Cookie Monster

I have been going through a baking phase recently. Probably because it is winter, and I feel the need to eat and eat and eat to store up fat reserves during the lean months. In any case, I have been making loads of cookies. For me, cookies are the perfect snack - delicious, compact, easy to carry in your hand or eat on the go, fairly mess-free. I have been trying to expand beyond the basic chocolate chip and wanted to do something more than the simple break-and-bake (my usual way of "baking").

I started with the oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, with the recipe from the back of the box. Those were awesome! They brought back childhood memories, because those are my mom's favorite kind of cookies and her go-to recipe. Next, I went with a white chocolate chip macadamia nut cookie in anticipation of my sister-in-law's visit - she doesn't like chocolate. The recipe I used (in the link) calls for cranberries, but I omitted those, and they were still yummy! My husband complained that they were too crispy (that I over-baked them) but I like a crispy cookie.

Next, I did two in one day. An almond cookie and a chocolate pinwheel cookie. My favorite was the almond cookie, but the girls LOVED the pinwheel cookie, mostly because of their fun appearance. I was very pleased with how well they turned out. Today I tried out a recipe for chocolate sandwich cookies. While these were not difficult to make, they were definitely labor-intensive with a very low yield. My husband was making fun of me for putting so much effort into them. The cookies are not that sweet, but if you want additional sweetness, you can add it by choosing a sweeter filling.

Obviously, none of these cookies are healthy ... but that is not the point. As long as you exercise regularly, and generally make nutritious and healthy choices in your diet, there is no reason that you cannot indulge on occasion. Just don't overdo it! Another great thing about making cookies is that they are easy to share!

Today's workout:
45 min. run w/ hill sprints (6.00 mi)
50 min. yoga class
60 min. yoga @home

Zippy Mama at the State Fair

Today, my husband and I had a great time taking our two oldest children to the Ohio State Fair. While there are all kinds of games, rides and animals to enjoy at this event, unfortunately one of the biggest parts of going to the state fair is "fair food": funnel cakes, elephant ears, corn dogs, handcut potato chips, lemon shake-ups, and all manner of deep-fried junk food: oreos, candy bars, cheesecake - basically anything you can imagine.

How does a person maintain a healthy diet in the face of all this temptation? Must one abstain completely and avoid the state fair or similar events altogether? I don't think so. Here are a few helpful tips that will allow you to enjoy a fair, indulge a little and not fall completely off the wagon.

• Eat something before you go. This advice is an oldie but goodie. Just like you shouldn't grocery shop on an empty stomach, the same rule applies here. You will be much less likely to overeat if you are not starving while walking past the cream puffs and bratwurst.
• Pack some healthy snacks. If you are planning to be at the state fair for most of the day (more than a couple of hours), throw some munchies into your bag to ward off the worst of your hunger. A few carrot sticks or some nuts are easy to pack and may stop you from buying an extra bag of cotton candy.
• Decide before you go. I am not suggesting that you deny yourself completely from all fair goodies, but as in everything, moderation is key. Before you go to the fair, choose the one treat that you most enjoy to indulge in. That way, you can look forward to indulging in your favorite ice cream rather than grazing on whatever you happen to see or walk by.
• Share and limit portions. Another easy way to limit your consumption of high fat fair foods is to share your indulgence with a friend. You can also limit your portion size by not finishing the entire serving. Just because they give you three scoops when you order a single doesn't mean you have to eat them all.
  
• Forgive yourself and move on. If you do find that you have over-indulged in unhealthy goodies, don't beat yourself up. Acknowledge your bad choices, and resolve to do better in the future. Amp up your workouts, and keep aiming to make the most healthy choices that you can every day.

Mantra: I live my life with balance and moderation. I enjoy each and every day.

Today's workout
12 min. easy run warm-up
60 min. Total Conditioning group exercise class

Try it Out

Each week, we receive a delicious bag of fresh, local produce from The Greener Grocer, located in Columbus' North Market.   Our most recent bag contained a bundle of mint and lavender from Blue Owl Garden Emporium LLC, and they provided a recipe for shortbread using those herbs that sounded too good not to try.  I made it tonight and my husband pronounced it "gourmet-level delicious!" - and coming from him, that's quite a compliment!

Here's the recipe for you to try too:

Lavender and Mint Shortbread

Time:  30 min. prep / 1 hr. chill / 20 min. bake

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup sugar

2 Tbs. finely chopped lavender florets

1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh mint (such as Kentucky Colonel)

2 1/3 cup flour

1/2 cup cornstarch, arrowroot powder or potato starch (I used corn starch)

1/4 tsp. salt

Directions:

1. Cream butter, then add sugar and herbs, continuing to beat until light and fluffy.
2. Add flour, cornstarch, and salt.  Mix to combine and then beat until well mixed.
3. Divide dough in half, flatten, cover and chill until firm (about 1 hour in the refrigerator).
4. Heat oven to 325 degrees.
5. Working with half of the dough at a time, remove from refrigerator and roll to thickness of one-half inch on floured surface.  Cut into desired shapes.  Use a cookie press for decoration if desired.
6. Bake 20-25 minutes on parchment-covered cookie sheet.  Cool slightly before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.  For added flourish dust lightly with powered sugar flavored with lavender flowers.

Indulgence

I usually make healthy choices in my diet; however, every now and again you have to indulge! I love chocolate treats. Tonight, I made delicious double chocolate Ghirardelli brownies from a mix. They were fantastic! Chocolately goodness without being too sweet. I don't even want to tell you how many I ate!