I love this cookbook!

I’ve had this cookbook for a long time now, but more recently I’ve been reading it. I never knew just how informational this book actually is! Well last night I wanted to make chocolate chip cookies for my kids lunches and I used his recipe, which is pretty much the same as the tollhouse cookie recipe. So, I got the butter out, put the brown sugar and sugar in and started to mix. I went to the fridge to get the eggs, but guess what? I had no eggs! Rats! I looked at the clock. It was 9:00 p.m., I was in my jammies…should I just put my raincoat on and run out? No, I didn’t have that much energy. Then I remembered my fried Celine who is Vegan and has a great blog called Have Cake Will Travel. I didn’t need eggs…I had ground flax seed! Did you know that a lot of Vegans use ground flax seed in place of eggs? I had read before that in place of one egg, you can use 1 tablespoon of ground flax seed mixed with 3 tablespoons warm water. So, in place of 2 eggs, I measured out 2 tablespoons of the ground flax seed and 6 tablespoons of warm water.

I continued adding the rest of the ingredients and the batter looked just like it should have. I put the batter on the cookie sheet and set my timer for 7 minutes. I have a very unreliable oven, so I always go low in case they get burned! Well, when the timer went off, I opened the oven and the cookies were…ummm….flat and crispy! Hmmm…what to do. I hate wasting batter, so I added some more flour and tried again. This time they were a little better, but I decided to add even more flour and try a third time. Well, the third time was a charm! They turned out just like regular cookies, and you never would have known there were no eggs in the batter!

The cookie in the back was the first attempt (dark and crispy!) The cookie on the right were a little better and the cookie on the left were perfect!

Actually one of my kids prefers a crunchier cookie, so everyone wins with this batch of cookies!

Basic Chocolate Chip cookies adapted from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground flax seed mixed with 6 tablespoons warm water
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips

Mix the butter and sugar together. In a small bowl, add the ground flax seed and water and stir together. Add that to the butter and sugar mixture and add the rest of the ingredients until combined.

My oven is weird, but these were done at 7-8 minutes at 375, but you oven might be more normal and it could go up to 10 minutes.

My family loved these! So, even if you don’t have all the ingredients you need, sometimes you can always improvise!

Have you ever used ground flax seed in place of eggs in recipes??

Healthy Desserts by Kitty Holman

One of the biggest misconceptions people have about diets is that you have to starve yourself, and that you have to avoid anything that tastes good. But that’s not true! It’s possible to make and enjoy healthy desserts that won’t ruin your diet lifestyle but that still offer the same great tastes you’ve come to love. Here are just a few:

Baby tiramisu
This is an easy, low-calorie alternative to the Italian dessert, appropriate for diabetics, and low in cholesterol, carbs, sodium, and saturated fat. You’ll need:
1/2 cup nonfat ricotta cheese (4 ounces)
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 ladyfingers (about 1 3/4 ounces)
4 tablespoons brewed espresso, or strong coffee, divided
2 tablespoons bittersweet chocolate chips, melted

Combine the ricotta, vanilla, sugar, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Arrange six of the ladyfingers in a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan and lightly drizzle with 2 tbsps espresso. Spread the ricotta mix over the ladyfingers, and then place the other layer of ladyfingers over the ricotta and drizzle with the remaining espresso. Then it’s time to drizzle the melted chocolate. Refrigerate the dish until the chocolate sets (about half an hour).

Broiled mango
This is another quick, easy dessert that’s simple to make and fun to eat. All you’ll need is one mango, peeled and sliced, and some lime wedges. Lay the mango slices on a broiler pan that’s been lined with foil. Preheat your oven’s broiler and place the rack in upper third of the oven. Broil the slices for 8-10 minutes, until they’re browned in spots. That’s it! Squeeze the lime wedges over them and serve. The tasty, sweet dessert is low in calories, carbs, cholesterol, sodium, and saturated fat, and it’s a heart-healthy treat, as well.

Pineapple-raspberry parfaits
These are ridiculously easy, and a great end to a smart meal! They’re also low in calories and cholesterol, and suitable for diabetics. Here’s what you’ll need:
2 8-ounce containers (2 cups total) of nonfat peach yogurt
1/2 pint of fresh raspberries
1 1/2 cups fresh, frozen or canned pineapple chunks

All you have to do is divide the yogurt into four glasses and layer it with the raspberries and pineapples. It’s a quick, delicious dessert that’s also a great source of vitamin C.

There are more healthy desserts I’ll be highlighting on this blog over time, but these should get you started. Happy eating!

By-line:
This guest post is contributed by Kitty Holman, who writes on the topics of Nursing Schools . She welcomes your comments at her email Id kitty.holman20@gmail.com.

Thanks for those great ideas Kitty! I have never made any of those desserts before, and I especially like the idea about broiled mango!

I got this recipe from Diabetic Living Magazine. My sister is diabetic, and my Dad was diabetic, so its something I will always have to look out for. And especially since we are twins, I will most likely get it sometime in my life, I’m just hoping it will be a LONG time from now!

For the chicken, I used these great grilled chicken strips I bought from Aldi grocery store. They come in a big bag, frozen and they can be heated up in the microwave for a quick chicken taco, or added to soups and dishes like this.

I made a few varations, (like beans on the side), but I will post the original and you can adjust it to suit your tastes, or add things you like!

3/4 cup water
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon instant chicken bouillon granules
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup light dairy sour cream
2 tablespoons nonfat dry milk powder
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast or turkey breast (about 8 ounces)
1 8-ounce can no-salt-added tomato sauce
1 4-ounce can diced green chile peppers, drained, or 1 or 2 canned jalapeño chile peppers, rinsed, seeded, and fin
2 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro or 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
Nonstick cooking spray
4 6-inch corn tortillas, cut into 1-inch-wide strips
1 cup canned black beans or kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese (2 ounces)
Fresh cilantro leaves (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. For chicken filling: In a medium saucepan, combine the water, onion, bouillon granules, garlic, and black pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 3 minutes or until onion is tender. Do not drain. In a small bowl, combine sour cream, nonfat dry milk powder, and flour; add to onion mixture. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat; stir in chicken. Set filling aside.

2. In another small bowl, combine tomato sauce, chile peppers, and snipped cilantro. Set aside.

3. Coat a 2-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange tortilla strips in the baking dish. Top with chicken filling. Top with beans. Top with tomato sauce mixture.

4. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with cheese. If desired, garnish with cilantro leaves. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Makes 6 (1-cup) servings.

*Test Kitchen Tip: Because chile peppers contain volatile oils that can burn your skin and eyes, avoid direct contact with them as much as possible. When working with chile peppers, wear plastic or rubber gloves. If your bare hands do touch the peppers, wash your hands and nails well with soap and warm water.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving:
Servings: 6 (1-cup) servings
Calories 219
Total Fat (g) 6
Saturated Fat (g) 3
Cholesterol (mg) 43
Sodium (mg) 420
Carbohydrate (g) 23
Fiber (g) 5
Protein (g) 19
Diabetic Exchanges
Starch (d.e.) 1
Vegetables (d.e.) .5
Very Lean Meat (d.e.) 2
Fat (d.e.) 1

*For the dry milk powder. I bought a box about a year ago for cookies I was making. (the cookies did NOT turn out good!) They come in pouches, and if you were to add water, its enough to make a gallon of milk. You can store these in your freezer and they will last forever. I have used them for making mac and cheese if I don’t have any milk on hand, you can add it to milk shakes to make them richer. I think I have only used 1 package the whole time, but its nice to have on hand in case you need it.