My Favorite Gingersnaps

It's probably the cold weather that has caused me to want to hole up in my hole of an apartment and bake for hours. Really, I've been quite a baking machine these days. Between several varieties of scones, cookies, muffins, and cupcakes, I enjoy standing near our oven, mixing together my flours, sweeteners, leaveners, and fatteners, knowing that what I'm making will bring a smile to someone's face. I intend to wholeheartedly use this as justification for what will likely be a shocker of a gas bill this month. Because really, I just like to make people smile, and who can't help but smile when they're offered a freshly baked cookie?!

As a child I enjoyed these gingersnaps at tea parties with my bears and dolls in the beautiful, woodsy backyard of my grandparent's home. These cookies were prepared meticulously by my grandma, who undoubtedly spent quite some time rolling out tiny balls of dough to create dozens of identically-sized cookies just larger than a quarter. Having made several batches of these over the past few weeks, I have grown to love the cathartic, mind-numbing feeling of dough between my hands, rolling out ball after ball, while dancing a bit to some Beatles tunes. It helps that the end result is a well-received, soft (yet snappy) cookie that is a subtle blend of sweet ginger, cinnamon, and molasses. To prevent burning, watch these cookies carefully, especially if they're small. They can easily be stored in the freezer, but watch out, because I've found that they are just as tasty frozen!

The Stuff:

• Mixing bowl(s)
• Flour sifter (recommended, but I don't own one, so I just shake my flour around a bit :-)
• Baking sheet
• Oven
• Cooling rack (again, I don't own one, so it's not totally necessary)

The Edibles:

• 1 c. sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 c. sifted white wheat flour
• 1 T. ground ginger (slightly more if you're using a generic brand)
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon (slightly more if you're using a generic brand)
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 T. ground flax seed
• 3 T. water
• 3/4 c. shortening (I used Crisco!)
• 1 c. granulated sugar
• 1/4 c. dark molasses
• 1/3 c. cinnamon sugar (1/3 c. sugar with a few hearty shakes of cinnamon mixed in well)

The Making:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Sift the flours, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a mixing bowl. Stir the mixture to blend evenly, and if you're feeling ambitious, sift a second time into another bowl.
3. Mix flax seed and water in a small bowl or cup, and let it sit for at least 3 minutes.
4. Place the shortening into a mixing bowl and beat until creamy. Gradually beat in the white sugar. Beat in the flax seed water mixture and dark molasses. Sift 1/3 of the flour mixture into the shortening mixture; stir to thoroughly blend. Sift in the remaining flour mixture, and mix together until a soft dough forms. Pinch off small amounts of dough and roll into 1 inch diameter balls between your hands. Roll each ball in cinnamon sugar, and place 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet.
5. Bake in preheated oven until the tops are rounded and slightly cracked, about 10 minutes. Larger cookies may take longer. I would recommend checking every minute or so around the 10 minute mark.
6. Cool cookies on a wire rack. Store in an air tight container.

Recipe makes about 60 cookies.

Cranberry Apple Nut Yogurt Scones

Burr! It's cooooold here in Chicago! Slightly sweet, not too heavy, these scones are a great little treat for a cold winter morning... and considering they're nutritionally enhanced through the incorporation of whole grains, fruit, and healthy fats from the nuts, you shouldn't feel guilty if you have more than one!

If you're averse to cranberries (ahem Momo), fear not! This recipe is merely a base that can be adapted to your preferences and ingredients on hand. For the cranberries and apple you can substitute anything from raisins to blueberries, raspberries to snozberries... And your favorite nut variety can can stand in for the hazelnuts! Play around!

The Edibles:

• 1 c. boiling water
• 1/2 c. dried cranberries
• 1/2 c. dried apple, chopped
• 2 c. all-purpose flour
• 2 c. wheat flour
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 3 T. baking powder
• 3/4 c. (1 & 1/2 sticks) cold butter or margarine
• 1 c. chopped hazelnuts
• 1 c. vanilla nonfat yogurt
• 1 c. fat free half-and-half
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

The Making:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Add water to cranberries; stir. Let stand 10 min. to plump cranberries. Meanwhile, mix flours, sugar and baking powder in large bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add walnuts and drained cranberries; mix well. Add yogurt and half-and-half; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened.
2. Divide dough into 3 pieces. Pat each piece into 6-inch round on floured surface; cut each into 8 wedges. Place wedges, 2 inches apart, on ungreased baking sheets; brush with egg.
3. Bake 15 to 18 min. or until lightly browned. Serve warm.

The original recipe that inspired this interpretation said that this makes 24 scones... I made 28. I'm special like that.

Slimmed Down Red Velvet Cupcakes with Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting

I love having an actual purpose when I’m in the kitchen. Yesterday, it was Mission: Birthday Cupcakes, Kelly O-Style. What did that mean? Well, I wasn’t sure when I started, but I knew I wanted to create a pint-sized sweet treat that we could enjoy with little guilt. What did that mean? It was Operation Healthy Baking.

Because I’m kind of lazy, and my pantry is not nearly as well-stocked as one might assume, I chose to start with a boxed cake mix. Simple changes to the added ingredients helped shave off quite a bit of fat grams while still offering up a moist, flavorful cake for my lovely lady friend!

Though you will see that I used cupcake liners, I would advise against doing so, as these mini cakes are very low fat, so they have a tendency to really stick to the paper baking cups. As much as it is a pain to clean my cupcake tin, I would prefer an easier time unwrapping this sweet cake!

You’ll also see that I made my own, somewhat eclectic cream cheese frosting fabricated from my randomly stocked pantry and finds at the 7-11 down the street. The result was well received; it’s not too sweet and clearly not as thick as the typical, butter-containing frosting, but it pairs well with the sweet cupcakes because it doesn’t make you feel like you’re going into sugar-overload. Of course, you could substitute vanilla extract for the coconut, and the creamer could be replaced by some half-and-half, mile, or completely omitted.

Red Velvet Cake... The Edibles:

• 1 box red velvet cake mix
• 1 c. Coke Zero (or Diet Coke)
• 1/4 c. water
• 4 egg whites
• 1 egg

Red Velvet Cake... The Making:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare your baking pan of choice by spraying with non-stick cooking spray and flouring lightly.
2. In a large mixing bowl gently blend all of the ingredients until moistened (about 30 seconds). Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes.
3. Pour batter in pans and bake immediately according to the time instructions on the cake box.
4. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting, The Edibles:

• 8 oz. light cream cheese
• 1/4 c. plain yogurt
• 3/4 c. powdered sugar
• dash of cinnamon
• 1 tsp. coconut extract
• 2 T. vanilla-flavored coffee creamer

Cream Cheese Frosting, The Making:

1. In a medium bowl, blend together the cream cheese, yogurt and creamer until smooth. (Note: I used my food processor, which worked wonderfully.)
2. Mix in the coconut extract then gradually stir in the powdered sugar and cinnamon.
3. Store in the refrigerator in a air-tight container after use.

Pumpkin Scones stolen from Starbucks

Despite the doom and gloom that may be around the corner as we move into fall and prepare for another frigid winter in Chicago, fall may be one of the top four seasons in my book (see what I did there...? Ha!). From cozy fleeces to crunchy leaves, vibrant trees and pumpkin pie spices, autumn is like a warm blanket that I just want to lounge around in for a while.

Among the many joys of this time of year, Starbucks caters to our love for pumpkin with its lattes and scones. Though I am averse to the lattes (I know, I was suprised as well), the scones... well, I just can't get enough! Luckily, I am not alone in my love for these semi-sweet, perfectly spiced treats. A quick Google search provided me with the following recipe. I followed it (mostly) and wowee! These are moist and DELICIOUS. You'll see that I didn't glaze them (my cupboards failed to magically produce powdered sugar), but I think these scones hold their own without any added glaze!

I'll admit that I didn't measure the amount of pumpkin I added, and I think I may have added too much, because my dough was a little thin and not very dough-like. I also used skim milk in lieu of half-and-half (it's all I had), but yes, I did use an ENTIRE stick of butter. I knew that this scone would not be truly my Starbucks clone if I didn't pump it up Paula Deen style!

The recipe says it makes 6 scones. I made 11, half tennis ball-sized scones. They were perfect.

The Scones... The Edibles:

• 2 c. all-purpose flour (I replaced 1/2 c. flour with whole wheat flour)
• 7 T. sugar
• 1 T. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
• 6 T. cold butter
• 1/2 c. canned pumpkin
• 3 T. half-and-half
• 1 large egg

The Scones... The Making:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices in a large bowl. Using a pastry knife, fork, or food processor, cut butter into the dry ingredients until mixture is crumbly and no chunks of butter are obvious. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin, half and half, and egg. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients.
4. Form the dough into a ball.
5. Pat out dough onto a lightly floured surface and form it into a 1-inch thick rectangle (about 9 inches long and 3 inches wide). Use a large knife or a pizza cutter to slice the dough twice through the width, making three equal portions. Cut those three slices diagonally so that you have 6 triangular slices of dough.
6. Place on prepared baking sheet.
7. Bake for 14-16 minutes. Scones should begin to turn light brown. Place on wire rack to cool.

Plain Glaze... The Edibles:

• 1 c. powdered sugar
• 1 T. powdered sugar
• 2 T. whole milk

Spiced Glaze... The Edibles:

• 1 T. powdered sugar
• 2 T.s whole milk
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 pinch ginger
• 1 pinch ground cloves

Plain Glaze... The Making:

1. Mix the powdered sugar and 2 tbsp milk together until smooth.
2. When scones are cool, use a brush to paint plain glaze over the top of each scone.
3. As the plain glaze firms up, prepare the Spiced Glaze.

Spiced Glaze... The Making:

1. Combine the ingredient for the spiced icing together. Drizzle this thicker icing over each scone and allow the icing to dry before serving (at least 1 hour). A squirt bottle works great for this, or you can drizzle with a whisk.

Jealous?

Almond Banana Muffins

For months now, I have had a box of Trader Joe’s Multigrain Baking Mix sitting in my cupboard, unopened. Though I’ve had inspirations for its use, I haven’t acted on any… until now.

I’ve mentioned before how I take after my grandma (hi, Mommom!) who will go to extremes not to waste a morsel of any food. Leftover dip? Use it as a bagel spread for the next 3 days. A loaf of marble rye looking like it will go uneaten? Not if she can help it! Thick slices of that loaf will be reincarnated as French toast for breakfast… for 5 days. Oh memories...

When I spotted a banana in our fruit basket, enveloped in brown peel, it signaled to me that its days were numbered. What else was I to do but put it out of its misery? It was the humane thing to do... and it satisfied the Mommom in me, because I ensured it did not go to waste.

And waste it most definitely did not become! Behold! A moist muffin rich in whole grain goodness, full of ingredients that can lower cholesterol and prevent heart disease. And should I add that it is boy-approved? Right on.

Makes 6 normal-sized muffins.

The Edibles:

• 1 T. milled flax seed
• 2 T. + ¼ c. water
• ¼ tsp. almond extract
• ¼ c. agave nectar
• 4 tsp. granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. vegetable oil
• 1 c. baking mix (such as Trader Joe’s or Bisquick)
• ½ c. oat bran
• hearty shake of cinnamon
• 1 very ripe banana
• 10 raw almonds, crushed or coarsely chopped

The Making:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix together first 6 ingredients; set aside.
3. Mix together the baking mix, oat bran, and cinnamon. Add in banana and flax seed liquid from step 2. Mix well, but don’t worry if you see chunks of banana hiding in your batter. They will become delicious morsels in your muffins. Fold in almonds and ensure they are evenly dispersed in your batter.
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes, using a toothpick to ensure they are fully cooked.

Umm yeah. Definitely boy-approved.

Devoured.

Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yet another cookie recipe? I had to! (And once you try them, you'll know why too!)

This recipe comes from a cookbook, called Thinkfood, that is chock-full of brain-boosting concoctions. I'm not sure if it's legal for me to reproduce this, but it is available online, and honestly, it's too good not to share! The book notes that this recipe is good for the brain because it includes a combination of "brain foods": chocolate, banana, flax, and walnuts.

Side note: For soft, sweet cookies, make sure the bananas are really ripe. The ripeness adds a natural sweetness and gives them a smooth, chewy texture.

The Edibles:

• 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
• 1 c. rolled oats (not instant)
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 T. ground flaxseed meal
• 1/4 c. agave nectar
• 1/4 c. soy milk (can substitute regular milk)
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 T. canola oil
• 1 ripe banana
• 1/2 c. dark chocolate chips
• 1/4 c. walnuts, chopped

The Making:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well until batter is blended evenly.
3. Use a tablespoon to portion cookies on a greased baking sheet, approximately 1-2 inches apart.
4. Bake cookies for 12-15 minutes.
5. Remove cookies from baking sheet once they are just beginning to turn golden (and look a little underdone). Allow to cool on wire rack.

Makes approximately 25 cookies.

Friendship Cookies

I decided to call these "Friendship Cookies" for two reasons. First off, my initial purpose in making these little gems was/is to honor the awesomeness of a coworker who is moving on to bigger and better things. In response to my questioning him as to what type of baked good he wanted for our celebration of his new endeavor he replied, "Something full fat, full everything. The works." It was then that I knew that an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie bake-a-thon was in my future.

These cookies are also near-and-dear to the heart of another friend of mine. Jay loves, and I mean loves these cookies. But I should specify: he loves these cookies in this form (not the beefed-up Luke's Cookies style that are amped with protein powder, wheat germ, and other goodies). And sadly, I do have to agree. Not only are these super simple to make (thanks to Paula Dean), but they are awesomely delicious. I couldn't help myself and make them a little (just a teensey-bit) healthier with the addition of flax seed and butter combo, but I swear, you can't tell one bit. These are some hefty cookies that really deliver... and help make sure your friends stick around.

The Stuff:

• large baking sheet
• non-stick cooking spray or parchment paper
• medium mixing bowl

The Edibles:

• chocolate chip cookie mix (I used Paula Deen's)
• 1 T. milled flax seed
• 3 T. water
• 1/2 c. oatmeal
• 3 T. light butter (I used Land o' Lakes Light butter made with Canola oil)
• 2 T. real butter (just like Paula Deen!)

The Making:

1. Preheat oven to 375. Prepare a baking sheet by either spraying with non-stick cooking spray or lining it with a piece of parchment paper.
2. Mix all of the edibles together until well combined. The mixture will be thick, but I was able to mix them rather easily with just a fork.
3. Spoon by tablespoon onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 8-11 minutes, or until slightly golden on top.

Rhubarb Crumble Bars

Bestowed upon me by my lovely Godmother and Great Aunt: 4 cups washed and cut fresh rhubarb. (I wish I was always so lucky to receive all of my vegetables in this manner.)

My mission: to create something lovely (and healthy) out of this vegetable that would make my gardener proud! The result: a gooey bar with a crispy top, best eaten with a fork (they're a little to fragile for hand-to-mouth eating) that could easily be confused with a tart apple cobbler. Delish.

Poor Herbert. Mean Mommy made him wait while I captured these images before digging in!

The Stuff:

• 2 c. fresh rhubarb, diced
• 1 & 1/2 T. honey
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 2 T. water
• 2 T. sugar (or 4 packets Splenda)
• 1/4 tsp. cornstarch
• 1 & 1/2 T. butter
• 1/2 c. Bisquick
• 2 T. milled flax seed
• 2 T. water
• 3 tsp. brown sugar
• 2 tsp. granulated sugar (or 1 packet Splenda)
• 3/4 c. oats
• generous sprinkle of cinnamon

The Making:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a small loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan ring first 5 ingredients to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the rhubarb is tender, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and sprinkle in cornstarch. Stir well to combine. Set aside.
3. Combine remaining ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Stir until well mixed.
4. Place 1/2 of moist crumble mixture into greased loaf pan and. Pat down into pan so that it is spread evenly. Pour about 3/4 of rhubarb sauce over the crust and spread evenly. Break apart remaining crumble mixture and drop on top of rhubarb sporadically and as evenly as possible.
5. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. The cook recommends serving with vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt!

Granola Bars Two Ways: Chewy and Crunchy

I woke up today and decided I would make granola bars. Had I ever made them? Nope. Did that stop me? Not at all. I was on a mission to make some wholesome, vitamin-packed bars. Now, I didn't intend to make two batches, but having learned a few things my first go-around (the crunchy), I wanted to see if I could improve my recipe and make a tastier batch. I chose to include both recipes because I think they offer different things. Those who like their bars less sweet would likely prefer the crunchy over the chewy. Those who are averse to crunch would be more apt to select the chewy (makes sense, doesn't it?).

The first batch listed is the one I made second, the chewy. My mix-ins included pumpkin seeds, sliced almonds (coarsely crushed), sunflower seeds, dried apples, and cranberries.

Prior to that batch I made one that was much drier, and consequently crunchier (and aptly named "The Crunchy"). This mix was also slightly less sweet, but the cranberries throughout the mix punctuate each bite with a tart sweetness that makes up for the use of less sweetener. In addition to the cranberries I added a bit of pumpkin seeds and sliced almonds for some healthy fats (and to add to the crunch-factor).

Like most of my recipes, and like most recipes for granola bars, the mix-ins are up to the creator. Whatever nuts or dried fruits you happen to have on hand (and enjoy, of course), would work with the basic mix. Think about the options; walnuts, dates, and coconut, or maybe macadamias, raisins, and apricots... now you know why I had to make two batches.

The Stuff:

• 8" by 8" baking dish (you can use a pan, but my times are based on using a glass baking dish that was too large at 8" by 11"... it's still possible to form the granola into a rectangle that is smaller than the dish size, but I estimate that this recipe would fit perfectly in an 8 by 8 dish or slightly smaller)
• parchment paper
• small saucepan
• medium mixing bowl

The Chewy

The Edibles (for the Chewy):

• 1 T. butter
• 1 & 1/2 T. honey
• 1 T. oil
• 1/4 c. water
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 T. milled flax seed, divided
• 4 packets Truvia (the equivalent of 8 T. sugar)
• 1/2 c. oats
• 1/4 c. oat bran
• 2 T. protein powder
• 1 T. wheat germ
• 1/2 c. Kashi Good Friends cereal, coarsely crushed
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 c. sliced almonds
• 1/8 c. pumpkin seeds
• 1/8 c. sunflower seeds
• 1/4 c. dried cranberries
• 1/4 c. dried apple, chopped into sunflower seed sized pieces

The Making:

1. Preheat oven to 325. Place parchment paper into baking dish.
2. Place first 5 ingredients, 1 tablespoon milled flax seed, and 2 packets Truvia in a small saucepan. Set aside.
3. Combine remaining ingredients in a medium mixing bowl, including the remaining 1 T. flax seed and 2 packets Truvia. Stir until ingredients are mixed.
4. Heat saucepan over medium low for 2 - 3 minutes, or until it begins to boil. Stir vigorously. Allow the liquid to boil for 1 minute; remove from heat and allow it to cool for 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Create a well in the dry ingredients. Carefully pour the liquid mixture into the well and stir with a fork. The mixture will be sticky. Use your fingers to make sure the ingredients are fully combined.
6. Place granola mixture on the prepared pan. Press the mixture down firmly, ensuring that the bars will be equally thick throughout the pan.
7. Cook at 325 for 15 minutes. Turn the temperature down to 300 and cook for an additional 30 minutes, or until the bars are slightly browned.
8. Remove the dish from the oven and allow to cool 5 minutes. Cut the rectangle into 8 equally sized bars, but do not remove from the pan. Allow the bars to cool an additional 30 minutes (you've given them some time to rest and really grip together), after which you may enjoy to your heart's content!

The Crunchy

The Edibles (for the Crunchy):

• 12 g. (slightly less than 1 T.) butter
• 1 T. honey
• 1/2 T. oil
• 2 T. Sobe Yumberry Lifewater (or another low-calorie juice like liquid)
• 3 packets Truvia (the equivalent of 6 T. sugar)
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 T. water
• 3/4 c. oats
• 1/4 c. oat bran
• 2 T. protein powder
• 1 2/3 T. wheat germ
• 1 & 1/2 T. milled flax seed
• 1/2 c. Kashi Good Friends cereal, coarsely crushed
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/8 c. sliced almonds
• 1/4 c. pumpkin seeds
• 1/4 c. dried cranberries
• 2 T. low sugar vanilla pudding

The Making:

1. Preheat oven to 325. Place parchment paper into baking dish.
2. Place first 7 ingredients in a small saucepan. Set aside.
3. Combine remaining ingredients up to (not including the pudding) in a medium mixing bowl. Stir until ingredients are mixed.
4. Heat saucepan over medium low for 2 - 3 minutes, or until it begins to boil. Stir vigorously. Allow the liquid to boil for 1 minute; remove from heat and allow it to cool for 1 to 2 minutes. Add pudding at this time and stir well.
5. Create a well in the dry ingredients. Carefully pour the liquid mixture into the well and stir with a fork. The mixture will be sticky. Use your fingers to make sure the ingredients are fully combined.
6. Place granola mixture on the prepared pan. Press the mixture down firmly, ensuring that the bars will be equally thick throughout the pan.
7. Cook at 325 for 15 minutes. Turn the temperature down to 300 and cook for an additional 30 minutes, or until the bars are slightly browned.
8. Remove the dish from the oven and allow to cool 5 minutes. Cut the rectangle into 8 equally sized bars, but do not remove from the pan. Allow the bars to cool an additional 30 minutes (you've given them some time to rest and really grip together), after which you may enjoy to your heart's content!

Estimated Nutrition Facts (for the Chewy):

Calories: 150

Fat: 7g

Sodium: 86mg

Fiber: 4g

Carbohydrates: 19g

Protein: 6g

Estimated Nutrition Facts (for the Crunchy):

Calories: 135

Fat: 5g

Sodium: 80mg

Fiber: 3.5g

Carbohydrates: 20g

Protein: 6g

Pumpkin Muffincakes

Guess what! Baking with boxed cake mixes doesn’t have to be boring or unhealthy! Guess some more! Enhancing boxed cake mixes with healthy ingredients doesn’t have to be hard or expensive!

I call these muffincakes because due to the addition of pumpkin, they have a distinctively cupcake-like moistness. Still, upon looking at these baked goods, one automatically assumes, “muffin.” They just have that look, you know?

I really like these little gems, and I can’t think of anyone who has not liked them. Feel free to experiment with other ingredients; the options are endless! From shredded coconut to chopped walnuts, shredded carrot to chopped dates, you can really go to town and not get bored with this basic recipe. You’ll see that the pictures I provided are of a batch that I topped with some sweetened and spiced cream cheese (a mixture of light cream cheese, vanilla yogurt, a drop of vanilla extract, a sprinkle of cinnamon, and something sweet like honey, a touch or sugar, or splenda).

Be careful where you choose to enjoy these, because they may cause excessive groaning.

The Stuff:

• cupcake tin
• large mixing bowl

The Edibles:

• 1 (15 oz. can) PURE pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
• 2 egg whites
• about 1/4 to 1/2 c. water
• 1 box carrot cake mix

The Making:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Mix first three ingredients together in the bowl until well blended. Slowly add contents of carrot cake mix. Stir until fully incorporated. There will be lumps; it’s okay.
3. Pour into 12 muffin tins.
4. Bake at for about 20 to 30 minutes, checking after 15 in case your oven cooks faster than mine. You can try to test the muffin doneness with a toothpick, but the pumpkin makes the muffins very moist, so it may appear to be uncooked. I like to press on the top of the muffin, and if it feels hard, and looks a little crackly, it's cooked.

I'm so scientific.

I usually divide the batter so that it makes 15 muffincakes or more. The below estimated stats would be if you also make 15 muffincakes.

Estimated Nutritional Information (per muffincake):

Calories: 155

Fat: 3.5g

Saturated Fat: 0.5g

Protein: 2.5g

Sodium: 200mg

Carbohydrate: 30g

Fiber: 1g

Cholesterol: 0mg

Iron: 6% RDV

Calcium: 7% RDV

Vitamin A: 115% RDV (2267.4mcg Beta Carotene)

Vitamin C: 3% RDV

Luke's Cookies

My brother (fondly referred to as "bro-bro") likes my baking. I might go so far as to say that he loves my baking. Cookies, muffins, he devours them all. And as an athletic 6'4ish" the boy can eat. And too often, I, like my mom, fall prey to the boy's pleads for us to cook for him. He's just too endearing. Even though I sometimes get irritated with his assuming nature, as in he presumes both my mom and I are going to whip him up a grilled cheese sandwich because we have absolutely nothing better to do, Luke always expresses sincere appreciation for our efforts, making the task all the more worthwhile.

Luke's love for oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, yet health-conscious appetite (an athlete has to be properly fueled) were the inspiration for my experimentation with a family classic. I wanted to power up these cookies and pack them with health-promoting ingredients so that my bro-bro could enjoy these without worrying that they would weigh him down on his next run. Adding oat bran and flax add fiber and healthy omega-3 fatty acids, and the extra protein from the wheat germ and powder really amp up the staying power (satiation), which is something you may not find too often in a cookie. The addition of pudding to these cookies really keeps them moist without a greasy residue. The convenience of a ready-made oatmeal cookie mix lessens the burden on the baker. Outside they may be crisp, but the inside will be soft. Be sure to store in the fridge in an airtight container, because the extra moisture will make them super prone to molding if left on the counter. An insider tip for baking oatmeal chocolate chip cookies: pull them out of the oven early, when they don't appear fully done. They will continue to cook once removed, but an early departure from the oven will yield a softer cookie.

Oh, and I don't have an electric mixer. So it is totally acceptable (and feasible) to mix the cookie dough with a simple fork. But only if you lick it when you're done.

The Stuff:

• 2 sizable mixing bowls
• 1 baking pan
• parchment paper

The Edibles:

• oatmeal cookie mix (I used a Betty Crocker mix, but I think I will make my own next time)
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 2 rounded T. protein powder (I use MLO Vegetable Protein)
• 1 & 2/3 T. wheat germ
• 1/4 c. oat bran
• 2 T. flax seed
• hearty sprinkle of cinnamon
• 1/4 c. water
• 2 pudding cups (I used reduced-sugar vanilla pudding cups)
• 2 egg whites
• 1/4 c. walnuts
• 1/4 c. chocolate chips

The Making:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. In a rather large mixing bowl stir together the dry ingredients (cookie mix through flax seed until well-combined.
3. In another large mixing bowl, whisk together wet ingredients (water through egg whites). Bit by bit (mayhaps 1/4 cup by 1/4 cup) pour dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients. Stir until well-combined. The dough may be thick.
4. Add the walnuts and chocolate chips, and give 'er a quick stir until fully incorporated.
5. Drop by spoonful onto a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for 10 minutes or so, until the cookies appear "undone".