Chocolate Chip Sacha Inchi Cookies

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

2. In a large bowl, mix together coconut sugar, coconut oil, almond milk and vanilla.

3. In a medium bowl, mix together almond flour, baking soda and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet and mix well. Add chocolate chips and sacha inchi and fold to combine.

4. Working 1 tbsp at a time, drop rounded spoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets. Shape into circles and press down to flatten slightly. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, or until cookies begin to turn golden. Let cookies rest on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 

More Uses: Try warming coconut oil in a heavy skillet, then add sacha inchi seeds, coconut sugar and cardamom; cook on medium-low, stirring almost constantly until seeds are coated and golden, then transfer to a sheet of parchment to cool. Add sacha inchi powder to smoothies, or try it in baked good such as muns or breads to boost protein and tryptophan.

Health Tip: Sacha inchi, also called Inca peanuts, come from the seeds of the Plukenetia volubilis plant native to the Amazon rain forest, where it has been grown and consumed for thousands of years. They’re high in protein and very rich in tryptophan, the amino acid that increases levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter associated with modulation of mood and appetite. Serotonin deficiencies are associated with carbohydrate cravings and binge eating, and people who are obese tend to have low blood tryptophan levels, suggesting that serotonin deficiency may be linked with overeating. Tryptophan also balances mood, reducing the risk of stress-related overeating. Sacha inchi usually comes in whole-seed or powder form.