Cookie science

Technically I should avoid butter. But I don't. At all. Butter's trace amounts of lactose do, however, affect some people and with my recent reading about inflammation (one of the main reasons I'm avoiding a long list of foods - the allergic reaction causes inflammation, which leads to other problems) I've decided to forgo butter, where possible. I guess I'll get used to it, like I did with wheat (I no longer dream about Alvarado Street Bakery bread, with plump, chewy, whole grains). I attempted to use a butter substitute, specifically Spectrum Naturals Spread, and while I think it works in baking, it will never grace my rye toast.

I added a few spices; lemony coriander, fragrant nutmeg and, for a bit of spice, ground pepper. This recipe also uses chickpea flour, which adds to the protein content and makes this a more 'well-rounded' treat, if there is such a thing...

These cookies are soft and a little bit chewy, with crunch from the hazelnuts and more chewiness from the ginger.

Hazelnut & Ginger Cookies
Makes 12

1 3/4 cup wholemeal spelt flour
1/4 cup chickpea flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup agave nectar
1/2 cup 'spread' (any natural, non-hydrogenated spread)
1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts (chunky, not too fine)
1/4 sliced crystallized ginger
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
few grindings of black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

- With a mixer, beat spread and agave nectar together until combined (don't overmix).
- Sift together all dry ingredients.
- Add half at a time and combine.
- Add hazelnuts and ginger and quickly combine.
- Roll dough in plastic wrap, into a log, and refrigerate until oven has reached temperature.
- Once oven is at right temp, slice cookies (just under 1/2 inch) and place on greased cookie sheet.
- Bake 25 - 20 minutes, until light golden (bottoms will brown more quickly).

Note: my sister gave me a different cookie recipe utilizing rice bran oil (she also lives in New Zealand and that oil is fairly common there, not so much in the US) as the lipid. She said the cookies came out crispy and delicious - that'll be my next cookie experiment.