Happy Mother's Day + Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Today especially, I love all mothers. Any mothers. Your mother and my mother. 

I smiled at mothers in the mall and helped a mother drag her crying/screaming boy out of the bus.

And who doesn't love the word, Mother. The first proper word out of most of our mouths!

So, my mother...my sunshine in the rain, and my oasis in the desert. She exudes unconditional love and infallible encouragement in my life.

And I will forever be unable to write down in words her worth to me. 

Recently, I flipped through old family albums and stumbled upon pictures of Mother's younger days. Days where I didn't exist...days where Dad wasn't even in the picture (don't worry Dad, there weren't any other boys). And I slowly came into a  shocking realisation...she had a life before us! (Thanks to generation ME upbringing).

So, here we go. Things I didn't know about Mother (in all colours and shades).

1. She sported a 70's hairstyle. I only got to see her 90's shoulder pads (eek!) Either way, she was up with fashion (unlike the girls she gave birth to.)

2. She's adventurous. I mean, do people actually do this kinda thing back in the days? She tells me how she had no money for food or piano lessons and here she is parachuting? I need an explanation. 

3. Mother's a gambler good at maths. I suspect she might have been one of those card counters. That'll explain why she can do crazy multiplications/divisions in her head. She denied these statements but I don't know.

4. She's creative and likes to be different. Mother cut out the original collar of her uniform and sewed her handmade collars on. 

5. She loves home renovation. Actually I already know about her artistic side but this confirms she doesn't knows how to paint. At all. Or hold a paintbrush even. But she does know how to make a home, a home. Or how to make that ugly cushion work with the sofa. She adds that kinda magic to anything.

Being someone who can't do any maths in her head and will probably pass out before being pushed out of a plane with a parachute, it looks like I didn't inherited much of Mother's genes. Hmmph, surely my sister was kidding when she said they found me in a garbage can, right? Or what was that story about being left outside the doorstep as a baby?

Heck, it doesn't matter. Because she loves me all the same. And that's why we celebrate Mother's Day.

Anyways, like most mothers, my mother is not someone who appreciates fine dining or expensive presents on special occasions, but she much more appreciates a daily phone call or a note, just to say hi.

So this Mother's Day - I've nothing extravagant prepared. Except some flowers and cookies. Rustic whole wheat cookies. Not dainty or pretty I'm afraid, but healthier (just slightly though, with whole wheat). Practical. Mums'll love that.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from Good to the Grains
Makes 16-18 cookies

• 3 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 sticks cold butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 cup dark brown sugar (I halved this and recommend you doing so too)
• 1 cup sugar (I halved this)
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 8 ounces chocolate, chopped into bits (recipe calls for bittersweet, I used semi-sweet, because it was what I had)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment or Silpats.

2. Whisk the whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl in which you can use a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugars. Once they are creamy, add the eggs and vanilla. Beat to combine.

4. Add the dry ingredients in two batches and mix. Finally, add the chopped chocolate and just stir to incorporate.

5. Scoop balls of dough that are approximately 3 tablespoons worth. I used a quarter cup scoop to make it easy. Bake for 16-20 minutes, rotating the pans so that they each spend half the bake time on top and half the time on the bottom.

5. When the baking time is up, remove the cookies from the sheets and let them cool.

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mother's in the world. 

Thank you for showing me what unconditional love is.