I’m writing a health newsletter and building a new eBook with healthy recipes.
I am interested in collecting “comfort food” recipes with healthy ingredients & cooking methods. Since I think comfort food usually means fairly high fat and not necessarily nutritrious, this is a bit of a twist.
As part of my “research” I made some cookies last night that were the best darned things I have ever eaten-- made with all healthy stuff! Here’s the recipe…
Oatmeal Almond Raisin Cookies
Ingredients:
Cooking spray
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
3 Tbsp canola or safflower oil
2 tsp pure almond extract
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
3/4 cup finely chopped peeled apples
2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
(alternative: 3/4 each of whole wheat and white flours)
1/2 cup flax meal
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3 Tbsp toasted wheat germ
1 cup seedless raisins
3/4 cup slivered almonds, coarsely chopped
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray baking sheets with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine sugar, egge, almond extract, applesauce, and chopped apple. Mix well with a whisk.
- In another bowl, combine the oats, flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmet, wheat germ, raisins, and almonds. Toss to blend, then add to the sugar mixture. Do not over-mix.
- Drop the batter by tablespoonful onto baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown.
Source: This recipe is adapted from an Oatmeal Raisin Cookie recipe printed in “Have Your Cake and Eat it Too,” by Susan G. Purdy, William Morrow & Company 1993.