It's National Cookie Day!

Two in One Oatmeal Cookies

Today is National Cookie Day! And it's Christmas month. It's the perfect time to plan for holiday baking. But how do you incorporate cookies into a healthy living plan that focuses on eating real food?

I have four self-imposed guidelines for cookies and other sweet treats.:

1. I eat real whole food for at least 90% of my diet every day.The other 10% is flexible.It allows me wiggle room to eat occasional processed food with 5 ingredients or less, to eat out when I don't know what ingredients the restaurant uses to prepare the food, and to enjoy Christmas cookies.
2. I can eat whatever sweet treat I want as long as I make it myself from real food ingredients.This accomplishes two things:I know exactly what is in the food and I don't eat it nearly as often as I would if I grabbed a highly processed box of something from the grocery store shelf. Check your holiday recipe file. Do any of your "from scratch" baking recipes involve dumping various processed foods together? Boxes of cake mix, bowls of whipped topping, and packages of candy don't count as real food ingredients.
3. I substitute healthier ingredients for less healthy ones.
4. I add healthy ingredients to everything I bake to increase the nutritional value.

Easy recipe substitutions:

• coconut oil or olive oil instead of vegetable oils and shortening
• raw organic sugar, organic honey, real molasses, or real maple syrup instead of highly refined white sugar
• whole wheat flour instead of refined white flour

Healthy ingredients that are easily added to cookies and other sweet treats:

• coconut oil
• dried fruit
• fresh fruit
• ground milled flaxseed
• nuts
• nut butters
• oatmeal
• seeds like pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds

Two in One Oatmeal Cookies

These delicious cookies are full of healthy ingredients including oatmeal, nuts, honey, and flaxseed. They are a holiday baking time-saver because you can make two different cookies out of the same batch of batter: Raisin Nut Oatmeal Cookies and Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies.They are great for Christmas parties and the neighborhood cookie exchange. 

Preheat the oven to 325.

Cream together in a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer:

1/3 c of organic coconut oil
1/3 c of butter, or butter substitute if you want them to be dairy free
1/3 c of almond butter

1/4 c raw honey

1/2 c raw organic sugar
3/4 c raw organic brown sugar 

Beat in:

2 eggs, use organic free range eggs when possible

2 tsp. of pure vanilla extract
1/3 c milk, use almond milk if you want them to be dairy free

In a separate bowl mix together:

1 c unbleached flour

1 c of whole wheat flour.
1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 T of milled flaxseed or ground flaxseed and chia seed combo 

4 c of rolled oats, regular not quick cooking

Blend the flour mixture thoroughly into the creamed mixture.

Scoop out half the batter into another mixing bowl.(approximately 2 1/2 cups)
Add 1 c of chocolate chips to this bowl.I like to use Enjoy Life Mini Chocolate Chips.They are dairy free, gluten free, soy free, and peanut free.

Stir with a large spoon until the chocolate chips are completely blended into the batter.
Set this bowl aside.

To the batter in the other bowl add::

1/2 c chopped walnuts

1/2 c chopped almonds

1/2 c raisins
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

Mix with an electric mixer until all of the ingredients are completely blended.

For each cookie, scoop out 1 heaping T of dough. Put the ball of dough onto a greased cookie sheet. Leave 1" of space between each cookie. Flatten the cookie balls slightly with your hand, the back of a spoon, or a spatula. Grease whatever you use (including your hand) with a little butter or oil so the dough won't stick when you flatten the cookies.

Bake at 325 for 11 to 14 minutes or until the cookies are lightly browned on the bottom and just starting to turn a golden brown on the top.

Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and allow the cookies to cool for two minutes on the cookie sheet. Use a spatula to remove the cookies from the cookie sheet and place on a wire cooling rack to cool completely.This recipe makes about 80 cookies, 40 of each kind. Store them in an airtight container if you are planning to serve them within a couple of days.Store in a freezer safe container or bag if you want to bake them ahead of time to serve later.I like to freeze them and take out a couple at a time when I'm in the mood for a little sweet treat. Microwave two cookies for about 20 seconds for a warm treat or take as many as you need out of the freezer and leave at room temperature to defrost if you want to serve a plateful at a family gathering or party.

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Buckeye Balls with a Twist

Buckeye Balls with a Twist

One of our favorite family Christmas treats is buckeye balls. I've tweaked the recipe to make it a little more nutritious than the recipe I used before I switched to a real food eating plan to help my fibromyalgia symptoms. Check out the blog post from December 9, 5 Ways to Make Christmas Treats Healthier, for more info on surviving the holidays without wrecking your healthy eating plan. 

I used to use peanut butter to make these. Many commercially produced peanut butter brands contain added ingredients other than peanuts. Here is the label from one popular brand of peanut butter:

INGREDIENTS: ROASTED PEANUTS, CORN SYRUP SOLIDS*, SOY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE*, SUGAR, LESS THAN 2% OF: HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OILS (COTTONSEED AND RAPESEED), SALT, MINERALS (MAGNESIUM OXIDE, ZINC OXIDE, IRON PHOSPHATE, COPPER SULFATE) AND VITAMINS (NIACIN, VITAMIN B6, FOLIC ACID). CONTAINS: PEANUTS, SOY.

If you love peanut butter, try one of the natural brands that has only two ingredients: peanuts and a dash of salt. The texture may take a little getting used to because it's coarser than commercial brands that have added chemicals to produce smoothness. The flavor is a lot more robust. You can taste the peanuts. You have to stir the peanut butter to incorporate the oil because there are no chemicals to do this for you. Refrigerate the peanut butter after you stir it and the oil will not separate out again.

I prefer to use almond butter because it has more nutritional value than peanut butter.Almond butter contains omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, niacin, folate, calcium, iron, riboflavin, manganese, and other healthy minerals. Look for an organic brand that contains fewer than five ingredients. 

Christmas treats are one of the few things I make that sometimes contain ingredients I don't normally use on a daily basis. This recipe contains confectioner sugar, which is a more refined sugar than I normally use, and graham cracker crumbs, which contain two of the red flag ingredients I normally avoid: high fructose corn syrup and partially hydrogenated fat. You can purchase organic graham crackers that do not contain these two ingredients at a health food store like Earth Fare, Trader Joe's, or Whole Foods Marketplace. Or you can use regular graham crackers from your local supermarket and make sure you stick to the 90%/10% real food eating guide.

The rule of thumb I have set for myself is to eat whole real food 90% to 95% of the time. That gives me a 5% to 10% margin to cover occasions like eating out when I may not know what restaurants include in their recipes and to enjoy special treats during the Christmas holidays. The secret for me is to make sure I continue to eat a healthy diet during the holidays, to eat only one or two Christmas cookies and treats after a healthy meal to minimize my exposure to less healthy ingredients, and to add a few nutritious ingredients to everything I make.This is a practical plan that allows me to make holiday treats for my family and friends and indulge a little myself. I don't feel deprived and I don't destroy my overall eating plan.


Buckeye Balls with a Twist

You can make these in the traditional buckeye ball shape or plop them in a pan for a quicker version that is just as delicious as the original. I'll share how to make them both ways.

Put into a large mixing bowl:

1 c almond butter
1 c graham cracker crumbs
1 box of confectioner sugar
2 packets of travel size milled flaxseed and chia seed combo. If you can't find the box that contains the flaxseed/chia combo, use plain milled flaxseed.

Melt: 
1/3 c butter, or butter substitute if you want these to be dairy free
1/3 c organic coconut oil

Add to the dry ingredients:
The melted butter and coconut oil
1 tsp.of pure vanilla extract

Mix thoroughly. I start by stirring this with a large spoon and then use my hands to completely incorporate all of the ingredients. Mix until you have a smooth ball of dough. Note:The amount of oil in the almond butter can vary depending on the brand you use. Pinch off a bit of dough and roll it into a ball. If it seems to be a little dry and crumbly and doesn't form easily into a ball, add a little more melted butter and coconut oil. If it seems to be too sticky, add a few more graham cracker crumbs.

For traditional buckeye shaped balls do this.

Line a cookie sheet with a piece of wax paper.
Pinch off 1 T of dough at a time and roll into a ball.
Place the balls of dough on the cookie sheet.
Stick a toothpick into each dough ball.
Put the pan in the freezer for at least one hour to chill the dough.

In the top of a double boiler melt:
1 bag of Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips. I like this brand because it is gluten free, dairy free, peanut free, soy free. and non GMO. 
2 T of organic coconut oil
Keep the chocolate mixture over warm water while you dip the balls.

Use the toothpick as a handle to dip the bottom half of each ball into the melted chocolate.
Place the balls back on the cookie sheet to cool.
Remove the toothpicks

Don't have time to roll and dip all those little balls? For a quicker version do this.

Place the dough mixture in a 9" x 13" pan.
Use your hands to press the dough into an even layer.
Pour the melted chocolate mixture over the dough.
Use a knife or spatula to smooth the chocolate to the edges of the pan.
Put the pan in the refrigerator to chill for at least thirty minutes.
Slice into small finger size bars and serve.

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Two in One Oatmeal Cookies

These delicious cookies are full of healthy ingredients like oatmeal, nuts, honey, and flaxseed. They are a holiday baking time saver because you can make two different cookies out of the same batch of batter: Raisin Nut Oatmeal Cookies and Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies.They are great for Christmas gatherings or anytime you want a healthier cookie throughout the year. Check out yesterday's post, 5 Ways to Make Christmas Treats Healthier, for more holiday baking ideas.

Two in One Oatmeal Cookies

Two in One Oatmeal Cookies

Preheat the oven to 325.

Cream together in a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer:

½ c of organic coconut oil

½ c of butter, or butter substitute if you want them to be dairy free

½ c raw honey

½ c raw organic sugar

½ c brown sugar, use raw organic brown sugar if possible

Beat in:

2 eggs, use organic free range eggs when possible

2 tsp. of pure vanilla extract

In a separate bowl mix together:

3/4 c unbleached flour

½ c of whole wheat flour.

(You can make a gluten free version of these by using 1 c of gluten free flour such as coconut flour, rice flour, tapioca flour, and/or almond flour in place of the unbleached flour and the whole wheat flour.)

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

2 T of milled flaxseed, or use 1 or 2 travel size packets 

3 cup of rolled oats, regular not quick cooking

Blend the flour mixture thoroughly into the creamed mixture.

Scoop out half the batter into another mixing bowl.

Add 1 c of chocolate chips to one of the bowls. I like to use Enjoy Life Mini Chocolate Chips. They are dairy free, gluten free, soy free, peanut free.

Stir until all of the ingredients are completely blended.

To the other bowl add:

½ c chopped walnuts

½ c chopped almonds

½ c raisins

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. ground ginger

Stir until all of the ingredients are completely blended.

Drop the mixture in both bowls by 1 heaping T onto greased cookie sheets.

Bake at 325 for 12 to 14 minutes or until the cookies are lightly browned on the bottom and just starting to turn a golden brown on the top.

Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and allow the cookies to cool for two minutes on the pan. Use a spatula to remove them from the cookie sheet and place on a wire cooling rack to cool completely.This recipe makes about 80 cookies, 40 of each kind. Store them in an airtight container if you are planning to serve them within a couple of days. Store in a freezer safe container or bag if you want to bake them ahead of time to serve at a family gathering or Christmas party. 

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5 Ways to Make Christmas Treats Healthier

Joy to the World

Christmas is coming and I love to bake holiday cookies and treats.I also love being free from fibromyalgia symptoms. A big part of my recovery plan involves skipping processed food and eating real food. Christmas cookies are not high on any nutritionist's list of the healthiest foods out there. However, my recovery plan focuses on practical ways to move toward a healthier life and completely giving up holiday baking is not practical for me.I have found a few ways to hold on to our family Christmas baking traditions without completely ditching my goal of eating healthier food.

1. I make sure I continue to eat plenty of real food during the Christmas season.

Before I refocused my eating plan, it was not unusual for me to consider a holiday party plate to be nutritionally balanced if it contained an equal amount of sweet and salty treats. I now know how much harm that can do to my body all the way down to the cellular level.So, I stick to my plan, even during this festive time of year. I eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables, drink ginger tea, and have protein at every meal. Eating a few cookies and treats in addition to my regular diet is a different thing altogether than eating treats in place of real food.

2. I create festive platters of fresh fruit and raw vegetables. 

Family and friends enjoy having more than cookies at holiday parties. I've discovered I'm not the only one trying to eat healthy during the holidays.There are a lot of fun ways to present the nutritious goodies.I served a fruit plate at Thanksgiving shaped like a turkey and my grandchildren absolutely demolished it. Need inspiration? Check out this Christmas Fruit Tree and Joy Veggie Plate I found on Pinterest. These two dishes are great for family celebrations and to take to potluck parties.

3. I avoid using processed ingredients when I bake cookies and treats.

A lot of my old holiday recipes included ingredients like a box of cake mix, candy bars, packaged cookie crumbs, and boxes and tubs and cans of things filled with all kinds of potentially harmful chemicals and ingredients. Once I started reading labels and learned all the ways the things we eat can harm us, I couldn't just ignore the truth that processed food products are often filled with chemical preservatives, high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, artificial colors, and other ingredients that research studies have linked to numerous health problems.

Baking from scratch is not as difficult as I imagined it might be. Most cookies and treats can be made from simple ingredients like flour, sugar, salt, milk, butter, nuts, and fruit. Here are a couple of ideas for using real ingredients instead of processed ones.

Does your recipe start with a box of cake mix? Just stir together 2 c flour, 1 1/2 c sugar, 1 T baking powder, and 1/4 tsp. salt and - Voila! - you have a homemade cake mix.

Want to decorate cutout sugar cookies? Use fruit juice instead of artificial dye to tint the icing. Decorate the tops with chopped nuts and dried fruit.

Does your recipe call for coconut or chocolate chips? Most packaged coconut contains artificial blue dye. Some chocolate chips contain high fructose corn syrup. Try organic versions. I like Wild Oats coconut which contains one ingredient: coconut. And I use Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips which are great for families with allergies since they are dairy free, gluten free, soy free, and peanut free.

4. I add nutritional ingredients to everything I bake.

Nutritious ingredients can be easily added to your favorite recipe. Use whole wheat flour for half the flour called for in the recipe. Replace part of the flour with oatmeal. Try almond butter and other nut butters instead of peanut butter. If you use peanut butter, buy a kind that contains only peanuts. Use real butter instead of margarine. Replace part of the butter with a few tablespoons of organic coconut oil. Add two tablespoons of ground flaxseed to your baked goods. I toss one or two pre-measured travel size packets of ground flaxseed into almost everything I bake. Add chopped nuts and dried fruit to up the nutritional level of your cookies.

5. I reduce the amount of sugar in every recipe.

Nutritionists have widely varying opinions on using sugar. Some say that sugar is fine as long as it is used in something you make yourself from real ingredients instead of in something you buy that is full of artificial ones. Some say that you should never use any sugar at all because it has been linked to increased inflammation in some people.

I limit the amount of sugar I eat. I used to eat sweet treats every single day, including packaged cookies and candy. Now I eat sweet treats I make myself and I only bake on holidays and other special occasions. And I eat one or two cookies at a time instead of losing track of how many I've plucked off the buffet table.

I use raw organic sugar, raw organic honey, or real maple syrup instead of refined white sugar. I reduce the amount of sugar in everything I make and you can't tell the difference. If the recipe calls for 2 cups of sugar, try making it with 1 1/2 cups instead. 

Between now and Christmas, I'll be sharing specific recipes for Christmas cookies and treats on the blog. Merry Christmas!

Want to stay connected?

Like my Facebook page: Practical Healing in a Toxic World  to find lots of practical ways to move toward a healthy life.The page has recipes, tips on chemical free living, fibromyalgia facts, and spiritual encouragement. 

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