Cowpea Ginger Chews

These spicy, soft and chewy cookies are crowned with raw sugar and are perfect for the lunchbox - you certainly can't tell there's anything healthy about them!

'Tis the season for all things baked and spicy! Since I'm always on the lookout for unique, healthy and overall delicious cookie recipes to fill my gift baskets in December, I was excited to try remaking an old bean-based cookie of mine for the festive season. I have a handful of gingerbread fanatics on my gifting list, so in addition to Chestnut Gingerbread Cookies, gingerbread syrup and biscotti I'm adding these soft, chewy and ever so slightly cakey drop cookies to the mix. These are laden with flavour not only from ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon, but a nuttiness from barley flour and pureed black eyed peas.

Now black eyed peas (also called cowpeas) are a bit of a divisive food around here - at least when they're in a savoury application. I happen to love their nutty, buttery flavour and soft texture, particularly when pureed into a dip or roasted. However, my mom is strictly against this type of legume when she can taste it distinctly - pureed and baked, though, she's willfully blind. The application of a spicy, soft cookie is the perfect foil for the beans, as it allows them to impart a subtle taste without screaming "BEANS HERE!". They passed the "kid test" at school with flying colours too - definitely cookie platter material.


Cowpea Ginger Chews
Makes 32 two-bite cookies
¼ cups cooked black eyed peas (or white beans), drained and rinsed
1 cup barley or whole wheat pastry flour
1 tbsp ground ginger
½ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ cup quick oats
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp molasses
¼ cup canola oil
1 tbsp vanilla
½ tsp salt
¾ tsp baking soda
1 tsp vinegar
Raw sugar for pressing

1. Heat oven to 350F and line baking sheets with parchment.
2. In a food processor, puree all the ingredients (except raw sugar) until a dough forms.Scoop onto cookie sheets, spacing fairly close together (they don’t spread).
3. Using a damp glass dipped in the raw sugar, flatten each cookie to a disk.
4. Bake 20 minutes, until firm.
5. Cool completely before serving.

• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 69.0

• Total Fat: 1.9 g
• Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
• Sodium: 40.2 mg
• Total Carbs: 12.6 g
• Dietary Fiber: 1.3 g
• Protein: 0.8 g