Midday Pick-Me-Up

I was flipping through Ann Gentry's The Real Food Daily Cookbook and came across her wheat-free, dairy-free Chocolate Chip Cookies. These pack a substantial dose of whole grains and a delicate sweetness. If you are anything like me and get a little sleepy in the afternoon (a couple of hours after lunch of course), skip the coffee and sugary treats and reach for one of Gentry's cookies for your midday pick-me-up! You'll still get a bit of caffeine from the chocolate chips, however you won't get the energy spike that soon plummets. They are just as delicious for dessert with a warm mug of steamed soy milk or topped with a touch of ice cream (sorbet, soy or rice based if you are aiming to keep it all dairy-free).

Chocolate Chip Cookies
adapted fromThe Real Food Daily Cookbook by Ann Gentry

1 3/4 C barley flour A mixture of Quinoa & Teff works great too!
1 1/3 C oat flour
3/4 C brown rice flour
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 C maple syrup
1/3 C canola oil
1/4 C date puree
3T brown rice syrup
2T plain soy milk rice milk works just as well
1 1/2 t pure vanilla extract
1/2 t sea salt
1 1/4 C semisweet chocolate chips of course bittersweet are delicious too!
*3/4 C walnuts, toasted & coarsely chopped *optional

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line a large, heavy baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk the barley flour, oat flour, rice flour and baking soda in a bowl to blend. Whisk the maple syrup, oil, date puree, rice syrup, soy milk, vanilla and salt in a large bowl to blend. Add the flour mixture and stir just until moistened. Stir in the chocolate chips and the walnuts.

Using an ice cream scoop, scoop about 1/3 cup of dough for each cookie onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing 1 inch apart. Flatten the cookies slightly. Bake for 18 minutes, or until the cookies puff, crack and become golden brown.

Using a metal spatula, transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool slightly. Serve warm or cool completely.

The cookies will keep for 2 days, stored in an airtight container at room temperature.