Maria Robledo - our dear friend, teacher and guru brought a cookie similar to these back from her dreamy Costa Rican vacation in the hopes that we could replicate the recipe.  These are darn close.  Thinking a trip to the Caribbean might be needed so to perfect.

11/2 cups sprouted almonds

1 cup  buckwheat groats

1/2 cup flax seeds

6 dates, pitted

1 teaspoon Maldon sea salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup oats (gluten free avoiding)

3/4 cups ghee, room temperature

1 cup Sucanat sugar (brown sugar makes an OK substitute)

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

8 ounces bitter or semi sweet chocolate, cut into small chips/chunks

Combine 1 cup almonds, buckwheat groats and flax seeds in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to form a fine sandy flour.  Add dates and pulse until dates are completely incorporated in the mix.  Whiz in salt and baking soda.  Add oats and pulse just a few times so that oats are just slightly pulverized.  Transfer dry mix to a clean bowl and set aside

Return work bowl to food processor.  Add ghee and sugar and whiz just to cream together.  Add eggs and process until smooth.  Add vanilla extract.  Add wet ingredients to the dry flour mix and stir to combine.  Stir in chopped chocolate.  Roughly chop remaining 1/2 cup almonds and stir into dough.  Cover and refrigerate dough.

Heat oven to 350.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Use a tablespoon to shape cookies - using a heaping tablespoon of dough per cookie.  I THEN FROZE THE SHAPED DOUGH FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA - NOT SURE WHAT WOULD WOULD HAPPEN IN YOU DID NOT - PROBABLY FINE. Transfer frozen cookie to prepared baking sheet (work in batches - cookies spred but not horribly) and bake until golden and just set - about 12 minutes.  Remove and let cook on a wire rack.