Long Live the Milk!!!

I'm a nursing mother of two which means that my whole life (and wardrobe) revolves around milk and access to milk. Frankly, I'm a cow. At least most of the time. With my first I could easily feed her as well as most of the newborns in the maternity wing of CRMC. With my second, there have been stages of touch and go. The most significant was when she was 3 weeks old and put in the hospital the first time. She had RSV and couldn't really breathe through her nose. Thusly, she couldn't nurse. My milk supply took a serious hit. Thankfully I had a secret (okay not so secret, but still) weapon. Lactation cookies. 

These little beauties are amazingly tasty. I got the recipe from my friend Jenny D. They are packed with tons of things that increase milk or makes the milk more nutrient rich. If you have enough milk, don't eat too many.  Engorgement, blocked ducts, and mastitis are terrible. I've suffered all of them, and it is horrid. And hey, any time you "have to eat a cookie" is a good time in my book. 

To keep my milk rich and abundant I eat 2 a day. If I need to have more, I eat 3-4. 

My husband, yeah he eats like 4-5 a day. But of course he doesn't have to worry about his boobs exploding...  And the answer is No if you are not lactating you will not start if you eat these cookies. Why do people always ask that? {shakes head}

RECIPE

Ingredients:

4 T water

2 T milled flax seed

1 c. butter, softened 

2 eggs   

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. brown sugar (firmly packed)

1 tsp vanilla

2 c whole wheat pastry flour (you can use regular whole wheat flour, but I think it makes them too dense. Not such a happy cookie, but still good.)

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

4 T brewer's yeast (NOT nutritional yeast flakes. BREWER's yeast. You can get it at Whole Foods, and sometimes Sprouts.)

3 1/4 c. whole oats

1 c. chocolate chips

3/4 c. craisins (or raisins)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F

Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.  In a small bowl: mix flax and water, and let sit for 5 minutes. In a large bowl: combine the flour, baking soda, salt and brewer's yeast. Set aside. In a stand mixer: creme butter, brown sugar and sugar together. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Add flax and vanilla. Mix well. Slowly add flour mixture to the butter mixture in batches. Stir in oats. Fold in chocolate chips and craisins.

Scoop rounded spoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets.Bake for 12-15 minutes.Let sit on baking sheet for a few minutes before removing to cool completely.