Having a bad day?!? Oatmeal cookies and hot chili chocolate are rushing for rescue

Having a bad day?!?! I know something what will cheer you up as quickly as it is prepared.

We all know and had such days...the days where it would be better just to stay in bed, till it is over. These special days, where nothing seems to work out the way you would like to have it. These days where the deadlines and emails at work are pilling up and do not seem to get lesser, no matter how hard you try to clean them up. These days where the day starts with a sunshine and you are going for your spring clothes and then in the middle of the day the weather is changing back to winter and you are going home freezing and unhappy with your choice of clothes.

This was what happened to me the other day. We had a terrific weather for couple of days already, sunshine and warmth, we started to prepare ourselves for spring....I took my lighter clothes out, being happy to wear them again, the warm winter jacket went far into the wardrobe, out of my sight and my mind. Spring was here, you could feel it all around you!! With light clothes, light food recipes were coming to my mind, suddenly I was craving fresh and light salads and was looking forward to picnics at the beach, with all the sunshine, fresh air and heat. And then it happened, in the middle of the week, unexpected the sun decided to disappear in the middle of the day, the sky went black, the wind got strong and the rain came down with very little hope to ever stop. Even so I was sitting in the office, I somehow started to freeze and in exactly that moment all my cravings for fresh and light food disappeared, as fast as the sun and the only things I started to miss were my blanket, hot chili chocolate and oatmeal cookies.

This combination never fails, really if you feel down for any reason, this combo will cheer you up in minutes...I promise. And by the end of the day, you will forget all about your anger of the wrong choice of clothes, huge pile of emails at work, dark sky outside and even a disappointed manager...as soon as you will take the first bite of this delicious cookie and a mouthful of a hot chocolate you will be just grateful for the fact that all what happened brought you to this delicious cookie and this spicy hot chili chocolate.
Who does not like this "special" feeling of sitting under the blanket with candle lights on, hot tea or chocolate in your hands and some cookies close by, while outside the world decides to go down with howling wind, dark sky and monsoon rain!

Oatmeal cookies

• 125 g butter (room temperature)
• 90 g sugar
• 1egg
• 1-2 tablespoons honey
• vanilla sugar
• 200 g oatmeal
• 50 g flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1-2 handful dry cranberries (or any other dry fruits you like)

Preheat the oven to 180C. With an electrical mixer, mix together butter, sugar, egg, honey and vanilla sugar, til light and fluffy. Add the oatmeal, flour, baking powder and cranberries (I usually blitz them for a couple if seconds in food processor). Combine everything till all ingredients are wet. Take some pieces of dough with a table spoon and form it to a ball (the dough would be bit sticky, wet you hands for smoother procedure). Place the dough balls on the baking sheet and press a bit with your hand. Bake for 10 minutes, til golden brown. Let it cool completely.

And while your cookies are getting ready in your oven, put on your cooker to prepare the hot chocolate....

Hot chili chocolate

• 500 ml Milk
• 3-4 teaspoons sweet cocoa powder (I used the Swedish brand oboy)
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 0,5 teaspoon hot chili powder (or more if you like it more spicy)

In a pot heat up the milk, add both cocoa powders and chili powder whisk together. Pour in 2 cups and enjoy.

The cookies and hot chocolate are also perfect for any other occasion. The cookies are the perfect deal for picnic as they are rich in taste, very nutritious and can be done in advance. If you would be able to save some cookies for the day after, you will see that they do taste even better then. Hot chocolate goes very well for special breakfast, if you would like to surprise your better half or as a late afternoon snack if you are craving something chocolaty, but don´t want to eat chocolate. The chili gives the chocolate this special kick and warms you from inside, the unsweetened cocoa contributes to the rich chocolate taste, without adding additional calories.



Enjoy!