My second child graduated from high school a few months ago and now both my daughters have moved on to a new time in their lives. Last year, the college orientation/move in went smoothly. My oldest daughter, quite independent was in charge, intense, and stoic. This year, after a summer internship in New York, she went back to college more independent than ever. When I traveled to California with my second daughter for her freshman orientation, I knew it would be different. And despite her nervous uncertainty, she has also proved her inner strength, courage, and fortitude.

Now I pray for their happiness, I call and text when ever I can (but try not too much so as not to be overbearing), and I send care packages. In her introduction to these cookies, Maida writes how she supplied them to a local health food store for years. It’s interesting to think in 1970 when this book was published, health food stores were more a counterculture, food co-op kind of thing versus the now mainstream integration of “health foods”. Regardless, these cookies definitely fit the description. With the nut abundance combined with peanut butter and oats, I knew my careful eater daughters would appreciate them.

So, I divided up the batch and mailed them off to them both. My reward was a selfie from my oldest daughter holding the box smiling her beautiful dimpled smile and a big emoji smile from my new freshman who seems to have trouble with the smiling thing getting started at school.

I’m tempted to make another batch, but I think I will try something different, maybe not so “healthy”.