Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cake Cookies and A Smoothie!

Happy MONDAY!
Do you ever get an itch to workout?
I get that itch almost every Monday. I think I do because Sunday’s are generally my rest day and I’m just plain lazy. (I’ll get back to the itch in a minute..) I even made a to-do list on Sunday to keep me busy, but it got tossed to the side and we ended up going for a walk and making cookies instead.  Something about not being able to keep two TWO year olds inside for a long period of time, which usually backfires on my to-do list that is usually cleaning anyway..
A walk and cookies it is!

Gluten Free Chocolate chip Cake Cookies.
How is that for a title?

These babies were BIG. They had a soft cakey texture and were worthy of eating along a big glass of milk.
GLUTEN FREE Chocolate Chip Cake Cookies
Yields about 16 cookies
Adapted from here
Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 C. Gluten-Free Flour (I used Bobs Mill)
• 1 tsp. Baking Powder
• 1 tsp. Baking Soda
• 1/4 xanthan gum
• 3/4 C. Apple Sauce
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 C. Firmly packed brown cane sugar
• 2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 2 C. Dairy-Free Chocolate Chips

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees
Combine Dry ingredients in a medium bowl (except chocolate chips, set them aside)
Combine wet ingredients into a large bowl
Slowly add dry ingredients by using your hand mixer at a medium speed, until creamy.
Stir in Chocolate chips.
Drop dough onto greased cookies sheet by rounded tbsp. or two
Bake for 9 minutes. Until Golden Brown

Let stand for about 2 minutes before digging in.

Amazing lightning, I know.. .(hey, it was 9:30 at night)
Going for walks is one of my favorite things to do on Sunday with my family.

We didn’t bring the strollers for the twins and they kept up pretty well! We even took a break on the grass for a bit, which turned into quite the wrestling match.


I just love these two.


By this morning I was ready to work hard,I had the “itch” and let me tell you, I got worked.

Workout with links of each exercise can be found here.
This was a new workout at GPP today, A new challenge, I was ready to push and that I did. This workout put me on the floor, and I feel good about it. I was able to complete the 4th round in 5:56. My goal was to sub six and I barely made it. Burpees and the lunge steps were the worst for me!
I came home and made this blueberry quinoa recovery shake! I changed it just a bit from Tina’s recipe.

In the mix:

• 1/2 frozen banana
• 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
• 1 1/2 C. Silk Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
• 1/3 cup cooked quinoa
• 1 scoop Elite Egg Protein (Smooth Vanilla)
• Handful of Kale
• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed meal

It hit the spot! I’m pretty sure it was 100 degrees by 9am today. This kept me full for hours too! I was able to run errands all afternoon without even thinking about food.. (that never happens… I love food…)
By the time I got home I got the babes down for a nap and settled down with one big salad.

Packed full of veggies, which was glorious in every way.
I have even better news for the day.

I finally got a new PHONE!! No more shards of glass in my thumb/face.. scotch tape or putting people on mute during important conversations! It is an I phone miracle.
Question of the day:
What is your favorite kind of cookie?
How long does it take you to get the workout “itch.”

{Cookie monster}

Its Friday night.. and I'm officially in a cookie coma. I have an obsession with chocolate.. but you knew that.. mainly chocolate shakes, chocolate pudding and of course dark chocolate chips, 

Besides eating them by the handful,  I will admit I have a weakness for making cookies and inhaling them straight from the oven.. is there anything better? Sure, I may be sick later from overdose of chocolate and flour.. but I'm going to bed soon so its alright.. I will just have never ending dreams of me dressed like the cookie monster and double fisting cookies into my mouth.

I bet you want some cookies to. Am I right? C'mon, its Friday night and its never to late to celebrate!

Yay!! cookies!

{Chocolate Chip Cookies}

You will need:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup oat flour (ground rolled oats)
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (plain or vanilla)
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 egg whites 
• 1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 2 cups dark chocolate chips 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

In a medium bowl, stir together flours, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. In a large mixing bowl, add the yogurt and sugar together. Add two egg whites, then the milk. Stir in the flour mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips. 

mix well

Try to resist the urge to just eat the dough by the spoonful, because we all know we are as guilty as the next person when it comes to eating raw cookie dough.

Shape into round balls and place on a non-stick cookie sheet.

oh, dough balls, drooooool...

Bake 12-14 minutes or until browned around the edges. 


Again, resist the urge to eat them too soon to avoid scalding your tongue with chocolate. But 2 minutes should do the trick..


Then when they have cooled and you know you ate to many...  stack them up.. and pour some milk to dunk them in because that just makes them that much better. 

One serving size is equal to the height of your glass of milk.. right?..

But then you realize that you ate to much dough and you only have enough cookies to fill one plate in which your actually supposed to bring two to a party later.. 

Don't turn your back for one second.. These cookies cannot be unguarded.... 

the cookie monster- "me like cookies mommy!"

Yes, that just happened.. At least I know she is learning something from watching me.. cookies anyone?