That's The Way The Cookie Crumbles...

But it doesn't have to be!    Your probably still waddling after the large consumption of Thanksgiving treats... and now you need to prepare for National Cookie Day (Dec 4)!  In an attempt to help lessen the impact of the seasonal bulge, I'd like to offer you some healthier baking substitutions this cookie season. (National Cookie Month is October... but who ever heard of cookies in October?!?  It is clearly supposed to be in December!)

 

Flour Substitutes (for 1 cup) -

    Increase the nutrients and fiber:

    1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour mixed with 1/2 cup White Flour

 

    Go Gluten Free:

    1/3 cup Rice Flour + 1/3 cup Millet Flour + 1/3 cup Almond Meal

    

    Low Carb / Calorie and high in Fiber:

    1 cup Black Bean Puree                                                                          

 

Sweetener Substitutes (for 1 cup) -

    Reduce Sugar content by Half:

    1 cup Unsweetened Apple Sauce

 

    Reduce the Calories by 400 Calories per cup:

    1/2 cup Sugar + 1/2 Tbs Vanilla Extract

 

    No Brown Sugar?...

    1 cup White Sugar + 2 Tbl Molasses = Light Brown Sugar

 

    1 cup White Sugar + 3 Tbl Molasses = Dark Brown Sugar

 

    Ran Out of Confectioners Sugar?...

    1 cup White Sugar + 1 Tbl Cornstarch... process in food processor until powdery

 

Fat Substitutes (for 1 cup) -

    Butter:

    Reduce the Fat and Calories by half:

    1 cup Mashed Avocado (this will tint your recipe slightly green)

 

    1 cup Mashed Bananas

 

    Oil:

    1 cup Stiffly Beaten Egg Whites

 

    1 cup Greek Yogurt

 

Dairy Substitutes (for 1 cup) -

     Heavy Cream:

     Cut Calories and Fat:

     1 cup Evaporated Milk       

 

     Buttermilk:

     1 cup Milk + 1 Tbl Lemon Juice OR Vinegar

 

Leavener Substitutes (for 1 tsp) -

     Baking Powder:

     1/3 tsp Baking Soda + 1/2 tsp Cream of Tartar

 

     Baking Soda:

     2 tsp Baking Soda and Omit the Salt from the recipe

 

     Cream of Tartar:

     1 tsp Lemon Juice

Sweet Specials

Calorie Conscience Christmas

  We are well into the wonderful time of year for celebrations of all types.  Some parties honor Tacky Christmas Sweaters while others are Classy Cocktail Gatherings, and some are Pajama Parties with Family.  Regardless of how you celebrate, there's a good chance you're heading somewhere containing a whole bunch of extra calories this weeked, next weekend, or any time between now and Jan. 2.

   Since the cold is not generally conducive to working out, I can't think of anything better than to offer some healthy cooking tips on how to stay in shape (not circular) without having to work out in the bitter cold, desperately trying to run off eggnog and candy canes.  Here are a few that come in handy with holiday baking, when calories seems to shoot through the roof:

Substitutes for:

Sugar
Vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, agave nectar, honey, maple syrup, stevia.
   It is easy to swap out sugar in exchange for artificial substitutes such as Splenda, Equal or Sweet'n Low, but these give a pretty fake taste and aftertaste. You can pick up the natural altenatives at any grocery stores.

Eggs
Flaxseed/water mix (1tsp flax to 3 tsp water=1 egg) or egg whites (2 egg whites=1 egg).
   Not only does this cut calories, but also cholesterol!

Oil
Mashed banana or tofu, unsweetened applesauce.
   Use equal amounts applesauce as the oil that the recipe calls for. This is best for cakes, muffins, scones and bread. Mashed banana is better for cookies. For brownies use silken tofu.

Butter
Peanut butter, coconut butter.

Milk
Rice and low-calorie almond milk.
  Avoiding dairy immediately improves the health quality of any recipe.

All-purpose flour
Whole-wheat flour.
  According to livestrong.com, "Baking with whole grains, rather than all-purpose white flour, can add fiber to your diet, and high-fiber diets have been proven to reduce the risk of heart attack and other cardiovascular diseases."

   With all the holiday parties in full gear it is best to show up with cookies that you know aren't loaded with artificial sweeteners or sugar. How do you know? 'Cause you baked them yourself.
   Happy Baking!