Let's Workout!!! and eat cookies too =)

Last year I was plowing through granola like it was going out of style.  I had just started getting back in the groove of working out and wanting to eat healthy after my 6 stress filled weeks of job training.  But the pounds weren't melting off (like we all imagine them to).  I was actually staying about the same weight, which really frustrated me!  I hadn't baked in over a couple months, so I couldn't imagine why I wasn't losing weight...  Then, I actually looked at what I was eating, and when I saw the fat and sugar content in some of the granola I was eating, I knew I had found the culprit to my dieting woes.  Right then and there I had decided to change up my baking (and eating) habits, and make more healthy recipes.
I researched granola recipes and a ton of them have cups of oil and butter that are included in the recipe (yuck!).  I dug deeper and then it hit me that I could switch out the oil and fat for APPLESAUCE.  After that I went a little crazy over board with the granola making...and I eventually got bored of it, but had all this leftover applesauce and oats.  I started looking for different ways I could use my ingredients, and fell onto a healthy version of a chocolate and oatmeal cookie.  Yey!!!! Cookies back in my diet =)

Applesaucey Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie Recipe

INGREDIENTS
1 Cup  All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon  Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon  Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon  Salt
1 teaspoon  Ground Cinnamon
2 Tablespoons  Unsalted Butter, room temperature
1 Cup  Light Brown Sugar
1 Large Egg
1/4 Cup  Unsweetened Applesauce
1/2 teaspoon  Vanilla Extract
2 Cups  Quick Cooking Oats
1/2 Cup  Dark Chocolate Chunks
1/2 Cup  Craisins
1 Tablespoon  Flax seeds

DIRECTIONS
1. Whisk together oats, flour, baking powder and soda, salt, flax seeds and cinnamon in a medium bowl.

2. In a large bowl, cream butter a sugar till fluffy.  Then, beat in the egg, making sure it's incorporated before adding the applesauce and vanilla extract.

3. Mix in dry ingredients until just combined, and fold in chocolate chunks and craisins.

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Drop dough on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake for 11 - 13 minutes or until edges are slightly brown.

5. Let cookies cool, then transfer to a cooling rack (or your belly).

The great thing with this recipe besides the fact that you can include it in your diet, is that you can change up or add ingredients such as wheat germ, pumpkin seeds, or nuts.  Soooo yummy!

Moose Ball Recipe

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 Cups  Peanut Butter (creamy or crunchy)

1/2 Cup  Organic Honey

3 Cups  Rolled Oats

1/2 to 1/3 Cup of any or all of the following:

Wheat Germ

Dried Cranberries

Chocolate Chips

Sliced Almonds

Pumpkin Seeds

Sunflower Seeds

Flax Seeds

Pecan Pieces

Dried Unsweetened Coconut

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix peanut butter and honey together till smooth.  Add in dry ingredients, and combine till everything is covered in peanut butter and honey.

2. Roll into 1 inch balls.  Place on cookie sheet in the freezer.

Store in an airtight container in the freezer.  Let moose balls defrost slightly before serving.  This recipe is so flexible that you can customize it with any type of nuts, seeds, etc.

Moose Balls =)

The first time I had this oh so yummy treat was the day of our last exam of training.  Our classmate made these for everyone as “brain food” since most of us were too busy studying to get a healthy meal in our stomachs (if anything).  I wondered how she was able to find the time out of studying to make something so delicious without feeling bad for leaving the books.  Turns out that there’s really nothing to it (and you can study while mixing and rolling, lol.)

What's in these golf ball sized goodies?  The main ingredient and my number one addiction (next to dark chocolate)...Peanut Butter!!  You don't even have to tell me the rest, I will definitely give it a try.  These balls of peanutty goodness may not look like much, but your taste buds will tell you otherwise once you pop one in your mouth.  That’s how it was for me when she passed it around.  I thought, “oh, just one”.  But one turned into 3…or was it 4?  I can’t remember, all I know is that they’re super addicting, and healthy for you too!  What can be better than a snack that tastes amazing and is good for you?

I can take no credit for this recipe, as I adapted it from her.  I may have made a couple changes based on what I had on hand, but the main reason for these being in my freezer by bulk is my amazing co-worker, ^^.  Thanks Beth!

Honey Flax Granola Recipe

INGREDIENTS

2 1/4 Cups  Rolled Oats (or 1 Cup Rolled Oats, 1/2 Cup Spelt, 1/2 Cup Puffed Rice and 1/4 Cup Puffed Millet)

1/4 Cup  Wheat Germ

1/4 Cup  Sliced Almonds

1/4 Cup  Pumpkin Seeds

1/3 Cup  Organic Honey

1/4 Cup  Apple Sauce

1 tsp  Ground Cinnamon

1 tsp  Vanilla

1/2 Cup  Dried Cranberries

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except the cranberries until everything is covered with honey and apple sauce.

2. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Line a baking sheet pan with parchment paper.

3. Pour mixture onto baking sheet pan, and bake for 40 minutes, mixing every 10 - 15 minutes.

4. Cool completely and mix in the cranberries.

Store in an air tight container and enjoy with milk, on top of yogurt or by itself.

Granola Time!

So, on a different note, I’ve been on this granola craze for a while now.  In part due to my job, since it’s hard to eat healthy, I try to find ways to snack healthier or pack healthier meals.  So granola is my go-to health kick.  That got me thinking, I wonder if I could make my own granola!  I found this one pumpkin granola recipe that I thought would be a great idea to try since the holidays are right around the corner.  I could eat it and gift it, ^^.

 The first batch was tasty, but the clusters were way too hard.  I had to soak it in milk before eating it.  The second batch I made didn’t have any pumpkin in it, and the consistency was perfect!  It was my version of a honey flax granola.  Since I had left over pumpkin from batch numero uno, I wanted to see if I could combine the two recipes and give pumpkin another go.  However…it still didn’t make the cut, “/.  I think the pumpkin puree makes the granola soggy, so if you don’t bake it long enough it has a stale consistency.  And if you bake it too long, it gets too hard.  Trial and error, but I think for sure that I won’t be making any pumpkin granola anymore, =P.    

After more finagling of the original recipe, I successfully made a crispy crunchy granola that wouldn't break your teeth!  I decided to throw spelt and puffed rice into the mix to give it a soft crunchy texture.  Although I couldn't mimic the exact taste and texture of the granola I usually purchase, it totally makes the cut for being a healthy and scrumptious treat, =).  Top off your favorite yogurt or eat it just like cereal and enjoy!