Better-For-You Chocolate Chip Cookies

So how are those New Years resolutions going for you?  The first thing I ate in 2012 was an ooey, gooey, butter-and-sugar-laden cinnamon roll.  I ate it with gusto and joie de vivre, as that cinnamon roll represented my commitment not to take myself too seriously this year, to enjoy the moment, to toss aside my tendency to be overzealous about January 1 health regimens and well-intentioned promises to myself that always end up being too heavy for me to bear in my oh-too-real life.

But I don't eat cinnamon rolls everyday.

In my constant quest to incorporate more whole food, more real food, less supermarket pre-packaged food into my family's diet, I treated myself to the cookbook Clean Food on the recommendation of my spirit-of-the-prairie friend Jenny, who cooked up some delicious baked root vegetable "fries" from the book for me to seal the deal. Of course, one of the first things I make from the book are the chocolate chip cookies.  My sweet tooth dictated me. I had no choice in the matter.

To call these "cookies" is a bit of a misnomer.  They are more like baked granola bites.  The dough is sticky and difficult to work with (using the side of the mixing bowl to shape the dough balls helped), but I had to post these because the level of sweetness is perfect.  I also appreciate all the whole foods goodness packed in each little bite: oats, walnuts, coconut, all sweetened with maple syrup.  On the nutrition index, it's still not a bowl of kale, but since I choose not to go through life deprived of cookies, the least I can do is be a little more well-intentioned about it.

Better-For-You Chocolate Chip Cookies
From Clean Food, expect a sticky dough and cookies that remind you more of gorp than Toll-House, but the crunchy granola gal in me loved these. Makes two dozen.  

2 c. rolled oats
1 c. all-purpose flour or brown rice flour
3/4 c. shredded unsweetened coconut
1 Tbls. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. sea salt
3/4 c. maple syrup
1/2 c. canola oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. chopped toasted walnuts
1/2 c. chocolate chips (or more to taste)

In large bowl, combine oats, flour, coconut, cinnamon and salt.  In separate bowl, whisk together syrup, oil and vanilla.  Pour wet ingredients into dry and stir until evenly combined. Fold in walnuts and chocolate chips. Prss dogh into equal-size balls, place onto parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 15 mins or until lightly browned.