Fully Alive!

What does it look like for my heart to be fully alive?
Every time I laugh, every time I see people as people, and care about them…every time I encourage someone, every time I do something I enjoy, like play guitar or have tea or enjoy the quiet…my heart is coming alive.
Every time I see a gift out of the ‘mundane,’ and gratitude wells up even in the midst of pain–my heart is coming alive.
Recalling the moments of healing…remembering…and being thankful….this is my heart coming alive.
My debut of these shortbread cookies came recently when I had the most lovely tea with a wonderful woman from my church. In making these cookies and combining different ingredients…in whisking up the lemon curd…in setting the table…in choosing the flowers….in preparing the tea…I felt like I was fully alive. Why? Because I let my creativity have free reign, and I took joy in being able to plan a special, peaceful time for someone else.
“Whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” (Proverbs 11:25)

The neat thing about shortbread–or any baking that you do by ratio, really–is that the ratio is always going to be the same. This one, for cookies, is 1 part sugar: 2 parts fat: 3 parts flour. I used unsalted butter for the fat here, but I’ve also used coconut oil before. The texture may be slightly different, but essentially, the outcome is going to still be the same. If you want to use different flours, then be my guest 🙂 (This only works when done by weight, though, not by cups….find out more about gluten-free flours here!)
That’s what the Gluten Free Ratio Rally is about. Bloggers from all over the world come together to tackle a baking ratio challenge once a month…The ratio may be the same, but the individual possibilities are endless! If you want to add orange zest or extra spices, go right ahead….you can make it dairy free or grain free or vegan….That’s what is great about baking by weight 🙂 This month’s challenge was shortbread, and Meaghan from the Wicked Good Vegan was our host. Here are the other bloggers who participated this month:

Jonathan at The Canary Files made Black Sesame Teff Shortbread Cookies

Mary Fran at Franny Cakes made Gluten-Free Jammie Dodgers

Meaghan at The Wicked Good Vegan made Gin and Tonic Cookies

Meg at Gluten-Free Boulangerie made Lemon Bars with Lemon Shortbread Crust

Morri at Meals with Morri made Earl Grey Shortbread

Rebecca at Salts Kitchen made Best Shortbread– Two Ways

Buckwheat Shortbread Cookies with Lemon Curd
Buckwheat has become a favorite flour of mine, especially since I can find it at my local grocery store. I love the nutty flavor of it…the lemon curd I used for this comes from The Nourishing Gourmet, which I wrote about in this post. You can make these cookies dairy free by using coconut oil instead of butter. I haven’t tried it yet, but I’m sure it would still be yummy!

** You can make the lemon curd the day before, and stick it in the refrigerator so that it is cold.

8 oz. butter, room temperature
5 oz. buckwheat flour
6 oz. brown rice flour
1 oz. cornstarch
4 oz. powdered palm sugar
12 g. psyllium husk powder
pinch of salt
1 t. vanilla

Mix dry ingredients and set aside. In a mixer, beat butter until fluffy. Add the vanilla, and mix until it is incorporated. Add the flour mixture in 3 sections, beating in between additions. Once all the flour is added in, beat on medium-high speed until it looks like the consistency of wet sand.
Using your hands, roll the dough into about 2″ balls, and place on greased cookie sheets. If you want plain shortbread cookies, you can just flatten the dough slightly with your hand. If making thumbprint cookies, carefully make thumb indention in the cookies, piecing together any cracked dough with your fingers.

Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly browned. Let cool completely. Add the (refrigerated) lemon curd after the cookies have cooled completely.

Makes 2 dozen cookies.
(This post was also shared on Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays and Allergy Free Wednesdays)