Whole wheat Flax and Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Today was kind of Perfect. I love December snow, and, luckily enough, today was both the first day of December and the most beautiful snow we've gotten all year. It just made me want to make cookies and cuddle up, which is exactly what I did. Although I love regular chocolate chip cookies, I decided to add in a few of nature's healthy additives to make them both delicious and nutritious! So here's my recipe for whole wheat flax & oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.

Whole Wheat Flax and Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 stick (1/2 Cup) Butter (preferably organic), softened
1/2 Cup granulated sugar
1/4 Cup dark brown sugar
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 Cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1 1/4 Cups rolled oats
1 Cup dark or semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 Cup flax seeds (i used golden flax seeds because they match the cookies really well, which is good for finicky eaters)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In a large mixing bowl, whip butter til it is light and fluffy. Slowly add in sugar and beat until well incorporated, then add vanilla and eggs and beat once again till well incorporated.
3. sift in the flour and baking soda and beat until a dough is formed. Fold in flax, chocolate chips and rolled oats til they are evenly spread throughout the dough.
4. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Roll cookies into 1 in balls an place them about 2 inches apart from each other on the cookie sheet.
5.  Bake until golden brown, about 10-12 minutes.

Health Benefits!!
Flax- High in fiber, antioxidants and healthy omega-3 fatty acids that help to lower bad cholesterol. Flax seeds contain lignans, a phytoestrogen that has been shown to have cancer-preventing properties. Flax seeds are also a great source of Vitamin E, minerals like manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc and selenium, vitamin B-6, and folates.
Oats- High in soluble fiber, oats have been shown to lower cholesterol levels, help promote healthy digestion, oats stabilize blood sugar levels, lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, high in selenium which helps antioxidant systems throughout the body, and reduce risk of cardiovascular disease and heart failure.
Whole Wheat Flour- High in fiber, high in   B1, B2, B3, E, folic acid, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, and iron. Has a TON more nutrients than white flour.
Dark/ Semisweet Chocolate- higher in healthy antioxidants, lower in sugar and saturated fats. Antioxidants are good for raising healthy cholesterol, which is great for the heart and have been proven to significantly lower risk of heart failure

Sources:
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=66
http://www.livestrong.com/article/367457-are-chocolate-chips-healthy/
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=54#healthbenefits
http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/flax-seed.html