Sounds like a mouthful doesn't it? Actually, they're Chocolate Chip- Omega 3 -Oatmeal Raisin -Walnut- Cookies. I made these for a family who drove 1.5+ hours just to come to my father's and my art show this month at Mulberry Art Studios in Lancaster, PA. (Check out www.rebeccallawrence.com). A little bit of whole wheat flour, a little bit of hemp oil, and a little bit of walnut oil and natural sugars help make this cookie a tad bit more nutritious than the standard oatmeal cookie. They're not low in sugar or fat.    

As a vegetarian I've been encouraged by my doctor to increase my consumption of omega 3s. Now I'm sure my doctor wouldn't approve of the butter, sugar, and chocolate in these cookies, but switching the oils is a good start. It may be for you as well. In salad dressings and in baking, I have now replaced the standard canola vegetable oil with a wide variety of nut oils. I store my almond, walnut, hemp, and flax oils in my refrigerator. Store oils away from light, and keep them in opaque containers. These oils also add an additional boost of omega 3s. There are standard vegetable oils that are 'enriched' with omega 3s, but why not replace those with a less refined oil that naturally contain omega 3s? 

Chocolate Chip Omega 3 Oatmeal Cookies
Makes 3 dozen

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup sucanat sugar
1/4 cup demerera sugar
1/2 cup vegan vegetable shortening or organic butter, softened
1/8 cup hemp oil
1/8 cup walnut oil
2 eggs or 1/2 cup egg beaters or vegan egg substitute
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 packet of vanilla sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 1/4 cup rolled oats
1 3.5oz bar of lindt bittersweet chocolate, chopped into tiny chip size pieces
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Demerera sugar for rolling, if desired

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Beat butter, sugars, and oil together in a mixing bowl until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix together. Don't worry about the smell of the hemp oil as you are mixing your batter. It will disappear in baking and you won't be able to taste it. In a separate bowl sift together flours, baking powder and sea salt. Gradually add the dry mixture into the wet and mix well. Stir in the chocolate, oats, raisins and walnuts. If the batter is too wet, add more oats.

Drop batter in rounded spoonfuls on a cookie sheet. Keep them at a uniform size and leave about 2"+ between each mound. They will spread during baking. If desired, roll the mounds into raw sugar for an extra crunch before you drop them onto your sheet. I baked half of my cookies rolled in demerara sugar, half without. Bake cookies approximately 10-13 mins or until edges are golden.  I baked two sheets at a time and rotate my cookie sheets halfway through for even baking. Let the cookies cool briefly on the cookie sheet before transferring them to a cooling rack. Enjoy warm and soft or cool and crispy.

I love figs. Black Mission, Calmyrna, organic, local, fresh or dried. If you incorporate very little dairy in your diet as I do, seeds, nuts, dark leafy green vegetables, and dried fruit are your sources for calcium. Figs are high in calcium (8% RDA in 3 dried black mission figs).You're also more likely to have a well stocked pantry containing nuts and dried fruit which makes this recipe adapted from Moosewood perfect to make on a whim.

This recipe is adapted from Moosewood's Cooking For Health published in 2009. If you have read previous posts, you have learned I'm a big advocate of this cookbook. They provide nutritional information, analysis of various sugars, and recipes for those on vegan, raw, and vegetarian diets for all occasions. I replaced half of the dried apricots with dried figs, added a little bit of ground anise, and rolled the mixture in a variety of ground nuts, in addition to their recommendation of toasted coconut. 

Fruit and Nut Truffles
Adapted from Moosewood Cooking for Health, page 314

1 cup pitted dates
1/2 cup unsulfured dried apricots
1/2 cup dried black mission figs, stems removed
1/2 cup currants
1 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground anise
1 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup ground toasted walnuts
1/2 cup ground toasted almonds
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons bittersweet cocoa powder  (darker variety, not Hershey's unsweetened cocoa powder)
2 tablespoons of sifted confectioner's sugar

Coatings (pictured):
toasted unsweetened shredded coconut
toasted ground hazelnuts
toasted ground pistachios
plain, shredded coconut


Combine dried fruit and 1 cup of water in a small to medium saucepan. Cook for about 10 minutes over medium heat until fruit is soft. Drain, reserve liquid. Make a puree in the food processor until a thick paste forms and add reserved liquid if you need it. I didn't need to add additional liquid.

In a medium mixing bowl combine spices, lemon zest, orange zest, lemon juice, cocoa powder, confectioner's sugar, walnuts, and almonds. Stir to combine. Add fruit puree and combine well. If the mixture is too moist to form into balls, refrigerate for 15 to 30 mins.

Place toppings into individual small bowls while mixture is cooling. Roll the mixture into bite size balls, about 1/2" to 3/4" in diameter. The approximate yield is about 40. Roll into desired coating. Place on a tray or container, cover, and refrigerate until you want to serve them. Lay a sheet of parchment paper between layers if you stack them. Flavor improves over time. Moosewood authors say they'll last for 3 weeks in the refrigerator.

If you make them according to the Moosewood recipe, their truffles (at a yield of 36) are 48 calories per piece, 1 gram of fiber, 2 grams of fat.  Although these truffles can never replace the divine dark chocolate Lindt truffles, they may fulfill your chocolate craving with a little less guilt.