Saturday, June 13, 2009

Paleo Cookies - U asked for it!!


1st I gotta warn ya - it's hard not to be a glutton with these darn things. I came across this recipe last summer and enough people have asked about them (even my Mother!) that i figured I would go ahead and post it and just give credit where credit is due. I think i came across these at this site first http://crossfit-dover.com I would warn you against adding the protein powder (U can buy EGG protein powder BTW - not exactly delectable) that is mentioned as an option in the recipe at that site. I tried it - ack-pooeey! I'd put a chicken breast between two of these cookies before I do that again! I found apple juice sweetened cranberries at Whole Foods for this batch. I tried fresh blueberries too (instead of the cranberries) but the cookies go a little flatter so space them apart real good and don't burn them. In general i'd say dried fruit works best. Apricots would be yummy!

A note about honey and glycemic index... Honey runs between 61-64 compared to table sugar at 65-69. Agave, which probably would be an awesome substitute in this recipe, is just 15-19 - but it's expensive. Of course, this is all about keeping your blood sugar within orbit. I have to tell you though, I swear i ate a good 6 of these cookies tonight and i feel fine. I'm actually really sensitive these days, so it makes me wonder. Perhaps it's because so much protein and fat is also being ingested. I'm a true believer in experiment over propaganda and i just didn't get slammed by all that honey. So try the agave if you want, but i'm not going to lose any sleep over it. http://lifewiththegylcemicindexdiet.wordpress.com/agave-nectar/

.. and now i'm gonna rant about berries for a sec. If you're not chowing berries every day, U should be clubbed. Why? They probably most closely resemble true paleolithic food. Here's some science for ya. Fiber slows digestion down which naturally lowers the glycemic load of foods (remember, we want a steady burn - generally). More than one book i've read, pushes low carbs but they even allow you to substract fiber grams from the carb grams when figuring your allocation. So let's take a look at 2 cups blackberries - 15 gms of fiber! (28 g carbs) Let's see, that's 5 pieces of whole wheat toast! Blackberries even beat out broccoli BTW when it comes to amount of fiber per gram of carbs (broccoli is 4 g fiber per 10 g carb). Currently, I am eating 1-2 cups of berries every day as part of my 5 block breakfast. Most fruit seems to be about 1 g fiber per 10 gm carb. Blackberries and Raspberries stand way above other fruits (other berries even) when it comes to fiber so if you see a good price on them (like I did today at Costco), take them home and chow.

Here's that cookie recipe - but first - this is your chance to buy a food processor and have it pay dividends. Almond flour is super expensive for some reason (especially in Boulder). Raw almonds, ounce for ounce, are easily 1/3 the price around here - that's if you buy them in bulk at Costco in 3 lb bags.

**Paleo Cookies**
4 cups ground almonds (in the food processor if you can)
2 cups ground walnuts (Food Processor or DIY at Health Food Store - i did use a Braun coffee grinder once - messy)
2 cups heated raw organic honey (mixes easier that way)
1 cup chopped dry fruit (cranberries/raisins)
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix the dry stuff first, then add the honey. I like to refrigerate it at this point for about an hour so that it's easier to roll balls but it's not critical. Space them out quite a bit on a greased cookie sheet - these cookies do kinda go flat. Parchment paper really helps - use it if you got it because these suckers are stickyeeee! Bake at 15-20 minutes at 350. Really start checking after 15 minutes - cook them too much and you've got dog treats (trust me on this one). On the other hand, cook them just right and they do some frikin vanishing act - even with just me in the house!

Cheers! Steve "Paleo"

30 comments:

  1. Dude, I love your recipes! I've been trying out the cookies and muffin recipes. Success!!! Thank you as well for the excellent additional information, e.g. berries, tips on cooking the food and so on. You've made eating Paleo all the most enjoyable. And your writing style makes for a fun read too ... I always look forward to new posts.

    All the best :)
    Vivian Sobarzo
    Crossfit Santa Cruz Central (Soquel)

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  2. You're very welcome! CSCC - I worked out there once with Shari Keener - say hi if you see her. Nice place, fun trainers....

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  3. Hi Steve! I just found your blog yesterday and promptly made the cookie....FABULOUS!! I have been a crossfitter for 2 1/2 years, a zoner for 1 year and recently trying to be more paleo (50-75%) I am looking forward to trying some receipes!! Thanks so much!

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  4. Forgot to leave my name in previous post.
    Amy
    Crossfit Bismarck

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  5. steve, This recipe is going around all my CrossFit Friends in Scotland. Via Facebook. It was fun to say I knew you

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  6. Awesome recipes...we'll have to work on something like this. Email us your address and we'll send you a couple of our Paleo Treats. Thanks for helping to get the word out about such a healthy diet.
    Cheers,
    Nik Hawks
    www.paleotreats.com

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  7. I made these with agave...if you roll them into balls they don't flatten. hmmm. sprinkled some cacao nibs in a few--turned out pretty good. They are quite crumbly though. Tastes a little more like soft granola or oatmeal. Any suggestions? I didn't think the agave would be that much different than the honey.

    Angie
    Bayou City Crossfit, Houston TX

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  8. Hi Angie - agave should work fine. I think i've done that before. The cookies do taste a little like soft granola. Shouldn't be crumbly though. Are the nuts ground fine enough?? I've been adding cacao nibs to my cookies too - LUV that stuff!

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  9. That might be it....couldn't find ground walnuts so I bashed the crap out of some whole ones until they were as close to ground as I could get. Thanks for the recipes.... I was getting into a paleo rut!

    Angie

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  10. "...so I bashed the crap out of some whole ones.." - like any good cavewoman would do! :D I used a coffee grinder in a pinch once....

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  11. Jennifer Woodmansee - AIC Crossfit, LovelandFebruary 18, 2010 at 7:43 AM

    Just made these cookies...FABULOUS! I used agave in place of honey and they turned out great. Brought them to work today and all these non-Paleo folks asked for the recipe. Thanks for helping me cure my sweet tooth!

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  12. Just came across your blog through a 'paleo zone' google search and am SOOOO Happy to find a 'cookie' recipe with NO COCONUT! YAY!!! (Love it in oil, milk and water form, but don't like the coconut flesh. I know, I'm weird, I've learned to live with it. :)

    I made something similar from mark's daily apple but the fact that these are cooked will help them stay together and I can send them on the road with my hubby. Thanks for sharing it!!!

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  13. You are welcome Lady Rois! Believe me, these cookies hold together! Enjoy....

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  14. I stumbled on to your cookies yesterday, made them last night, and I will be making more very soon. I only had one cup of honey, so I used agave nectar for the other cup and they turned out great. Everyone loves them, even the grain-eaters at my office want the recipe.

    -Josh
    CrossFit Confluence, Pittsburgh

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  15. I'm making these now - and are they ever a hit with my husband and son. Thanks for the recipe! :0) I added an extra 1/2 cup of ground walnuts and 1/2 cup of ground almonds and they were not sticky at all nor did they go flat - in fact I ended up flattening them a bit before baking - and wow! do they ever look great! ...and taste wonderful! Thanks again!

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  16. I'm looking for paleo recipes without any honey. I'm going to try grinding dates in my food processor and making your cookies with a combination of that and applesauce. If anyone has any strict paleo recipes that do not use honey, agave syrup, etc. I'd sure love to see them. Working on a flourless brownie recipe too. I think a combination of cocoa powder (unsweetened of course) eggs, grated zucchini, nuts and dates ought to be a chewy substitute. I hope some paleontologist finds proof of caveman use of grains (and soon!). LOL

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  17. Dates really work well for holding stuff together and adding sweetness. Please let us know how that goes AND the flourless brownies. :)

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  18. PS - look at my 2nd to last post - coconut butter bars. They resemble brownies, use dates, don't use agave or honey..

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  19. looking forward to making these later this week! about how many cookies does the recipe yield?

    katie
    quad city crossfit, davenport, ia

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  20. You need a "topics index" (the "show labels" gadget in blogger) so people can find specifics. like your muffin recipe. where is it? Also, when you have a minute, would you please explain to me how you got your blog to stretch across the entire screen? thanks!!MommyD

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  21. Done MommyD! I've been meaning to do that. I've got NO idea about your second question! Sorry.

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  22. If I used agave, would it be the same ratio? 2 cups? I'm not a baker or cook for that matter and I have NO IDEA how to make subsitutions! But this looks great! I've been craving cookies, Paleo style :)!

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  23. Most would say to use a little less agave - probably 1 3/4 cups... enjoy!

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  24. I used agave, about 1 3/4 cups which worked out great. I did add some more ground nuts as needed to get it to the correct consistency. These cookies were amazing! I am not sure which is better, the batter or the baked cookies!

    Kelley
    CrossFit Wachusett

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  25. I made some of these badboys today and they were excellent! Thank you!

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  26. I made these with everything halved, and using dried apricots. They were so popular that they've all been eaten in less than a day! and by non-paleo people especially because they can tolerate the sugar better!

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  27. Sounds great & I love your writing style/tone! Not boring where I just scroll to the recipe and not think twice. :) I'm a Paleo newbie and so far I'm discovering that other "cave people" are generally happy, as opposed to other people talking/writing about their diet plans & fitness routines. I'm not surprised though, because this seems like second nature! I guess it really is! lol

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  28. Just made my first batch.. You are an evil evil man ;-)

    Somebody save me from these cookies *grin*

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  29. Any chance anyone can covert the measurements to UK Grams for me? I really want to try these but dont want to use the wrong amounts and mess it up!!!
    Thanks
    Clare :-)

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