Health Kick

Okay. It’s clear enough that my sweet tooth can be out of control.  I hope I am not the only one out there.  

But, I do have a passion for using natural ingredients. Nature’s sweetness. Foods that don’t need doctored up by loads of butter or deep fried to mask their poor-quality ingredients.  When you use good ingredients, you don’t need much more. 

These foods look this this…

        

Like so many of you out there, I am an athlete who can’t stand still.  And to be active you need energy.  Energy from whole grainy goodness, oats, and applesauce.  Which is what comes in my healthy oatmeal cookies… 

Okay, I know what you are thinking.  I am trying to justify eating a cookie loaded with dark chocolate chips by saying it’s essential to living a healthy life…

Yeah. I am.

          

So get moving or sign up for that summer triathlon and add these little treats to your post-workout snack…. Dunk it in that chocolate milk that is a great recovery drink.  See, I’m promoting that healthy and active lifestyle :)  It does include dessert!

Sometimes with a sweet tooth, you need wholesome and healthy sweets.  Although, I may be known to eat half the cookie dough or all the icing off the cupcakes… but we all have our flaws. 

Here, Oats and chocolate never tasted so good :)

           

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp butter, room temperature
• ½ cup white sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• ¼ cup plain, unsweetened apple sauce
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 - 2 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
• 1 or more cups of dark chocolate chips

- Preheat oven to 350F

- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and the sugars. Beat in the egg, followed by the applesauce and the vanilla extract. Working by hand, stir in the flour mixture and the oats until just combined and no streaks of flour remain. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Drop tablespoonfuls of the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, flattening each cookie slightly.

- Bake for about 10-12 min. Cookies will be light brown at the edges when done. Take them out when they are just getting golden and let them finish cooking on the sheet. This will make them extra soft :)
- Let cool on sheet for 3 or 4 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container. Makes about 2 dozen

TIP:  Be creative and add any mix-in’s that you want!  Add walnuts, almonds, sweetened coconut, or raisins to the recipe. 

 If you like these, click here for my Oatmeal Banana Cookie Recipe.  Where you will also find more links to other treats.