Health kick...chocolate chip spelt cookies...

Ok, so post Christmas I generally tend to feel like a giant walking pudding! I know I have eaten way too much turkey and ham, my had has slipped into the Roses box to the point that I believe it has a will of its' own and I can't kid myself that I am just shaving bits off the Christmas cake...hell I'm slicing off chunks...then February hits and you tell yourself that a few chocolate biscuits here and there to maintain the sugar high will be easy to lose and before you know it, March smacks you in the face and your skinny jeans don't make it past your ankles. EVERYTHING feels a little too snug and the misery begins to really sink in that you only have a couple of months before the (so called) summer hits. Of course, with summer comes the bikini...the bane of every woman who has every struggled with their weight! However, if the truth is indeed meant to be out there, I'm adding one more. I like sweet things...actually no, I LOVE sweet things. I bow down to the comfort, satisfaction and sheer joy they bring. I could never give them up. NEVER. EVER. Anyone who has managed to live their life and restrict the wonder of chocolate in all its forms...you idiots! You have deprived yourself of one of the greatest foodstuffs the world has ever known. Ok, so now we have the fact that I am a chocoholic down...we get to the next point. What does one want to do when one needs to desperately have chocolate in their lives AND squeeze into the official uniform of summer? Get creative! Hence, introducing spelt chocolate chip and almond cookies. I am intrigued by spelt flour and its benefits. So much so that I decided the best way to get to grips with it was to buy a bag and see what could be done. To my surprise, the flour producers made it very easy by listing some recipes on the back. They were for bread, bread, bread and cookies....HELLO! The recipe couldn't have been simpler. The batter took about 5 minutes to get together. Now, of course, the recipe on the flour bag didn't call for almonds and chocolate chips. However, they sounded insanely healthy with just the cinnamon that I had to make an über healthy version and a sneaky little chocolate fix version. Surprisingly both were good. Sneaky little chocolate version won simply because it contained the worlds greatest foodstuff...of course. Über healthy version was also satisfying, sweet and had a good kick from the cinnamon. The wholemeal spelt flour gives quite a nutty taste and texture to the cookie, but it's good, filling and satisfying. I would recommend anyone trying to stay away from the baddies in the biccie jar to try these. After all they are gluten and dairy free but yet still taste like you are having something naughty. Also, when you make them be sure to press them down with a fork to flatten them out. They don't spread much during baking and if you don't flatten them then you are left with nice little mounds!

coconut spelt and wholewheat loaf cake

ok, this was a serious venture into the unknown. an experiment into true healthiness. i have had next to no experience with spelt flour and pretty limited experience with wholewheat flour so this really was a journey into virgin territory. my friend who's kitchen i have been commandeering requested a healthy alternative to my loaf cake and who am i to refuse, i mean after all i am using their oven, mixer, sieve and spatula!

so i stuck to the usual loaf cake recipe with some alterations - instead of self-raising and plain flour, i worked with spelt and wholewheat. added some baking powder. then replaced sugar with agave syrup and added freshly grated coconut and vanilla powder (i never even knew there was such a thing!) and the end result...a lovely looking loaf cake! taste-wise this was very interesting. the texture was slightly crumbly and i think next time i would add more agave syrup because it could also have been a little sweeter. it was still moist and had a slight chewy consistency with the presence of the coconut. the spelt flour adds a very particular taste but it all comes together and when you know that it is a healthier alternative, you enjoy it even more. it certainly encourages me to experiment more with healthier flours and sugar alternatives and make some of those ever-so-fattening cupcakes a tad more gentle on the waistline!

the recipe...

250 g soft unsalted butter

5 Tbsp agave syrup

3 large eggs

200 g wholewheat flour

100g spelt flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp vanilla powder

150g fresh grated coconut

4 tablespoons milk

loaf tin

cream the butter, adding the syrup when it’s really soft, and creaming both together till pale and smooth and light.

sift together the flours and baking powder.
beat in the eggs one at a time, folding in a spoonful of the flour after each addition, then add the vanilla.
fold in the rest of the flour and finally add the coconut.
thin the batter with the milk - you’re after a soft, dropping consistency - and pour into the waiting greased tin.
pop it in the oven, and cook for 45 mins, or until a cake-tester comes out clean.

leave to cool on a wire rack in its tin, unmould and devour shamelessly - this time you can because it is more healthy!

i'm entering this for the culinarty original recipe round-up so check out the event if you have a favourite original recipe!