Lynn - Smart Cookie: mind-bending vegan gluten-free cookies

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, photocopy, or otherwise without prior, written permission of the copyright owner(s). Application for such permission should be addressed to J. Lynn 52A Kilakila Place, Makawao, HI 96768.

These cookies are better because the ingredients are carefully chosen and brilliantly blended. The oil base of these cookies is virgin coconut oil the health benefits of which have only recently been discovered. Lets see if I can explain a few of them simply Almost all fats are composed of long chain fatty acids and our bodies cannot completely digest long chain fatty acids; the end of the long chain remains undigested and gets stored as fat in our bodies. Since Virgin Coconut Oil has the rare quality of being composed primarily of medium chain fatty acids, which the human body can completely digest, there is no residual fat to be stored. Rather our bodies completely utilized coconut oil to produce energy. In the process, stored fats are recruited for the purpose of this digestion and energy production. Because of these qualities, using virgin coconut oil instead of other oils and fats can help us stay lean and avoid heart disease. According to the Philippine Journal of Cardiology:

The countries consuming the highest amounts of coconut oil the Polynesians, Indonesians, Sri Lankans, Indians, Filipinos have not only low serum cholesterol but also low coronary heart disease rates morbidity and mortality (Volume 31 Number 3:97-104, 2003).

It is important to note here that standard refined coconut oil is not the same as unrefined virgin coconut oil and does not have the same health benefits. You want to look for organic, unrefined, virgin coconut oil. It will be snow white and solid in temperatures under 75 degrees. It turns to an almost-clear syrupy liquid in warmer temperatures. Refined coconut oil, on the other hand, will be light yellow and liquid in all temperatures.

For the sweetener we use Sucanat or Coconut Sugar. Sucanat is an acronym for Sugar Cane Natural. It is the most unrefined form of cane sugar. Sucanat is made by keeping together the two products that typical sugar processing tries to separate - sugar and molasses. The initial pressing of the sugar cane plant contains all of the elements of both sugar and molasses.
Through the standard sugar making process, these two products are separated. All of the nutritional benefits of the sugar cane plant remain with the molasses leaving sugar as empty calories.

In making Sucanat, two key things are accomplished. First, unlike brown sugar where molasses is simply added back to sugar for color, the molasses and sugar are kept together from the beginning of the process. This creates a dry sweetener product with the vitamins, minerals and trace elements of the sugar cane plant and a lower sucrose level than refined white and brown sugar. Second, the crystals that are formed are actually bonded naturally, forming a granule that is easier to blend with the other ingredients and creates a smoother texture in baked goods.

There is nothing wrong with eggs, but they are heavy in calories and cholesterol. Instead of eggs, these recipes use a combination of dates, rice, almond or coconut milk and Golden Flax Meal. Mixing dates and flax meal with the nut milk creates the same emulsifying and bonding effects of eggs without the high calories and cholesterol.

For the flour we use Pamelas Gluten-Free Baking Mix which can be found in most health food markets including Whole Foods. In addition to Pamelas Mix there are several gluten-free options such as Bobs Red Mill Baking Mix and Pillburys GlutenFree Baking Mix. You can also choose a pure flour such as almond flour, rice flour, or coconut flour. We have found Pamelas to be the best at producing light fluffy cookies.

The elegance and simplicity of the Smart Cookie making process is part of the miracle. With practice, these cookie recipes can take less than 10 minutes to make the dough with light clean up. In addition, the cookie dough stores well; you can make a double batch, store it in the fridge, and bake a sheet of cookies when the time is just right.

This quick and easy process requires that you have a large food processor. I use the Cuisine Art Pro Custom 11. It is well worth the investment to get a solid reputable food processor. I have had my Cuisine Art for 15 years, and it is still going strong.