chia seeds m&m chocolate chip cookies

I was in the mood for some m&m chocolate chip cookies this morning.  Inspired by all the leaves changing colors, I added some m&ms so in reds, yellows and browns.

But what really make these cookies special was that I also added some sliced almonds and chia seeds. I have been on a chia seed kick lately and have been adding it to everything I eat like yogurt, pancakes, and smoothies.

Chia seeds are a great source of protein among many other benefits. You might have only recently heard about chia seeds, or you might remember the the whole chia pet craze in the 90's, but chia seeds have been an energy source for hundreds of years. Dating back to the Aztecs and Mayans, who used chia seeds as an energy source, but it also provided them much needed protein and fiber. Chia means strength in Mayan.

Just one serving, which is about 1-2 tablespoons contains 4 grams of protein and 11 grams of fiber. We should be eating about 25 grams of fiber a day, and most of us don't. Fiber is found in fruits and veggies, and it's important for many reasons,  such as cleaning your intestines/colon and keeping you regular. The fact that a single serving of chia seeds gives you almost half is just amazing.

Ingredients

1 cup of butter, softened

1/2 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cups packed brown sugar

1/2 tablespoon vanilla

1 egg (I used egg whites)

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup of semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup of M&Ms
1/2 cup of sliced almonds (optional)
2 tablespoons of chia seeds (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, mix butter, sugars, vanilla and eggs until light and fluffy. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt (dough will be stiff). Stir in chocolate chips and m&ms.

2. On ungreased cookie sheet, drop dough by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart. ( I put mine on parchment paper)

3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown (centers will be soft). Cool 1 to 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to cooling racks.