One of my downfalls for trying to stay healthy is how I struggle to get enough protein into my healthy diet
Eating a predominantly pescatarian diet may sound like it’s enough, but it can be a struggle.
So when I saw Matty Edgell’s (Great British Bake Off’s 2023 champion) recipe for high protein chocolate chip cookies, it’s as if my prayers had been answered.
Not to say I have an aversion to ‘healthy’ treats, but sometimes, you just want to enjoy the indulgence of a cookie without thinking about eating well.
But I love cookies, so what could the harm do?
Although the little morsels didn’t look like any cookie I’d ever eaten, that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t taste great.
Instead of a traditional cookie recipe using butter, sugar, flour and all the rest, Matty’s version uses ground almonds, protein powder, peanut butter, agave nectar, as well as almond milk.
However, agave nectar was difficult to hunt down, so I swapped it for maple syrup.
I also opted for oat milk instead of almond as I already had some in my fridge.
You may not need all the milk anyway, as its addition is to help moisten the mixture. I only needed one tablespoon instead of two.
Clearly, I was flustered using protein powder in a recipe for the first time, as I accidentally skipped the step when the cookies needed to set for 20 minutes. Although this didn’t impact the flavour, just the texture.
Instead of ending up with an ooey, gooey, chewy cookie, mine were more on the crumbly side. Again, it didn’t make the cookie unpleasant either.
I think I’ll have to try these again, they were so easy to make and a great alternative for a healthy snack that satisfied my sweet tooth.
High Protein Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 100g ground almonds
- 1 scoop of protein powder
- 100g peanut butter
- 50g agave nectar
- 50g dark chocolate (70%)
- 2 tbsp almond milk
- Pinch of sea salt
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 170C fan.
Place the peanut butter into a small heatproof bowl and place in the microwave for ten to 15 seconds to loosen slightly.
Add the ground almonds, protein powder and salt into a large bowl and mix to combine.
Add the peanut butter and agave nectar and mix until nearly combined.
Chop the chocolates into small chunks, add into the bowl and mixed until all ingredients are fully incorporated. If the cookie dough is dry, add the almond milk
Roll the cookie dough into approximately ten 30g balls and place in the fridge to set for 20 minutes before eating as the perfect post workout snack or bake for seven to ten minutes, or until slightly crisp and golden around the outside of the cookies.
