yum

And Michelle is here for Wednesday,

Well, I’m at it again…in search of the Holy Grail,….of Cookies. The Chocolate Chip Cookie. Is there anything better than a chocolate chip cookie??! OK, Raul the Pool Boy with a Pint-Sized HaagenDazs Spooncicle (you know the one…the whole pint with a giant spoon shoved in it as a stick – You know you’ve done it! Confess!) AND a Chocolate Chip Cookie Box! Only, I’m on a continual diet, which presents a problem. After my last trip to Perfect I’d eaten a burger the size of my head (which I saved up my calories to do!), I need some relief. That little nagging demon on my shoulder constantly with “WWJE”…no it’s not a radio station…one of those obnoxious little bracelet saying What Would Jessica Eat. OMG ! C O O K I E S!!!!! 

Now, I’ve done all this before and shared my findings, which were good. Although there’s still that 1/2 Cup of oil / butter substance included. Most of the recipes I’ve tried have been either low-fat, and taste like super sweet cardboard. Or, low-sugar which means you’re still dealing with a cup of buttah! Let’s face it, a cookie is butter and sugar with varying amounts of flour. There has got to be a better way. Well, I’ve been surfing the Net and playing in the kitchen to come up with something yummy. I know I’ve been using Whey–Lo for a long while and I still like it – it’s just so darned hard to come by, and a bit finicky to bake with. So, while at Target I discovered that they had the Truvia Baking Blend on sale and thought I’d give it a whirl. I was pleased with the results , and so were my ‘taste test victims’…of which only one was warned of the Diet Demon.

So, here we go: The Chocolate Chip Cookie

Step 1: Mix the wet together. Mix the dry together. Then mix the dry into the wet. You know the drill.

OK, so here’s a couple of Notes on the Ingredient List. See the nut grinder, this is where I store my ground walnut all the time. When I bake I re-grind them into the lid for a much finer dusting of nut flavor without adding in a ton of calories. I put maybe a 1 tsp of the super fine walnut shavings in mine. 

Guess what else that nut grinder’s good for? Yup, chocolate chips! Those Ghiradelli 63% Cocoa chips are lower ing fat, but too big for small cookies. Put them in the fridge first so they’re brittle and they’ll grind into small tidbits that land neatly into the jar – not all over the cutting board or ricochet off the knife and go zinging across the kitchen. Yes, I discovered this after a fateful trip south for supplies ended and found my bag of carob chips had made one melted bar in a bag! …and you know I can’t throw anything away. 

Another thing, that little cup of Organic Apple Sauce is a staple here. Apple sauce goes bad fast, and since apples are on that ‘Dirty Dozen’ list I buy them as well as their counterparts in organic form when I can. So, those expensive little cups aren’t so bad after all. Besides, I have to keep myself busy waiting for cookies to bake – so eat up the rest of that cup!

Whole wheat pastry flour. Yes, it makes a difference, but you can use some white whole wheat flour (although I’ve not tested that version – yet). That little blue bag is pricey too, which is why it, along with it’s other Blue Bag friends, live in the freezer! Forget that Best Before Date, put them in zip–locs and line the door of the freezer with them. Need Buckwheat Flour? – Got it!, need Oat Flour? – Got it!

Step 2: OK, there’s the batter. This is going to be slightly thinner than a regular cookie dough is. I let it set for a bit. You have to pre-heat the oven now anyway (350deg please) and nibble on that apple sauce. Yes, you have to clean up your mess as well. Come on it can’t be that bad – it’s just two bowls! And while you’re at it, be sure to wipe the molasses bottle lip – or you’ll never get it open again.

 Step 3: Get the cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. And pull out the cookie scoop. These are not huge cookies, so use less than the full scoop (say, 2 tsp).

 Step 4: Bake them for 8 – 10 min (you judge your oven). These will not look ‘brown’ like CC cookies do, the batter’s already brown. The bottom edges will be more golden as they finish cooking.

Step 5: Look at that…a chocolate chip cookie! About 2″ across and they have a texture a bit more muffin-like, given the lack of fat, but a cookie none the less. The mini chips make sure every bite gets some.

Step 6: Bait the cookie testing victims with a pretty show…. (of course I ate the sub-standard broken cookie and that terrible fat-free milk….Jon just got one cookie on one plate – hee hee)

Cookie Tester says…. Thumbs Up!

 Jon just looked at me with a smile and asked, ‘What’s Up?’ I said, “Forty Seven calories – that’s what’s up!”. That got a “Wow-You have to write this one down.” So, I did.

How do I know the calorie count? Well, I searched the Net for that too and was irritated at the sites that made you sign in and more-or-less surrender your recipes to get that little black and white confirmation of fabulousness! So, the NYTimes has http://caloriecount.about.com/cc/recipe_analysis.php You just plug it in and there you go. I listed these at 12 servings, because the batch makes 24 cookies and I don’t remember EVER eating just one CC cookie….even with WWJE watching me!

Thanks Michelle!  Another yummy recipe.  How come those low-cal cookies never make it to my place?  Guess I’m going to have to risk using my oven.

By the way, Michelle and I have the same model of oven.  But mine mostly bakes frozen pizzas.  And we also both use those acronyms.  Like if I think a box of chocolate chip cookies are perfect for lunch, I have to think WWJE and eat a salad.  And like the time I threw the old dresser into the firepit and caused a huge fire, I blamed it on my inner Kendall–WWKD–“What would Kendall do?”.  And when I walk into my office to use my computer and I smell those cookies burning in the oven, I think that wouldn’t happen to Michelle–WWMD!

KT

Michelle is making healthy tasty stuff in the kitchen again.  This time she is using wheat berries.

Wheat Berry Salad

What the heck is a Wheat Berry ?? I never knew wheat had berries,…I thought they were grains! Whatever. Actually, it IS the grain, the whole thing minus the hull. I’m not always a fan of the latest health food craze…sorry quinoa, I just can’t get into it. Back in the ’70’s my Mom was in and out of the health food kick. OK, maybe more in than out and I wasn’t always of fan of what was presented. There are a few things that have stuck with me through the years that take me back fondly…Mom’s honey wheat bread, Grampies Rolled Oats with Raisins, and bulgar wheat cereal. I don’t know why I liked this stuff – must be that Mom brainwashing thing – I did turn out to be kinda healthy though. (Thanks Mom) I’ve been using Wheat Berries in a salad/salad topper for a couple of years now and it just occurred to me that it really reminds me of bulgar. Only prettier with, well, more tooth. Mmmmm.  These funny wheat berries are worth a try. There are a ton of recipes out there, but I don’t need walnuts and cranberries or feta cheese messing up my attempt at simple salubriousness. See how that fancy word just screwed up a perfectly good sentence. (means healthiness)

I’ll put the Thesaurus down, and give you my favorite version which is as pretty as it is tasty.

Wheat Berry Salad:

 4 Cups of Water

1/2 Cup Wheat Berries, dry

1/2 Can Black Beans, drained and rinsed well

1 Cup Frozen Edamame, thawed

1 Cup Tomato, seeded and chopped

1/2 Cup Red Onion, chopped fine

2 Tbl. Red Wine Vinegar (or any other flavor you happen to like)

3 Tbl. Olive Oil

Salt / Pepper

Bring the Wheat Berries to a boil in the 4 cups of water and simmer for 55 minutes !They take f o r e v e r to cook, so make extra. It’s ok because they keep. Oh, and get a book.

When they’re done they look a lot like barley,…but they’re not. Drain them and set aside to cool. Or run under some cool water quickly (but don’t soak them).This is one of those things that I make in the morning and by lunch they’re cool and I throw it together. Besides, don’t you have veggies to chop or something.

So, chop the onion as you like. Clean up those black beans. If you don’t, it’ll look like mud-salad. Yes, you do need to seed the tomato, or the seeds are mushy, slimy things, and only make a mud-salad worse….yuck.

Now, get out the soybeans (edamame). Note the package: in big letters “Grown in the USA” I do not trust the Chinese any further than I can throw them. Even if it says ‘organic’. They also said we could let our kids chew on the toys they sold us. Yes, I know their stuff is everywhere, but if I can avoid it I do. Especially in a raw product. Besides, we grow a ton of soybeans here – why would I buy theirs?

Blend it all together and add your dressing. Sometimes I use Champagne Vinegar (smooth), or even a Rice Wine Vinegar (sweet), but always a good olive oil. 

I keep it in a bowl and lump onto a bed of lettuce. It fills me up and stays with me. I’ve been known to eat it with a bit of tuna and some crackers. And yes, you can add all that other stuff too….cranberries and walnuts. Ugh! Don’t make me get that big word book out again.

This looks good and I intend to try–as soon as I find frozen shelled edamame.  None of the grocery stores in far far away carry it.  Same with champagne vinegar.  Doesn’t exist.  I’ve never looked for Wheat Berries.  Might also be a challenge!

KT

Michelle is back in the kitchen.  This week she’s making one of my favorites–Hummus. 

Who likes Hummus,….I do! Cause I can spout about how good it is for means still slather it on chips. Pre-Season’s here and Football season’s coming and I cannot eat nachos with the boys! Another thing I can’t do is buy hummus at what $3 –4.00 for a little container. Yes, the store bought stuff is smoooooth, but one plastic bowl lasts well, one game! A can of chick peas is $1.59 – I’ve got a food processor and I’m not afraid to use it…

OK, so my cast of characters is down one, the tahini. Tahini’s a somewhat pricey sesame seed butter that used to only be at health food stores, but now it’s everywhere. I have it, but I was so hungry I forgot it in the fridge. Besides, the photo was so pretty and by the time I realized something was amiss, it was half-time and my pretty bowl had been decimated. It was really good without it and it adds fat, so feel free to leave it out and call it a ‘Middle Eastern Spread’ – whatever.

Here we go: 

1 – can of Chick Peas (I like Progresso, the liquid is watery and peas are firm)

1/2 – Lemon to zest and juice (zest it first silly!)

1 or 2 cloves fresh garlic, peeled

1 tsp Dried Oregano

Salt & Pepper to taste

3 Tbl Olive Oil, more or less 

Drain the peas, save the liquid. Zest the lemon, then juice 1/2 of it. (save the other half for that Lemon Drop later!) Cut the garlic in half. Toss it all in the food processor along with the seasonings and a pinch of that lemon zest. Give it a whirl. Add a little of that reserved canned chick pea juice…not too much…you should really be adding olive oil and a tablespoon of tahini, but we’re on a diet here people! Is it getting pastey? Ok, taste it and adjust. If you’re not in love with a garlic bite, only use one at a time. Then if you need more press one into the bowl and whirl it up again.

This makes 2 cups, and keeps me happy for more than a week.

Options? – You want more?! OK then, diet be damned…toss in 2 or 3 marinated artichoke hearts before adding the oil. Get it pastey and tasty.

Option 2: a couple of Sun Dried Tomatoes.

Option 3: Roasted Red Peppers (BTW they go bad fast, so when I open the jar I drain it, and put the rest in a ziploc baggie and freeze flattened. When I need them for veggie lasagna or something, I just break off only what I need)

Maybe you don’t know what to do with 2 cups of the stuff,…have you got pita breads (super cheap cheater pizza crusty’s!)? Oh yeah, take a pita smeared with hummus, sprinkle some feta cheese and a little fresh basil (or not) toast it in toaster-oven (careful don’t burn it) and cut like pizza. Hummus is even better warm! 

Now, I’m ready for some football !

I’ve made hummus before but used the tahini.  I plan to try Michelle’s recipe soon.