Primal Recipe: Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are both delicious and truly nutritious, depending upon the cocoa content of your chocolate chips. Most store bought (Trader Joes) are sweetened with evaporated cane juice and are not truly primal. You could create your own chocolate using raw honey, stevia, coconut sugar, maple syrup, etc... I just tend to use 70 to 80% cocoa chips and make the rest of the cookie primal.

Recipe taken from The Unrefined Kitchen: http://www.unrefinedkitchen.com/2011/08/10/almond-butter-dark-chocolate-chip-cookies/

Almond Butter Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies
via The Unrefined Kitchen 

1 cup almond butter
1/3 cup honey (or 1/2 cup if you like it a bit sweeter)
1 egg



1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (look for gluten-free and dairy-free if you are trying to avoid those)
2/3 cup unsweetened coconut (or if you prefer, replace with chopped nuts)

*To make them more chocolatey I added a 1/3 cup of cocoa powder*

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Oil baking sheets or line with parchment paper.
3. Stir together first seven ingredients. Mix well. Make sure honey is fully incorporated.
4. Add chips and coconut.
5. Scoop with a cookie scoop onto cookie sheets. Bake 8-13 minutes or until lightly browned.

Yield: about 20 cookies with a level 2 Tbsp. cookie scoop

Primal Recipe: Green Bean Chips

For those looking for a crunchy treat, with a bit of sweetness to it, these green bean chips can do the trick. There are so many variations of green bean chips, you can season it to fit your taste buds. I am listing a simple recipe below, but would love to hear how others are using this fine primal energy plant.

Recipe:

• 1 lb green beans
• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 1 Tbs sea salt
• 1 Tbs of pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375℉.
2. Wash and chop ends off beans.
3. Place green beans in a ziplock back and mix olive oil, salt and pepper in the bag then mix it up.
4. Toss until coated well and roast for 20 minutes.
5. Check occasionally and toss several times.

Primal Recipe: Okra Chips

These fabulous chips are great if you are craving something salty and crunchy with an airy center. I first learned of these chips after buying them at a local farmers market. The recipe is simple:

1. Take about a pound of Okra and cut the ends
2. Place them in a zip lock bag with approximately a tablespoon of oil (I like either extra virgin olive oil, canola oil, or coconut oil)
3. Sprinkle salt and pepper into the bag
3. Shake the okra so that the oil and other ingredients are mixed over all of the okra pieces
4. Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees
5. Place okra on a baking sheet
6. Cook for 30 minutes (rotate the okra at the 15minute mark)
7. Take out and serve or let cool and save them as a salty treat in lieu of potato chips.

You can also make different tasty variations by changing the seasoning. Suggestions include making them with red pepper and cumin for those of you that like spicy type chips. Garlic salt along with a variety of herbs can be another option. Just replace the salt and pepper with your choice of seasoning. Experiment and share your versions.