Healthy Recipe - Trailmix Cookies

Here is a recipe for a healthy cookie. Believe it or not I have tweaked this recipe for 10 years and think I have it just about right. The beauty of this recipe is that if you want, your cookies can taste different every time! I wanted a healthy cookie that still tasted like a cookie but that packed some extra nutrition. These do take a little bit of time and extra ingredients but they make a larger batch of cookies than many recipes. I wouldn't suggest doubling it though unless you have a really large mixing bowl or are just really ambitious. I make half the batch then freeze the rest for later already shaped into little cookie portions so all I have to do is put them on a cookie sheet and pop them in the oven.

Also - These make a great project with the kids. And for anyone homeschooling, with all the measuring out of ingredients you can have a lot of fun with fractions and adding them together. And then there is the obvious nutrition lesson. Take them shopping with you to buy the ingredients and you get more home economics and math! Oh the endless possibilities - in my house we make everything school so I have gotten creative in what counts as a lesson for what subject. It takes longer to do but is so worth it in the end.

Ingredients -- Okay I know the list is really long but remember they are packed with nutrition and really yummy!

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup white flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbs brewers yeast powder* (optional)
  
• 1/4 cup wheat germ*
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
  
• 1/2 cup butter - softened
• 2/3 cup peanut butter (smooth or chunky your choice)
• 1/3 cup granulated fructose* (OR 1/2 cup sugar.)
• 1/2 cup honey
• 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 cups quick cooking oats
• 1/2 cup each of 3 of the following yummy additions -raisins, mini chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, carob chips, craisins, macadamia nuts, or coconut - endless possibilities.

Preheat oven to 350 and put some parchment paper on your cookie sheets for easier cookie removal.

In a small bowl, combine both flours, baking soda, salt, brewers yeast, wheat germ, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

In a mixing bowl, beat butter, peanut butter, honey, brown sugar, and fructose until creamy. Add eggs, milk, and vanilla.

Slowly add flour mixture (or quickly if you like cleaning flour off the flour, yourself the cabinets... flour is really hard to sweep up and then it just sticks to everything if it gets wet and man who needs another mess) to the mixing bowl. Then add the oats and your 3 choices of yummy additions. By this time, you will probably have had to turn off your mixer. This dough does get thick so watch your mixer and if it is sounding like it is working hard turn it off or you will blow your motor - ask me how I know.

Let the dough sit and rest for 5 - 10 minutes or longer if you have a crying baby who decided to wake up and nurse and then the other munchkins decide tat they need you to fix them a snack because lunch was 3 hours ago and you realize you forgot to turn the crockpot on this morning after loading it full of dinner... well you get the idea. It needs to sit so they are moist.

Now you scoop them onto the pan placing them about 1 to 2 inches apart.

If you are using a small cookie scoop/#60 disher/1 tbs, then you can bake them for about 8-10 minutes until they well are done. I am sure you know what a cookie that is done looks like. Not mushy but not dark brown unless you like your cookies cooked beyond the golden brown and yummy stage.

If you use the large cookie scoop/#20 disher/3 tbs then, you need to cook them for about 12-15 minutes.

If you froze the dough first, then you should place them on a pan and let them thaw while the oven is preheating. Then cook as normal. Let the cookies cool before eating them just for the sake of saving your taste buds.

I love to enjoy these cookies in the morning with my coffee. My kids love these cookies well all the time.

Makes almost 3 dozen large cookies and over 4 dozen small cookies.

* A note about some of the ingredients.

Brewers Yeast Powder is found in the natural food section it is kind of expensive (about $10 for a jar) but a little goes a long way and it is really packed with nutrition. I put a couple tablespoons in muffins, waffles, pancakes, cookies (obviously) and anything else I can sneak some into. If you are nursing, you can make smoothies and put 2 tbs of this in your smoothie and it helps with your milk production while providing you essential nutrients. Also in that smoothie if you can handle it, add some wheat germ (i wouldn't suggest 1/4 cup unless you lie to eat your smoothies with a fork)

Granulated Fructose is a natural fruit sugar. It is metabolized differently than regular sugar so your blood sugar doesn't rise quit as rapidly and you can use 1/3 less than normal sugar.

Wheat Germ is found usually in the cereal aisle in a jar with a red wrapper. Not very expensive but very nutritious and I add it to so much stuff. Also, for nursing moms it helps with your milk production.

Hmmmmm now I really have a craving for a cookie. Well I know what I am adding to my to-do list, make more of these. They don't last long in my house.