Nutty

A few weeks ago, one of my favorite surgeons and a fellow pre-diabetic ordered me some peanut flour. Peanut flour is a GREAT flour substitute - it is gluten free, high in protein and low calories. Today, I decided to put it to the test.

I wanted to start slow, it case something went horribly wrong. I picked Martha's Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies. I made some fairly major substitutions to make it good for my blood sugar and my body... and it worked out! I liked the peanut and chocolate taste together and they were really light and cakey. My first experience with peanut flour was a success.

Recipe and instructions (from Martha Stewart and all substitutions by ME!):

These cookies are crispy at the edges, chewy in the center, and loaded with two kinds of chocolate. Feel free to add 2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans to the dough.

• Prep Time 10 minutes
• Total Time 45 minutes, plus chilling
• Yield Makes 24

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled) - I substituted 1.5 cups peanut flour and 1.5 cups whole wheat flour - as both of these are dryer than white flour, I figured this would be enough
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder - I substituted with baking soda and creme of tarter
• 2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature - I substituted one cup of stick vegetable margarine and one cup of olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar - I substituted 1 cup agave syrup, as this is sweeter than sugar this was enough
• 1 cup granulated sugar - I substituted 1 cup of Splenda
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups milk chocolate chips
• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped - I omitted this, because I didn't want anything too chocolatey this time around

Directions

1. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
   
2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars on medium-high until light and fluffy, 6 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low and beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in vanilla. Mix in flour mixture just until incorporated; fold in chocolate chips and chunks.
   
3. Using a 1/4-cup ice-cream scoop or a large spoon, drop dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet (you should have 24) and refrigerate 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Arrange 6 unbaked cookies, 3 inches apart, on each of two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until edges are light golden brown, 17 to 18 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool. Bake remaining dough using new parchment.