Chocolate Chunk Buckwheat Cookies

So it was a rainy April day and fairly cold in my house.  My house is freezing and my furnace isn't working right now, so how do you heat a cold house??  Baking of course!!  This morning I made blueberry saskatoon muffins, which are such a nice treat for breakfast.  This kids gobble those up quickly.

Yesterday I was at my neighbour's place, who loves to cook healthy.  I really love finding new recipes or adapting ones to create a healthier alternative for my family.  (My cakes are so not healthy!) Anyways, they gave the kids and I a cookie each, which are these chocolate chunk buckwheat cookies.  So different, yet so scrumptious!  I've never tried buckwheat before, nor do I know a lot about it, but it gives this tasty crunchy texture to the cookies.  I quickly asked her for the recipe and had to make some today!  I didn't have any whole wheat pastry flour, so I mixed whole wheat flour with white flour.  I also reduced the sugar by half and they were still delicious.  I'm sharing this recipe, because I am really quite impressed. 

ENJOY!!!

Chocolate Chunk Buckwheat Cookies
(Whole Grains Cookbook by Robin Asbell)

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar ( I used 1/2 cup)
1 lg. egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 cup plus 2 tbsp whole wheat pastry flour ( I used 3/4 cup whole wheat flour and the rest unbleached flour)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup buckwheat groats
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 F.  In a mixer cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg, vanilla and almond extract.  In a small bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt and buckwheat.  Add to butter/sugar mixture to incorporate.  Add chocolate chips.  Drop on cookie sheet.  Bake 9-11 minutes, rotating half way.