Chocolate Chip Cookie Balls

The past few days I've been craving chocolate chip cookies but I wanted to try a healthier recipe. I found a recipe online from Jessica Seinfeld's Deceptively Delicious (a cookbook that I would LOVE someday.) Anyway, I made a few changes to the original and TA-DA:

Warm, tasty, healthy-ish chocolate chip cookies. We call them cookie balls at our house because they are more dome-shaped than a traditional cookie. The secret ingredient...wait for it...
chickpeas! I'm not even kidding. They actually have a very delicious flavor in these cookies. And keep in mind they are cookies so they still have butter and sugar, but they're not just empty calories because they actually have some nutrition in them. Good deal!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Balls

1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas, drained

1 c. brown sugar

1 stick butter

2 egg whites*

1 t. vanilla

1 t. baking soda

1/4 t. salt (optional)

2 c. whole wheat flour

1/2 c. oats

2 c. chocolate chips**

*You could use 1 whole egg, or 4 T. liquid egg whites

**Use 2 c. of whatever you want: nuts, dried fruit, m&m's, PB chips, (you get the idea...)

In a large mixing bowl, mash chickpeas.

Add brown sugar, butter, egg whites, vanilla, baking soda, and salt. Continue mashing.
Add flour and oats and mix.
Fold in chocolate chips until well distributed.
Scoop cookies onto an ungreased cookie sheet with a cookie scoop and bake at 350 F for 10-12 minutes. Watch carefully (it's better to undercook these cookies than to overbake.)

These cookies really hit the spot! And with higher protein and fiber than regular cookies (thanks to the chickpeas and whole wheat flour) I don't feel quite as guilty eating them or giving them to my kids. I might try adding some cocoa next time for Double Chocolate Cookie Balls. Enjoy!