Double Carob Cookies (Healthy Chocolate Alternative)

This is a great recipe for those who really enjoy chocolate, but are trying to overcome a chocolate dependence. Carob is a bean that has a similar taste to chocolate without the negative effects of real chocolate. In fact it could be considered good for you. Carob has a lighter flavor then chocolate, so don't expect an overpowering chocolate cookie. But these are delicious! I fed them to a group of 15 year olds and they were approved! Need I say more? This recipe stems from Bob's Red Mill Recipe Database. I have changed it a bit so the Nutritional Information might not be 100% accurate.

Double Carob Cookies

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup Butter (room temperature) (Try the Smart Balance brand to add Omegas to your diet.)
1 cup Turbinado Sugar (aka: Sugar In The Raw) -OR- 1/2cup Sugar and 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
2 large Eggs (Try to use eggs that are marketed for their Omegas)
1 tsp Vanilla
1-1/2 cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour -OR- If Whole Wheat non-pastry flour is used, add 2-3T Olive Oil to recipe
1/2 cup Soy Flour
1/2 cup Carob Powder (Toasted)
1/2 tsp Baking Soda (Use Non-Aluminum Soda, it's better for you!)
1/2 tsp Baking Powder (Use Non-Aluminum Powder, it's better for you!)
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
6 oz. Carob Chips -OR- Dark Chocolate Chips (Make sure Cocoa is the first ingredient on your Chocolate Chip ingredients.)
1/2 cup chopped Walnuts-Baker's Pieces -OR- Any nuts

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease 2 cookie sheets, set aside. In a large bowl cream together the first 4 ingredients (butter through vanilla extract). In another bowl blend together the next 6 ingredients (flours through salt). Add the flour mixture to the butter/vanilla mixture; stir well. Add the carob chips and chopped walnuts; stir well. Drop by teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto prepared cookie sheets and bake 8-10 minutes.
Makes 4 dozen cookies.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION Serving Size: 1 Cookie Calories 100, Calories from Fat 45, Total Fat 5g, Saturated Fat 3g, Cholesterol 15mg, Sodium 50mg, Total Carbohydrate 12g, Dietary Fiber 3g, Sugars 5g, Protein 1g.

What is Carob?

"Beneficial Uses: Carob is considered a remarkable antidiarrheal, and it is highly recommended that travelers pack Carob when visiting foreign countries. Carob is said to be high in fiber and rich in one class of tannins (polyphenols) that manifest strong antiviral and antiseptic properties, making it effective when given to treat bacterial-induced diarrhea.

According to Dr. Qi Dai, assistant professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, a ten-year study found that the particularly strong antioxidant effects of the polyphenols, which may be found in Carob, act to reduce the incidence of alzheimer's disease.
Carob is considered a demulcent, a medicine with soothing, mucilaginous qualities that shield mucous membranes from irritating substances.

In France, some early research indicates that Carob may be helpful in stimulating inactive kidneys and may be effective in cases of chronic kidney failure.

Carob is a wonderful substitute for cocoa, because it contains fewer calories, is naturally sweet, and, unlike cocoa or sweet chocolate, is caffeine-free and non addictive. In addition, it is usually cheaper. Also unlike cocoa and chocolate, Carob does not interfere with the body's assimilation of calcium. Carob Beans may be roasted and ground for use as a coffee substitute, and Carob is a versatile additive used to flavor jams, liqueurs, juices, cigarettes and other food products."
- Herbal Extracts Plus