TheEnergy Cookies recipe in Vive le Vegan! is loaded with nuts and seeds so I decided to bake them again for this week's ingredient cooking challenge. (Think I made them before for the barley challenge.) A lot of good stuff happening in these cookies. This time I used flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, peanut butter(to replace the oil), and hemp milk(for the non-dairy milk since I didn't have hemp seeds).

Unlike most energy bars or breakfast treats, this recipe uses no refined sugars, no wheat or bleached flours, no corn syrup and no butter or margarine. The maple and molasses boost the flavor in these, too. Also, glad that this recipe makes a small batch so you could use a toaster oven instead of heating up a big oven. Packed with protein, iron, grain flours, the cookies are guilt-free, filling and a great breakfast- on-the-go or hiking/bicycling/workout snack. There's so much happening in this cookie though that next time I think I'll focus on a few flavors or combinations like peanut butter-carob or carob coconut or oatmeal nut raisin.

If anyone is interested, I found the recipe on this website.

http://veganpeace.com/recipe_pages/recipes/EnergyCookies.htm
Energy Cookies (p. 38)
These treats are full of natural goodness and just enough sweetness to be called cookies.
Pack them in lunches, or take them on outings, hikes or whenever you need an energy pick-me-up!

Ingredients
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp barley flour
1/4 cup spelt flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup hemp seed nuts
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup raisins or other dried fruit, chopped
3-4 tbsp non-dairy chocolate chips or carob chips
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp flax meal
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 tbsp non-dairy milk
1-1 1/2 tsp blackstrap molasses
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 tbsp canola oil
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C). In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients except the flax meal, mixing well. In another bowl, combine the flax meal with the maple syrup and milk, and stir through. Add the molasses, vanilla, and canola oil and stir through. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir through until well combined. Drop spoonfuls of the batter (about 2 tbsp each) on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Flatten a little and bake for 13-14 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 1 minute on sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Makes 10-12 cookies.