Chocolate Chip Cookies CAN be part of a healthy diet!!! Join fun host Christine Pullera during the noon hour on NBC 11 ALIVE’s Atlanta and Co on Friday, August 4th! Christine and I will talk about 5 easy things that you can do to any cookie recipe that will make them better-for-you.

1. Substitute Whole Wheat Pastry Flour for All Purpose Flour (You can find it in many Grocery Stores)
2. Add in Almond Meal for 1/3 of your Flour (more Protein)
3. Cut Your Sugar by ¼ – no one will even notice and use raw sugar or brown sugar
4. Toast Your Nuts! (Toasting Nuts adds more flavor – you can use fewer)
5. Make Your Own Chips or Chunks – use a 3 or 4 OZ Chocolate Bar( at least 70% Cocoa Solids and is NOT Dutch processed or processed with alkali, processing removes anti-oxidents) and chip it up yourself

YUMMY and Better-for-YOU Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1 Cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
• 3/4 Cup Almond Meal
• ½ Tsp Baking Soda
• ½ Tsp Fine Sea Salt
• ¼ Cup Unsalted Butter
• ¼ Cup Canola or Grapeseed Oil
• 1/3 Cup Turbinado or Raw Sugar
• 1/3 Cup Brown Sugar
• 1 Large Egg
• 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 Cup Chocolate Chunks (at least 70% Cocoa Solids)

Step One

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line two baking sheets or sheet pans with parchment or spray with nonstick spray or oil.

Step Two

Whisk together the almond meal, flour, baking soda and sea salt in a medium bowl.

Step Three

Beat the butter until fluffy in a large bowl. Add oil, sugars, egg and vanilla to bowl and beat until smooth. Add in the bowl with dry ingredients and beat on low speed until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chunks.

Step Four

Drop the dough by heaping teaspoonful onto the prepared pans, leaving about an inch between the cookies. Bake for about 15 minutes until firm around the edges and golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

Thanks to photographer and food stylist Kristina Limoges for the glamour shot!