{"id":5616,"date":"2023-05-07T14:18:24","date_gmt":"2023-05-07T14:18:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.aussiepizzas.com\/PIZZADELIVERY\/mesquite-chocolate-chip-cookies\/"},"modified":"2023-05-07T14:18:24","modified_gmt":"2023-05-07T14:18:24","slug":"mesquite-chocolate-chip-cookies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.aussiepizzas.com\/PIZZADELIVERY\/mesquite-chocolate-chip-cookies\/","title":{"rendered":"Mesquite Chocolate Chip Cookies"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re looking for a unique and special chocolate chip cookie, this is the recipe. I developed a version of these for my book Super Natural Cooking<\/em><\/a> circa 2007 and they\u2019ve had a special place in my heart (and kitchen!) in the years since. If I were going to enter a cookie contest, these might very well be my entry. The flavor is that good. To make them requires tracking down one specialty ingredient, mesquite flour. I promise it is worth the extra effort. Mesquite flour is a wonderful, fragrant flour made from the ground-up pods of the mesquite tree. It has a slightly sweet and chocolaty flavor, with a touch of malt and smokiness. You can use it all sorts of things, far beyond these cookies, including pancake mixes, waffle mixes, oatmeal, and sweet quick breads.
\"Mesquite<\/span><\/p>\n

Ingredient Spotlight: Mesquite Flour<\/h2>\n

Chances are you\u2019re new to mesquite flour, so here\u2019s a bit about where it comes from. First thing, mesquite trees are very generous and play an important role in the lives of many native cultures in the Americas. They grow in a wide area ranging from the Southwestern United States all the way through Central and South America – the Sonoran desert, <\/span>Chihuahuan Desert, Texas, California, Arizona, New Mexico<\/span>. If you\u2019ve driven through the Southwest, you\u2019ve seen a lot<\/em> of mesquite. And, as you can see from this list, mesquite are drought-tolerant and thrive in hot and arid climates. They are also remarkably resilient plants that give back in many ways and contribute life-sustaining properties to the communities they are a part of. Mesquite also nitrogen fixes, so it gives back to the land in that way as well.<\/p>\n

Different parts of the plant are used for different purposes. Mesquite wood has long been used as fuel or shelter. Beyond that, flour ground from mesquite pods are an important food source, celebrated for being nutrient-rich profile, contributing fiber, protein and complex carbohydrates to traditional diets. The plant has medicinal uses as well as ceremonial. So, mesquite flour, a wonderfully delicious ingredient plays a rich and important role in many cultures.
\"Mesquite<\/span><\/p>\n

Where to Buy Mesquite Flour<\/h2>\n

Sourcing mesquite flour will take a bit of effort. Look for products that are sustainably harvested preferably using traditional methods. You want 100% mesquite flour with no other added ingredients or flavoring. If you roadtrip through the Southwest, keep an eye out at local markets and farmers\u2019 markets for bags of mesquite flour. This is where you\u2019re likely to find locally produced products.\u00a0 <\/span>Unfortunately, the ones I\u2019ve picked up in the past that way don\u2019t have active websites. This Peruvian mesquite flours mentioned below have been reliably good, and are easy to get. Please let me know in the comments if you are using local mesquite flour and can point me to a site to order.<\/p>\n