Maybe They’re Just Not Meant to Be Healthy

Let’s go back to the first time I attempted homemade cookies from scratch.  I didn’t follow a recipe; I simply pulled out the ingredients I wanted to use and went with it.  And I ended up with Dark Chocolate Cherry Muffin Cookies.

 

I decided to bring Mom some on that day and my mom and sister refuse to cut me some slack about how  “healthy” they tasted.  That was my first attempt and I didn’t think they tasted that bad, but I knew they were too puffy.  In my efforts to make them healthified I used Brummel & Brown Yogurt Spread and too little brown sugar so they were both dry and not very sweet.  Mom and sister described them as “a sponge that could be used to soak up some water” due to the texture and very bland taste.

On Thursday my sister had a question for me.  She said, “If you never make those cookies again, will you be Breelyn’s  godmother?”  I laughed and accepted, but told her I would be making an attempt to fix those cookies.  (On a side note, my two week old niece did arrive home from the hospital Friday.  I am so happy she is home and I’m ready to be a part of her  precious life.)

So on Friday I arrived home from work and got to baking.  I added more Brummel & Brown and more sugar making them less healthified.  And attempt # 2 was a FAILURE again.  They were sweet enough, but still puffy and the texture still dry.  I brought them to my sister’s house anyway more as a joke than for them to be eaten.

This morning after breakfast I started on modifying the recipe for ATTEMPT # 3.  But first, breakfast included nonfat pumpkin spice latte, hold the whip and an eggwhite and turkey bacon sandwich from Starbucks.

After my first bite I took off the turkey bacon; it tasted aweful.

Back to the cookies.  I made several changes today—more sugar, less oats, less cinnamon, less baking soda, additional egg yolk, less salt, no cherries, no nuts, semi-sweet chocolate chips instead of dark chocolate squares.

And today’s attempt was a SUCCESS!  Hub had three of them right off the cooling rack.

The cookies spread out to a flatter “cookie” shape as opposed to muffins and became more chewy than dry.  These tips were helpful in modifying my ingredient list.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Servings:  16 cookies

Wet Ingredients:

1/4 cup Brummel & Brown Yogurt Spread, melted

1 cup of light brown sugar

1 whole egg

1 egg yolk

1 tsp vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients:

1 cup all purpose flour

3/4 cup rolled oats

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.  Whisk all dry ingredients in bowl except chocolate chips.  In separate mixing bowl, melt yogurt spread and whisk in sugar.  Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla to sugar mixture and whisk until combined.  Gently stir dry ingredients into wet just until combined.  Fold in chocolate chips.  Use measuring tablespoon to drop 16 mounds onto cookie sheets.  Bake in preheated oven for 12 minutes.  Let cool on baking sheet for two minutes once removed from oven.  Place cookies on cooling rack to cool thoroughly.

I ate a few of these throughout the day and well, it wasn’t completely healthy, but they sure tasted good. 

Nutrition Info courtesy of 411fit: Cals: 144.40 Carbs: 25.19 g Fat: 4.14 g Protein: 2.38 g Sodium: 140.05 mg

For lunch I popped open a can of chicken breast and added some celery seed, salt, pepper, miracle whip light, grapes defrosted from frozen, and sliced almonds.  I ate it on a whole wheat tortilla with cucumber.

Not the greatest lunch, but it served a purpose.

After lunch I got some laundry and dishes done and also painted my nails this pretty fall purple color called Infinite Love.

 

Now that my nails are grown I like painting them—something I’ve never enjoyed before.

Finally, hub and I ordered pizza and a large Italian salad from Come Back Inn.  The little hole in the wall restaurant sells pizza, po’boys, fried chicken, hot meals, salads, and more.  It is great food at a reasonable price, but the atmosphere isn’t too aesthetically pleasing, so we always order take out.  I’m never disappointed with what I order from there.  Consistency is nice!

Large with Italian Sausage, Onions, Green Peppers, and Black Olives

I’ve eaten at Come Back Inn since I was a kid, but tonight was a first trying their pizza.  My hub and I both enjoyed the crispy, thin crust and sweetened sauce which was not too overwhelming.  Additionally the salad was phenomenal.  I didn’t even want my slice of pizza after trying the salad.  But of course I had a slice.

Lettuce, Olive Salad, Boiled Egg, Tomatoes, Mozzarella Cheese, and Salami

It was delicious, though the masses of cheese could have been less.  I ate about half the salad, but only two strips of the salami.  The surprise addition of olive salad, which is used on their muffalettas, was quite tasty.

All in all, dinner was scrumptious and I think this may be my new pizza place for take-out!

And as for cookies and pizza—maybe they’re just not meant to be healthy! 😉

Question of the Night:  What is your favorite pizza toppings?

Related Articles

• “Vegan Chunky Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies” and related posts (ohsheglows.com)
• 7 Healthy Holiday Cookies (lifescript.com)
• The $18,000 Cookie (thehappyhousewife.com)