Oatmeal cookies… loaded with coconut and tons of chocolate chips.

Yes. Please.

And once again, bakers inspire bakers.

Last week, I was reading an article in the Women’s Health edition of USAToday, about a baker/cookbook author named Joy (check out her blog at Joythebaker.com)… and I was inspired to bake.  No surprise.

I think sweets and ALL. THE. TIME.  But how do you be a baker and still be healthy?  Trust me, it can be a struggle. 

In the article, Joy hit it just right.  She said it’s all about your own kind of moderation and how YOU balance. Whatever works for YOU.

Joy said she is either eating kale or eating cookies – “I eat as much kale as I eat cookies.”

Yup…that pretty much sums of my life as a “healthy baker.” I am either eating whole fruits and vegetables, or I am eating sweets. That’s my balance. Oh, and I gotta sweat… each. day.

So, whether you are constantly creaming sugars and butters or you just bake once a year for a birthday party…“moderation” works different for everyone.

But either way, you gotta enjoy one of these cookies.

Or five. ;)

Oatmeal Cookies with Coconut and Chocolate 

• 1 stick, plus 6 tbsp. unsalted butter (or 1 stick butter plus ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 ½ cups whole -wheat pastry flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• ½ tsp. salt
• 3 cups old fashioned oats (or quick cooking oats)
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut 
• 1 cup chocolate chips (or more, if desired)

Directions:

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixer, blend butter and sugars. Add in eggs and vanilla.

- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add to the wet mixture. Add the oats, coconut and chocolate to the entire mixture and mix well.

- Bake for 8-10 minutes, until edges are golden brown. Rotate sheets halfway through the baking time. When you take them out, let cookies cool on the sheets for a few minutes before removing. Store in air tight container.

- Makes about 4 dozen, depending on the size of your cookie