Current Food Loves + Brown Butter Oatmeal Cookies

As I near the end of my pregnancy, my eating habits have definitely become a bit strange.  Instead of my usual three squares a day, I'm now more in the range of five to seven small meals per day.  I always have a few breakfasts each morning, there are lots and lots of snacks and there are usually a few other smallish meals thrown in.  It's been fun to eat this way, yet I can't help but feel overwhelmed by the variety of foods I'm ingesting. So, instead of my usual one-recipe post, I thought I would share a bit of what I've been grubbing on.  Small bite here. A spoonful of something there.  A large handful of nut mix about every 15 minutes.  You know, the norm.  Thought I'd finish it up with a cravable brown butter + oatmeal + whole wheat flour + walnut cookie recipe I've been trying to perfect and have enjoyed testing with huge glasses of ice-cold skim milk.  Milk, yet another strange pregnancy thing for me.  I can't seem to get enough of it.   So, without further ado, I humbly present a good chunk of my diet this week.  The good, the bad and the ugly.

{Left-to-right, top to bottom}
Leftover grilled flank steak made into tacos with pickled red onions, guac and feta
Haas avocado with sea salt and black pepper (only CA grown avocados will do it for me, they're fruitier)
Ciao Bella brand blood orange sorbet (every night before bed)
Trader Joe's brand Fruity-O's cereal (embarrassing but irresistible)
Juniper berry and black pepper coated goat cheese from Love Tree Farm (smeared on everything)

Any nut mix I can get my hands on (Bonus if it includes dark chocolate.  Must include almonds)
Gummy stars from Whole Foods (Goji berry?  Yes please!)
Fried egg sandwich with white cheddar on a Thomas brand muffin (recipe here)
Brown butter oatmeal cookies with milk.  (Recipe below)

Brown Butter Oatmeal Cookies
makes about a dozen

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cup rolled oats

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter

2/3 cup dark brown sugar

1 egg, at room temperature

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

In a large bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and oats.  Set aside.

To brown the butter:  add butter to a sauce pot set over medium flame.  Stir butter until the butter solids start to turn golden brown and smell nutty.  Transfer hot butter to a heatproof bowl and allow it to cool in the refrigerator for about 10-15 minutes.  The butter will still be liquid, just a bit thicker.  

Pour the slightly chilled browned butter into the bowl of a stand mixer (or into a large bowl and use an electric hand mixer).  Add the brown sugar and beat until creamy and combined, about 2-3 minutes.  Add the egg and vanilla and mix until combined.  Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until combined.  

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and using an ice cream scoop, portion out the dough into 11 to 12 equal mounds.  (There is no need to space the cookies out on the sheet pan at this point).  Refrigerate dough until firm, about 20 minutes or up to a few days.

When you are ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line another sheet pan with parchment and divide the dough between the two pans.  Bake, one pan at a time, for 10-12 minutes or until they just turn golden around the edges.  (Keep the second pan of dough in the refrigerator while the first pan is baking).  Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.