Chocolate-Cherry Heart Smart Cookies

 

So, I'll be honest.  Before I made this recipe, I was skeptical about how good they would taste- the recipe being from Cooking Light and all.  But I decided to trust the good ole' CL and take a whim at healthy, good-for-you cookies.  What's so good about them?  Whole wheat flour. + oatmeal= fiber. Dried cherries that contain antioxidants.  Low-fat.

 

I'm ALL about the healthy stuff.  I AM health queen after all... ;) And one taste of this cookie dough reaffirmed every notion I had that tells me to stop making decadent, guilty desserts altogether because you can have AMAZING healthy desserts like THIS!!  Seriously, I couldn't stop eating the dough.  Probably defeats the purpose of making healthier treats when you can't stop eating them.  But let's face it: I can't stop eating cookie dough no matter what if it's healthy or not.  So if you look at it that way then I definitely scored one.  Or several...

 

These taste just like a delicious oatmeal chocolate cookie with chunks of dried cherries in them... soo good!  I brought them to my Primary class at church (my husband and I teach the 6 year olds) and they LOVED them.  Said they were the best cookies they'd ever had.  One little boy even asked for the recipe. HAHA I thought that was the cutest thing ever!

So there you have it!  These are a winner and you should be making them in about 5.42 seconds! :)

Chocolate-Cherry Heart Smart Cookies

• 1 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/3 cup)
• 1 1/2 ounces whole-wheat flour (about 1/3 cup)
• 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup dried cherries
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

• 1. Preheat oven to 350°.
• 2. Weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours and next 3 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl; stir with a whisk.
• 3. Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat; add brown sugar, stirring until smooth. Add sugar mixture to flour mixture; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add cherries, vanilla, and egg; beat until combined. Fold in chocolate. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes. Cool on pans 3 minutes or until almost firm. Remove cookies from pans; cool on wire racks.

Chewy Peanut Chocolate Bars

 

Chewy Peanut Chocolate Bars.  Mind you, HEALTHIER Chewy Peanut Chocolate Bars.  Are you kidding me? Sign me up!!

 

These babies wonderfully remind me of "Scotcheroos"- a peanut butter & chocolate infused version of a rice krispie treat.  These bars, too, are made with cereal, but wouldn't you know they are made with WHEATIES!  Such a fabulous way to get your little ones to eat their whole grains.  

The only slight problem I had with them was that after a day they got a little hard, even when sealed up.  But, 5-10 seconds in the microwave sure fixed that problem and they were gooey and warm and delicious all over again.  Make these!!

Chewy Peanut Chocolate Bars

from Eat Better America 

4	cups Wheaties® cereal
1/3	cup lightly salted dry-roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1/2	cup light corn syrup
1/3	cup packed brown sugar
1/4	cup peanut butter
3	tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips

Spray 9-inch square pan with cooking spray. In large bowl, mix cereal and peanuts.  In 2-quart saucepan, heat corn syrup, brown sugar and peanut butter to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Pour over cereal mixture, stirring to coat entire mixture. Press in pan.
In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips uncovered on High 30 seconds; stir. Continue microwaving 10 seconds at a time, stirring after each microwave time, until smooth. Drizzle chocolate over bars. Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until chocolate has hardened. For bars, cut into 4 rows by 4 rows.

 

Recipe tip: If the cereal mixture is a bit sticky when pressing into the pan, dampen hands first.

Makes: 16 bars.  

Nutrition:  140 calories per bar, 4.5g fat (1g saturated)

Penne with Mushroom-Tomato Cream Sauce

Okay okay so I've been slacking a bit... I've just been a tad busy!  I made this pasta a few weeks ago and it is AMAZING! The sauce is a perfect creamy tomato blend with sauteed mushrooms and bacon bits to boot... I can't wait to make it again!

Penne with Mushroom-Tomato Cream Sauce

2 2/3	cups uncooked penne pasta (8 oz)
3	oz pancetta or 4 strips bacon, chopped*
1	tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
2	cloves garlic, finely chopped
8	oz crimini mushrooms, sliced
1	can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes with basil, undrained (or just add basil to regular crushed tomatoes)
1/2	cup whipping cream
2	cups packed fresh baby spinach leaves

1.  Cook and drain pasta as directed on box. Return to saucepan; keep warm.
2.  Meanwhile, in 12-inch skillet or Dutch oven, cook pancetta over medium heat until crisp. Remove pancetta to paper towels to drain. In same skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Cook garlic and mushrooms in oil 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are tender. Stir in tomatoes. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in whipping cream; heat just until hot. Stir in pasta.
3. Add spinach; toss until spinach is wilted. Sprinkle individual servings with pancetta.
4. *If using bacon, omit olive oil and use bacon drippings to cook garlic and mushrooms.
   After adding the cream, be sure the mixture does not boil, because overheating can cause curdling.