I am not going to sugarcoat these cookies (pun very much intended). They are probably the least appealing/appetizing cookies out there. Hence the mediocre picture ; it was very hard to get a decent one. However, what they lack in looks, they make up for in taste and texture. These babies are very soft and moist (how I like my cookies) and deliver a delicious nutty, sweet, and slightly bitter flavor thanks to the combo of coconut + almond + chocolate. YUM :) These come from an initial recipe I fell upon while going through documents and files on my computer - obviously some of which I didn’t even remember were there. I don’t know how it ended up there, but anyway, now we’ve got these yummy cookies, so I’d say it’s a win. But it is interesting the unexpected things we uncover in the depths of our storage systems.
Which brings me to my thoughts on clutter and things. We tend to organize, store, and put things away with the idea that they’ll be safely kept and at our disposal when we need them. But the reality is, most of the time, we forget about them. (Another example demonstrating how we have too much stuff.) Whether it be that long lost shirt you thought you loved but forgot under the mounds of other shirts in your closet ; that book you promised yourself you’d read that’s still stacked in between countless other books ; that file you saved on your computer for future overlooking ; or that random object you kept in your drawer just in case, we all have those things we hold on to in our lives. (Full disclosure, these are all examples from my own experience).
Since I’ve moved, I’ve realized just how much stuff I actually have. It’s crazy, and frankly, most of it is not useful. Yet I still hold on to them. It’s actually quite interesting about us humans. Why do we do that? Why do we keep things just to have them? Is it because we’re afraid? Is it because we want to be safe? Is it a coping mechanism? It may be all of those things, but I do not have a clear answer. What I do know is that it is possible to change and do something about our perpetual clutter. So, in an efforts to pare down our lives, how about we all take a moment to let go of something? It can be something tangible, just as it can be a person, a feeling, a habit, or a thought. Oh, and when you’re done, go make these cookies, and relish the things you already have.
this is a small batch recipe so it makes about 8 small cookies or 4-5 large ones ! feel free to double the quantities to make a normal batch.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 tsp chia seeds + 4 1/2 tsp water to make half a chia egg
40 g coconut chocolate spread (I use a spread from artisana organics called Coconut Cacao Bliss, but if you don’t have it use coconut butter ; make sure it is runny)
5 tbsp (around 30 g) almond meal/flour
1 1/2 tbsp (around 10 g) brown rice flour
pinch salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
about 1 1/2 tbsp chopped dark chocolate
Method:
Preheat oven to 350°. Line a baking sheet pan with parchment paper or grease with a spray oil.
In a small bowl, combine the chia seeds and water. Stir and set aside for 10 min.
If your coconut spread or coconut butter is solid make sure to melt it. Then, in a mixing bowl, stir together the spread, maple syrup, baking soda, salt, and vanilla. Add in the two flours, and mix.
Add in the chia egg, and stir. Finally, add in the dark chocolate, and fold in.
Scoop out the dough into tablespoons onto a greased or parchment lined baking pan using a small ice cream scoop or spoon. Bake in the oven for about 8 min.
I’m too impatient to let them cool, but if you can a few minutes will help them set.