Nourishingmeals.com is one of my favorite go-to sites for healthy recipes that are not only creative, but allow those that are gluten or dairy intolerant to enjoy foods that are normally made with ingredients such as flour.  These are very good.  Don’t be scared off by the number of ingredients!  Once you accumulate all the necessary items, you can make these over and over again.  They are delicious!

• ½ cup packed pitted medjool dates (about 6 to 8 dates)
• ¼ cup hot water
• ¼ cup virgin coconut oil
• ¼ cup honey
• ¼ cup ground flax seeds
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup almond butter
• 1 cup quinoa flakes
• ½ cup almond meal flour (Bob’s Red Mill)
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ to ½ cup mini chocolate chips (or cacao nibs)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a large cookie sheet with coconut oil.

Place the pitted dates and water in a blender and let them soak for about 5 minutes. Then add the coconut oil and honey. Blend until very smooth, about a minute.

Transfer date-oil mixture to a medium-sized mixing bowl (scooping out every last bit) and add ground flax seeds and vanilla; beat on high with an electric mixture until combined. Add almond butter and beat again.

Sprinkle the quinoa flakes, almond meal, baking soda, and salt over the almond butter mixture, beat again until well combined.

Drop dough by the large spoonful onto the greased cookie sheet. Lightly press each cookie down with the palm of your hand. Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove gently with a thin spatula and transfer to a wire rack to cool. The cookies will be slightly fragile when hot but will hold together very well after about 5 minutes of cooling. Enjoy with a glass of fresh, raw almond milk! Source: www.NourishingMeals.com

Notes: Quinoa Flakes are made from organic quinoa that is steam-rolled into a quick cooking quinoa flake.  You can also use dairy free chocolate chips.