevent a spike in energy followed by an energy crash. Nobody likes the energy crash! This will instead, help to keep your energy levels balanced throughout the day without affecting your mood.

When it comes to making the right food choices for you, it all downs to what makes YOU feel best!

You'll notice that I called these "Chocolate Chip" Cookies because chocolate chips are what people are most familiar with but I actually used Carob Chips for this recipe. Carob Chips are similar to chocolate chips in that they are naturally sweet and delicious and contains vital nutrients, but it's actually 100% free of caffeine (are you listening friend over there who enjoys a little treat with their tea after dinner?) That's not to say chocolate chips are bad for you. In all honesty, it's all I had kicking around the house. Ha! The truth comes out! But really, they will be delicious whether you use carob chips or chocolate chips.

I'm used to my healthy baking attempts NOT turning out so I'm actually quite thrilled with how these turned out on my first try. They are tasty, fluffy, moist and my goodness, I don't know if I'll ever get over the taste of tahini in treats. I could eat it by the spoonful (confession: I DO eat it by the spoonful).

I really hope you enjoy these as much as your gut will after feeding it with all of the prebiotic goodness from the Genuine Health fermented organic gut superfoods+. To learn more about where you can pick up your Genuine Health fermented organic gut superfoods+, visit their Store Finder.

Gut-Loving Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies

Servings: 15 cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup oat flour
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or carob chips
1/3 cup tahini
1/2 cup Genuine Health fermented organic gut superfoods+
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tbsp coconut oil (measured when melted)
1 egg
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
sesame seeds (to garnish)

Directions

Whisk together the coconut oil, tahini, egg and maple syrup
In a separate bowl, mix brown rice flour, oat flour, baking soda and sea salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients
Fold in chocolate chips or carob chips
Form dough into a ball in the middle of saran wrap. Wrap up and place in fridge for 1 hour
Preheat oven to 350 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
Roll dough into 1-inch balls and flatten with a fork
Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on a cooling rack

This post was created in partnership with Genuine Health, however all opinions are always my own.