Lucky = Choc Chip Chickpea Cookies
This is the kind of day where I needed a happy boost. Like the kind Nelle gives me. Or cookies ...
lucky = hanging out with my darling |
Here I am, sitting in oncology, waiting to see my oncologist (never thought I'd have one of those), waiting to have my half-yearly anti-osteoporosis treatment, waiting for cancer to come back, waiting, waiting, waiting. Oh, it's not so dramatic as that, really. But being here reminds me so much that I had Cancer just 2 years ago. And that I have a pretty decent chance of having it again in my lifetime. And that so many other people are at this moment dealing with the fear and the uncertainty and the guilt and the anger and the sadness. Even gorgeous young women like the girl in pink over there (who has her hair, I note - is she like me? Is she done? Or just starting?).
But I'm one of the lucky ones, right? Not like my friend L. who died 18 months after finding out she had breast cancer, at the age of 29. Or my dear J. who's been having chemotherapy for 2 years now, fighting that thing called prognosis. Sometimes it just hits me - and today's one of those days. I wish I felt luckier right now.
So, shall I put up a recipe? I guess if you've made it this far, you deserve one! Hmm .... I think what we need is another cookie recipe. I mean, what makes a girl feel better than a nice melt in your mouth cookie. With the best chocolate in the world in it ...
I've been experimenting a lot with cookies lately, and this is a goodie. Firstly, I have to point out that it includes a bar of dark Green&Blacks chocolate. Have you had G&B? It's sooo yum. And organic. I usually just chop up a bar of chocolate instead of using choc chips ... the latter often have those suspicious ingredients in them that I strive to avoid. Check out the ingredients sometime, and you might be walking over to the chocolate aisle too!
TIP for you: buy up when G&B goes on sale. I bought 10 bars last time they were halfprice!
But the other special ingredient in these cookies is besan flour - it's chickpea flour, used a lot in Indian and Middle Eastern cuisines. In a cookie it lends extra protein and a deeper flavour. Just don't try the raw dough - it has a weird chickpea taste (that will disappear on cooking).
Here you go ...
lucky = cookies on the deck in the sunshine |
***********
Lucky = Choc Chip Chickpea Cookies
makes 2-3 dozen (depending on how big you make them)
Ingredients
1 c unbleached plain flour
3/4 c besan flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 c chopped raisins
1 x 100 g bar Green&Black dark chocolate, chopped
2 organic eggs
1 c packed unrefined brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 c sunflower oil
1. Preheat the oven to 200C. Line a cookie sheet (or two) with baking paper.
2. Sift the flours and baking soda and cinnamon into a bowl. I do this just because my besan flour and baking soda tend to get lumpy. And since my sieve is then already dirty, I figure why not just sift all the dry ingredients together? Then add the raisins and the chocolate.
3. In a separate (large) bowl, cream the 2 eggs with the sugar. Then add the vanilla and oil and mix until combined.
4. Pour your dry ingredients into your wet ones, and mix gently with a spatula or spoon until everything's combined. But don't overmix.
5. Drop spoonfuls onto your cookie sheet - don't worry, it'll look awful but will spread out into lovely round cookies in the oven.
6. Bake in your preheated oven for 10-12 min, or until the cookies are brown on top. When they're done, take them out of the oven and cool them on the tray for a few minutes, before transferring them to a rack to finish cooling. Store in an airtight jar for up to a week (or however long they last).
lucky = warm cookies in bed. with your favourite cuddler. Can't wait till mine gets home from work ... |
Cost-wise, besan flour isn't too expensive, and if you get your choc bars on sale, you'll be doing great! You know what? Even talking about these cookies has made me feel a bit better, and much luckier. So thanks! I think maybe that's what I like about food (aside from the taste, of course) - it grounds me. Thinking about food - and in particular nutritious, quality food - reminds me that life comes down to simple things.
Hope you find your luck today too,
Amanda xx
oh amanda,
ReplyDeleteyou are so brave and honest. i'm having a cry just now.
good luck.
x
This is my 1st visit to your blog; I found you from the list of Deliciously Organic's inspiring sites. Inspiring you are! My best wishes to you as you struggle with a not-so-good day. I look forward to exploring your website further!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the lovely thoughts! :)
ReplyDeleteHey Amanda,
ReplyDeleteI love this post. You write so well about such an emotional story. It is no wonder you have such a 'lucky' focus on your blog, and I always like to be reminded of how lucky I am as well.
Following you from the BYW forum.
Bec
Thanks Bec! :)
ReplyDeleteIf you could e-mail me with a few suggestions on just how you made your blog look this excellent, I would be grateful.
ReplyDeletethis post is very usefull thx!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the lovely compliments!
ReplyDeleteI've designed my site just like how I write it - to the point, useful, and visually appealing.
Personally, when I go to a new website, I'm attracted by nice photos 1st ... but then what keeps me coming back is how useful and practical the information is - and how straightforward it is to access that information. I don't have a lot of time for browsing!
Hope this helps :)
Amanda
Nice recipe. I love chocolate chip cookies but to add chickpea into them is very intriguing. Will have to try it one day.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, you'll never even know they're there!
ReplyDelete