VEGAN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

I have loved baking since I was a teenager. Now, I try to make as many healthful substitutions as I can without compromising taste and more importantly, texture. This means, that I will use organic butter, free range eggs, organic cane sugar, honey or maple syrup instead of the bleached white stuff. But, I will never use applesauce instead of butter or eggs, I won't cut out fat to make a "healthier" baked good, because usually sacrificing the fat usually means sacrificing the flavor.

I truly believe in everything in moderation. So, if I am going to have a cookie, or a piece of cake, I want it to be the best possible version. I don't want a random mix of sugar, just for the sake of sweet. I want a quality product. Quality over quantity is my motto. Having said all of this, one of my clients recently gave me this recipe for vegan chocolate chip cookies. To be perfectly honest, I didn't have high hopes for the recipe, but I figured I would be a sport and give it a go. I was really surprised to find that these cookies were really good-not just good for a vegan cookie, but really good.

Replacing ordinary flour with oat flour and ground nuts make these cookies a good source of fiber and healthy fats (from the nuts). Maple syrup is a lot less sweet than sugar and is a lot less processed. I used dark chocolate which has some antioxidants and far less sugar than milk chocolate. Just because these cookies are healthier than traditional chocolate chips, doesn't mean you can eat six of them. Remember, everything in moderation.

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 1/2 cups oat flour
1 teaspoon aluminum free baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups raw walnuts
3 tablespoons melted coconut oil
1 cup pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups rolled oats
12 ounces dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Mix together oat flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a mixing bowl and stir together.

Blend walnuts in a food processor into a fine meal. Add oil, maple syrup and vanilla and blend until the mixture has the consistency of natural nut butter.

Combine walnut mix with oat flour. Fold in two cups of rolled oats and chocolate chips.

Using a 1 1/2 inch ice cream scooper or tablespoon measure, form dough into balls and place on baking sheets. Flatten cookies slightly, then bake for 13-15 minutes or until cookies begin to brown.

Cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.