Guilt-Free Chocolate Date Quinoa Cookies

Need a delicious treat without all of the guilt? This gluten-free, date-sweetened recipe offers a fun way to use leftover cooked quinoa and makes tender, cakelike cookies—with no added sugar.

Notes and modifications:

• For a vegan recipe:
  • Substitute virgin coconut oil for the butter.
  • To replace eggs, place 2 Tbs. ground flaxseed in a small bowl with 3 Tbs. boiling water, stir to combine, and let stand 10 minutes before using.

• If making gluten-free cookies: You can also substitute 1.5 cups of your favorite GF flour blend for the dry ingredients.
  • If your GF flour blend does NOT contain them, add 3/4 teaspoon xanthan or guar gum, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1 tsp. baking powder, and 1/2 tsp. sea salt.

• For those who eat wheat, 1½ cups of whole-wheat pastry flour can replace the brown rice flour, potato starch, tapioca flour, and xanthan or guar gum.

Ingredients:

16 medjool dates (pitted)
½ cup (1 stick) butter (room temperature)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups cooked quinoa
2 eggs

DRY INGREDIENTS:

1 cup brown rice flour
1/3 cup potato starch
3 Tbs. tapioca flour
¾ tsp. xanthan or guar gum
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. sea salt
1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

1. If dates are dry, cover with boiling water and let stand 10 minutes to soften. Drain; chop coarsely.
2. Cream together dates and butter. Add vanilla, quinoa, and eggs; mix thoroughly.
3. In a separate bowl, combine next seven ingredients (flour through salt) and mix well. Fold dry ingredients into date mixture until combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Chill dough 30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 375°. Roll dough into 1½-inch balls and flatten slightly between palms to form cookies about ½ inch thick and 2 inches in diameter. Arrange on an ungreased baking sheet and bake 16–18 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack.

PER SERVING: 157 cal, 6g fat (2g mono, 0g poly, 4g sat), 23mg chol, 2g protein, 25g carb, 2g fiber, 110mg sodium

SOURCE: This recipe from Trina Kaufman is posted by permission Delicious Living (and its parent company New Hope Network), a trusted voice in the natural living community for 30 years.