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Cleveland native and chef Laura Theodore is passionate about vegetarian recipes. Not only is she the host of a popular cooking show called ‘The Jazzy Vegetarian’, but Laura also has just released a brand new cookbook filled with unique vegetarian recipes.

This morning Laura showed Fox 8’s Jennifer Jordan how fresh apples can replace oil and eggs to turn your chocolate chip cookies into a super healthy snack.

Laura will be signing copies of her new cookbook ‘The Jazzy Vegetarian’ today at Barnes & Noble at Eton at 7pm and also on Wednesday at 7pm at the Barnes & Noble in Westlake.

From Chef Laura Theodore, The Jazzy Vegetarian

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups whole-wheat flour
  • 1 cup maple sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 cup pecans, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup vegan chocolate chips (grain-sweetened variety works well)
  • 1½ cups fresh apple purée (see note)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons nondairy milk

Instructions:

To make the apple purée, peel and core 3 very large or 4 medium apples. Rough chop the apples. Put the apples in a blender and process until the consistency of smooth applesauce is achieved. Be careful not to liquify!

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper.

Put the flour, maple sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl and stir with a dry whisk to combine. Add the pecans and vegan chocolate chips, and stir with the whisk to combine. Stir in the apple puree, vanilla extract, and nondairy milk, and mix just until incorporated. If the dough seems overly wet, stir in a bit more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Alternately, if the dough seems overly dry, stir in a bit more nondairy milk, 1 tablespoon at a time.

For each cookie, drop about 2½ tablespoons of the dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Flatten slightly using the back of a flat spatula.

Bake 15 to 18 minutes, or until slightly golden around the edges. Remove the sheet from the oven and let cool for 2 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack. Cool for about 10 minutes. Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, the cookies will keep for about 2 days.