Tea time is a tradition in my family. Cookies always complement a good cup of tea. My grandmother Anna always made meringue cookies with walnuts. She taught me how to make them when I was 10. Everyone I know loves chocolate and seems to be making an effort to eat less sugar, so I decided this year to put a spin on my grandmother's recipe, adding a bit of melted dark chocolate and reducing the sugar. They have been loved unanimously!
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Beat the egg whites with the salt on medium speed until they begin to hold a mound.
- Gradually add the sugar. When half the sugar is added, add the vanilla and lemon juice.
- Beat on high until the whites form peaks.
- Gently fold in the melted chocolate so as to have streaks of egg white and chocolate.
- Very gently fold in the nuts. The less you turn the egg whites, the better.
- Spoon teaspoon-sized mounds onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, 1 inch apart.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
℞ M.D. Notes
- Anyone with nut allergies: prepare the recipe without nuts. They are still great!
- Dark chocolate is rich in the phytonutrients called flavonoids, which act as antioxidants and may have protective benefits for the cardiovascular system.
- Nuts seem to play a protective role against inflammatory diseases. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2011 supported the protective role walnuts have against inflammatory diseases.
