Hello all,
I have a huge sweet tooth! I just don’t know what I would do if I were to restrict sweets from my diet! Since I love baking cookies and cakes I started to think of ways to make the things I was already baking a little healthier.
Don’t get me wrong, these tweaks do not make a cookie a healthy snack, it is still a treat, but if you cannot do without sweets and want to be a little healthier, try some of these things.
1. Substitute half of the flour with whole wheat flour. We all know that whole wheat is better for us, but why do we continue to use refined flours in our baking? I was in the grocery store one day to buy some flour when I saw some whole wheat flour. I decided to go for it and bought a bag. I was nervous to try it because I thought the whole wheat would change the taste of the cookie, and it does, but I actually like it! I have found, however that unless you want to feel like you are eating a piece of whole wheat bread, only use half of the whole wheat flour.
Whole wheat has many benefits including fiber, which helps you feel fuller longer and has more protein than refined flour.
2. Use dark chocolate chips/chunks instead of regular chocolate chips. Dark chocolate is packed with antioxidants which help to keep us from aging, as well as possibly lowering cholesterol. Not only is it good for the heart, it has the same benefits of chocolate which is mood boosting with its serotin (makes you happy) and caffeine (energy!).
3. Add nuts. These add protein, flavor, crunch as well as heart healthy fats. Not all fats are good for you, but the ones found in nuts are omega 3 fatty acids, the same fats found in fish. Nuts also have fiber, good for digestion and vitamin E, good for your skin. I love adding chopped walnuts to chocolate chip cookies and almonds are always a good topper on bars and cakes! My boyfriend doesn’t like nuts very much, but when I chop them up very finely, he can hardly tell they are there. (Pretty sneaky way to add nutritious food to his diet!)
4. Substitute protein powder for flour. I wouldn’t do more than half of a cup because it changes the way the cookies/cakes bake. I have only done as much as one-fourth of a cup and it turned out pretty well! The protein powder of course adds protein, but most protein powders also contain vitamins and minerals.
I am currently baking my first ever batch of my boyfriend’s favorite cookie: the snickerdoodle. I substituted one cup of the flour for whole wheat. I am hoping it turns out well and it should…afterall I sampled the dough many times! 🙂 It looks a little darker than the normally white cookie, but as long as it tastes good…I think it will work!
I am also watching Julie and Julia which is always inspiring when baking or cooking! Such a good cast…Amy Adams is adorable in it and Meryl Streep is such a talented actress that I love almost everything she is in. I also have aquired a strong interest in everything French from my mom, so the scenes from France are amazing to me.
I have also read the book, which is actually my inspiration to blog. Maybe someday I will write a book and have a movie made from it? Oh but I dream…
Both are very worth borrowing from someone to watch/read…or you can also buy them on Amazon.com (like I did).
Let me know how your modified sweets turn out! There are also some links below for more info on the health benefits of the items I listed above. Enjoy! 🙂
Whole wheat benefits: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/whole-grains/NU00204
Dark chocolate benefits: http://longevity.about.com/od/lifelongnutrition/p/chocolate.htm
Nut benefits: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/nuts/HB00085
