Happy Ash Wednesday, everybody! Let us celebrate with a homemade batch of Gluten-free Vegan Thin Mints, shall? For baby Jesus, of course. Today is one of the most meaningful days of the year for me. The introductory day that ushers us into the Lenten season. Oh Lent. I heart Lent. I’m not really sure when and why Lent became such a special time for me, but it has become a tradition that I genuinely look forward to.
Whenever I tell people this, they always respond, “But Cara, you’re not Catholic,” as if Catholics are the only one who get the pleasure of observing this beautiful tradition. But for me, Lent is not about religion. It’s not even about giving something up {though I do give something up every year}. Over the years it has grown to be much more meaningful to me.
Instead of holding my breath for 40 days, counting down the day I am able to re-incorporate whatever it is that I am abstaining from, I am slowly learning the discipline of awareness. Lent usually produces negative feelings for me which I tend to welcome during this time {maybe I am just a glutton for punishment?!} because I have learned that those negative feelings ultimately leads to an invitation to self-discovery and awareness. Everything is fodder for the soul.
In previous years, I have given up tanglibe, measurable things: One year it was watching television; another, shopping. This year, I am giving up something more abstract: the need to give something up. {Sometimes you just have to switch things up a bit, you know?} I will give you a minute to allow that one to soak in.
Sometimes the need for self-improvement is a part of my need for perfection–a way of not accepting me for me, but needing to change more in order to attain the unattainable. Every day will be an invitation to accept myself as I am, without judgment; without criticism. Just as I am. I think this might be my favorite Lent ever. This will also be the most difficult one, seeing that it will require me to constantly be aware of not judging myself. Something, at times, foreign for me.
Gluten-free Vegan Thin Mints
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: approx. 30 cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 c. Cara’s All-Purpose Flour Blend
- 1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. sea salt
- 3 Tbsp. maple syrup
- 3 Tbsp. shortening
- 1 Tbsp. nondairy milk
- 2 tsp. molasses
Chocolate Coating:
- 1 c. nondairy chocolate chips, melted + 1 Tbsp. shortening
- a few drops peppermint extract, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your over to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a parchment paper.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the remainder of the ingredients for the cookies until a nice dough forms. You will need to knead it with your hands. If still too dry add a dab of milk until it comes together nicely.
- Roll out between 2 pieces of parchment paper until 1/8′ thick. Cut into 2″ circles.
- Transfer to the baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes. Allow to fully cool on the baking sheet.
- Mix the chocolate coating together until smooth and dip each cookie fully until coated. Allow to set on wax paper and freeze for 10 minutes until set.
So is anyone else observing Lent as well? If so, what are you giving up? I’d love to hear all about it…
Hi Kara! this is now my 4th time making these in the last 2-3 months and i just had to leave a comment. Thank you so much for what you do and all the resources you’ve shared!
My partner has many allergies and chronic illnesses and the last few months have been especially hard. I made her these and she almost started crying. she loved thin mints but hadn’t eaten them in years.
Your recipes have been my go to ever since i started GF baking 1.5 years ago, and you’ve been such an inspiration to me when it comes to having to adjust and find ways to make things work.
Thank you again!
PS: I took a bit of a regular thin mint last week, and honestly these guys taste so much better.
★★★★★
I’m so excited to find this party! I’m new to gtelun-free cooking, so I will be searching here for ideas. I’m trying to start a GF community on my website. I have started a weekly on OneCreativeMommy.com. It’s brand new, but I hope it will become a great resource as it grows. I would love it if you (and your followers) visited and shared some of your great ideas each week. I hope to see you there.
First off, I’d like to tell you how much I appreciate being able to make foods I can no longer purchase retail. Saying “no thank you” to a Girl Scout (having been one) is a super-downer. Your cookbook is inspiring and helpful. I FINALLY made these following your “Decadent” cookbook, which is a great book BTW. Overall the cookies worked-out, but they had an overly salty after taste. I see that you have half the amount posted here, so now I understand what happened with mine. Was it a printing typo? Trust me, I didn’t throw out the first batch, salty or not those cookies are still good. I will be trying it again and cutting back the salt to ensure the result is perfection. This was in my vacation “to do” recipes along with fried calamari, fritters and clam chowder, all completed. I think, for me, I build-up a perception that these “special” recipes are too time consuming, or difficult. Not the case. The cookies did take a little more effort than just plop and bake, I’m not going to lie, but in the end it was worth it. Having purchased a candy tool was also quite helpful with the dipping process. I’ve made other recipes from your cookbook and the site, which are great. I frequently use your site for a reference and get your e-blasts, so please know that this isn’t a slam, just a heads-up. 🙂
Those Thin Mints look yummy! Nice way to turn something already eaten now, into one of your own. (or a copycat recipe.)
★★★★★
Hello Sweet Cara!! I am in search of a good quality cocoa powder and want to know which brand you use. I live in state where I have to order everything online because no store carries what I need. UGH!! I’m excited to make these
Can I use ground flax instead of the egg replacer?
Whatever egg replacer that you like should be just fine 🙂
Poop! I think it just deleted my comment!
I’ll make this one short!
Do you have a suggestion on making the thin mints and samoas with only tapioca or coconut flour?
I can’t have rice, oats or potato… And even tapioca I have to be careful with.
I MISS GIRLSCOUT COOKIES!!
I’m so excited at the thought!!!
I love you! These cookies came out amazingly!! I used a couple modifications, including adding coconut oil to the chocolate coating, and using a GF flour mix, rather than the proportions you used. They are really super good. I have pictures, but can’t seem to share them here. Thank you for being awesome!
OMG I am in love with your blog!!!! You have freaken girl scout cookies that are gluten-free and vegan! You have no idea how happy you made me 😀 😀 😀 I’m totally going to make these! Thank you so much for putting your recipes online this will totally lessen the stress of being on a gluten-egg-dairy-free diet. Ive done gluten free and dairy free but removing the eggs was the hardest part for me so thank you!
Ugh, you are so right Susan! Once you remove the eggs, baking gets 20x harder. I still have lots of failures in the kitchen but I’m always up for a challenge 🙂 Glad you found your way over here. Enjoy the Thin Mints (try the Samoas too–they are my favorite!)
Love your recipes! Does the Earth Balance need to be at room temp, or cold? Can’t wait to make these!
Hi Tina! You are going to want the butter to be cold 🙂 Enjoy! xo
Delightful & tasty cookies!
I already have made this recipe twice & I am not a vegan but do like to eat vegan & vegetarian 5x/week! 😉 Happy Baking Times!
Many greetings from a foodie from Belgium! 🙂
Oh Sophie, you are just brightening my day with all these comments! Thank you for sending your sunshine to me from Belgium! xo
Hope you don’t mind but I am going straight to cookie advice. what is the difference between Enjoy Life chocolate chips, melted and any other vegan chocolate chip, if any? I am the mom of #cheapvegan and have been actually making better vegan cookies then “cookies” for years. This cookie of yours looks FANTASTIC! I can not wait to try it. Thanks”
Hi Mary! I don’t think there really is a big difference, Mary. I just happen to have Enjoy Life available where I live. I also will put half Enjoy Life and half dark chocolate bar to jazz it up.
Cannot wait to check out all your cookies! Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment! xo
I love that this is gluten free, thanks they look great, going to try this as soon as possible.
Nothing but gluten free for all 🙂 Thanks for the comment, Adri–Hope you like them! xo
i love your personal and unique interpretation of Lent. You know what I also love? These thin mint cookies!!
You are so sweet! Thank you for your thoughtful comment 🙂 xo!
I have gluten free cookies in the oven right now….!
Oooooooooh, what kind???
I love thin mints. These look amazing.
Me too and thank you! So glad to have you stop by!! xo
Yummmm! I love thin mints.
I like how you have your more serious thoughts interspersed with cookies. Those are some…sweet thoughts! (haha)
*big smile* That is what I like to call soul cookies. xo!
I wish you lived close by – I would come over for a cuppa, a chat and a few of these!! They look insanely yum and anything chocolately and minty is heaven.
This is going to sound so cliche, but this year I have been focussing more on living and less on working. I am making the shift from being so work-orientated, to finding out what I enjoy and love and spending most of my time on those things. I have always struggled with this until now.
Oh and cup of coffee, Thin Mints and conversation with you would be awesome, Katrina! Come over, please 🙂 This topic sounds like a good one to chat with you about…
Absolutely! That would truly be lovely 🙂
I will be waiting! P.S. Your comments *keep* going into the spam box. Annoying! You will not silenced 🙂
need a like button 🙂
I know right? I always think that too 🙂
I am ashamed to admit that I AM catholic (well no, Im not ashamed to admit I’m Catholic, but ashamed of what I’m about to say next lol) and yet every year I think, WHY do we give something up, I mean, we give up meat on Fridays, as well as other random days throughout the Lenton season, like yesterday, and yet I try to think of something but I never know what to give up. Everything seems so trivial to give up. We have friends that give up beer for Lent but I feel like, it’s beer, but at the same time, it’s beer. lol I once heard Kelly Ripa say she gave up Cheese. And I thought, it’s Cheese! Shouldn’t you be giving up something that has meaning?
And so, I spend the entire Lenton Season thinking of something that has major importance to me to give up and then I realize, the Season is over, and I’ve given up nothing…. and this year it would seem, while my 2 daughters are currently selling thin mint cookies we can not eat, this year, I will also NOT be giving up thin mint cookies we CAN eat! thanks! lol
how about those new Savannah Smiles they just came out with lol they look yummy!
Hi Delta–thanks for the thoughtful comment! In my personal opinion, I think the meaning behind the tradition of giving something up is to honor what was done on the Cross. By Jesus giving up his own life, we can sacrifice something for the sake of having just a mere taste of understanding what sacrifice is. I also think the somber attitude in church for those 40 days becomes accentuated because you have are miserable without that thing you are giving up {ha!} Regardless, I think you are so right about people mindlessly observing Lent. This seems to be a very common feature in humanity overall, huh? So many of us blindly live our lives without truly being awake. Isn’t that what Jesus taught? The truth will set you free…
And so will Thin Mints, so thank God you are *not* giving these puppies up! 🙂 And I have to check out Savannah Smiles–I have never heard of them! xo
you are right of course, I just feel silly in giving up something with such little importance. My uncle is a priest and I feel like because of that I need to give up just a little bit more roflmao, some day I hope He will explain to me why I think and rationalize the way I do lol
The Savannah Smile are for the 100 Yr Anniversary. They are replacing the normal lemon cookie. And are bite sized lemon cookies dusted in powdered sugar. (yes, my daughter, and therefore I, have it memorized lol)
Isn’t it funny how we really live up to the “Go big or go home” philosophy? haha. I am so the same way! I can never get it through my brain that sometimes it’s okay to take small steps. I want to leap mid air without having first walked 🙂
Checking out those Savannah Smiles…
Waaay too much sugar and fat for my taste 🙂
Is that even possible????
Yep. It is 🙂 Nothing more to say here, just wanted to mention that ^^
i have to look up what exactly lent is all about.. but i definitely dont need a particular day or time period to continue working on these traits which i wish would just disappear.. its hard work everyday. its a loooong list..
a biscuit cutter to make them round. that i would never do:)
i dint really like the thin mints (i think the mints are the only girl scout cookies i ever tasted).. but all the ingredients are screaming at me to give them another try.. i like pepermint oil in some things.. so these i should definitely try!
embrace yourself.. yes!
It’s funny because some things I am lazy about {ie: needing a set 40 days to work on something} and then other things, not so lazy {ie: taking an extra step to make sure the cookie is perfectly round}. When it comes to these cookies, however, they are a must try Richa! But if you already tried them and didn’t like them, might I suggest you still making them but passing them over to me??? 🙂
hooray! i’m glad i’m not the only weirdo who didn’t care for thin mints..and what better person to be like than richa??! 😉
WEIRDOS! 🙂 hehehe
Yes, me and Caitlin fall in the not loving thin mint Weird team!.. and we are embracing it! Thanks Caitlin! xoxo
if i make them, i cannot guarantee that hubbs will not like them.. the sweetie that he is.. he might just love them and finish all!:)) and if i make a bigger batch he will take some to work.. coz he loves it when his office peeps exclaim.. really these are vegan!.. then make a no butter no fun face….then take another bite and ask him for another helping or 2.:D
As long as you two are happy, then I am happy.
we are happy if you are happy!:))
As I’m reading this blog entry and eyeing all those delectable biscuits, I’m sorely wishing I had some ‘Willy Wonka style’ screen where I could put my hand into through the screen and grab a handful of those Thin Mints!!! It’s rediculous, I’m actually salivating!
Thank you for these delish morsels (well, for giving me the info with which to make them) and your, as always, considered words.
Now I had to sit and think about what I can/should give up (that perhaps I shouldn’t be carrying around with me inside my head).
You, are a STAR!
What I would pay to see you licking your computer screen! Don’t be a twat, Nina. hahahaha!!! I am bringing that expression to America and changing it meaning forever! Sadly, it’s all I can think about now {such a shame too because you wrote something so thoughtful that deserves a thoughtful response…} Now look who is being the twat!
Oh how you make me laugh Cara. it would be nice to get some cross-contamination of English-isms in the AMerican language. There sure are a lot of American-isms here. Just remember the emphasis on the ‘A’. 😉
On another note, do you sleep? Or is it such that I manage to catch you at both ends of your day?
The feeling is completely mutual!
Oh and I never sleep Nina. I am a vampire. In fact I happen to have the fangs to prove it 🙂 Okay, okay, truth be told you just happen to catch me in the morning and night. But I do have fangs, that is not a lie…
I’m not giving up either. In fact last year was the first year I did (after an Anglican friend explained to me more of what it is) and I found it really worthwhile. But this year, instead of giving up something, I’m going to work on bettering a relationship with a very important person in my life that I tend to butt heads with a lot (yes, my mom). We’re close, but I don’t always give her the respect she deserves. So I guess I am going to have to give up a little of my pride!
Awww, I love that Dawn. Letting go {or at least better understanding} your ego. What a great journey you are going to have this Lent! I cannot wait to hear how things between you and your mom end up…xo
My son may just freak out over these! He LOVES mint cookies! They would use them as reward in his ABA therapy program…until I took gluten away! Going to have to try these 🙂
I am also a negative nelly when it comes to ME!
Food is such a popular reinforcer in ABA isn’t it?? Makes me giggle…I used to be a behavioral therapist for kids with autism 🙂 I hope these cookies will really be motivating for him! xo
Now you’re speaking my language! These cookies look amazing. Yes, please!
Like you, I grew up non-denominational Christian. So giving up something for Lent wasn’t part of our tradition. In fact, I didn’t even know about people putting on ash on their faces for Ash Wednesday until I went off to college. (I came so close to discreetly letting a few strangers know that they had dirt on their faces until I realized it must be a thing…) I like your idea of using these 40 days to accept and embrace yourself as you are. I think that’s something all of us could use! Luckily, on day 41 you can really start beating yourself up again! 😉 I kid, I kid.
Aaaahhhh, I cannot wait for day 41!!! 🙂 ha
YUM! So, This will be my first Easter as a vegan, and the thought of Cadbury Creme Eggs passed my mind…. of course I thought of your blog when I wondered “has anyone made a vegan Cadbury Creme Egg?!” I’d love to see your take!
BAHA! It’s as if you read my mind 🙂 Stay tuned… those have been on my menu for sometime now. xo
Hooray! Every year at Easter other kids would call me Cadbury, and so it’s practically my namesake! I can’t wait to see your take on it!
That is too cute. If I already didn’t have a nickname for you, I would start calling you that as well 🙂 Stay tuned next month…
Like, Like, and Like. Can’t wait!
OH my word, you are killing me. I need these cookies ASAP. They look so amazing. If I don’t have a silpat, do you think I could use just parchment paper as a lining on the pan instead?
Oh absolutely! I should have said that, thank you. Parchment paper is a-okay to use in lieu of a Silpat 🙂 xo
Cambria and her friend, Avery, just came over and said, “WOW! WHEN IS SHE GOING TO SEND ME THAT?!?!?!” You’re slacking on your job, Kookie!
I love how *I* am the slacker here. Um, hello? I have just FedEx’ed you the recipe via internet–make them for your children!! Tell her to start making a list of the fun things she wants to bake when I am there, by the way… Someone’s gotta be a good mom to the poor kid, at least 🙂
Oh man,I can’t believe I just gave up thin mints for Lent. How come nobody ever mentions toddler Jesus?
HA! Bummer indeed. Such a specific thing you gave up too… {not buying it for one moment}
Your take on Lent is one I totally dig…. I think of myself as a ‘spiritual’ rather than ‘religious,’ person… but basically all the ideals have grown from the same seed, no? It’s all about being a good person and treating others how you would like to be treated yourself in the end… something that I have to remind myself daily!
Lent is as good a time as any to focus on something that needs attention, or maybe give something LESS attention? Anyway I just typed a lot of ramble there, but I was trying to say, I think your perspective is an awesome one…. love it 🙂
Not a ramble at all! I loved every sentence. You are so right, Lou. Love really, is the ultimate goal isn’t it? Not religiousness. We would all do ourselves and this world a service if loved a little more genuinely, even if it were just for today. xo
I’ve never been a huge mint person and I don’t know why. As far as I will go with mint is in gum LOL. But you are definitely changing my mind by adding chocolate with this lol. You know how I am with chocolate 😉
I will pretend that I didn’t hear that… Not a mint fan?? But these are God’s gift to the Girl Scouts 🙂 hehe. Go get your choco/mint on STAT! xo
I love the girl scout cookie theme you’ve got going on – they all look amazing!!
I am loving it too, seeing that I get to be the guinea pig {or just piggy?} and taste test all of them 🙂 Thanks, Heather! xo
Beautiful! I’ll take a box of these too! 😉
Happy Lenten journey!
Your list grows longer each day 🙂 xo
Very nice, Cara. But, bugger baby Jesus – these are all mine! They sound wonderful and I’ll be damned if that jumped up little sod gets away with any of them…
BAHAHA!! You are so going to hell for saying that {I will be right behind you for laughing so hard} I’ll bring the margaritas and Thin Mints!
I just learned a new word: “sod.”
Oh, sod is the king of British-isms.
I grew up Catholic so I’ve always observed Lent each year – sometimes giving up something or sometimes by trying to improve myself in some way. I tried to think about something I could give up this year, but I couldn’t come up with something that I wanted to commit to. I think you’ve got the right approach….if we just give something up temporarily just for the sake of doing it, then we won’t really gain anything out of Lent. Learning to accept ourselves is a much more difficult but worthwhile goal! I hope it goes well for you 🙂
Sometimes it is fun to give something up for a short period of time because it teaches you inner strength that maybe you didn’t know you had, otherwise, you know? But I think this year will be a little different…
Thank you Genevieve for such a thoughtful response! xo
Good point! Oh and nice job on the thin mints too, they look perfect!
You are such a sweetheart! Thank you 🙂 xo
OMG I love everything about this blog. My man and I will do this for our weekend date. Thanks for sharing.
Oh goodness, Ressurrection–that is such a sweet thing to say–THANK YOU! It really means a lot to me 🙂 And let me know how the cookies go and who ends up eating more. My bet is on ME. ha!
I love this post and not only because you finally made the only GS cookie worth making (she says behind her impenetrable force field shield); but because of the context. Perfectionism can be a curse, not to mention exhausting. Did I see a ruler marking the thickness of those slices as well as the cookie cutter? Seriously though I didn’t start it for lent about the middle of last year whenever I caught myself being mean to me, I’d immediately tell the voices in my head to leave the girl be and give her a break, she’s doing the best she can. Maybe I’ll spend the next 40 days consciously watching for the episodes that slip by. If I’m not committed before then.
On another note, I figured out why Anonymous is crude and rude. As we all know our mothers have taught us to be polite since we were children. If, however, you were born from the tail end of a demon, and left in the world as orphan demon droppings, your name would be Anonymous from necessity and human customs would not apply. xox
A ruler??? Where was your brilliant idea while making these?! I should have used a ruler. Oh wait, that wasn’t what you meant, was it? 🙂 Glad to have given you a GS cookie worth making, though I will debate that Samoas are rather darn tasty too. Right? RIGHT??!!
Samoas? Caramel? Do you even have to ask? I guess my tongue in cheekness was too convincing. DD made me do it. Honest. Darn twit. Hey, I just realized the threat to every blogger’s self esteem’s initials are ADD (Anonymous Demon Droppings).
I don’t even know where to begin with that one other than BAHAHAHAHA!! Demon Droppings??? Dude, seriously…how in the world do these things come to you?
It’s so obvious. I don’t even know how you missed it. There is only one way to be born from the forked end of a demon and that is to be dropped, like the pile of toxins they are… so, Demon Droppings. QED.
I cannot even write right now. Laughing way too hard…
OH Cara, I just love you!!!!! I always struggle with what to give up at Lent, and this year, I have decided not to sacrifice anything edible or tangible, but instead to try to gain a sense of inner peace by letting go of my need to control aspects of my daily life. As a Catholic, I think I have become so used to the concept of giving up chocolate, or something that is a food related weakness, but this year will definitely be more of a challenge. Thank you for your post on this Ash Wednesday. You are so poetic in your blogs and every time I read something you post, I take a step back and think about the meaning of your blog. Miss you!
Wow!! What an incredible sweet thing you just said here, Maria-Alexia. I was SO HAPPY to see your name pop up over here too–I miss you as well. I am moved deeply to hear that this year’s Lent will be more about self love and acceptance for you as well. When I think about Lent, I think about a peaceful time, so it is only fitting that finding more inner peace would be the goal for the next 40 days. I cannot wait to hear updates on how that is going for you! xoxo!!!
I absolutely love this post!!!! So honest and real and I love the fact you are giving up ‘giving something up’ – I hope this is the best lent ever for you as you stated 🙂
As for these thin mints – wowww! My fav girl scout cookie mmmmmmmm, these look incredible!!! Xo
Hi Crazy Busy Working Woman Friend!! How are you doing lately and how is the biz??? I cannot wait to hear all about it…
Happy Ash Wednesday to you! Wishing nothing but love and kindness to usher you into the next 40 days. xo!
How funny, my post at Key Ingredient mentions that when I lived in New Orleans it seemed like everyone gave something up for lent. Religion had nothing to do it with it for many people.
Oooohhh, are we on the same level of thinking here or what? I am going over to Key Ingredient now to check out your post! xo
This is a great post, and is a reminder to me of how I should be treating myself 🙂 Which is ‘kindly’ as we said yesterday! It’s so easy to be negative and not accept ourselves as the awesomeness that we are. How in the world did we get like this? Always putting ourselves down by thinking of the numerous things we could change, and comparing ourselves to others. It’s just sad. That kind of behavior leads us in the opposite direction of happiness and self love.
Thank you for reminding me that there is nothing wrong with accepting me as I am.
Amen to that one. How *did* we get here? But the good news is that we are aware that we are full of self-destruction and defamation and we can still do something about it, right? Hope you have a beautiful day of self-love and acceptance! xo
So true!!! 🙂
You too, lady!
So far, so great 🙂 xo!
I remember observing Lent as a kid in the Methodist church. Like, once. Sort of as an experiment. But then, we never celebrated Mardi Gras/Shrove Tuesday, either. Protestants are so boring… *sigh* But thin mints are yummy. =)
They are boring, huh? Ha! Yeah, I grew up in a non-denominational church and Lent was never something celebrating, nor was Ash Wednesday or Palm Sunday done in the exciting way the Anglicans do it. In my 20s when I went to an Anglican church, a whole new world was opened up to me! AND we got to drink wine too. Awesome 🙂 haha
Hah! We did have a beautiful Palm Sunday tradition in my church that I actually miss a lot, but yeah, “exciting” isn’t a word I’d use to describe it… And all things are better with wine. Just sayin’… 😀
And all of God’s people said, AMEN.
THIS is why I love you. I am not catholic either (although growing up I went to that church more than any other… so, catholic by proxy?) but I often take part in Lent as well, and with the same ideas around it. really!
and you made these cookies. THIS is why I love you.
(I want to make these, wrap them in a plastic sleeve, and put them in the freezer, to eat one or two at a time over the next month??) 😀
That is just what I did–put them in a plastic sleeve and into the freezer to nibble on them one a day 🙂 hahahaha!!! THIS is why I love YOU.
Another thing we have in common: I went to church a lot as a kid {all my choice, though} ha. Since my ultra religious years, I have grown into a more deep spiritual place that is more welcoming and inviting {and much peaceful for me, really}. So I must ask, friend–what are you giving up this year for Lent?
although i am not religious, i really appreciate your ability to make lent about reflecting on yourself and your self-love and self-worth. it’s very beautiful and i am going to take the nod from you and do the same.
and, you know i was never a thin mint fan(because i’m a weirdo), but i really appreciate and love this recipe. dayv LOVES thin mints, so i want to make them for him 😉
out of curiosity, do you know what would happen if i used peppermint extract rather than oil?
They will explode if you use the extract. hehe. No, kidding. I just like the taste better. If you use extract, use less initially and keep tasting to make sure it is not overpowering in pepperment taste.
I love Lent for the reason that is it supposed to be about self reflection, you know? For me, that is what religion is supposed to usher you into anyway–divine love and understanding. xo
Your post like all others is one I can absolutely relate too; I was just talking with Justin last night about this very thing and he asked me “when did you become so into lent and religion, your not even catholic” for me it is not about being catholic, christian or even blue or red but what lent symbolizes; about 3 years ago I started giving up a vice; one year desserts, another year tv- this year is giving up being negative- changing my perspective to see the positive and good in every situation or just realizing what the situation is without letting it impact me in a negative way; we will see how that goes!
Oh yeah, and the title is just what i needed this morning- it absolutely made me laugh out loud; who are you and where did you come from you amazing girl! xxoxo
Lent is absolutely beautiful. I like to think for us perfectionists, it reminds us of our humanity and that vices are still prevalent in us, therefore, not perfect.I like to think that is very comforting for me…
I am super excited to journey with you this Lent, Heather! Sounds like we have similar vices so it will be fun track each other and keep each other positive! Baby Jesus approves 🙂
I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS RECIPE ALL MY LIFE!! Or at least since you started your Ode to Girl Scout cookies. Oh mah gah! Will you marry me?
I will only marry you if I get to marry Analaigh and Rose too. I mean, you are only marrying me for my cookies after all, and me, your dogs 🙂 hehe
I was hoping they would help make the deal more enticing. Yay! The girls will love having two mama’s doting on them.
You are a smart woman–you know my weakness 🙂
These sound positively dreamy! Keep the girl scout cookie recipes comin’!
I’m starting to sweat because I have never had any others. Looks like I have some research to do! xo
Great reflection on Lent and way to think outside of the box to really challenge yourself. Good luck in this beautiful season.
Thank you so much for that comment! I’m going to need all the luck that I can get 🙂 Anyone who is harsh on themselves can sympathize… ha! But really, thank you. xo
aha! a girl scout cookie i recognize! these look minty and delicious.
i grew up in a non-denominational household and didn’t even really understand what lent was until couple years ago – but your interpretation of it this year is nothing short of beautiful. why are we so good at self-defamation?? i hope you are able to surrender to how awesome you are this year cara! xo.
now please pass the cookies.
Here is an entire sleeve, my friend.
You are so right. Maybe that is it–I have always known about Lent but once I have been able to fully understand the context and what it could mean to me–that is when it became meaningful. Self-defamation is one of the ugliest things we can do for ourselves. Welcome Lent 🙂 xo
I love your sentiments.. I have been working to still the voice in my head that worries too much over things that I can’t control. As soon as the thought enters my mind, I think the opposite to counter it’s effect. I think it’s awesome that you are doing this. ps… and those cookies are soooo pretty!! and chocolaty!!!
I love hearing this! I take great solace knowing that I am not the only one who struggles with these sorts of things and that there are others out there, daily trying to better themselves. Love it!
So….
This is my first time on your blog, and it’s FABULOUS!
however, I have a lot of food allergies as a result of a candida yeast overgrowth (gag me), and I’m not able to use GF mixes. I can’t have anything like potato flour, no oats, no rice… And even tapioca flour has to be in moderation.
I’m DYING over your Samoas and Thin Mint recipes… I wasn’t always such a downer to eat with, and I LOVE those cookies!!
Do you have a suggestion on how to modify this with just tapioca or coconut flour?
I would love you forever if you did!!
🙂