*If you are not breastfeeding please keep reading … these are for you too!

Being a new Mumma can be tough and one of the things that can make it even more tricky is getting breastfeeding right and the worry about supply etc.

I have been lucky enough to  feed all four of my babies (and apparently according to number 4 (who is 2 next month) I’m not about to stop any time soon!). However, to help boost my supply I made sure that I drank heaps of water (about 3L a day) and ate good wholesome foods to fuel my body.  One of the ways that you can make sure you are getting in some good nutrition is these bikkies. They contain good fat, fibre and brewer’s yeast which has been long reported to improve milk supply.

Please do not swap out the Brewer’s yeast for instant dried yeast, or nutritional yeast – they are not the same! You can find Brewer’s yeast in health food shops, on line or in supermarkets that sell home brew kits (I got mine from Big W this time)

My midwife mother in law told me how they used to tell mothers to drink a good stout before feeds to boost their supply! Not recommended so much any more – but the brewer’s yeast is still great!

Please remember that I am not a qualified medical professional, so if you are struggling with feeding or milk supply, please make sure you call the Breastfeeding Support places in your area or seek help in person from a qualified Lactation Consultant!!

See below the recipe for a more gluten intolerant friendly option.

• 1 cup wholemeal spelt flour/buckwheat flour/rye flour
• 1/2 tsp GF baking powder
• 1/2 cup vegan butter or coconut oil
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal mixed with 2 tbsp water
• 3 tbsp aquafaba (the liquid drained from a can of chic peas) OR 1 whole egg
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 10g brewers yeast
• 1/2 tsp Himilayan salt
• 1 & 1/2 cups rolled oats*
• 6 medjool dates, pitted

*Replace the oats with 1/2 cup shredded coconut, 1/2 cup rolled quinoa and 1/2 cup puffed rice for a GF option

Using a food processor cream together the butter and sugar (Speed 4, 10 seconds)

Add in the vanilla, cinnamon., salt and yeast and mix again to combine (Speed 4, 6 seconds)

Drop the pitted dates one at a time onto spinning blades through the chute at the top, then process until dates are finely chopped (speed 4 whilst adding dates, then up to speed 7 for about 10-15 seconds)

Add in the flax seed mix whilst mixing.

Add in the aquafaba OR egg whilst mixing and process until combined.

Add in the baking powder and pulse briefly to combine.

Add in the flour and process til just combined (Speed 4, 12-15 seconds)

Then add in the oats and process again until mixture is well combined (Speed 4, 15-20 seconds).

Place spoonfuls of mixture onto a lined baking tray and baking in a preheated moderate oven for about 15 minutes.

The cookies will still be soft when you remove them. They will harden as they cool. Allow to cool on the tray for 10 minutes before transferring then to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Makes about 18-20.

These stay fresh for about a week, but I made double batches and froze mine in zip lock bags for convenient snacks – they defrost quickly when you pull them out of the freezer.

Important note – Brewer’s yeast is not considered to be gluten free, as it is grown on barley so it will depend on your level of sensitivity.

If you’re not breastfeeding – these are still an awesome bikkie! You could leave out the yeast too to make shopping easier (or if you have a yeast allergy).

Enjoy …. and maybe you could take a batch to a friend next time a new bub arrives to show them how much you care 🙂