Sesame Nut Cookies

For those faithful readers of 28 Cooks, you know that I'm not a huge dessert person. I'm not a big fan of pies, cakes, or pastries. If I were to be tempted by something, it would definitely be freshly baked cookies. My 2 favorite cookies are Snickerdoodles and Oatmeal Raisin, and I think I just found my third.

This recipe is based on one that came from Dr. Weil's email newsletters. It's a perfect cookie, with enough flavor and sweetness where you feel like you're eating dessert, yet is still loaded with plenty of healthy things, like heart-healthy olive oil, some silken tofu, flax seed meal, and raw nuts. (And for those tofu-phobes, I promise you can't eve taste it and will forget it's even there) I also love this recipe because it doesn't make 47 dozen cookies, and will literally take 10 minutes to make the dough, and 10 minutes to bake.

These would be the perfect cookie for an afternoon tea party, or when you get that sweet craving about 2:00pm at work. Either way, enjoy these!



Sesame Nut Cookies
Yield - 2 dozen cookies

3/4 c unbleached white flour
1/2 c whole wheat flour
1/4 c flax seed meal
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 c toasted sesame seeds
3/4 c raw cashews, diced (or any nut)
4 oz silken tofu
1/2 c olive oil
3/4 c light brown sugar
2 tsp almond extract

Preheat oven to 350. Combine all dry ingredients, from flour to cashews, in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, mash tofu with remaining ingredients. With a spatula, add the wet ingredients into dry, and combine well. Roll dough into 1" balls, and flatten with hands. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. (Cookies do not spread much during baking, so feel free to place fairly close together) Place into preheated oven, and bake 10 minutes, until edges and bottom start to brown. Remove from oven, and cool on a wire cooling rack.