Written by Dr. Cindy Dallow, PH.D. RD.
I love to bake cookies. And I love to eat them too, along with all the other holiday goodies that seem to come out of the woodwork this time of year.
But I’m not so keen on the idea of adding an extra layer of body fat to the lower half of my body and having to grind out 500 extra miles (and laps…and reps…and rpms) in January to get rid of it.
So, I do what every red-blooded dietitian would do: I modify the recipes to make them lower in fat, sugar, and calories. It’s easy and they taste just as good. Really, I’m serious!
Don’t believe me? Try it and see for yourself.
First, take your average cookie recipe – you know, the one that starts with “3 sticks of butter and 5 lbs of sugar” (ok, I’m exaggerating but you get the picture) – and cut the amount of fat in half and the sugar by one-third or one-fourth. Or, try substituting Splenda (sugar substitute found in the baking aisle of your average grocery store…and yes, its safe) for the sugar entirely.
You can also substitute pureed prunes or applesauce for the fat in a 1:1 ratio. I’ve made chocolate chip cookies with pureed prunes in place of margarine many times and not one person has noticed a prune-y taste. Really, it’s true!
To up the ante (and really impress your family), throw in some stuff healthy too. For example, add some flax seed or wheat germ to the dry ingredients and you’ll boost your intake of omega-3 fats (good for the ol’ ticker). Throw in dried cranberries, cherries, or raisins and you’ve added fiber, vitamin C, potassium, and iron.
Other ways to make your goodies “nutritious and delicious” include:
• substituting half the white flour with whole wheat flour
• substituting half the white flour with oat flour (just blenderize regular oats to a flour-like consistency and wa la, oat flour)
• substituting butter with margarine (there will be a difference in texture but not taste)
• substituting mashed pinto beans for part of the fat (see recipe below)
These are just a few of the many ways to make healthier holiday treats. To see for yourself, try the following recipes:
Pinto Bean Fudge (yes, you read that right)
1 cup pinto beans, cooked and mashed
¾ cup stick margarine, melted
¾ cup cocoa
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 pounds powdered sugar
1.5 cups chopped nuts (optional)
Mix first 4 ingredients. Stir in sugar and nuts. Spread in greased 9-by-13 inch pan. Store in refrigerator.
Oatmeal Toffee Cookies*
3 2/5 ounces of all-purpose flour (about ¾ cup)
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup butter, softened (half the amount most cookies recipes call for)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/3 cup almond toffee bits (instead of the whole bag)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, oats, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; stir with a whisk.
Place sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well-blended. Add vanilla and egg; beat well. Add flour mixture and beat until combined. Stir in coffee bits.
Drop by tablespoonfuls 2” apart on greased baking sheet. Bake for 11 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on pans for 1 minute.
Calories per cookie: 90 (instead of 130), fat: 3 grams (instead of 7-8).
*From MyRecipes.com:
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/oatmeal-toffee-cookies-10000001860062/
Bon appétit!
Cindy Dallow, PhD, RD, CSSD
Nutrition Expert Coach
GOTRIbal, http://www.GOTRIbalnow.com
t2coaching, http://www.t2coaching.com
Mobile: (970) 518 - 7469
cindydallow@comcast.net
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