Gluten Free Double Chocolate Chip Cookies/Bars (W/ Mint Chips)

This recipe is Seriously NOT for someone with a Chocolate Addiction.  It is Very Hard to stop at just one cookie!

I found the recipe on Suite 101.com by Alicia King.

Gluten Free Double Chocolate Chip Cookies/Bars

1 cup butter (softened)

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/4  cups Gluten Free all purpose flour

2 teaspoons xanthan gum

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1 cup (white or mint or butterscotch) chips

1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 375F.

Beat butter until fluffy, add white and brown sugars and mix well.  Add eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth. In a separate bowl, combine flour, xanthan gum, cocoa, baking soda and salt.  Gradually blend with creamed butter/sugar/egg mixture.  Gently stir in chips and nuts.

A note for finger licking bakers: Don’t try this batter raw. These ingredients taste yummy after baking!

Drop by teaspoonful's onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 9-11 minutes.

Yield: 70 Cookies

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookie Without The Sugar (Vegan)

Last night I had a chocolate craving. I wanted no-bake cookies. But when I searched for recipes I didn't want all of the sugar and butter. So I was thrilled to find this recipe on AllRecipes.com These are great snack cookies as well as breakfast cookies. They are made with Maple Syrup instead of sugar. They are YUMMY!

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

INGREDIENTS
2/3 cup 100% maple syrup
1/4 cup vegetable oil
5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup peanut butter (I suggest Adam's Chunky Brand)
1 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
In a saucepan over medium heat combine the maple syrup, oil, cocoa and cinnamon. Boil for three minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in the peanut butter, rolled oats and vanilla until well blended. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto waxed paper and chill to set, about 30 minutes.

Wholesome Coconut Cookies

CAUTION: These are Very Tasty!! I made these cookies for St. Patrick's Day and we only have a few left. I colored the coconut green by smashing up spinach leaves and squeezing the juice over the coconut. It didn't change the taste. I know because I ate Way Too Many! They are only 100 calories. But still...

This recipe is a Bob's Red Mill Recipe! It is also considered a Vegan Recipe.

Wholesome Coconut Cookies

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup Hard White Whole Wheat Flour, Organic
1/2 cup Organic High Fiber Hot Cereal
1/2 cup Coconut, Shredded
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/8 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 cup Evaporated Cane Juice
1/4 cup Margarine (Non-hydrogenated)
1/3 cup Milk (Soy, Rice, Cow)
1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Beat together margarine and sugar until well blended. Add milk and vanilla and mix until smooth. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, cereal, coconut, baking powder and salt. Pour dry ingredients into the wet and mix until just combined.
Scoop by the tablespoon onto a greased cookie sheet and pat down slightly.
Bake at 350°F for 12 minutes.
Makes 18 cookies.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION Servings Size: 1 Cookie Calories 100, Calories from Fat 45, Total Fat 5g, Saturated Fat 2.5g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 40mg, Total Carbohydrate 14g, Dietary Fiber 2g, Sugars 5g and Protein 2g.

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

Oatmeal Cookies with Whole Wheat

This recipe stems from the Bobs Red Mill website recipe database. This is a great resource for recipe ideas using whole grains, beans, and natural baking products. We made these delicious cookies tonight for an after dinner snack. They are a great mixture between sweet and tasty and healthy enough to not cause too much guilt! They were a hit with everyone! I will be cooking more without Chocolate Chips in the morning for breakfast.

Oatmeal Cookies with Whole Wheat

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup Butter (we use Smart Balance Extra Virgin Olive Oil brand)
1 cup Brown Sugar, packed -OR- 3/4cup Sugar and 1/4 cup Black strap Molasses (mixed)
2 large Eggs (Free Range)
2 cups sifted Whole Wheat Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 tsp Allspice (ground)
1 tsp ground Cinnamon
1 tsp ground Nutmeg
10 Tb Milk (Organic)
2 cups Oats, Rolled, Quick Cooking
1 cup chopped Walnut Halves (I used chopped almonds)
-Optional Add In's-
1 cup Dark Chocolate Chips (we used 60% Cocoa. Just make sure the first ingredient is Cocoa in your chocolate chips.)
1 cup raisins (organic)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet, set aside. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat shortening and brown sugar until creamy. Beat in eggs until well blended. In another bowl sift together flour, salt, soda, and spices three times. Add flour and milk alternately to shortening mixture; fold in the quick oats, raisins and chopped nuts. Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto prepared cookie sheet, spacing about 2" apart. Bake until cookies are golden, but center are still soft (10-12 minutes).

Transfer cookies to racks to cool. Serve, or store airtight up to 3 days. Makes 48 cookies.

Please Note: I made a few adjustments to the ingredients, so these nutritional calculations are not 100% accurate.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION Serving Size: 1 Cookie Calories 120, Calories from Fat 60, Total Fat 6g, Saturated Fat 1.5g, Cholesterol 10mg, Sodium 35mg, Total Carbohydrates 14g, Dietary Fiber 6g, Sugars 6g, Protein 2g.

Fiberful Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is a delicious chewy, yet crunchy oatmeal chocolate chip cookie. I created this cookie recipe so that I could eat a cookie with chocolate in it that I didn't feel as guilty about. And it worked! They were a hit all around! From the smell they emanated while in the oven to the chocolate craving they satisfied.

Fiberful Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie

2 cups Fiber Cereal ground as finely as possible until it equals 1 cup. (Possible brands: Fiber One, Kashi, Oat Bran, All Bran, etc.)
OR
1 cup Bran Flour
1/2 cup Regular Flour
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1/4 tsp. Ground Nutmeg
1/4 tsp. Sea Salt
3/4 cup Softened Butter
3/4 cup Packed Brown Sugar
3/4 cup Granulated Sugar
2 Eggs (try to find the eggs that market their omega 3 value!)
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 3/4 cups Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
2 cups chocolate chips OR Dole Raisins

Combine flours, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a bowl and set aside. Beat butter and sugars in a bowl. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Beat in flour mixture until blended. Stir in oats and chocolate chips while stirring. Drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets 2 inches apart.
Bake at 375 degrees F. 6 minutes. Makes about 4 1/2 dozen cookies.

WHY FIBER?

"Fiber steadies your blood-sugar level. Fiber, especially the soluble type, found in psyllium, bran, and legumes slows the absorption of sugar from the intestines. This steadies the blood sugar level and lessens the ups and downs of insulin secretion. So a breakfast and lunch containing moderate amounts of soluble fibers, such as bran, fruit, and oats, can be especially valuable to a child who shows behavior and learning difficulties from blood sugar swings. Keeping insulin levels low and stable also helps the body store less fat, another perk for people trying to control their weight.

Fiber slows fat absorption. Fiber may also slow down the absorption of fat from what you eat. This is another weight-control perk offered by a high-fiber diet. The stools of persons eating a high-fiber diet have a higher fat content than stools from someone eating low-fiber meals.

Fiber reduces cholesterol. A diet high in soluble fiber, such as that found in oat bran, whole oats, psyllium, legumes, barley, fruit, and prunes, lowers blood levels of the harmful type of cholesterol (LDL) without lowering the good cholesterol (HDL) levels. As it travels down the intestines, soluble fiber absorbs water and forms a gluey gel which picks up cholesterol and carries it out of the body. Yet, doctors caution, adding more soluble fibers to your diet is not a license to eat high cholesterol foods. High fiber diets are usually low in fat, too, and the cholesterol-lowering effects may be related to less fat in the diet as well as to fiber. Recent studies showed that eating an extra ten grams of fiber daily (the average American adult eats only eleven grams of fiber a day), decreased the risk of dying from heart disease by 17-29 percent."

Learn More on AskDrSears