Holistic Chef Student Donna DeLeon Wins Most Creative Recipe

Content Summary

• Creative Spotlight: Holistic Chef student Donna DeLeon is featured for winning “Most Creative Recipe” with her Spiced Lentil Cookies.
• Nutritional Ingenuity: The post details Donna’s process of using lentil flour, flax eggs, and hibiscus to create a heart-healthy, protein-rich dessert.
• Personal Connection: Donna shares how her family history with heart health and her journey into holistic cooking inspired the use of specific therapeutic ingredients.
• Career Goals: The feature highlights Donna’s aspirations to become a holistic cooking content creator, teaching others how to build wellness-focused meals from scratch.

At Bauman College, we love celebrating the creativity, heart, and practical nutrition wisdom our students bring into the kitchen. We are thrilled to congratulate Donna DeLeon, winner of the Bauman College Lentil Recipe Writing Contest in the category of “Most Creative Recipe,” for her original recipe, Spiced Lentil Cookies.

Donna’s submission stood out for its ingenuity, strong nutritional intention, and thoughtful storytelling. What began as a challenge to feature lentils became a recipe that is comforting, inventive, and deeply personal—a sweet take on an ingredient most people expect only in savory dishes.

In Donna’s Words

When I started thinking about what kind of lentil recipe I wanted to create, I knew I wanted to do something different. Most people think of lentils in soups, stews, and savory dishes, but I wanted to see whether I could turn them into something sweet, warm, and comforting. My husband loves lentils, and because the contest took place in February, I started imagining a heart-shaped cookie for Valentine’s Day — something playful, nourishing, and just a little unexpected.

A Cookie with Purpose

I kept coming back to the idea that this could be more than just a cookie. I wanted it to feel like a treat, but also like something made with purpose. In my mind, it became a kind of healthy protein cookie — a recipe that could satisfy a sweet tooth while also bringing in fiber, plant-based protein, and ingredients chosen with care.

Inspired by Family and Health

Part of that inspiration came from the people in my life. I was thinking about my aunt, who has type 2 diabetes and still loves sweets, and I wanted to create something she could enjoy that felt more supportive and balanced. That’s one reason I chose coconut sugar instead of regular sugar. I was trying to build something that felt thoughtful from every angle: tasty, yes, but also a little gentler and more intentional in how it came together.

Experimenting with Lentil Flour

This recipe was also my first time experimenting with lentil flour. I’d worked with quinoa flour, chickpea flour, almond flour, and coconut flour before, so I had some experience with alternative flours, but lentil flour was new territory. I figured it might behave similarly to chickpea flour, and a cookie felt like the right place to begin. A cake seemed too ambitious for a first attempt, but a cookie gave me room to experiment while keeping it approachable.

Testing and Refining the Recipe

Once I had the idea, I really committed to it. I tested the recipe five times to make sure it worked. My husband was happy to help with that process, and I also ran the idea past family and friends.

By the time I finished, I felt confident that this was more than just an unusual concept — it was a recipe people would actually want to make and eat.

Why Hibiscus Matters

One of my favorite ingredients in the recipe is hibiscus. I drink hibiscus tea regularly, so I usually keep dried hibiscus at home. For these cookies, I ground the dried hibiscus into a powder and mixed it into the dough. I love the flavor, but I also chose it because I associate hibiscus with heart health. That means something special to me. My mother had her mitral valve replaced twice before she passed away, so I’ve been mindful about heart health since I was young. Adding hibiscus made the recipe feel even more personal — beautiful, flavorful, and meaningful all at once.

Building Warmth with Spice

I also wanted the cookie to have warmth and depth, so I used cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cardamom. I didn’t want it to taste like a plain sugar cookie. I wanted it to have those rich, comforting spices that people crave, especially when the weather is cooler. That’s what inspired the name Spiced Lentil Cookies — because the spices are just as important to the experience as the lentils themselves.

Choosing Flexible, Nourishing Ingredients

Another ingredient choice I felt strongly about was using flax eggs. I wanted the recipe to be flexible, nourishing, and accessible. Eggs can be expensive, and some people are moving away from them altogether, so flax felt like a practical and health-supportive option. I already use flax in oatmeal and pancakes, so it was natural to include it here too. It helps bind the cookies while adding more fiber and nutrition to the final recipe.

A Small Step That Made a Big Difference

I also decided to toast the lentil flour before mixing the dough. My thinking was similar to toasting nuts or spices — it helps bring out flavor and soften that raw taste. Since lentil flour doesn’t have much moisture on its own, I wanted to cook off a bit of that rawness before baking, and that extra step really helped the flavor come through in a better way.

Finishing Touches for Beauty and Fun

And then there are the finishing options, which made the recipe even more fun for me. I included ideas for coating the cookies in chocolate ganache and decorating them either with hibiscus-soaked lentils or a topping of chopped walnuts, almonds, hemp seeds, cranberries, honey, and a pinch of salt. That part came from wanting the cookies to feel a little fancy — especially for Valentine’s Day. They can be simple and everyday, or dressed up into something festive and beautiful to share.

The Path That Led Me to Bauman College

My own path to Bauman College shaped this recipe too. I originally lived in California, but my husband and I moved to Mississippi two years ago because the cost of living became too high. I’ve always loved to cook, but over time I started moving away from more conventional cooking and toward healthier, more holistic approaches. After experiencing joint pain, I began researching foods and spices that might support the body naturally. That process brought me back to the memories of my mother and grandmother making soups, teas, and healing foods at home. That’s what led me to pursue this path and enroll in the Holistic Chef Program at Bauman College.

Looking Ahead

Looking ahead, I want to become a content creator focused on holistic cooking. I want to teach people how to make nourishing food from scratch, stretch their budget, preserve ingredients, and build meals that support wellness without giving up flavor. To me, these cookies represent that whole vision. They take a simple ingredient and turn it into something joyful, creative, and full of intention.

What This Win Means

Winning Bauman College’s Lentil Recipe Writing Contest for “Most Creative Recipe” means so much to me. It reminds me that healthy food can still be imaginative, comforting, and deeply personal. Sometimes the most surprising recipes are the ones that tell the biggest story.

Connect with Donna on Instagram | @ddholisticdelights

Spiced Lentil Cookies

By Holistic Chef Student Donna DeLeon
Yield | 12 cookies Servings | 6 (2 cookies per serving)
Prep Time | 30 minutes Chill Time | 30 minutes Bake Time | 15-20 minutes Total Time | 1 hour 15 minutes

Guilt-free cookies that not only taste good, but they are good for you. Packed with fiber, protein, low glycemic index sweetener, anti-inflammatory and heart health ingredients, this cookie is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth while boosting your nutritional needs.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup red lentil flour
• 1/3 cup coconut sugar
• 1/4 cup softened butter
• vegan butter or coconut oil can be substituted for a vegan option
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon hibiscus powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ginger powder
• 1/8 teaspoon cardamom
• Pinch of salt
• 2 flax eggs
  • 1 flax egg = 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons warm water; mix and let sit for 5 minutes

INSTRUCTIONS

Whipped Rutabaga-Potatoes with Brown Butter and Crispy Sage

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
2. Toast the red lentil flour in a pan over low heat for about 5 minutes, or until slightly browned, to remove some of the raw lentil flavor. Let cool slightly.
3. In a bowl, cream together the coconut sugar, softened butter, and vanilla until the mixture reaches a creamy texture.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the toasted lentil flour, hibiscus powder, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, and salt.
5. Add the sugar mixture to the dry ingredients. The dough will look crumbly at this stage.
6. Add the two flax eggs and mix until a dough forms.
7. Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper to about 1/4-inch thick, then chill in the freezer for 30 minutes. Cut with cookie cutters, or roll into small balls and gently flatten to 1/4 inch thick.
8. Place cookies on the prepared sheet pan and bake for 15–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
9. Let the cookies cool on the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes.

Optional Finishing Ideas

Option 1: Chocolate Ganache + Hibiscus-Soaked Lentils
Coat the cookies in chocolate ganache, place them in the freezer, and decorate with hibiscus-soaked lentils. Leave in the freezer for 4 hours or overnight before serving.

Option 2: Chocolate Ganache + Nut and Seed Topping
Coat the cookies in chocolate ganache, then top with a mixture of:

• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup chopped almonds
• 1/4 cup hemp seeds
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 2 tablespoons honey
• pinch of salt

Freeze for 4 hours or overnight before serving.

Make-Ahead Tip: Hibiscus-Soaked Lentils

To make a natural red garnish, soak 4 dried hibiscus flowers in 1/4 cup hot water for 1 hour. Add 3 tablespoons lentils and soak overnight. Drain, then spread the lentils on a paper towel to air dry before decorating the cookies.

Storage

Store in the refrigerator in a food container for up to 10 days.

Allergen and Dietary Notes

• Top 8 allergen: Tree nuts
• Bauman addition: Vegetarian

Explore the 2026 Lentil Recipe Writing Contest

Donna’s award-winning cookies are just one of the incredible highlights from our inaugural recipe contest. To see the full list of winners, watch the 2026 Awards Ceremony video, and access the upcoming spotlights for our Most Creative Recipe and Best Presentation categories, check out our main announcement post: Winners of Bauman College’s 2026 Lentil Recipe Writing Contest