I’ve been doing a lot of reading on ‘caveman’ diets over the past few months. There’s the Paleo Diet, the Primal Diet and even NeanderThin. The common theme among these diets is the idea that primal man didn’t eat grains, refined sugars or legumes. As a result his insulin levels were consistently low, and his body was naturally lean.
While I’m not adhering to this diet strictly, I have severely cut back on grains, refined sugar and legumes and have increased my intake of protein. Over the past 8 weeks I’ve experienced a noticeable drop in body fat without exercising any more than usual.
This recipe is my take on a caveman’s chocolate chunk cookies. Yes, the chocolate does have some sugar in it (a paleo no-no) but it has a high percentage of cocoa (72%) which makes it bittersweet, and lower in sugar than regular chocolate chips.
These cookies are made with almond flour and crammed with macadamia nuts, making them high in fat. If you’re still a fat-phobic (I certainly was in the 90’s!) it’s time to put down your fears and embrace healthy fats. Fat keeps you full for a long, long time. One of these little cookies will energize your entire afternoon.
I’ll walk you through the recipe in this video. Never mind how my kids are stuffing their faces with cookie dough in the background!
4 cups Almond Meal
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup coconut oil
¼ cup raw honey
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups Macadamia Nuts, roasted, unsalted, chopped, or pulsed in food processor
2 (5 oz) bars 72% Cocoa Baking Chocolates
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with wax paper.
In a large bowl combine the almond meal, baking soda and salt. Mix well.
Over low heat, in small saucepan, gently melt coconut oil and honey. Add to bowl. Add eggs and mix well. Add vanilla and almond extracts. Add macadamia nuts and chocolate. Mix until fully incorporated.
Shape dough into golf ball-sized balls, then flatten onto pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden. Allow to cool before removing from pan.
Calories: 186
Fat: 14g
Carbohydrates: 7g
Sodium: 81mg
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 4g
Sugar: —