Quinoa Chocolate Chip Cookies

I feel like I am always on a hunt for the best gluten free, dairy free, no sugar added chocolate chip cookies. Kind of seems like an impossible task. I mean, sure, you can find Banana Oat Cookies  but I want the real deal –  real chocolate chip cookies!So I thought, why not use quinoa? When rinsed and ground, quinoa has a flour-like texture and with an egg added for fluffiness and dates for sweetness!  You’ve got yourself the perfect cookie that is also healthy and packed with nutrients.If you know me personally, you know that I don’t go anywhere without cookies. I take them as treats for myself and to share with friends. That being said, I was so excited to bring these cookies with me to my physical therapy appointment with Jason at Finish Line. Finding the right Physical Therapist is not an easy task. And Jason has been a blessing! He has been dealing with all my crazy complaints and the hiccups that come along the way in my training. He is doing a fabulous job putting me back together again!

Like most runners, I have received multiple prescriptions for PT in my life.  But I have always found PT to be tedious and ineffective. The exercises were not making me stronger or helping to prevent future injuries. However, when I walked into Finish Line  almost three years ago for PT, it was the complete opposite of everything I ever experienced.

Finish Line Physical Therapy is offering all Running on Veggies readers (who live in or near New York City) with a free Functional Gait & Movement Analysis now through the end of April. Here’s how it works: one of their expert physical therapists will evaluate your natural movement patterns to determine potential imbalances that may be causing chronic pain or hindering improved performance. The goal is to give you the knowledge and tools to help reverse the repetitive stress of training so you can train consistently at maximum effort. To schedule, just call the office at (212) 486-8573 and tell them you heard about the free analysis from Running on Veggies. They’ll get you all set up! If you have any questions, email Sara (sara@finishlinept.com).While living in Boulder, CO with the best athletes in the world I witnessed first hand how seriously these athletes took their rehab and prescribed exercises. Instead of doing rehab to remedy pain, these athletes do their “rehab” so they don’t get to that point. Having a gait analyses will help you to better understand what your body is doing while its running and how you can improve it!

Foam Rolling with friends is always more fun. Props to these men for dealing with us!

I try and go to Finish Line once every other week just to keep an eye on things. At this point I can’t risk another injury and my physical therapist is taking good care to make sure I am doing my best to avoid one…and it doesn’t hurt that I bring cookies like these every time I go! Shoutout to Andre who books my appointments and always happens to be the first to taste test!PT dates are the best kind of dates. This week my friend Kelly from RunSelfieRepeat and I booked PT sessions the same time with our men 🙂 I brought these cookies and everyone enjoyed them while I did my exercises. Thats usually how it works!Whether you feel like sharing these cookies with your physical therapist or hogging them all to yourself, they are so simple to make! When I shared the recipe with my friends at Finish Line they were shocked at how few ingredients they have. And the kicker they are made with quinoa!Recipe 

• 1 cup quinoa– not cooked (rinsed– simply rinse in a strainer)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 cup pitted dates
• 1/4 cup almond butter
• 2 organic egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/2 cup stevia sweetened chocolate chips

Directions: preheat oven to 350 degrees 

1. In a food processor combine rinsed quinoa (it may be a little wet -thats ok) and baking soda. Process for around 5 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides. You want it to be a crumbly, almost flour-looking texture.
2. Add in dates and almond butter. Process until dates are combined and smooth.
3. Now add in your egg and vanilla and process again until fully combined.
4. Fold in oats and chocolate chips. Mixture may be warm. If so, wait to cool or chocolate chips will melt. 
5. Using a tablespoon or mini ice cream scooper, form cookies on a lined baking sheet and flatten slightly.
6. Bake at 350 for around 10 minutes until golden brown.