What better way to say Happy Mother's Day than with chocolate-chip apricot quinoa cookies!

I asked Mom if she would like something special baked for May 8. She said anything with chocolate in it. She's definitely my kinda Mom.

Seeing how I'm always encouraging Mom to get the best nutrients possible – she eats like a bird – I thought immediately of my chocolate chip hemp cookies. 

Thing is, I didn't have any hemp on hand (nor raisins, for that matter). But has that ever stopped me from improvising before?! Nah.

[pic of cookies]

Instead of hemp I turned to high-protein, high-mineral quinoa. Finely chopped apricots stoically stood in for raisins. And since I was in substitution mode, I used almonds in place of pecans.

Here's what I did:

Chocolate chip apricot quinoa cookies

Wet

• 1/2 cup oil
• 1/4 cup honey
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs, well beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla

Dry

• 2 1/2 cups multigrain flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup dried apricots, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1/4 cup quinoa

How

1. mix wet stuff
2. mix dry stuff
3. stir the two mixtures together
4. use tablespoon to drop dough onto two greased baking sheets (6 x 4 cookies each)
5. bake at 325°F for 15 minutes

Makes about 48 cookies.

I'm pleased to report that Mom gobbled down a bunch. The bonus was, of course, that while enjoying this treat, a "dessert" item, she was, at the same time, taking in a respectable dose of protein, minerals and fibre. Win win!