Peanut butter cookies and a personal project

A healthier peanut butter cookie.

I made these cookies and I liked them. A lot. So did the kiddos. I didn't get to making pumpkin or banana bread yesterday so I put one of these in my big boy's lunch today.

First, these cookies have sugar. They are cookies after all! The recipe I adapted this recipe from called for half white sugar and half brown sugar. I used all brown sugar because I prefer it over the white and some say it's a tad less processed? Regardless, I used it! You know those chocolate chip/chocolate drizzled granola bars you see/buy at the grocery store? These would be a good homemade replacement. You could even shape them into more of a square or small bar rather than round like a cookie. I hope you'll give this quick recipe a try.

Now for a little something a little more personal. Here's the scoop. I'll be 40 in six months. Any birthday can be a "big" birthday. For some 40 may or may not be. For me, it is. The most important part for me is embracing it, being excited about it and being present the moments leading up to it. I plan on learning more about myself over the next six months. I want to push the limits I've put on myself (oh there are so many!). I've been moving in this direction very slowly for a very long time. My goal is to step it up. So there it is. I'd love it if you followed me here at MFM. I could use the encouragement. Oh, and you know, you could join me... maybe you want to commit more fully to yourself, feel more inspired and learn to be more mindful as well. A big birthday or not, six months from now - who knows where we'll be?

Peanut Butter and Flax Cookies
Adapted from here.
Makes 15 cookies

Ingredients
2 tbsp Coconut oil or butter, room temperature
1/2 cup Natural peanut butter
2 tbsp Milk (your favorite type)
1 egg or 1 flax egg
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1/4 to 1/2 cup Brown sugar, unpacked (I used a bit less than a 1/2 cup)
1 cup Oats
1/2 cup Whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Baking soda
1 tbsp Ground flaxseed
1 cup Dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Line baking sheet with parchment

Directions
1. In medium bowl, cream coconut oil or butter and peanut butter (this can take a while if mixing by hand).
2. Add milk, egg, vanilla and sugar. Mix well.
3. Add oats, whole wheat flour, salt, baking soda and flax. Stir gently to combine.
4. Mix in chocolate chips (still be gentle!).
5. Scoop with regular size cookie scoop onto lined baking sheet.
6. Bake 10 - 12 minutes.
7. Let cool (if you can wait that long) and enjoy!

Notes:
Make these vegan by using coconut oil, almond or other non-dairy milk, flax egg and vegan chocolate chips.

Swap out the peanut butter for any nut or seed butter if you like.

Let me know if you try replacing the brown sugar with honey or maple syrup. I'd love to know what adjustments were made and how they turned out.

Note: This recipe is an update from this original post.

WhoNu these weren't a good option? I knew, that's who!

WhoNu? Cookies. Don't get fooled. These have been on the shelves for a while now and I thought they'd go away but they haven't. I'm not sure if people are buying them and that's why or if the shelf life is so long they've just been sitting there this whole time.

I did a little research on the Oreo type version of the WhoNu? cookie and let me start by comparing the ingredients.


WhoNu? Chocolate Cookies: Sugar, Wheat Flour, Vegetable Oils (Canola, Palm, Palm Kernel Oil, Soybean Oil And Partially Hydrogenated Cottonseed And Coconut Oil), Cocoa, Dextrose, Polydextrose, Yellow Corn Flour, Corn Syrup, Baking Soda, Soy Lecithin, Salt, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Monoglycerides, Vanilla Extract.

Oreo Cookies: Sugar, Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Folic Acid), High Oleic Canola Oil And/or Palm Oil And/or Canola Oil, And/or Soybean Oil, Cocoa (Processed With Alkali), High Fructose Corn Syrup, Cornstarch, Leavening (Baking Soda And/or Calcium Phosphate), Salt, Soy Lecithin (Emulsifier), Vanillin – An Artificial Flavor, Chocolate.

They're very similar, yes? Although I don't buy Oreo cookies or other boxed/highly processed cookies, I've never noticed them claiming to be "nutrition rich cookies." That's what's irritating. Well that and this piece written last year. Especially "Who knew delicious could be so nutritious? That's what Moms across the country are exclaiming since the recent launch of WhoNu?..." Moms are exclaiming? Hu? Any mom exclaiming that in regards to these cookies, needs to brush up on the facts. Oh and this quote from the VP "Children are snacking more than ever and they're snacking on nutrient-deficient foods with empty calories" reminds us that kids in the US are snacking too much and often it is junk they're snacking on. Whether it's hard to hear or not, parents are the reason for both these issues. We decide what we buy and serve to our kids, they don't.

No matter how you slice it, WhoNu? chocolate cookies are highly processed junk. Oreos with added vitamins. And I don't need a cookie to assist me with my child's nutritional needs. So, please leave these on the shelf along with the other boxes and bags and if it's a cookie your kiddos want, get in the kitchen and bake some. Perhaps, these Vegan Chocolate Chips Cookies? You don't have to be vegan to like a vegan cookie. That's my motto anyway!

Recipe: Oatmeal Berry Blend Cookies

I have a real live cookie monster in my house. He is in the form of a four year old. This boy has it bad for cookies and I have to constantly keep his love for them under control. I assume some of the responsibility though... I can make a pretty mean cookie.  One of the food rules we follow is making our treats, not buying them. This helps not only to control the ingredients but it also makes it a more enjoyable experience. My boys get to help make them and the reward is always worth the work and wait. Additionally, it naturally controls the frequency. Boxed or bagged cookies? No way, totally not worth it for this family.

Inspired by a craving I had for oatmeal raisin cookies, I came up with a little tweak on a traditional oatmeal raisin cookie. Oatmeal Berry Blend Cookies. This cookie was another hit. I am going to go as far as suggesting it as a totally acceptable breakfast choice. It's sweetened only by honey and the mix of dried berries, cherries and raisins. I used a mix called "Golden Berry Blend" from Trader Joe's in place of just raisins. But this cookie can be made with any dried fruit you like. Keep in mind, this cookie is not sugary sweet. It doesn't have that unique brown sugar taste traditional oatmeal raisin cookies usually have. Don't let that deter you though. It's got eye appeal, a hearty texture and you can feel good about the ingredients residing inside. And I feel strongly that if the kids dig it, it's gotta be good, especially when it comes to treats. They're certainly my biggest critics.

Oatmeal Berry Blend Cookies

1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature
1/2 Cup Honey
1 Large Egg
1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
1 Cup White Whole Wheat Flour or Whole Wheat Cake Flour
2 Cups Old Fashioned Oats
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 Cup Mix of Dried Cranberries, Golden Raisins, Blueberries and Cherries (or just one fruit)

1. Preheat oven to 325 F.
2. Place the butter and honey in a bowl and beat for 1 minute.
3. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat for another minute or until smooth.
4. In a separate bowl, mix to combine the flour, oats, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
5. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet and mix to incorporate.
6. Stir in the dried fruit then scoop 1/4 cup of dough (I use a two inch scoop) for each cookie onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
7. Bake for 15 minutes. Start checking at 12 minutes. Don't over bake!
8. Cool and serve.

Please note: I make large cookies. I only got nine cookies out of this recipe. If you prefer, use a traditional size cookie scoop or tablespoon and adjust cook time. You'll get at least double the amount of cookies. Enjoy!

Recipe: Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Peanut butter and chocolate. Oh yes. I love, love, love peanut butter and I love, love, love chocolate. So when I came across a "healthier" peanut butter and chocolate cookie, I was in. I found the original recipe at Honey, What's Cooking?

I thought these would make a great addition to our Father's Day gift for the hubby and a decent treat for the boys. So I headed to the kitchen and got started. I made a few changes based on my personal preference. I used all brown sugar and no white sugar. I also added a touch of sea salt and used a mix of dark and milk chocolate chips.

These cookies came out great. They are thick, chewy and chocolaty. My dough was thick and didn't spread much. I gave them a little push down a few minutes before they were done baking. Next time I may just shape the cookies into hockey puck like rounds and see how it goes.


Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes 9 big cookies (using a two-inch scoop)

1 Cup Old-Fashioned Oats
1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Tablespoon Flaxseed Meal
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter (room temperature)
1/2 Cup Natural Peanut Butter, salted or unsalted
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Reduced Fat 2% Milk
1 Egg
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/2 Cup Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Chips
1/2 Cup Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate Chips
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment.
2. In a medium bowl, combine oatmeal, whole wheat flour, baking soda, flaxseed and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream butter and peanut butter. Add brown sugar, milk, egg and vanilla. Mix until well combined.
4. Add oatmeal mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing gently until combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
5. Scoop cookies onto baking sheet and bake for 15 to 17 minutes. Let cool (if you can) and enjoy!

You can find this recipe and lots of other sweet treats over at Sweet As Sugar Cookies. Check them out. Get inspired.

Cookies

Cookies. Cookies are good. And the best one's are homemade. I make a chocolate chip cookie not even my health nut husband can resist. And my sister has a cookie business that puts other cookies to shame. With this in mind and the goal to avoid processed food as much as possible, why would I bother with a packaged cookie? Well because I need an acceptable quick fix cookie in my medium food arsenal. You know, just in case. And I think Kashi TLC Soft-Baked Cookies fit the bill.

I decided to pick up a box while at the store today because they were on sale and I needed a little something to get me through until lunch. The box is well designed. As you can see from the picture, it has a big yummy cookie on the front. Makes you think the cookies are big, like those Grandma's Brand cookies but they're not. They're not the smallest cookie around but smaller than expected. Which isn't a problem just a bummer for me, ha ha.

Putting aside the superior taste of a homemade cookie or one from a reputable bakery, these cookies are decent and a more "healthful" option. They contain whole grains and provide 3 grams of fiber and only 8 grams of sugar. My favorite flavored yogurt contains 16 grams of sugar. I would definitely recommend these as a back up to a favorite granola bar or other on-the-go snack.

For some reason, I've always trusted the Kashi brand. Could be a case of brilliant marketing I suppose but what I've read about the company so far, I like. Reminds me of what I like about Amy's brand. To read what I did, click here. I do believe that all packaged/processed foods are NOT created equal. I ultimately think we should make the bulk of what we eat ourselves, especially treats. But sometimes our lives beg for a convenience or two and being able to grab a packaged snack or meal occasionally that I can feel okay about is huge some days - like today.

Finally, price. The box I bought today cost me $2.79 on sale. You get 8 (smallish) cookies in a box. The price is average, I think. About the same as a box of granola bars.

Ingredients (Oatmeal Dark Chocolate): Kashi Seven Whole Grains & Sesame Blend (Whole: Hard Red Winter Wheat, Oats, Rye, Triticale, Barley, Long Grain Brown Rice, Buckwheat, Sesame Seeds), Dark Chocolate Chips (Evaporated Cane Juice, Chocolate Liquor, Cocoa Butter, Soya Lecithin, Ground Vanilla Bean), Whole Rolled Oats, Expeller Pressed Canola Oil, Honey, Evaporated Cane Juice Crystals, Brown Rice Syrup, Chicory Root Fiber, Oat Fiber, Vegetable Glycerin, Natural Flavors, Sodium Bicarbonate, Soy Lecithin, Salt, Mixed Tocopherols (Natural Vitamin E) For Freshness, Monocalcium Phosphate, Walnuts, Peanut Flour, Nonfat Dry Milk, Eggs.

No Halloween candy to be found... Is that a bad thing?

Even though I'm a little sad to see October go, I am welcoming November with open arms (and an empty candy jar)... Okay, I don't have an actual candy jar but you know what I mean. We did get the boys dressed up and we even went to a Halloween party. There was some treats at the party but they we're small and the only one Gavin was really interested in was the pumpkin shaped cookie. I must spend a moment on the cookie. They had two or three tables set up for the kids to decorate their cookie. Each child got a paper plate with a cookie, a small container of frosting, a small container of candies and a plastic knife. Gav had a lot of fun spreading the frosting then decorating the cookie with the little candies. I love stuff like this. It's creative and it gives the kids the feeling of making their own treat. So much better than a handful of packaged candy. After the party, we went home. The boys had a nice time, my husband and I had a nice time and this morning, none of us feel like anything is missing. As much as I LOVE a Reese's pumpkin or any shape of Reese's for that matter, it's nice not to have a bag of junk around to contend with.

I know to some it may sound like a terrible thing - no Halloween candy to pick at throughout the week? But I think it's great. Treats taste better when there's some effort put into them. From measuring and mixing it all yourself to the cookie Gav decorated last night, it all adds so much to the pleasure of eating a treat. In regards to budget, it really doesn't apply in this instance. Bags of Halloween candy are pretty cheap and the bulk of what you end up with is free so homemade goodies are bound to cost more but in the long run are a better choice. Remember though - everything in moderation. Have Halloween candy in the house? Have a little. Then throw it out. :)