Chocolate-y Good!

I have a weakness for chocolate. I love it. I crave it. I EAT it. And even though I lost 20 pounds last year and have kept all 20 pounds OFF ... I NEED chocolate! About a year ago, Mr. Jones found a really good recipe on the internet for something called a "double chocolate chip breakfast cookie." A breakfast cookie?! I thought he was joking ... but if you know anything at all about Mr. Jones, you would know that he really really likes desserts ... AND isn't at all above eating a piece of pie for breakfast! What's extra nice about this recipe is that it does have some really healthy ingredients in it ... honest!
Double Chocolate Breakfast Cookies ~ Makes 36 servings
Prep time: 25 minutes

I N G R E D I E N T S
In a large mixing bowl, cream together ~
1/2 Cup of olive oil
1 Cup brown sugar
1 Egg
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon of almond extract (optional)
1/4 Cup PLUS 2 tablespoons of skim milk

In a separate bowl, mix ~
1-1/2 Cups of whole grain flour
1/2 Cup of wheat bran
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 Cup unsweetened cocoa
1 Cup dark chocolate chips
1 Cup chopped walnuts

D I R E C T I O N S:
(1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Have greased cookie sheet ready.
(2) Cream together oil, brown sugar, egg, extracts and milk
(3) Blend in the rest of the ingredients except the chocolate chips and nuts
(4) Add chocolate chips and nuts last
(5) Drop generous teaspoons full about 2 inches apart on the prepared greased cookie sheet.
(6) Bake at 350 degrees for about 9.5 minutes ... not longer than 10!

Cool on a wire rack and then store in an air-tight container, with wax paper separating each layer of cookies (to prevent them all sticking together)

T I P S :

(1) This cookie dough is kind of sticky/gooey/icky/thick ... but as the cookies bake, they do spread out, so don't place them too closely together on the tray ... and remember to GREASE each tray.
(2) DO NOT OVERBAKE these cookies! Our recipe calls for 10-12 minutes, but I take them out at about 9.5 minutes. If I bake them longer, they tend to be too dry. Remove them right away from the cookie tray. They will appear to be very soft and almost NOT done ... but they are! They firm up as they cool.
(3) You can find wheat bran in most grocery stores in the regular baking aisle ... but if you can't find it, be sure to ask a worker for help.

(4) These are especially delicious when fresh out of the oven ... mmm ... warm, with a half glass of milk. But I actually have one every morning after breakfast with the remainder of the milk from my cereal bowl.

N U T R I E N T S :
Protein 2g
Carbohydrate, by difference 14 g
Total dietary fiber 2g
Calcium 15 mg
Iron 1 mg
Cholesterol 0 mg
Fatty acids, total saturated 1g
Total sugars 3g

These cookies have been great for me ~ I limit myself to TWO per day ~ they satisfy my craving for chocolate, plus they have the added fibre benefit which keeps my somewhat delicate digestive system very regular! We have tried this recipe out with the Rauch and the Jones grandchildren. They liked them and ate them right up, not even realizing these cookies were somewhat healthy to eat! Try it, I think you will like it!