Eat cookies to lose weight and reduce inflammation… No, seriously! (The BEST Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe)
We’re all about health and helping you reach your wellness goals, but we’re realists. We all want a treat every now and then. We get this question all the time: “What do I eat if I crave chocolate chip cookies?” The answer is simple… Eat a chocolate chip cookie! Even when you’re looking to reduce inflammation, trying to lose weight, or trying to eat clean and healthy. This healthy chocolate chip cookie recipe is your new favorite (healthy) treat! It’s gluten free, vegan/vegetarian, and 100% Nutrifitx Approved.
Now, while we do believe in balance, we also believe that if a healthy food is just as good as the unhealthy original, going for the healthy version is always a better choice. This healthy chocolate chip cookie recipe is actually beneficial to your body in so many ways:
- Anti-inflammatory ingredients help restore balance to the body, and, in some cases, can relieve swelling and pain
- Healthy omega fats in body-loving ratios benefit the brain, skin, and hormones
- A lower calorie, higher quality alternative means you can eat 2-3 cookies and feel satisfied without sabotaging your health and weight loss goals
Why are chocolate chip cookies bad for you?
So, we all know that traditional cookies and baked goods are one of the farthest things from healthy… but do you know why? Traditional chocolate chip cookies contain inflammatory, unhealthy ingredients such as:
- All purpose flour. All purpose flour is your typical white flour. While it’s delicious in so many applications, there are many reasons you’d want to cut this from your regular, healthy diet. All purpose flour is refined meaning that (1) it’s not anywhere close to it’s natural state and (2) your body reacts to refined carbs in the same way that it does sugar. Refined flours are low in fiber and nutrients, which has a negative impact on your blood sugar. Foods like refined carbohydrates cause you to be insulin insensitive, meaning it becomes harder for you to lose weight, maintain a healthy weight, and maintain your healthy lifestyle overall. Insulin resistance (or being insulin insensitive) is a precursor to diabetes.
- Granulated sugar. Granulated sugar is the same. It is what is known as a “free sugar” which has the same impact on your blood sugar and insulin sensitivity as all purpose flour. It’s also low in fiber and nutrients, and many people refer to this as an “empty calorie.” A simple way to think of empty calories is that they contain a lot of things that are harmful for your body and very few (if any) things that are beneficial to your body.
- Unhealthy oils. Most cookies are made with vegetable oils, Crisco, butter, and things of the like. Now, while we do agree that butter in moderation is actually healthy for your body, cookies often contain a stick or more in the recipe. That’s overdoing it. Other common oils you find in baked goods aren’t generally Nutrifitx Approved, and are something we recommend staying away from. They are high in cholesterol, saturated fats, and sometimes even trans fats.
Combine all of those together, and you can easily see why chocolate chip cookies are so bad for you.
They induce a lot of harm on your body. And, just by the nature of high sugar, high fat foods, the more we eat the more we crave. So while one cookie may not do much damage to your diet or your overall health, eating 5 (or maybe even more) absolutely does. Plus, if you’re dieting, it’s nearly impossible to eat just 1-2 chocolate chip cookies without overdoing it, because dieting literally starves your body and deteriorates your metabolism. Once you begin eating, your body doesn’t want you to stop. You can see the cycle!
So are we saying you should NEVER eat chocolate chip cookies again? Absolutely NOT!
The Nutrifitx System teaches balance and intuitive eating. We are always down for a cookie or two, but it’s all about balancing that with a healthy lifestyle. On the Nutrifitx System, you shouldn’t find yourself starving or craving foods, because we teach you how to work your favorite foods into your diet on a regular basis.
But does that mean you can eat traditional chocolate chip cookies every day? Not necessarily…
This healthy chocolate chip cookie recipe is 100% Nutrifitx Approved!
The healthiest cookies you can eat are Nutrifitx Approved cookies. Nutrifitx Approved cookies are usually homemade with clean, simple, whole foods ingredients and that benefit your body and are anti-inflammatory.
Here’s how we eat this healthy chocolate chip cookie recipe every week without sabotaging our health and weight:
- We replaced refined all purpose flour with whole food almond flour. A good almond flour is simply finely ground almonds. Almonds are high in omega-3 fats (anti-inflammatory, amazing for the brain good for skin, etc.), high in fiber, and high in protein – not to mention all the micronutrients they contain. This has an opposite effect on your blood sugar and insulin sensitivity than refined grains.
- We replaced harmful oils with a light tasting, heart healthy olive oil. Again, olive oil has those same beneficial omega-3 fats, plus it has lots of antioxidants and body-loving compounds.
- We added ground flax seeds that are high in fiber and healthy fats, great for your joints and ligaments, contain protein and antioxidants, and so much more! On top of it all they’re virtually undetectable, meaning your friends and family will love these healthy chocolate chip cookies too!
- We replaced refined sugar with maple syrup. Recent studies have shown that not only is maple syrup anti-inflammatory, high in antioxidants, and an amazing substitute to refined sugars in most applications, but it also contains a compound called Isoquebecol that actually blocks inflammation.
Plus, we use minimal ingredients to make the recipe as simple as possible. This healthy chocolate chip cookie recipe is amazing for your health – we keep them on hand to enjoy every week!
So, next time you’re craving a cookie, have one! But, not just any cookie… Have a healthy chocolate chip cookie. They’re ooey, gooey, and melt in your mouth, just like that sweet treat we all love. Enjoy!
NUTRIFITX MEMBERS’ SCALE
Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Delicous, healthy chocolate chip cookies perfect for enjoying with coffee, for a guilt-free treat, or a midnight snack!
Ingredients
- 2 c Almond Flour
- 2 Tbsp Ground Flax Seeds
- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/4 tsp Pink Himalayan Salt
- 1 1/2 Tbsp Light Tasting Olive Oil
- 1/4 c Maple Syrup
- 2 Tbsp Almond Milk
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 c Nutrifitx Approved Chocolate Chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 (F) and line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine flour, salt, and baking soda. Whisk until well combined.
- Add olive oil, maple syrup, almond milk, and vanilla extract. Stir until combined completely.
- Add chocolate chips, and stir until evenly distributed.
- Separate dough into 10 evenly sized balls, and place on parchment paper (evenly distributed). Flatten balls into rounds about 1/2 inch thick.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes on convection or 10-15 minutes without convection.
- Remove from oven and cool for at least 3 minutes before eating. *This is important! Don't skip the cooling 🙂
- Enjoy!
Notes
This recipe is VEGAN, VEGETARIAN, & GLUTEN FREE. Check all ingredient brands (especially chocolate chips and their ingredients) to ensure they are Nutrifitx Approved and fit your eating preferences.
May omit flax seeds if desired - but we highly recommend them for nutrition and texture purposes.
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Nutrition Information
Yield 20 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 65Total Fat 4.5gSaturated Fat 1.3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1.15gCholesterol 0mgCarbohydrates 6.3gFiber 0.8gSugar 4.9gProtein 0.7g
Nutrition may vary due to substitutions in ingredients or variations in brands used.
