Orange & Fennel Almond Cookies

Welcome to my very first blog post. After thinking over the idea for almost a year, I finally have a place to share intolerance friendly recipes and kitchen experiments, and I’m pretty excited.

I have fructose malabsorption and lactose intolerance, and have been following a low FODMAP diet for almost a year and a half now. The beginning was incredibly challenging, but these days I embrace my diet changes. I’ve come to realise that a restricted diet doesn’t have to mean missing out, it just means you need to find alternatives. Ideally, better and tastier ones!

Most people who hear about my intolerances instantly express how sorry they feel for me, but thankfully I’ve passed the self-pity phase. I have never felt healthier or eaten better, and hopefully can inspire some of my fellow restricted eaters to embrace an intolerance friendly lifestyle.

If you know me well, then you’ll know I love baking, cooking and eating, and if not, you will soon find out. Friendly Little Kitchen is a place I plan on sharing recipes that are gluten free, lactose free, fructose friendly, low FODMAP and sometimes sugar-free – but all 100% delicious.

Snacking for those with intolerances is one of the more tricky tasks but when I’m looking for a healthy snack, almonds are a serious life saver. They’re always in the pantry, and often my handbag, for those hungry emergencies. They also make it possible for me to bake gluten and fructose free cakes, the delicious way. Almond meal is an amazing wheat flour replacement, and there really is no substitute for the texture it gives baked goods.

So here’s a recipe for a healthy almondy treat. These cookies are quick and friendly, and always go nicely with a cup of tea or soy latte.

Orange & Fennel Almond Cookies
Makes 16 cookies

1 tbsp fennel seeds
2 cups almond meal*
1/3 cup rice flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 eggs, room temperature
Zest of 1 orange
1 or 2 tbsp rice malt syrup
50mL coconut oil (or oil of your choice)

Preheat oven to 180°C and line a baking tray with baking paper. Toast fennel seeds til fragrant and roughly crush them in a mortar and pestle. Combine almond meal, salt, fennel seeds and baking powder in a bowl. Mix together the eggs, orange zest and rice malt in a separate bowl. Melt coconut oil in a separate bowl. Combine the wet and dry ingredients and stir until you have a nice dough. Roll tablespoonfuls of dough together with your hands and press lightly on to the lined tray. Use additional rice flour if the dough is too sticky. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden.
Enjoy.

*According to the Monash Uni Low FODMAP app, 1/4 cup of almond meal is low FODMAP, this is equivalent to 2 cookies