Eating tasty food for me is like breathing: If I can't do it, why live? Since the "eat drink and be merry" philosophy had been steadily leading me to the "for tomorrow we die" part of that cliche, I decided that isn't the road I want to tread either. I want to eat things that I enjoy, but that aren't going to hasten my decline. There has to be a happy medium around here somewhere and I think I've found it. I cheat! I find a recipe I like and alter it enough to pass for healthy without tasting like health food. Substitution, ladies and gentlemen, that is the key!
In addition to swapping out ingredients for purely nutritional reasons, I've also begun some recipes adaptations for friends of mine who have allergies or are intolerant to certain mainstream foods dairy and eggs. I'll also be experimenting more on recipes for a friend who was recently diagnosed with celiacs as well.
Today's recipe is for cookies! The spelt flour adds four adds fiber, the apple sauce decreases the fat and the virgin coconut oil gives it taste and added nutrients.
Spelt Sugar Cookies
*vegan variation: substitute each egg for 1 TB soy flour and 3 TB water and 1/4 refrigerated almond or soy milk for the milk. The cookies will rise a little less with these substitutions
Cream eggs, virgin coconut oil, sugar, apple sauce, vanilla and orange zest together in a large bowl until well mixed. Depending on the ambient temperature in your house, the coconut oil might be hard clumped or softly solidified. Don't worry if it's a little lumpy, it'll bake out. Set your mixer at a high speed for a few seconds to break most of the oil apart and into the dough before adding your dry ingredients.
Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Alternate between the milk and the dry ingredients and add them to the large bowl while continuously mixing the dough.
Chill the dough in the refrigerator for about an hour. Preheat oven to 375 F. Roll the dough out to about 1/4" thickness on a lightly floured surface and use the cookie cutters of your choice. This recipe makes a lot of dough, so get creative and be generous with your cookie giving! Transfer cut out cookies to a lightly greased cookie sheet (I didn't grease mine and they didn't stick) and bake for 6-8 minutes until still soft but top has a bit of resistance when touched.
Decorate with frosting if desired or sprinkle with turbinado or colored sugars.
Frosting Recipe
Mix all ingredients together well and add desired color and blend again.
Let me know how you like them! I made a batch for Valentine's Day yesterday and I will be foisting them off on friends so that I will not continue my binge eating today. O_O
Ingredient Info
Spelt is a grain that is similar to wheat and contains gluten so spelt flour can be used like whole wheat flour. I like the texture of it in baked goods, especially if it's finely ground. spelt flour can be found in bulk bins at coops and on the shelf at most natural food stores. Instead of butter, or shortening, I wanted to experiment and use up some virgin coconut oil I had on the shelf. In addition to tasting and smelling heavenly, coconut oil isn't hydrogenated like shortening and there are a lot of great studies that have been done as to the health benefits of coconut oil consumption.
Making apple sauce is a great way to dispose of apples that I don't want to eat raw and apple sauce it an easy way to cut the fat in baking recipes. Not only is homemade apple sauce easy to make, but I can keep additional sugars out of it as well. I leave the skins on them to keep more nutrients and fiber in my diet rather than throwing it away. First I wash my apples, then cut out the bad spots, core and slice them. I pop them in a glass bowl in the microwave on full power for a few minutes until they're tender. Using either a stand blender or a stick blender, I puree them and measure out what I need for recipes and either eat, or refrigerate, the rest. I love how it tastes!
In addition to swapping out ingredients for purely nutritional reasons, I've also begun some recipes adaptations for friends of mine who have allergies or are intolerant to certain mainstream foods dairy and eggs. I'll also be experimenting more on recipes for a friend who was recently diagnosed with celiacs as well.
Today's recipe is for cookies! The spelt flour adds four adds fiber, the apple sauce decreases the fat and the virgin coconut oil gives it taste and added nutrients.
Spelt Sugar Cookies
- 1 1/4 cups virgin coconut oil
- 3/4 cup apple sauce (home made recipe below)
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 eggs*
- zest/peel of 1 small orange (about 1 Tb fresh or 1 tsp dried soaked in 1 TB water)
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (I prefer and use double strength vanilla extract for better taste)
- 1/4 cup milk*
- 4 cups of all purpose flour
- 2 cups of spelt flour
- 4 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
*vegan variation: substitute each egg for 1 TB soy flour and 3 TB water and 1/4 refrigerated almond or soy milk for the milk. The cookies will rise a little less with these substitutions
Cream eggs, virgin coconut oil, sugar, apple sauce, vanilla and orange zest together in a large bowl until well mixed. Depending on the ambient temperature in your house, the coconut oil might be hard clumped or softly solidified. Don't worry if it's a little lumpy, it'll bake out. Set your mixer at a high speed for a few seconds to break most of the oil apart and into the dough before adding your dry ingredients.
Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Alternate between the milk and the dry ingredients and add them to the large bowl while continuously mixing the dough.
Chill the dough in the refrigerator for about an hour. Preheat oven to 375 F. Roll the dough out to about 1/4" thickness on a lightly floured surface and use the cookie cutters of your choice. This recipe makes a lot of dough, so get creative and be generous with your cookie giving! Transfer cut out cookies to a lightly greased cookie sheet (I didn't grease mine and they didn't stick) and bake for 6-8 minutes until still soft but top has a bit of resistance when touched.
Decorate with frosting if desired or sprinkle with turbinado or colored sugars.
Frosting Recipe
- 4 cups powdered/confectioners sugar
- 1/4 cup softened butter or warmed virgin coconut oil
- 1 tsp extract of choice (vanilla, almond, orange or lemon)
- 1/4 -1/3 cup of milk (cow, almond or soy)
Mix all ingredients together well and add desired color and blend again.
Let me know how you like them! I made a batch for Valentine's Day yesterday and I will be foisting them off on friends so that I will not continue my binge eating today. O_O
Ingredient Info
Spelt is a grain that is similar to wheat and contains gluten so spelt flour can be used like whole wheat flour. I like the texture of it in baked goods, especially if it's finely ground. spelt flour can be found in bulk bins at coops and on the shelf at most natural food stores. Instead of butter, or shortening, I wanted to experiment and use up some virgin coconut oil I had on the shelf. In addition to tasting and smelling heavenly, coconut oil isn't hydrogenated like shortening and there are a lot of great studies that have been done as to the health benefits of coconut oil consumption.
Making apple sauce is a great way to dispose of apples that I don't want to eat raw and apple sauce it an easy way to cut the fat in baking recipes. Not only is homemade apple sauce easy to make, but I can keep additional sugars out of it as well. I leave the skins on them to keep more nutrients and fiber in my diet rather than throwing it away. First I wash my apples, then cut out the bad spots, core and slice them. I pop them in a glass bowl in the microwave on full power for a few minutes until they're tender. Using either a stand blender or a stick blender, I puree them and measure out what I need for recipes and either eat, or refrigerate, the rest. I love how it tastes!
