Chickpea Cookie Dough!

As you know, I love cookies. 

A lot. 

But it's difficult to eat cookies when you are trying to live a healthy lifestyle.  Don't get me wrong, I do still eat cookies, but if there's a healthy alternative out there that still tastes yummy, I'm ready to try it.

I've previously tried Almond Butter Cookies and Chewy Mocha Brownie Cookies and Dessert Nachos.  All were relatively successful and, if you're going to eat dessert, these are great alternatives to the unhealthier counterparts.  So I'm always willing to try a new dessert and when Pinterest led me to this Healthy Cookie Dough, I knew I had to try. 

This recipe comes from a girl who calls herself "Chocolate-Covered Kate" which I think is French for "we should really be friends since we both seem to like healthy-versions of desserts."  Call me, Kate.

Anyway, when I saw this recipe it literally had my name on it.  I mean, my name is Julie Chickpea.  And I love cookies.  Match made in heaven.  Sorry MJ.

So Kate lists out ingredients that you should use, but in true Julie Chickpea style, I only used what I had. Which is how I think all recipes should work. If you don't have it in your fridge/pantry, forget it. It will still taste good.

So here's what Kate said to use:

• 1 1/2 cups chickpeas or white beans (1 can, drained)
• 1/8 tsp plus 1/16 tsp salt
• tiny bit over 1/8 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup nut butter (You can get away with using only 3 tbsp. If you use peanut butter, it’ll have a slight “pb cookie dough” taste)
• up to 1/4 cup milk of choice, only if needed
• Sweetener (anywhere from 2/3 cup of brown sugar to 2 or 3 packets of sweetener, liquid sweetener, etc.)
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips
• 2 to 3 tbsp oats

Then you put it all except for the chocolate chips in a food processor (NOT A BLENDER) and then add the chips and eat it.  She gives a lot of good suggestions for dippers also. 

But here's what I really used:

• However many chickpeas we had left from our Can Salad dinner.  Probably about half the can.
• 1/8 salt
• No baking soda.  Didn't have it, and I wasn't going to buy it to add "a tiny bit over 1/8 of a teaspoon."  Sorry, Kate.
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup almond butter (because it was more fluid and therefore easier to stir than peanut butter)
• 1/4 cup fat free milk
• Note: this made it very thin.  I would probably not add milk next time.  However, after leaving the dough sitting in the fridge overnight, the mixer thickened and there's no problem anymore.
• 1 tablespoon Stevia
• a handful of 65% cocoa chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons oats

Now the problem is that we don't own a food processor or any type of electric mixer, except for a blender.... but my BFF Kate says absolutely no way should you use a blender.  MJ was also using the blender to make himself a smoothie. So I made the executive decision to to smash the chickpeas by hand/fork and stir in the rest of the ingredients using an old fashion bowl and spoon.  Grandma Chickpea would totally approve.

I think the results came out great, considering I was making it up as I went and opted not to use any technology in the mixing.  MJ and I ate this by the spoonful as a light, quick snack/dessert.  Almost like licking the spatula when Momma Chickpea bakes for me, minus the risk of salmonella.  It doesn't taste exactly like cookie dough but it definitely doesn't taste anything like chickpeas.  We have a ton left, but when this runs out I'd definitely be willing to try it again.  Maybe I'd use a food processor next time.  Maybe.

Thanks Kate.  I love you.  So call me, maybe.

Chickpea Cookie Dough!

***UPDATE***: http://chickpeasandcottagecheese.blogspot.com/2012/06/chickpea-cookie-dough-update.html