healthyBITES
If you thought you had to banish good baking from your diet, don’t fret just yet! Fire up the oven and dust off your rolling pin—baking with more healthful ingredients can be deliciously rewarding. These healthy recipes use sweeteners judiciously, have no hydrogenated fat, contain all-natural ingredients and as much whole-grain flour as possible. So fill up your freezer with these healthy, delicious treats.
Cottage Cheese Cookies
Ingredients:
½ cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp grated lemon peel
1 cup cottage cheese
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
Method:
Using an electric mixer, cream the butter with the sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, lemon juice and lemon peel. Press the cottage cheese through a sieve and add it to the batter, beating well. Sift the dry ingredients together, add them to the batter and mix thoroughly.
Drop the batter by the teaspoonful onto buttered baking sheets - spacing the mounds well apart.
Bake in a preheated 400ºF for about 15 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly browned.
Sprinkle with icing sugar if desired.
Yield: 48 cookies.
Ginger Cookies
Ingredients:
2/3 cup butter
1 cup Sucanat (dark brown unrefined sugar)
1 beaten egg
1/4 cup light molasses
1 3/4 cups unbleached whole-wheat pastry flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cloves
Method:
Cream the butter and Sucanat. Add the egg and molasses. Beat well. Add the flour, salt, baking soda and spices and mix thoroughly. Drop by the teaspoonful onto a greased cookie sheet, and then flatten with the bottom of a glass that has been dampened with water and pressed in Sucanat. Or, roll out and cut with cookie cutters. Bake at 350º F for ten minutes.
Makes 5-6 dozen.
Breakfast Muffin Bonanza
Ingredients:
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ cup vegetable oil (I use half applesauce)
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
2 tbsp molasses
1½ cup natural bran
2/3 cup flour
½ cup wheat germ
¼ cup sesame seeds
¼ cup flax seeds
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon
1 cup raisins (tasty if you substitute dried cranberries or dates or use a combo)
Method:
Preheat oven to 375º F (try 360º F I found that the muffins scorched on the bottom)
Combine brown sugar, oil/applesauce, buttermilk, egg and molasses in large mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well. Spoon 1/3 cup and scoop batter into muffin cups (grease if you don’t use liners). Makes 12 yummy and satisfying muffins
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
High Protein Squares
This snack makes a great replacement for processed “power” bars and they can be made ahead and kept in an airtight container for up to a week.
Ingredients:
1-1/4 cups chunky peanut butter
1 cup carob chips
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 cup coconut
2/3 cup walnut pieces
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds, unsalted
4 tbsp butter (1/2 stick)
Method:
Over medium heat melt together the butter, carob chips, and peanut butter.
In a medium-sized bowl combine all other ingredients. Drizzle with peanut butter mixture and mix well.
Press mixture into a 9 x 12-inch pan. Chill until firm and cut into 24 squares.
To store place in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Yield: Thirty 2-inch bars
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Inns E-Magazine | Fall 2013 | 24