Eat Well, Be Well, Live Well

I’m still sticking to the egg-free diet in solidarity with my daughter. It’s been two months, and I admit, it’s been easier than expected. I think the thing I miss most and have to hassle with most often is aioli. I rarely eat sandwiches, but when I do, some sort of aioli, is usually part of it–think pesto, cilantro or roasted red pepper aioli. I also eat French fries infrequently, but when I do, they’re usually sweet potato fries, and I only want to dip them in wasabi aioli.

I also miss all the baked goods I made regularly. I’ve learned it’s tough to give up eggs and be gluten-free or grain-free. All those grain-free treats I made using almond flour instead of regular wheat flour require eggs, and egg replacers only work some of the time.

But my determination to offer my daughter familiar things, has led me to try numerous egg-free recipes, some of which have been disastrous while others have been huge hits. For example, the egg-free pancakes I posted last now stand as her favorite pancakes, and it appears that the previous oatmeal and egg version she loved is all but forgotten. The egg-free waffles I’ve been experimenting with still aren’t ready to share, but I’m starting to wonder if part of the problem is my actual waffle iron, which has to be close to 20 years old.

These cookies definitely make the grade. They boast great flavor, texture and just the right amount of sweetness, and the inside of the cookies stay chewy while the outer edges get crispy–just how we like our cookies to be! I make mine with butter, but you could easily substitute coconut oil for the butter and make completely vegan cookies.

(Adapted from Madhuram’s Eggless Cooking.)

Ingredients

1  cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole-grain spelt flour

1/4 cup flaxmeal

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

1/2 cup (scant) granulated sugar

1/2 cup (scant) brown sugar

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

4- 1/2 teaspoons Ener-G (egg substitute)

6 Tbsp water

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips*

1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped (optional)

*I like to use the Enjoy Life Vegan Chocolate Chips

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375F/190C. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper to fit.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugars and vanilla using an electric mixer.

Put the egg replacer in a small bowl and whisk in the water gradually until thoroughly blended. Add this mixture to the butter mixture and blend until thoroughly combined.

In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

Fold the flour mixture into the wet mixture and stir until just blended. Fold in the chocolate chips and nuts, if using.

Using a tablespoon, drop the dough onto the baking sheet. (The dough can be quite sticky, so I usually use two spoons for this.)

Bake 10 -12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.

Let cool for at least 5 minutes, then enjoy warm or at room temperature. You can store the cookies for several days in an airtight container.

Yields approximately 24 3-inch diameter cookies.

Enjoy!

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