Monday, March 5, 2012

St. Patty's Ginger-Mesquite Cookies #GardenCuizine @casadefruta

St. Patty's 
Ginger-Mesquite Cookies

Another GardenCuizineTM favorite cookie to add to your cookie jar recipe collection: Ginger-Mesquite cookies. They taste similar to gingerbread cookies with hints of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, only they are made with nutritious mesquite flour in addition to regular unbleached flour. Mesquite flour is flour ground from mesquite beans harvested from ripe pods grown on Mesquite trees. 

Mesquite Pods
Mesquite trees grow in southwestern US and in the Colorado, Sonoran, Mojave and Chihuahuan deserts. The drought-tolerant trees have an incredible tap root, which allows them to survive in dry areas. Mesquite trees also thrive in areas near streams and creeks and places having a supply of ground water. The ripe pods contain the beans that are dried, roasted and ground to make a fine powder called mesquite flour.

Mesquite Flour comes from a Bean
As you may have suspected, mesquite flour contains nutrients common to legumes. Mesquite provides a source of dietary fiber (about 21%) and protein (about 19%, high in lysine) plus other important nutrients, including calcium, iron and vitamin C.  

The nutrient-dense, gluten-free, flour contains anti-depressant and anti-inflammatory compounds and was historically used by Native American tribes as a medicinal food. 

Mesquite flour is not to be confused with mesquite smoke flavor that comes from burning wood from mesquite trees. You and your family will find the pleasant carob-like flavor of mesquite flour to be a healthy addition to your baked goods.
  • Check out my Low Sodium Mesquite Apple Cake recipe
  • Mesquite flour may be hard to find in grocery stores
  • Organic mesquite flour can be ordered from online sources, such as Casa deFruta
Watch for the recipe coming soon!
Related Links
Medicinal Plants of the Southwest 
Mesquite Pod Harvesting 
Honey Mesquite Tree

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