On a Cookie Kick

Maybe it was baking cookies over the weekend or the cover of Food Network magazine featuring 50 holiday cookie recipes. Whatever the reason, I'm on a cookie kick! Bad news for the waistline... or is it?

As we near the end of the year, many of you might be making New Year's Resolutions and some of those resolutions might involve diets. I'm not a good dieter by any means and I've been so bad about exercising this year. Like, REALLY bad. (And that was one of my resolutions for 2009! I guess I'll put it back on the list for 2010.) But just because you're going on a diet doesn't mean you can't enjoy dessert! Especially when you make the dessert in a healthy way.

Last year I found this recipe for healthy chocolate chip cookies in Fitness magazine. No, it doesn't involve mashing up carrots and watermelon and creating a dough. (Does anyone else find those juicer commercials really gross? Watermelon and cucumber and carrot and broccoli? Tasty!) By using canola oil in place of butter, you're saving yourself a lot of unnecessary fats and calories. Make these for a holiday party if you want to start your diet early or just wait until January 1 to make them. :)

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups canola oil
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt.


3. In another bowl, beat oil, sugars, and vanilla until creamy.


4. Beat in eggs.
5. Gradually add flour mixture. (Don't pour the whole bowl of flour mixture in there. Do it in three steps.)

6. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts (which are optional).


7. Roll into small balls (I use a spoon to help me there) and flatten slightly (or not - I like big cookies) onto an ungreased cookie sheet.


8. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until edges are golden brown.
9. Lick the batter. Yum!


And here they are! I like these cookies (and so does the husband) but if you are expecting super soft cookies, be warned: these cookies turn out more on the crunchy side. I guess it's because of the lack of butter, but hey. A cookie is a cookie is a cookie. Delicious!


These might be fun to bake this weekend, huh? I'll be doing some experimental baking myself. Check back soon to see how it went! Stay crafty!