A Guiltless Pleasure: Choco-Walnut Cookies

I've got a chocolate hangover and I'm blissfully content. Who'd have thought that three basic ingredients could produce such delicious delirium?

Toasted walnuts + egg whites + cocoa = delicious delirum 

Walnuts: A great source of omega-3's, manganese, copper and protein, they promote brain function and bone health.
Egg Whites: A good source of vitamins and minerals such as zinc, calcium and potassium.

Cocoa: Rich in antioxidants, it triggers the brain's production of natural opiates and helps cardiovascular health.

Mix them together with a little sweetener and a pinch of other healthful ingredients -- chia seeds,  ground flax seeds, cinnamon - and you've got a decandent, satisfying treat.

I couldn't stop at one. But there's no guilt here because of all the beneficial ingredients.

Choco-Walnut Cookies with Mighty Macaroons

Gluten Free Choco Walnut cookies

2 1/2 cups toasted walnuts

4 egg whites

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup sugar/ maple syrup

1 Tablespoon vanilla 

pinch salt (optional)

pinch cinnamon (optional)

1 teaspoon chia seeds (optional)

1 teaspoon ground flax seeds (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, mix together cocoa and sugar.

Add vanilla, eggs whites and optional ingredients, stirring just enough to moisten everything.  

Stir in toasted walnuts. 

Drop a tablespoon full of batter onto the baking sheet. Bake for about 9 - 12 minutes. I like my cookies gooey, so I let them bake for just 9 minutes, just until the outsides are firm.   

Store in an air-tight container to keep them moist. The cookies freeze very well.

My new guiltless pleasure