Guilt-Free Holiday Treats @LDBlakeley #Cookies #Recipes #Healthyish

It’s December! Have you started your Christmas shopping, yet? I'm all about the online retail so I'm pleased to say I have a pretty good handle on things this year.

I don’t know about you, but when the holidays roll around, I love to regale my loved ones with my culinary prowess (not to mention, my staggering modesty 😜)

I’ve spent years scouring the web for tasty treasures that I’ve adapted into healthier renditions or, at the very least, versions with fewer calories than found in their original form. So I thought I’d share a few of them with you, lovely readers!

My big weakness is peanut butter. Truth be told, I’m perfectly happy to eat it straight from the jar. I know. Pretty civilized, right? I didn’t say I was proud. As a result, I give you:

PEANUT BUTTER OATMEAL COOKIES

Ingredients:

1C margarine (2 sticks), softened
1 C natural peanut butter
1 C Brown Sugar Splenda
½ C Egg Beaters (or 2 large eggs)
1 tsp. vanilla
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2½ C rolled oats
1½ C whole wheat flour

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350°C
• Combine softened margarine and peanut butter in a large bowl
• Add Splenda & egg beaters and mix until smooth, fluffy and glossy
• Stir in vanilla
• Add salt, baking soda, oatmeal and flour; Stir well
• Spoon onto an ungreased cookie sheet & flatten with the back of a spoon or a fork
• Bake 12 to 15 minutes

Makes 45 medium/large cookies.

NUTRITION

Calories: 108 | Fat: 5.8 g | Sodium: 62 mg | Carbs: 9.4 g | Fibre: 1.1 g | Protein: 3 g

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CRANBERRY ALMOND OATMEAL COOKIES

Ingredients

1 C canned pumpkin (pure pumpkin, not pie filling)

½ C cup brown sugar Splenda

½ C Egg Beaters (or 2 large eggs)

1 tsp. vanilla

1½ C whole wheat flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

½ tsp. salt

3 C rolled oats

1 C dried cranberries

½ C slivered or sliced almonds

Directions

• Heat oven to 350°C
• Beat together pumpkin and sugar
• Add eggs and vanilla, beat well
• Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon salt ; mix
• Stir in rolled oats, cranberries & almonds
• Drop rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet
• Bake 10-12 minutes

Makes 45 cookies.

NUTRITION

Calories: 66 | Fat: 1 g | Sodium: 4 mg | Carbs: 12 g | Fibre: 2 g | Protein: 2 g

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I realize that not everyone has the time, nor the inclination to go all Great Canadian Baking Show simply because it’s the holidays. So for those of you who can’t be arsed with baking (but don’t want to bring a bag of Oreos to your company pot luck), get ready to start falling in love with me. My Easy Peasy Chocolate Bites only involves 3 main ingredients, and you’ll look like a rock star when you show up with these bad boys.

EASY PEASY CHOCOLATE BITES

Ingredients

1 package (250g) Philadelphia Light Cream Cheese
1 Cake Mix (I used Betty Crocker Super Moist Devil’s Food)
¼ C Margarine

to sprinkle on top:

1 tbsp. (approx.) cocoa powder
1 tbsp. (approx.) icing sugar

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350°C
• Soften cream cheese & margarine in microwave & mix together in large bowl
• Add cake mix & combine well
• Roll into balls (approximately 2.5cm | 1”)
• Place on ungreased cookie sheet
• Bake 12 minutes
• Dust lightly with cocoa powder & icing sugar while still warm

This recipe makes 72 to 75 chocolate bites – enough to share with the whole class!

And be sure to store these guys in the refrigerator (they do have cream cheese in them, after all!)

NUTRITION

Calories: 37 | Fat: 1 g | Sodium: 76 mg | Carbs: 6 g | Fibre: 0.2 g | Protein: 0.6 g

Oh, and if anyone can tell me why the marketing geniuses in Canada never stopped to think, “Hey, that’s pretty gross,” when they signed off on Lait de Poule (literally: chicken milk) for their packaging, I’d be curious to hear about it. I mean, it’s a glorious way to wash down some tasty treats. Just don’t think about the name, is all I’m saying.

Until next time,