Let's be honest, in today's world, though there are still many restrictions, there are also various ways we can identify ourselves. Even what seems to be plain black and white issues can have disclaimers printed in the tiniest of font at the very bottom of the page. Take veganism, for example. There are just so many layers now. Here's my overly simplified version:

There's an additional strata for veganism, mainly for nourishment: plant-based (we can dig deeper here, too) versus "fat vegans". The main difference between these two is the consumption of processed vegan foods. On the plant-based side, there are raw vegans, which to me, is the highest level you can go on the  veganism scale. That's just my opinion. Then, there are plant-based vegans who have no problem eating whole grains along with their fruits and veggies. On the other end of this spectrum you'll find what have been popularly referred to as "fat vegans" (I first heard this term from a food documentary), who are technically vegans because they consume no animal protein/by product, but eat heavily processed foods. Give them all the chips, vegan burgers, vegan junk food, etc. and you've won their hearts. As the documentary pointed out, you can eat all the pasta with tomato sauce and fries and bread, and call yourself vegan. 

Where am I in this spectrum? A little bit everywhere. In all honesty, there's much more work on my end when it comes to my overall consumption of animal products. If you ask me whether or not I still wear leather and the like, my answer would be yes. I have bought leather products less and less in the last year and I'm challenging myself this year. I have compassion for the animals and it's bright as day in my head, but alas, I need a kick in the butt to fully commit. The last leather product I bought were snow boots and I felt so awful about it that I ended up buying vegan loafers from Matt & Nat. Go figure. This is why I'm torn to call myself "vegan". Food consumption-wise, I'm 100% vegan, and totally in between plant-based and fat vegan. I've never said no to bread or pasta. Just sayin'.

Cookies were my weakness as a child. Especially what I now deem as quite salty yet too sweet and rather artificial cookies: Chips Ahoy. My parents didn't always have those cookies around when we were growing up, but when the pantry was aplenty, I turned into a veritable Cookie Monster. What moderation? There was no stopping at one serving size of two cookies. None!

Boxed cookies and biscuits were the first processed foods that I gave up when I shifted my diet to a plant-based one. Even today, Oreos are apparently vegan, but I can't seem to make myself buy them. The time I really wanted cookies & cream nicecream, I ended up buying this gluten-free, vegan alternative. Not really the same thing. I still think baking your own cookies is the better option because you know what actually goes in the ingredients. Keep this in mind: Just because an item is labelled "vegan" doesn't directly mean it's healthy.

So, are these cookies healthy or not? It depends on your definition of "healthy," obviously. But to me, I don't consider cookies or anything else I bake "junk food" because I control the sugar content and every other ingredient I choose to include. It's all soul food to me at this point. Better the cookies straight from my oven than manufactured in a sad facility in the middle of nowhere. Plus, these cookie recipes will spark your creativity! You can switch up the flavours easily. Let me show you!



Gluten-Free S'mores Cookies
Makes 12-15 cookies

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup Earth Balance vegan butter, softened
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax, 3 tbsp water)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup gluten-free flour mix (I used Bob Red Mill's)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup Enjoy Life Foods mega chocolate chunks
• Dandies marshmallow

In a small bowl, cream together butter and sugar. When softened, add flax egg and vanilla. Incorporate flour, baking powder and salt.

When mixed, add in chocolate chunks and incorporate again. 

Chill the dough in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Roll a tablespoon of dough and flatten. Top with a slice of marshmallow then roll into a ball, ensuring that the marshmallow is encased within the dough.

Bake for 9-12 minutes. Let cool on the sheet for at least five minutes (until the cookies "set") then transfer to cool completely on a wire rack.

Enjoy! xx

Chocolate Chip Cookie with Molasses & Hazelnut Butter
Makes 10 cookies

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup Earth Balance vegan butter, softened
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax, 3 tbsp water)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 tsp molasses (not blackstrap molasses)
• 3/4 cup spelt flour
• 1/4 cup oat flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup Enjoy Life Foods mega chocolate chunks
• Hazelnut butter (or nut butter of choice)

In a small bowl, cream together butter and sugars. When softened, add flax egg, molasses and vanilla. Incorporate flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

When mixed, add in chocolate chunk and incorporate again. 

Chill the dough in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Roll a tablespoon of dough and flatten. Top with a teaspoonful of hazelnut butter then roll into a ball, ensuring that the hazelnut butter is encased within the dough.

Bake for 9-12 minutes. Let cool on the sheet for at least five minutes (until the cookies "set") then transfer to cool completely on a wire rack.

Enjoy! xx