Chocolate Chip Cookies

The thrill is gone.

Week one of lockdown:  Kinda cool to have Tim working from home.  We got into a nice little routine.  He stayed upstairs working while I was downstairs developing recipes in the kitchen.  We had lunch dates, then returned to work in our respective places, only to meet up again for dinner, which I cooked.   It was working out really well.  I had an in-house, very appreciative taste-tester 24/7, and he got a different menu each night.

Week 436 of lockdown:  Tim is bored looking at the same four walls and has branched out from the upstairs into the kitchen.  Suddenly, I can’t hide the tofu or peas anymore. Suddenly, he is taking an interest in what is on the menu.  Suddenly, I have a kitchen consultant.

“What’s for dinner?” he’ll ask mid-afternoon.

“I was thinking stir-fry”

“Does it have tofu?” he enquires, knowing full-well the answer is yes, because he has had it before.

“Yes, but you like it.”

“No, I don’t. You know I hate tofu.”

“Well, that’s what’s for dinner, so you can pick the tofu out if you don’t like it.”

Sigh.  “Fine, I’ll eat it I guess.  Do we have enough sirracha?”

“On stirfry?”

“It makes it taste better.  Also, what kind of vegetables are you using?  There aren’t any peas, are there?”

“No peas.  Peppers, onions and mushrooms.”

“What kind of mushrooms?  You know I only like white button.”

“Yes.  I know.  That’s what I am using.”

“Remember, I’m not a fan of ginger, so if you are using ginger, don’t put so much in so that I can taste it.”

“Don’t worry.  I’m pretty sure the buckets of hot sauce that you dump on top will cover the taste of everything.”

I cannot wait for this to be over.

The one thing he did really enjoy test tasting though was the chocolate chip cookies.  He bravely struggled through three different batches before I found the taste and consistency I wanted.  And not once did he ask if there was tofu or peas in it.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup almond flower
• 1 cup brown rice flower
• 1/2 cup millet
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cups of butter (softened)
• 3/4 cups monkfruit
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 chia “egg” (1 Tablespoon chia seeds plus 3 Tablespoons water: combine and soak for 10 minutes)
• 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1  1/2 cups chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 (Good time to make the chia egg too)
2. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the almond flour, brown rice flower, millet, baking powder and baking soda.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the butter, monkfruit, maple syrup, vanilla and “egg” until creamy.
4. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, stirring till combined.  Fold in the chocolate chips.
5. Drop the batter by the spoonful (I use a small cookie scooper; the balls are a little bit smaller than a golf ball) onto a baking sheet.  Bake for 8 minutes or till golden.  Remove from oven and allow to cool before moving them to a cooling rack to finish cooling.  Makes 4-5 dozen.

Enjoy!