13th Cookie Company -- Explosions of Taste

Where has this week gone?  Somehow, with an expanse of time off with Andrew before he goes back to school full time (yes, that's happening!  He'll be studying Electrical Engineering, and I'm quite proud of him) and before I start teaching, time seems to be slipping away. 

We've been going to our fair share of Farmers' Markets, taking leisurely walks on Mackworth Island, and hiking.  We even squeezed in a trip down to Providence to see my family (where we had dinner at one of my all time favorite restaurants - India on Hope Street).

I've definitely been cooking a lot -- making loads of salads and fresh veggie dishes with the abundance of local produce that we've been reeling in -- but not taking as many photos.  I've been living in the moment and probably eating things too quickly.  Getting ready for teaching and securing a space for kids' enrichment classes and advertising that has taken a front seat in my mind.  Don't fret -- once things settle down I'll be a food-photo-taking machine again.

In the meantime, I wanted to share something lovely that's been happening in Portland -- gluten free deliciousness from 13th cookie.  I first heard of 13th cookie about 2 years ago, when I found one of their business cards at a yoga studio.  It was right after I had found out that I couldn't eat gluten, and it made me happy to see that someone was making cookies and cakes that I could actually eat!  I somehow didn't get the opportunity to taste their cookies, however, until last Saturday at the Portland Farmers' Market.  They have an awesome pink cart that can't be missed.  I have to admit, as an obsessive cookie maker, I wasn't sure that I would be too impressed with anyone else's cookies. 

**If you're not a local reader, don't fret -- you can buy their cookies online!

I've never been so happy to be proven wrong -- these cookies rendered Andrew and I speechless as we enjoyed every bite.  We had the pleasure of trying the Porcupine and the Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies.  The Porcupine is made up of almond butter, cinnamon, honey, hazelnut flour, cinnamon, toasted walnuts and cashews, and rolled in a kiss of coconut flakes.  It had a great texture and mild crunch to it, and the coconut wasn't super overwhelming.  I was impressed by the ingredients in this one, which definitely justifies the cost of the cookie! 

My favorite, however, was the Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie.  It was like a little bit of cookie with a load of almond butter and the perfect balance of chocolate.  I felt like I was getting the right balance of protein, energy, and sweetness.  I really liked that it wasn't too sweet (they don't use white sugar, corn syrup, margarine or shortening, either!), and that they weren't shy about the almond butter.  It was a delight to enjoy, and held me over until lunch time.

Eating these cookies sort of inspired a cookie-making spree -- I've been making cookies almost every day since they've been getting eaten up so quickly -- brain food for Andrew!  The most recent batch involved 2 cups of blueberries and 1/2 cup walnuts mixed with home made unblended applesauce divided amongst 9 cookies...I'm eating one right now and enjoying every bit of it.

What are you enjoying and lingering over this week?  Any cookie or food experiments?