Sometimes You Just Need A Cookie!

Have you ever noticed how the day after a restless night sleep that you have a never ending craving for carbs? Don't worry, you are not alone and you are not imagining the evil carb monster following you around like a lost puppy dog. It's actually been scientifically proven that lack of sleep causes excess carbohydrate consumption!

The biggest reason for this is when we sleep, that's our body's time to repair itself with the help of our growth hormone, ghrelin. This growth hormone is only released at night which is why it's SO important for anyone who works out, you get that much needed 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night! Haven't you heard the saying "Muscles are torn in the gym, fed in the kitchen and built in bed?"

When we don't get enough sleep, ghrelin isn't able to properly perform it's job, therefore it needs to make up for that lost time the following day. The outcome? We will have a constant desire for carbs all day long.

If you've been struggling to shed those extra pounds, take a look at your sleep habits. Are you getting in 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night? If not, that could be part of your struggle right there! Getting in enough sleep is crucial to achieving your health and fitness goals.

Case in point, my need to bake my Grain Free Dairy Free Chocolate Chip Cookies today! As I mentioned in previous blogs, my husband, fur babies and I recently moved to a completely new state, where we didn't know a single person. We've been here for about a month and a half now and my husband had to leave for a work trip yesterday. This was my first time home alone in the new house and without my amazing neighbors from back home that were always a phone call away. I pretty much spent the night listening to all the things that go bump in the night in complete terror... and as you can guess, I didn't get ANY sleep. When I woke up today, helllllooooo ghrelin! I have been searching the cabinets all day today for something to conquer that sweet, carb craving and figured, "Hey! I am due for a new blog post, why not make it a recipe?!" And here you have it...

GRAIN FREE - DAIRY FREE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Makes 24 cookies

Ingredients

• 3 cups of almond flour

• 1/2 cup of virgin coconut oil

• 1/2 cup of cane sugar* (This was edited 4/4/17 from 1/2 cup of maple syrup or agave, IMO it tastes WAY better with the cane sugar!)

• 2 cage-free eggs

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 1/2 cups Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (these are dairy free)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375.

2. In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients.

3. In a small mixing bowl beat eggs, maple syrup and vanilla with a hand mixer.

4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and beat with a hand mixer until combined.

5. Melt the coconut oil in the microwave, pour into batter and continue to blend until combined.

6. Stir in chocolate chips.

7. On a parchment lined baking sheet, drop balls of the cookie dough about a tablespoon in size.

8. bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

9. Let cool and enjoy!

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