Thursday, September 30, 2010

Chocolate Cherry Almond Meal Cookies

Please excuse my absence! Josh’s parents have been in town since Saturday and we have been busy spending good quality time with them. How has your week been treating you? Mine has been very nice- a little bit of work, a lotta bit of play and the usual teaching. I also was able to bake up a new to me treat this week. I saw Pam post about these Chocolate Cherry Cookies and knew I must try making them (since Josh’s Mom had just brought me my first bag of Almond Meal from Trader Joe’s):

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I assembled my ingredients and got to work:

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Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup almond meal
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 2/3 cup dried cherries
  • 2/3 cup flour
  • 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
  • 1 large egg white
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Desired quantity chocolate chips

Directions:

  • Pre-Heat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Place everything in a bowl and mix well (it will look like there is not enough moisture at first).
  • Using a cookie scoop, scoop mix out onto a cookie sheet. Bake for ~16 minutes (if larger cookies) until bottom is slightly brown.
  • Enjoy!

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I have a tendency to go overboard with chocolate chips….

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Last night, we enjoyed our last meal out with Josh’s parents. We went to one of our favorite Italian spots in Charleston, Mercato.  Josh’s parents:

almond meal 009

Me & the Man:

 almond meal 010

And we hit up Fresh Berry afterwards :). I got Vanilla with double cherries and kiwi, fantastic:

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And since I missed Workout Wednesday:

  • Monday: Taught Body Pump & Step
  • Tuesday:  Taught Body Attack
  • Wednesday:  Off
  • Thursday:  Run outside
  • Friday:  Teach Body Pump
  • Saturday:  10K road race
  • Sunday:  Off

Have you baked up anything new lately? Please share links :) Have a good rest of the work week.

37 comments:

Lindsay @ http://pancakesnpajamas.blogspot.com/ said...

Yay for almond meal flour! I love cherry chocolate anything and of course now my tummy is growling. So happy your week involved more play than work. XOXO

Jenna said...

Yum! These looks wonderful. I've never heard of almond meal flour, I'll have to pick some up!

I baked up the peanut butter banana bread from the latest Cooking Light. So good! http://www.thefoodieinthecity.com/?p=4882

CaSaundraLeigh said...

Sounds like you and your family have been having a great time--that's awesome! Chocolate and cherry are always a good go-together combo. Your cookie creations always make me hungry! :-)

Beth @ DiningAndDishing said...

Spending time with family is a totally valid excuse to miss a few days of blogging! Glad you've been enjoying your time together :).

I recently baked Paula Dean's Low Country cookies. They were about the least healthy things EVER but tasted like pecan pie and therefore delish :).

Anonymous said...

On Sunday I baked Cooking Lights Fudgy Brownies from the latest edition. They were really good - but I like a more "chewy" brownie - not so cake-like. Just my opinion. :) http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=2012802

Christina said...

mmm cherry in cookies is a wonderful thing! i want cookies now!

Angharad said...

You and your fancy flours! Those look delicious. My newest recipe of late is the plantain and macadamia nut bread I made - total fresh take on banana bread, I love it!
http://www.eating-for-england.com/plantain-macademia-nut-bread/

Michelle @ Find Your Balance said...

Ha, I don't think you'll ever see me posting about a visit with my in-laws! Those cookies look and sound great - and chocolate chips are meant to be added generously :-)

Julie said...

almond meal! i've always wondered what that's all about! what does it really do to recipes? i bet it would be super delicious to coat fish or chicken in :) mmmmmm i might have to pick up a bag of that next time!

glad you had such a wonderful time with the in-laws! they need to come visit more often so you can get your tjs goods haha

Heather said...

It's never a bad thing to go overboard with chocolate chips - the more the better!

Sounds like your family time has been great. I'm sure your in-laws love all your baking goodness!! :)

I haven't baked much lately - we've been playing with our food dehydrator too much....

AllieNic said...

I love Trader Joe's almond meal! I use it in the place of flour pretty much all the time!

Have you ever tried coconut flour?

Anonymous said...

Hey thanks for the shout-out and your cookies look so yummy!...love all the chips too!..he he!

Glad you are able to spend so much family time together!

This is another good recipe:

http://rawfoodinspirations.blogspot.com/2010/09/vegan-strawberry-shortcake.html

Enjoy!

xo

Paige (Running Around Normal) said...

I've never tried almond meal either! But what you baked looks great! The choc. chips esp :)
You guys both look very nice at dinner!!

Stacey said...

You two look so cute. I just got some almond meal and was debating what to make with it. Now I have a recipe.

Corey @ The Runner's Cookie said...

I didn't know TJ's sold almond meal! Seems like a great thing to put in cookies. I think a batch of cookies is on my to-do list this weekend! Glad you had fun with family :)

Veggies, Cake & Cocktails said...

The last thing I baked was Butterscotch Bread pudding. I haven't posted about it yet because I still need to make a couple tweaks to get it right.

Anonymous said...

There's not such thing as going overboard on chocolate chips. YUM!

Natalie said...

mmm almond meal? i need to look for that at Trader Joe's!

I've been crazy baking lately but some posts are still to come (like the gingersnaps and the caramel apple nut bars...be on the lookout ;))

This POM banana bread was delish though (http://www.thesweetslife.com/2010/09/pomegranate-banana-bread.html)

tam said...

Dear god those are little chunks of cookie heaven no?! x x

Averie @ Averie Cooks said...

I havent baked up anything that ive blogged about but today i just did...will post about it in a few days.

The cookies look awesome and that TJ's almond flour was/is a staple in my kitchen. Last year around this time, i was making everything from "girl scout thin mint" cookie fudge to Vegan GF pancakes to Vegan GF Peanut Butter Banana bread with that flour.

All on my site under my recipes tab
http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/p/recipes.html

only left a link b/c you said it's ok :)

Have fun/good luck on the race this weekend!

The braz blowout..omg you'd love it. You're right i think we have similar hair textures/types and i bet you'd loooooove it !
:)

lee said...

I made pumpkin muffins. They were good, but not link-worthy.

Have a great weekend! Good luck in your 10k.

fittingbackin said...

That is a WONDERFUL tendency to have!! hehe Cute pics of you guys with Josh's family - of COURSE you had fro yo - you keep that place in business, love it! :)

I never really bake. I need to get more into it!

Lauren said...

Sounds like you've been having a wonderful week with the in-laws. The cookies look amazing and I can imagine the almond meal was a perfect touch. :)

Enjoy the rest of your week. Tomorrow is FRIDAY!! :)

megan @ whatmegansmaking said...

I've never baked with almond meal before. It sounds interesting!

My whole blog consists of things I baked recently... :) but my new favorites are the chai cupcakes I just posted!

Megan D said...

I've always wondered about almond meal! The cookes look great.. you can never have enough choco chips!!

BroccoliHut said...

Yay Fresh Berry! I eat there so much that I have a frequent diners' card :)

Jenn said...

I've never tried almond meal before but your recipe looks good and easy to make. Your workout schedule looks a lot like mine...

Last thing I baked (or experimented on)..was double chocolate chip biscottis. Didn't get to post it because it didn't last that long...so I agree...one can never have too much Choc chips!

Eden said...

your cookie look delicious! I just baked an oatmeal stuffed squash thingy on my blog. an experiment, but a tasty one!

Stephanie @cookinfanatic said...

Girl you are a baking machine! Chocolate plus cherries sounds like heaven! Happy Friday to you guys :)

dining furniture said...

I envy those people who can bake. I am so frustrated that I can't.

Miz said...

hmmm baked anything?

alas no.

COOKED UP SOME GREAT HAREBRAINED IDEAS IN MY HEAD?

for sure :)

Krista said...

The cookies sounds great and there's no such thing as too many chocolate chips!! :)

Samantha Angela @ Bikini Birthday said...

Last time I baked cookies was a LONG time ago. I made biscotti:

http://gamereviewwiki.com/bikinibirthday/2010/08/06/twice-baked/

Yum Yucky said...

almond cookies are fantastic! I can only imagine what this pimped out version takes like. ((burp))

Bridget said...

Ooo I just threw out some old Almond meal...bummer. I'll have to put that on the list for TJ's!
The flavor combo sounds awesome!
Have a great 10k!!!!

lynn said...

i've never had almond meal before but that recipe sounds like a great way to use it!

Hollie @ lolzthatswim said...

I have never tried Almond Mill but your recipe looks so good, I'm going to have to pick some up. :)