Gluten Free Protein Power Cookies

I don't know about you, but at about 5PM on Wednesdays I hit my weekly "wall". You know it too - that point where you simply start "existing" day to day just to get a few moments of downtime on the weekend away from the bustle of work meetings, bills to pay, files to send and generally draining weekday stuff. My colleagues, by and large, hit the same wall around this time of the week too - especially near the end of term where the last place anybody (child or adult) wants to be is inside and tempers and stress levels run high. Needless to say, by the time I crash through the door after work (usually about 6PM) I'm grumpy and tired. When I was in college, you could add "ravenous" to that list too - but thankfully I've begun planning ahead and packing "car snacks" like fruit, veggie sticks and these nutrient-rich cookies so that now when I come home I no longer feel the need to reach for the first thing I find in the fridge. The second thing, maybe (kidding, but I do go for a snack right before I get home to stave off pre-dinner nibbles).

So, whether you're a busy teacher, a cramming student, the 5AM gym rat I used to be, a busy parent shuttling the kids to dance-soccer-piano-karate or simply someone needing a sweet, nutritious protein and energy boost mid afternoon, these slightly crispy, slightly chewy chocolate chunk cookies fit the bill! Using ground TVP adds a boost of fibre, protein and iron as well as a toasty, nutty flavour and extra binding power (see below for alternates), while the golden syrup adds a touch of chew and the chocolate chunks add sheer decadence. As a bonus, they're gluten free - and easy to modify for dairy and egg allergies too by swapping the butter for coconut oil or Earth Balance and the egg for 2 tbsp extra flaxseed meal or Homemade Egg Replacer.

Shared with Gluten Free Fridays and Waste Not Want Not Wednesday

Gluten Free Protein Power Cookies
Makes 30
¼ cup softened, salted butter
¼ cup non-hydrogenated shortening
¾ cup brown sugar
⅔ cup sugar
1 egg
¼ cup unsweetened soy milk
1 tbsp golden syrup or dark corn syrup
1 tbsp vanilla
8 oz sorghum flour
7 oz Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP) granules, ground into a floury meal (or kinako / toasted soy flour, see below)
2 tbsp ground flax seed
1 tsp guar gum
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp nutmeg
½ tbsp Kosher salt
9 oz chopped gluten free chocolate (I used Enjoy Life chocolate chunks)

1. In a bowl, beat the butter, shortening, sugars, egg, milk, golden syrup & vanilla until creamy.
2. Add the flour, TVP “flour”, flax seed, guar gum, baking soda, nutmeg and salt, beating well.
3. Fold in the chocolate until well combined.
4. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
5. Heat the oven to 350°F and line a cookie sheet with parchment.
6. Drop tablespoons of dough onto the sheets, flattening slightly with damp fingers.
7. Bake, 1 sheet at a time, for 10-11 minutes.
8. Cool on the sheets.

Note: If you can't find TVP (or don't have a food processor to grind it to flour), look for kinako (toasted soy flour) in an Asian grocery. Alternatively, you can use half low-fat soy flour and half ground nuts (like almonds or hazelnuts).

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 166.4
Total Fat: 6.7 g
Cholesterol: 10.3 mg
Sodium: 74.9 mg
Total Carbs: 24.7 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.7 g
Protein: 5.2 g