A handful of stevia-sweetened chocolate chips will do the trick, providing that chocolate flavor that you crave without a bunch of sugar. Add some to a blended protein shake, mix into a bowl of oatmeal, or add to grain-free mini muffins.

Ah yes, any day that starts with chocolate is a day that’s bound to be great 🙂

These mini muffins use cooked quinoa in place of traditional flours along with some of those stevia-sweetened chocolate chips. It adds wonderful protein, fiber, complex carbs and a nice texture. Making a big batch of quinoa on the weekend to keep in the fridge makes it quick and easy to use cooked quinoa in your cooking all week long.

And enjoy a bite of chocolate as a healthy start to your day!

Courtesy of RealHealthyRecipes.com

Servings: 48

Here’s what you need

• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 1 cup blanched almond flour
• ½ cup arrowroot starch
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 egg
• ½ cup coconut palm sugar
• 1 (15.66 oz) can coconut milk, canned and full-fat
• ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup lily’s chocolate chips (stevia sweetened)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line 48 mini muffin tins with paper liners.
2. Combine the quinoa, almond flour, arrowroot starch, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
3. Combine the egg, coconut sugar, coconut milk, melted coconut oil and vanilla in an- other bowl. Mix well and add the dry ingredients. Mix until fully combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. Pour 1 Tablespoon of batter into each of the 48 mini muffin tins.
4. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden and set. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Transfer out of muffin pan and cool on wire rack.

Nutritional Analysis

One serving equals: 57 calories, 2g fat, 7g carbohydrate, 1g sugar, 28mg sodium, 3g fiber, and 4g protein.

Yes, it is possible to make cookies that are wholesome, filled with low-glycemic sweetness, and in line with our fitness lifestyle. These Quinoa Chocolate Chip Cookies are a great example of a recipe that takes healthy ingredients to create a sweet taste that’s guilt-free and just as enjoyable as traditional cookies.

What makes these cookies healthier than Mrs. Fields?

• It’s gluten free: I used a combination of the cooked quinoa and blanched almond flour rather than traditional white grain flour.
• It’s free of cane sugar and low glycemic: No refined cane sugar in these sweet morsels, just some unrefined coconut sugar. You may also sub out some of the coconut sugar for a bit of liquid stevia if you’d like to lower the sugar grams even more.
• The chocolate is stevia-sweetened: To keep our sugars in check even more I’ve used Lily’s chocolate chips which are sweetened with stevia and contain zero cane sugar.
• The serving size: Using 1 heaping teaspoon of dough will get you 48 petite cookies, which make portion control easy. You can enjoy a little cookie without taking in too many calories!

Courtesy of RealHealthyRecipes.com

Servings: 48

Here’s what you need

• 1 cup coconut palm sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ⅓ cup palm shortening
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup coconut oil, softened but not melted
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups blanched almond flour
• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 1 (9 oz) bag Lily’s chocolate chips (stevia sweetened)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl beat the coconut oil and the shortening on high for 30 seconds. Add the coconut sugar, baking soda and salt. Beat on medium for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed. Add in the egg and vanilla. Beat in the almond flour and quinoa. Stir in the chocolate chips.
3. Drop the dough by teaspoons 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Transfer the parchment paper onto a wire rack to cool. Enjoy!

Nutritional Analysis

One cookie equals: 108 calories, 7g fat, 11g carbohydrate, 3g sugar, 79mg sodium, 2g fiber, and 2g protein.