Black Bean Fudge Cookies

Yes I am on a roll with these black beans: burgers, brownies, bites...
 and why not, they are awesome!

I feel so adventures and somewhat edgy when I pour beans into baked-goods batter;

So let's just say its the foodie adrenaline rush that keeps me going.

And a good thing, eh?

 Fudgy, Chocolate, Healthy, Cookies.

 Nothing more needs to be said. 

Ingredients: 
makes 24 cookies
 
1 can black beans
1/4 cup apple sauce
1/4 cup honey or agave
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
3 packets truvia (or 1/4 cup sugar or agave/honey)
1/2 tsp baking powder

Directions: 
Preheat oven 350 F. 
Line a 2 baking sheets with parchment paper
Pour everything into a food processor and and blend until smooth and creamy.
Spoon ~1tbs of wet mixture onto parchment paper and smooth out into a cookie shape. Repeat until pans are full.

Bake for 8-10 min.
Let cook on pan for 3 min--helps firm up.

The recipe is gluten and dairy free but if you don't have those dietary restrictions I encourage you to melt some chocolate on top  of them to experience ultimate chocolate bliss.

ENJOY!!!!

 Nutrition Information

 Serving: 1 cookie

29 cal * 7 carbs * 0g sat fat * 1g protein *1g fiber

Oat Drop Cookies

 

No sugar, No eggs, No butter. 

When I saw the recipe for these on Shape magazine I was all for it! 

They have 10 delicious healthy and easy-to-make cookies for the healthy-minded foodies--ME!

You can find them all HERE.

I decided to make these for last minute Downtown Abby watching party and they were a perfect pair for the tea! 

I took the original recipe and made two different types of cookies in one batch: Sweet Cranberry Oat Drops, and Cinnamon Raisin Oat drops. All I did was make the base*, cut it in half, and add the "extra" ingredients I wanted to make them unique.

These are healthy enough to eat for breakfast---no joke.

Easy bake, no mistake. 

Ingredients
*Base
2 cups rolled oats
1/3 cup applesauce
3 very ripe bananas
1/2 tsp salt
1tbs ground flaxseed
1 tsp vanilla extract

Sweet Cranberry
2-3 tbs dried cranberries

Cinnamon Raisin
2-3 tbs raisins
1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:
Smash bananas in a small bowl. Add vanilla and apple sauce and mix well. Add in oats,salt, and flaxseed and mix until well incorporated.
Divide dough in half--I just pushed half of the dough to the side of the bowl.
Fold in dried cranberries to one half of  dough.
Fold in 1 tsp cinnamon and raisin in the other half of the dough.

On a parchment lined baking sheet, press out drops of dough into cookie shapes.

Bake for 20 min-until edges are golden brown.

ENJOY!!!!

Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies

Tis the Season!

For some reason I never feel as guilty eating something sweet that has mint in it: Mint chocolate chip ice cream, Girl Scout thin mints, Andes mints, etc. 

It's just refreshing and light. 

So now that we are in the cookie extravaganza season, I thought I would help lighten up our exchange-worthy cookies by adding some Andes Creme de Menthe mints and making these delicious, healthy cookies. 

No butter here!

Bake away!

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup plain greek yogurt
1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1 egg


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350
Thoroughly whisk greek yogurt, apple sauce, and sugars until creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla. 
Blend in flour and baking soda until well combined. 
Mix in Andes Creme de Menthe Chips

Drop spoonful sized dough onto parchment lined pans.  Flatten dough with fingers (Dough is sticky--use wet fingers if you don't want it on your hands)

Bake for 8-10 min. Until top is golden. (be careful to not over cook. They burn easy)

Cool on a rack for 2 min. 

 

ENJOY!!!!

Iced Whipped Cream Sandwiches

Love ice cream sandwiches? 

Hate the calories that come with the decadent dessert?

Well make these instead!

Ingredients:

2 graham cracker sheets

6 tbs cool whip

Directions:

Break the graham crackers sheets into 4 squares

Dollop 3 tbs on 2 of the squares and place the remaining two on top. 

Freeze for 20-30 min. 

ENJOY!!!!

Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

These are my husband's favorite kind of cookies. Ever since I turned healthy foodie I have tried many different recipes for these loved cookies, and of course some yummy hits and some major misses. 

These ones are adapted from Nick Malgieri's cookies and are one of my favorite. 

Chewy, soft, and healthy. Need I say more?

Ingredients: 
1/2 cup wheat flour
1/2 cup white flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tbs butter (I used parkay)
1 large egg
1/2 cup applesauce
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 cup oats
1/2 cup raisins, packed

Directions:
Preheat oven 375 degrees
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper

Option 1
Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt in a small bowl

In large bull cream butter and sugar together then add egg, vanilla, and applesauce. 

Blend dry into wet ingredients and blend in oats and raisins. 

Option 2 (I did this one) 
In a stand mixer cream butter an sugar. Then add egg, vanilla and applesauce and blend well. 
Add in 1/2 cup white flour. Blend well. Add 1/2 cup wheat flour, baking soda and powder, and salt. Blend well. 

With a spatula fold in oats and raisins.

Spoon our cookie dough 2 inch apart from each other. gently press down with a fork.

Bake for 10-12 min. Lightly golden. 

Cool then enjoy!!!!

 Nutrition Information:

Making 22 cookies; serving size: 1 cookie

70 cals * 15 carb * 0 sat fat * 2 g protein * 1 g fiber

Pumpkin Cookies

Fall went fast here. Everything went from summer green, to multicolored, to pretty bare stumps in just a few short weeks. 

But since it was my first time ever seeing Fall's glorious gift of colored leaves it was still beautiful! 

So now as I sit waiting for the snow (something I also have yet to experience) I decided to make cookies, and of course since it's October, they were going to be made with pumpkin! 

Yummy.

Adapted from The Baker Chick
Makes approx 3 doz.

Ingredients: 
1 1/2 cup Whole wheat flour
1 cup white all purpose
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup white sugar 
1 cup pumpkin puree (not the pie mix but 100% natural!) 
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350

Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder,salt,cinnamon,nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a large bowl.
Mix, applesauce and white sugar first, then add in pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla. 
Slowly add wet mixture into dry and mix until well combined. 

Dollop spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 min. 

Let cool on a cooling rack and then dig in. 

****I had some extra cream cheese frosting mixture from my homemade cinnamon rolls so I added some cinnamon to that and lightly topped the cookies for a little extra sweetness. ****

WARNING! 

THIS WILL MAKE YOUR HOUSE SMELL LIKE FALL BLISS.

 ALL SHOULD BE SUPERVISED AROUND COOKIES. 

IF FOOD COMA OCCURS, TAKE DEEP BREATHS AND REST ON COUCH WITH A CUP OF COCOA. 

ENJOY!!!!

No Sweets Week

Alright. 

This is my second attempt at no sweets for

 one whole week. 

This is not just no candy or dessert (which I normally help myself to every night...don't worry it's within my calorie count) this is a "no food that doesn't have natural sugar built in it" week. 

THIS IS HARD

 You have to constantly read labels and think outside the box but....

THIS IS REWARDING. 

The last time I did no sweets week it was the week of  

Valentine's Day. 

Talk about temptation week.

 Cookies, cupcakes, and chocolates galore were being thrown at me from every angle.

 But you know what....

I used self discipline, said no thank you, and by the end of the week I was 2lbs lighter!!!!

 (A HUGE LEAP FROM MY NO WEIGHT LOSS IN OVER A MONTH, PLATEAU STRUGGLE)

After that I was sold. 

I figure it must have been just enough of a change to kick my plateau in the bottom, 

change my digestive system and get the ball rolling on my final steps towards my weight goal  

(which I reached a month later!!! 133lbs from 180lbs) 

So why do it again? 

Well, since being married I picked up a few of those pounds, 

seriously not in a bad way,

 but I did find myself giving into the sweets a little too much. 

So No Sweets Week it is!

Also, I found last time that by not having sugar for a week I didn't crave it as much afterward.

(I'm not giving up sweets for ever, trust me!)

So give it a try and let me know your results. 

As ALWAYS, you know your body; you know your limits, so please be healthy about making a change in your diet. See your doctor if you have major medical concerns. 

NEVER STARVE YOURSELF or ABUSE YOUR BODY

Your Beautiful, Strong, and AWESOME.

Happy Healthy Living  My Friends,

~Felisha

No Bake AMAZE BALLS! (or bites)

"They" say these give your energy...
"They" say these are healthy...
"They" say they are easy to make...

I say they are bites of delicious splendor that explode with flavor in your mouth! So make them and enjoy. 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup PB2 (or you choice of nut butter)
• 1/2 ground flaxseed ( I grind my own, its easier and cheaper
• 1/3 cup agave (or honey)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4-1/2 cup chocolate chips (you choose your chocolate addiction, no judgment here!)    

Directions:

Place everything in a large bowl

 Mix together

And roll into balls!








Now, two options: 

1) Eat right away because I know you cant contain yourself
  
2) or place in the fridge to cool,set,and harden into perfectness that you will be thankful for in the end.  

(Choose option 2!)

ENJOY!!!

 

Healthy Cheesecake Pudding Cookies

Hubby LOVES anything Cheesecake flavored. I had Cheesecake flavored pudding. So I made cookies! Healthy ones!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup wheat flour
• 1/2 cup white flour
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 pkg SF/FF cheesecake flavored pudding
• 1/4 cup butter (I used parkay)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large egg

*optional: 1/4 cup dried cranberries.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350

Mix dry ingredients in medium bowl. Mix wet ingredients in small bowl. Blend wet ingredients into dry.
Spoon out dough (about 1 tbs) and place on baking sheet.

Bake for 8-10 min, or until cookies have golden edges.

ENJOY!!!!

p.s. I like the dried cranberry ones better, but both were SUPER fluffy and delicious! :)

Nutrition: 76 cal * 15 carbs * 0 fat * 1g protein *

EDIBLE COOKIE DOUGH

This was my first time trying this...chickpeas (or garbanzo beans) recipe. I was nervous but they turned out pretty good.I think the dough itself could have been sweeter so I baked them and once the chocolate melted all over them I was in heaven. SCRUMPTIOUS!

 Recipe adapted from greenlitebites.com, chocolatecoveredkatie.com, texanerin.com. (yup they all have something a little different so I thought I would try them all!)

Ingredients:

• 1 can of chickpeas (drained and dried well)
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 tbs vanilla extract ( I love the taste of vanilla, feel free to use less)
• 2 tbs of PB2 (or any natural nut butter)
• 1 tbs honey
• 1 tbs agave
• 2 tbs of ground flax seed (I made my own in my little blender)
• 1/4 cup almond milk (any kind you like!)
• 1/4-1/2 cup chocolate chips!
• any type of sweetener you want. Taste test as you go!!! :)

Directions:
*I used a blender (VERY HARD)but do-able so have no fear, but if you have a food processor you're golden!
Place milk, vanilla, honey, agave, chickpeas, salt, pb2 (or nut butter), and ground flax seed in blender or food processor and BLEND until smooth and creamy.

If using a blender, use LOW setting and you may have to stop, mix, and start several times to make sure all chickpeas are being blended.You may also want to try adding a little more milk, but I didn't need to.

Then fold in chocolate chips with spoon or spatula...
THEN EAT!!!

 SO WHY DO I HAVE 2 DIFFERENT PICTURES OF COOKIES?
Because I decided to bake mine!

preheat oven 350 degrees

The miss-shaped gloop one to the left, is a fully 12 min baked cookie. Delicious, but not really cookie form.

So, taking from chocolatecoveredkatie, and Texanerin, I added in a little more than 1/8 tsp of BAKING POWDER and they came out flatter and still DELICIOUS!

 

ENJOY!!!!