One Smart Cookie

October is National Cookie Month and to celebrate I encourage you to get a group of people together and create a batch of cookies! 

Cookies will always be a delicious treat, but there are ways you can make them "healthier". 

1. Whatever flour amount your recipe calls for, make half of it whole wheat. Whole wheat flour contains several vitamins such as folate, riboflavin, niacin, and thiamin, which gives it a nutritional advantage over white flour.

   
   

2. You can also replace some of your flour with oats. Oats are rich in antioxidants and are loaded with vitamins and minerals. 

   
   

3. Experiment with your cookie recipe by decreasing the amount of sugar you add. If you decide to decrease your sugar you may need to add more liquid to make sure your cookies don’t dry out. 

   
   

4. Think about adding spices (such as cinnamon), chopped nuts, dried fruit, or dark chocolate to your cookies to increase their nutritional value. 

   
   

   Put these tips to the test with this Oatmeal Chocolate Chip recipe

   Ingredients

   • 1 1/4 cups quick oats

   • 1 cup white whole wheat flour

   • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

   • 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

   • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

   • 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

   • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted and cooled)

   • 1 large egg

   • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

   • 1/2 cup honey

   • 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips

   • 1/4 cup raisins

   • 1/4 cup well chopped raw walnuts or pecans

   
   

   Instructions

   1. In a large bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

      
      

   2. In a medium bowl, combine the applesauce, butter, egg, vanilla, and honey. Whisk until blended. Pour the liquid mixture into the flour mixture and stir just until combined. The dough will be wet and sticky. Fold in the chocolate chips, raisins, and walnuts. Place in the refrigerator and let chill for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 days.

      
      

   3. When ready to bake, place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet. Remove the dough from the refrigerator (if it is very stiff, you may need to let it sit out for 5 to 10 minutes). With a cookie scoop or spoon, drop the dough into 1 1/2-inch balls and arrange on the baking sheet, leaving 1 inch of space around each. With your fingers, gently flatten each cookie to be about 3/4-inch thick.

      
      

   4. Bake until the cookies are golden and firm around the edges and set on top, about 9 to 10 minutes. Place the baking sheet on a wire rack and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer the cookies to the rack to cool completely.

   
   

   References 

   Recipe by: Erin Clarke (https://www.wellplated.com/healthy-oatmeal-cookies/) 

   
   

   https://simple-nourished-living.com/how-to-make-healthier-cookies-taste-good/ 

   
   

   -MT