If you're one of those people that likes to skip to the end of a book to read the last chapter first...let me save you some time. The net result is a recipe for some pretty darn good chocolate chunk cookies, that are gluten free and just happen to be made with agave nectar. If all you're looking for is the pictures and recipe then go ahead and skip to the bottom. If you want the story...here it is.

It all started last weekend (Saturday) when my son looked up at me and said "Momma. This is my super blaster and makes people want to blast things."

Me, feeling a little under the weather responded. "Yeah, well this is my super belly and it makes people want to exercise."

Sigh...Time to go on a diet. The holidays are coming; I have cute fall clothes to wear that just happen to be a size to small; we're going home for Christmas and I don't want to hear relatives comment "Looks as if you've taken this food thing a little too seriously." So...what to do.

I rummaged through Experience Magazine (Lifetime Fitness freebie with membership) and read a featured article on liver detox. This caught my eye, "Many people experience significant and immediate weight loss on this program, but the net benefits for energy and long-term health are every bit as dramatic."

I was in at "significant and immediate weight loss."

At a high level, the plan calls for eliminating caffeine, all sugars (refined, artificial and honey), gluten and trans fats. There are a number of things that you should consume (apples, oranges, leafy greens, etc) but when it comes to dieting I'm all about knowing what I need to leave out. Consuming things has never been an issue. It's the elimination that I struggle with.

I successfully participated in the plan for 4 days. And felt lousy. And lost no weight. None. Nothing. Zip.

On the evening of the fourth day I decided to do a little research on the author. And...I discovered that in addition to coming up with this detox plan she believes that using cell phones makes you fat.

Sheesh. Why don't I look before I leap? I suffered four days because I believed that someone (who just happens to think that using cell phones make you fat) knew more about nutrition than me.

So, needless to say, I'm off the detox program.

The truth of the matter is that there is no magic formula for weightloss. Eat less and exercise. If you put less into your body than you use, you will lose weight. Very simple.

BUT...something good did come from the detox plan. I learned to use Agave Nectar in more things (Agave has a lower sugar content than honey or sugars) and I developed a large amount of empathy for people that cannot tolerate gluten. Gluten is in practically everything (that I typically eat at least). It's a protein that is found in refined wheat products...think bread, pasta, even some soy products. I personally found that by cutting down the amount of sugar and gluten that I consumed, I felt better, had more consistent energy levels and less cravings.

If you'd like to give it a try...check out these cookies. They are gluten free and use Agave Nectar. I like them as much (if not more) than a traditional chocolate chip cookie. They stay moist and are quite simple to prepare. Since they are made with dark chocolate which tends to be less sweet than milk chocolate, kids don't usually find them quite as yummy. (At least mine didn't)  Dark chocolate tends to suit the taste buds of older folks, since our preference moves toward bitter from sweet.

Pulse blanched almonds in food processor until texture resembles that of flour. 2-3 minutes.

Combine almond flour, salt and baking soda in a large bowl. Whisk.

In a smaller bowl, combine melted butter, vanilla and agave nectar. Whisk.

Mix the wet ingredients into the dry. Stir in the chocolate pieces.

Roll into balls the size of a golf ball. Place on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. 9 cookies per sheet (they spread when baking)

Bake for approximately 10 minutes until the outer edges are a nice brown color and the top of the cookies are beginning to turn golden in color.