I love sweets. What I don't love? Processed sugar. Not only does it make my stomach ache, it's just not good for the body (as you can see in the list from the yesterday's post). But, just because I don't eat sugar, doesn't mean that I can't enjoy sweets.
Most people I talk to about healthy sweets, don't believe that those two words can be used together. Sometimes, they can't be! I've had my fair share of not-so-good healthy treats in our quest for them. My best success at nutritious treats is making them at home instead of buying them at the store. Because, even at the dough stage, you can pretty much find out if the finished product is going to be good by tasting it—the perfect opportunity to add ingredients before putting them in the oven. You just need a little patience and willingness to experiment ... or let me do the experimenting and share the recipe—you just bake your little heart out and enjoy!
I'd be lying if I told you I didn't miss chocolate chip cookies, especially right out of the oven—warm and gooey. Last weekend I searched the internet for honey-sweetened cookie recipes that I could experiment with. The challenge? Luke and I are sensitive to wheat. So, not only does the cookie have to be sugar free, but also wheat free. How's that for a mega challenge!
I stumbled upon this recipe and even though it calls for whole wheat flour, it held promises of being a delicious wheat and sugar free cookie.
Friends, they are delicious! Here's the final recipe I ended up with (compare to the original recipe to see what I changed)
Shopping List:
• 2/3 cup honey (I use raw, local honey)
• 1/3 cup warm coconut oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons organic vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup white rice flour (brown rice flour could probably also be used, I just didn't have any in the pantry)
• 1 cup oat flour
• 3/4 cup rolled oats
• 1 tablespoon arrowroot starch
• scant 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda (aluminum free)
• zest of one organic lemon
• unsweetened Carob chips or you can get a Newman's Own Chocolate bar (highest percentage dark chocolate you can find) and cut it into small pieces. (I prefer carob chips because it doesn't have any sugar added to it and is still sweet)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl pour the warm, melted coconut oil over the honey and whisk in the vanilla extract. In a separate medium bowl combine the flour, oats, arrowroot, sea salt, baking soda, and lemon zest. Add the flour mixture to the honey and stir until just combined. Let the dough sit for 2-3 minutes. Stir once or twice again until the dough is stiff.
Roll the dough into little balls, one level teaspoonful at a time, and place an inch or so apart on the prepared baking sheets—they will spread. Use the back of a wet 1/4 size teaspoon to make a well in the top of each ball of dough. Fill each "well" with a small piece of chocolate. You can chill the dough for an hour (as the original recipe states), but I did not.
Bake for 7 - 9 minutes or until the bottom and edges of the cookies are just golden. Do not over bake!