It's Thursday

And last night my best friend Diane came to visit before she leaves me for South Africa! What the crap? Who buys a one way ticket to SOUTH AFRICA? Actually, I'm super jealous but I'm going to miss her like crazy. Plus, this is the coolest and most spontaneous thing she's probably ever done. 

Here's my point: due to my sadness, we ended up at NY Deli and as you can see, D had a good night and I don't drink too much anymore so after two $3 margaritas I was good to go (notice the top left corner.) LOL she's gonna be so mad I put this picture up!

Can we focus on the food in that picture for a second? Joe's Inn. Yup. I try not to question the fact that the sausage and homefries at Joe's are always the best, the service never disappoints, and if you go around lunch time you need to get the club sandwich. If you live in Richmond and you haven't been there, you're doing it all wrong.

Ok, back to business. Cookies part 2! I've been searching around for a few months now trying to find a really awesome low-fat chocolate chip cookie recipe. Unfortunately, I was not blessed with the ability that my boyfriend has to eat any and everything and not gain a pound. In lieu of the traditional butter and fat-filled enticing cookies, I FINALLY have a recipe I am in love with! I messed around with the original a few times before finalizing it and so I present to you....

Low-fat (full-fat tasting!) Chocolate Chip Cookies
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup Earth Balance light softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg replacement (I used 1 tbsp Bragg’s apple cider vinegar mixed with 1 tbsp water)
• 2 tbsp REAL maple syrup
• 2 tsp Simply Organic brand vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups Arrowhead Mills brand organic enriched unbleached white flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
• Chocolate chips (I tend to use more than normal...) but avg amount is 3/4 cup

Preheat oven to 325°F.

In a large bowl, mix butter and brown sugar until well combined. Add egg replacement, maple syrup and vanilla and mix until it's smooth.

Add the flour, baking soda and salt to the wet mixture and stir until mostly combined. Add the chocolate chips and stir but only until just blended. The dough is going to be super dry!!!! Don't be thrown off by this, it's okay, I swear.

Use your hands to make spoonful size balls and place them about 2” apart on a previously non-stick sprayed cookie sheet. Use your palm to flatten each one just a bit. Bake for 11 minutes, or just set around the edges but still soft in the middle. Transfer to whatever you have for them to cool.

*If you notice the photo above, these were even MORE delicious sandwiched around ice cream. In particular Stonyfield Brand Organic Creme Caramel!!

After the first two batches being a major success, I decided the next day to make them again just because, I mean, why not? It was all good until I realized I had no more chocolate chips in the pantry!!! And I had already promised my friends over at Absolute Art (shameless promotion -- best tattoo shop in Richmond) that I had cookies comin' their way.

This is what I ended up with. These were cool. I used the same recipe as above just replacing torn apart milky ways and threw in a hell of a lot of M&M's. I was pretty into these ones but guys, you really should just stick with the original chocolate chip style.

You know, the two cups of coffee I drank this morning have me feeling wild. I hope today goes by fast because I really just want to go run a mile or climb a tree or go on a hike or something. Instead I'm stuck at my desk. Happy thursday y'all.