Healthy Cookies for Kiddos (and grown-ups too)

These are souped up cookies that I altered slightly from Jessica Seinfeld's Deceptively Delicious cookbook. I put so many things in these cookies you'd hardly believe that they stick together. But they do and the boys were excited to have them in their lunches this morning. Of course, they are not Tollhouse, but I'm guessing they will be devoured at lunch ... and I won't be ashamed or sorry for packing them.

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Chocolate Chip Cookies with Chickpeas! Yes, chickpeas. Ripley doesn't know it yet, but it will be the first time he's had these! (ha ha ... little whipper-snapper) This recipe makes good sized fat cookies - well over 24 of them.

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Preheat Oven to 350 degrees. Put a piece of parchment paper on the cookie sheet. (Jessica says use cooking spray, I say no chemicals -- then compost the parchment paper)

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1 Cup firmly packed brown sugar

3/4 C trans-fat free soft tub margarine spread (I didn't have any of this, so I used some butter and a little Crisco b/c I didn't have enough butter. I think I'd try to use the trans-fat free stuff -- it sounds good)

1 large egg (Jessica says 2 egg whites, but I'm okay with getting the omega 3's from the yolk in spite of the cholesterol)

2 t vanilla extract

1 15ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

3/4 C chopped walnuts

3/4 C raisins (I soaked these in warm water briefly and used YELLOW raisins -- more camouflage)

1 C all-purpose flour

1 C Whole Wheat Flour (Jessica called for just the all-purpose, I added in the whole wheat -- why not??)

1/2 C old fashioned oats

1 t baking soda

1/4 t salt (I used 1/2 t like tollhouse. Over 2 dozen cookies, 1/4 t salt? Come on.)

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Sift together dry ingredients: flours, oats, soda, salt

Cream margarine/butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla, then add all of the chunky stuff: chips, peas, raisins, nuts. Then, slowly add in the flour while beating on a low setting. Stop when thick dough forms.

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Drop the dough by the tablespoon onto the baking sheet. Press gently with a fork to flatten.

Bake 12 minutes -- don't over bake. If anything, slightly under bake.

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Voila!! You've gotten whole grains, protein, beans, raisins and nuts into your kiddo. Super yummy warm. Wow.