Mood boosting cacao chip cookies, not your average cookie recipe. Plant based and healthy, with vegetarian options, Ayurveda inspired, and gluten-free. Naturally sweetened with Medjool dates, made with almond meal, and chia seeds.

I love this recipe because these healthy soft cookies are more bitter than sweet. I decided to stop eating foods with sugar cane or highly processed ingredients. As much as possible because I also love to try new foods and have several sweet vices with processed ingredients. And, I’ve noticed a huge difference in my body and energy, than when I do eat those foods! I kinda feel like I’m hung over for a day or so, and feel myself craving sweets afterwards. When I eat less processed natural sugars (dates, maple syrup, honey), I notice more consistency in my mood, energy, and hunger levels. See recipe below…

This special plant, Theobroma cacao, translated in Greek literally means “food of the Gods”! Theos, meaning a God, broma, meaning food, have been eaten by humans for thousands of years. The Aztecs valued the cacao beans so much they used them as currency!

An evergreen tree native to the lowlands of tropical rainforest areas of South and Central America. The seeds from the tree are the source of the cacao that are fermented, dried, and roasted. The seeds are cracked to separate the fat for cocoa butter and the residue from the separated nibs are ground, making cacao powder. The alkaloid theobromine is a nerve stimulant, one of the contributing and cool components making cacao an aphrodisiac, creating an elevation in mood.

Since making this recipe I've been snacking on them in between meals. I love that they don't spike my blood sugar, creating an energy crash an hour or so later, and fill my hummingbird appetite and belly for something sweet and healthy.

The day I wrote this recipe Nina Simone’s lyrics to Feeling Good popped into my head, I’m still singing it days later. Much love, Honne.

First, I begin with an Ayurveda practice before cooking that I love, helping to keep past, present, or future worries and thoughts from being cooked in or stirred into the food. To ground me into the moment before gathering the ingredients. I close my eyes and take a few deep belly breaths.

Recipe

Makes 12 cookies

organic ingredients

tastes - bitter / salty / sweet

Soft Cacao Chip Cookies

• 1 TBS Chia Seeds / 1 egg

• 1/2 C Sifted Cacao Powder

• 1 1/4 C Almond Meal/ Almond Flour / GF Flour

• 3/4 tsp Baking Powder

• 3/4 tsp Natural Sea Salt

• 1/2 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste

• 1/2 C Melted Butter / Coconut Oil / Ghee

• 6 Medjool Dates, Pitted, Med Dice

• 1/4 C Cacao Nibs / Dark Chocolate Chips/ 100% Cacao Chips (I found them at Trader Joe’s)

Directions

1. Add 1 TBS chia seeds and 3 TBS water into bowl, set aside, stir a few times while chia sets, allow to gel for 15 minutes. If your dates are dry, soak them in water for 15 minutes or longer, until soft, then pit and dice.

2. In small bowl add all dry ingredients, almond meal, sifted cacao powder, baking powder, salt.

3. In medium size bowl, add melted butter/coconut oil/ghee, gelled chia seeds/egg, dates, vanilla bean paste, and whisk well.

4. Add dry ingredients a spoonful at a time to wet ingredients and repeat until incorporated. Lastly, add cacao chips.

5. Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes. I invite you to put on a favorite podcast, meditate, read, or simply do nothing and enjoy the moment while cookies are chilling.

6. Heat oven to 375. Ball dough into 12 rounds, slightly flatten onto cookie sheet. Bake for 11 minutes for soft cookie, enjoy!

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