The Heart-Healthiest Chocolate Chip Cookies

I'm always looking for healthier cookie recipes, since I make some every week for Gabriel to take in his lunches. These definitely fit the bill. As an added bonus, they're vegan.

This scrumptious recipe is from The Vegetarian Times February 2009 issue.

2 cups walnuts

3 Tbsp canola oil

1 cup brown sugar (I use sucanat)

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups oat flour (I use whole wheat pastry flour)

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

2 cups rolled oats

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (I use Sunspire vegan choc. chips)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or coat with cooking spray.

2. Blend walnuts in food processor 30 seconds, or until ground into a fine meal. Add canola oil, and blend 2 to 3 minutes more or until mixture has the consistency of natural peanut butter, scraping down the sides of food processor occasionally. Transfer to bowl.

3. Whisk together brown sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan and bring mixture to a boil. Pour brown sugar mixture over ground walnut butter, add vanilla extract, and stir until no lumps remain.

4. Whisk together oat flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in separate bowl. Stir oat flour mixture into walnut mixture. Cool 10 minutes. Fold in oats, then chocolate chips.

5. Shape cookies into 2-inch balls, and place 2-inches apart on prepared baking sheet. Flatten slightly with the palm of your hand. Bake 8-10 minutes or until cookies begin to brown and tops look dry. Cool 3 minutes on baking sheet, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Makes approximately 30 cookies.