Yoga Cookies
Adapted from recipe found in Chole’s Kitchen by Chloe Coscarelli; and online at Love and Flour

Serves: 24ish

Ingredients

• 1 cup + 2 TBSP whole wheat pastry flour (or all purpose flour)
• 2 scoops of your favorite vanilla or non-flavored vegan protein powder (2 scoops should be roughly 1/2 c, minus 2 TBSP. I used a pre-packaged serving size of Vega Sports Protein Powder in Vanilla)*
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup + 2TBSP of unsweetened apple sauce
• ½ cup maple syrup (or agave)
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups rolled oats
• ½ cup shredded coconut, unsweetened (I also tried flaked coconut and much prefer the texture of shredded. The cookie holds together better)
• ½ cup unsweetened craisins
• ½ cup cacao nibs or vegan chocolate chips (I used Taza Cacao nibs, which I purchased on a whim because I LOVE their Chocolate discs)
• ½ cup chopped walnuts

*You want your flour and your protein powder to equal 1 1/2 cups combined. Like I said, I used a pre-packaged Vega Protein pack and when I measured it out, it was just shy of the 1/2 c. mark. Hence, the weird flour measurements

Instructions:

1. Whisk together the flour, protein powder, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl and set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, stir together the apple sauce, syrup, and vanilla.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until combined.
4. Fold in the oats, coconut, craisins, walnuts, and cacao nibs.
5. Scoop 1½ tablespoons of dough, roll into a ball, then gently flatten the dough with the palm of your hand. Place on a baking pan lined with parchment paper.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes until firm and bottoms are golden brown

One of the hardest things I have found when attempting to eat healthy over the past year or so is that sugar and snacks are SO hard to cut out of your diet. I wanted to make these “cookies” as hearty and as healthy as possible while still fooling my brain into thinking it’s snacking. So I did my best to eliminate the extra sugar from this recipe by using unsweetened apple sauce, coconuts and craisin. I also tossed the chocolate chips and used roasted cacao nibs. I will be honest- these definitely aren’t going to replace chocolate for me, they definitely don’t taste like a chocolate chips and they aren’t that great plain. BUT, I found they gave enough of a chocolate hint when cooked into the cookies to fool my brain without over powering the other ingredients. Cooking them into the cookies took away a lot of the bitterness. I want to try the semi-sweet chocolate baking squares next time.

Alright, everyone. I hope you have a fantastic weekend! It’s rainy and gross here in Boston but try and stay positive this weekend. Get out and do something spring-y, meet some awesome new people or, you know, tell someone you love them with an animated poop icon. Whatever puts a smile on your face 🙂