Léna Valiquette’s Oatmeal Cookies

Just off the beaten track in Caledon East, Ontario’s first certified tea master Léna Valiquette operates Tea Boutique, a “haven for those who eat well and live well.” Specializing in loose-leaf teas from around the world, as well as all-natural soaps, candles and skin-care products, Léna’s shop has been described as “a little stop at Nirvana in Paradise.”

But even aficionados of a holistic lifestyle need a decadent treat now and then. Food In The Hills reader Lena Lemieux emailed us to say how much she loves Tea Boutique, where she likes to go after church every Sunday for coffee (the best Americano around, she claims) and a chat with the owner. “She always has some special treat whether it’s a muffin filled with fresh berries and nuts, healthy brownies, or the most amazing oatmeal coconut orange cookies.”

We tried the cookies and it’s true, they are amazing, made with real butter, chocolate chips, coconut, orange peel, oatmeal, pecans and cinnamon. “I use only the freshest ingredients,” says Léna Valiquette. At their best right out of the oven, try one with a pot of Tea Boutique’s Spring Pouchong for a soul-soothing midday break.

Alas, Léna declined to pass along the recipe, but she promises it will be included in her upcoming cookbook, How to Live and Eat Healthy, available at her shop this fall.