This vegan baking hobby has taken a mind of its own. Stemming from the sheer laziness of avoiding the supermarket, this habit was only supposed to last until I ran out of ingredients, but then I decided to see exactly how far I could take the dairy-free resources that I kept magically finding in my kitchen.
Goji berries, a long-kept health secret in China, are gaining steady momentum in the US and are one of the richest sources of antioxidants around. When dried, they’re a chewy, tasty snack akin to raisins, and when paired with dark chocolate, you can’t possibly feel bad about eating dessert. Dark chocolate is often recommended as the sweet snack of choice, having enough health benefits to quell feelings of sugar guilt. It’s known to help lower blood pressure (and subsequently heart attack and stroke risk), control blood sugar, and is the sweet least likely to give you cavities. Plus, dark chocolate contains a chemical that increases endorphin release, so that happy, satisfied feeling you get when you’re chowing down is not just a figment of your imagination.
This recipe makes 12 cookies. If you somehow managed not to eat all of them immediately, you can store them in the fridge for at least a week.
INGREDIENTS
3/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. white sugar
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 c. applesauce
1 1/2 c. quick oats
heaping 1/2 c. goji berries
1/2 c. dark chocolate chunks or chips
preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Sift flour, baking soda, salt, and ginger into a small bowl. Set aside.
- In another bowl, combine sugars, oil, vanilla and applesauce. Add flour mixture and stir well. Mix in oats, berries and chocolate. Spoon onto greased baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes, until cookie edges have browned and crisped. (They will still be soft in the middle). Transfer to a baking sheet to cool, and serve warm. Store any leftover cookies in the fridge.
