Vegan Chewy Double Chocolate Chip Cookies (in my garden and our 30-mile bike trip on the Katy Trail. . . whew.)

When something grabs my attention, like say a cookie recipe, life as we know it pretty much stops. Such was the case this afternoon. I had taken a nap. Napping is under appreciated. I don't indulge in them very often, but when I do, I will confess to feeling like a new woman after a little day time shuteye. Usually I'm hungry when I wake up. I suddenly had an urge for baking after spotting a "Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie" recipe on the Cook's Country blog, The Feed, while catching up on my reading (post nap). I probably shouldn't have been looking at food right after waking up. My whole afternoon schedule got re-arranged because of this cookie. Alas--I had to recreate a vegan version of the cookie. No problem-o. You will have to try this recipe to see for yourself if you agree about the "chewy" part. If you go to their post, they break down into helpful, straightforward speak why this recipe works. I just had to make sure it "worked" as a vegan cookie. And thank god it did because not only was I just waking up from my nap, my blood sugar demanded I have a cookie SOON. 

*And yes, I am well aware this is like the twentieth vegan chocolate chip cookie I've posted on this blog. But I ask, is there any such thing as "too many chocolate chip cookie recipes"? I think not.

Basically the claim to success for this cookie is the melting of the butter, then adding sugar--minimizing the oft dense cookie result. Whirring the butter and sugar together results in this sort of caramel like goo which is then whirred again with a little extra virgin olive oil (my idea as the substitute for the extra yolk added in original recipe which, as they explain it--helps also in achieving the "chewy" factor) plus I then added some of a vegan's best friend: Egg Replacer, then the dry ingredients, then the chips, bake and viola--a deliciously chewy, yummy cookie! The recipe's below.

I've been recovering today from some incredibly crazy busy days of late--time in our garden has been spent mostly on a take-back mission from everything Mother Nature ransacked this winter. So far I've lost six butterfly bushes, and six crepe myrtles. The most heartbreaking of these was a crepe myrtle tree that reached over twenty feet and for years has been the host to many a mama Cardinal and her babies. Yesterday found Dr. Thyme with a chainsaw and pruning sheers--and me in tears. There is hope for all of these as there is new growth coming up around the base of all the aforementioned plants. But we're talking years here for them to get back to their full size. I won't even get into the story of our bamboo plant. I promised myself that I wouldn't complain about the cold winter. I love cold and snow. I despise heat. And here we are nearly the end of May and temps are barely hitting seventy. I will NOT complain one bit. The cooler, the better. But still. It was a harsh winter.

Well. Enough of my whining. Let's look at some pretty things going on in the yard right now. 

Poppies!

Irises!

My peonies are just now beginning to bloom. The latest they've bloomed from my memory--usually they are poking their heads out around early May. I love peonies.

And the ever faithful, ever multiplying columbines, which somehow not only managed to survive the winter but multiply and jump into many containers.

So Dr. Thyme and I hit the trails during Mother's Day weekend. Getting away was in order. (Because of the obvious: no mother. No Mother's Day.) We packed up the bikes and snacks and went to the Katy Trail. For those not from around these parts, it is one of the most beautiful bike trails in the country. If you ever visit Missouri and happen to have your bike--you must, must ride the trail. What started out as a casual stroll on the bikes ended in us covering thirty miles! I know, I know. Two senior citizens out all day long--taking in nature and having so much fun, we didn't even realize we'd gone so far until we turned around and looked it up on the map.

Early in the ride--still smiling! Just kidding, we smiled the whole way--it was beautiful out there.

Every part of the trail yielded us a different landscape.

This was one of my favorite stretches. I have no idea which flower it is, it's just so dang pretty.

And then as you ride along, you pass all of these gorgeous limestone bluffs. 

Mile markers indicate the towns and distance. We stopped in Defiance and had lunch and listened to some live music. It was a perfect day. (Cue the Lou Reed song. . . again.)

Along the Missouri River. Dr. Thyme.

Vegan Chewy Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

*Adapted from Cook's Country 

**makes 18-24 cookies

1 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup spelt flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

11 tablespoons Earth Balance Vegan Butter, melted

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon Ener-G Egg Replacer mixed with 2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups vegan chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside. In a stand mixer or bowl with hand held mixer, add melted vegan butter and both sugars. Mix until a very smooth and sort of fluffy consistency--about 2 minutes. Next, add egg replacer, olive oil and vanilla extract and mix until well blended--about another thirty seconds. In another mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients and whisk together well. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in three separate additions, mixing with motor running just until all the dry parts are incorporated. Add the chocolate chips by stirring them in with a spoon. Then take the cookie dough and roll into pieces about the size of a golf ball and place 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet. (I kept a lot of space between my cookies and only had 8 cookies per tray)--and bake only one tray at a time. Only. One. Tray. Bake for about 14-16 minutes--depending upon your oven. You don't want to over bake these--they will continue to set after you remove them from the oven. Allow cookies to cool completely on the cookie sheet. Try 'em warm--they are so yummy. Then store in airtight container. Enjoy!