Healthify My Recipe! Choc Chick Cookies...

I may have started The Smallest Carbon Footprint facebook page, but I am in no WAY the most knowledgable of the lot of you! Going organic, earth friendly and healthy is not something that is easy, or that we all know how to do instinctually. We learn from each other, each having something to contribute at one point or another.

I am attempting to create a healthier family, and at the moment my focus is on what we are eating (since we have succeeded in going chemical free in the home!). I have bought "The Chemical Maze Shopping Companion" by Bill Statham, and I do try to get to the health food shop to find healthier ingredients. Trouble is, I see a lot of things that are unfamiliar to me, and I don't know what to do with them! For example Chia seeds... I know they are awesome for health but like... HOW? What makes them so special? And what do I DO with them?

So here is what I propose: I want to post recipes to favourite dishes (some of them mine, if you would like help with a dish feel free to email me your recipe! smallestcarbon@hotmail.com) and I need YOUR help in suggesting healthier substitutes for ingredients. Like, I LOVE choc chick cookies from Jessica Seinfeld's "Deceptively Delicious" but it contains a LOT of sugar and white flour etc. I would love to tweak it to maximise nutrition and decrease additives and calories.

Perhaps some of you would like a recipe adapted to be gluten, meat or dairy free? You may have allergies (or need to cook for someone who does). Or, like me, you are just searching for some better options! It would be awesome if you could also let us know where you get your ingredients (link, if you have it) if it is obscure. And let us know what health benefits there are, if you know this also. Of course, it will be experimental and may require some trial and error!

So here goes... help me Healthify Choc Chick Cookies!

Ingredients:

Nonstick Cooking Spray
Brown Sugar
Margarine Spread
Egg Whites
Vanilla Extract
Chickpeas
Semisweet Chocolate Chips
Walnuts
Raisins
All purpose flour
Oats
Baking Soda
Salt

I use butter instead of margarine and wholemeal flour (bought some spelt to try) and always get organic where I can. I need to get some organic chocolate chips, I went against my social conscience today and bought up the nestle ones because they were on sale... and now I hate myself for it! Last ones, I shwear...

PEACE