National Food Month - Oatmeal Cookie Challenge Round-up

I am giggling. I can not help but think of Cookie Monster saying 'C-o-o-k-i-e' and then saying it out loud that way. Like most, I get my share of cookie cravings and often guilt if I eat more than one so I try to up the nutritional ante so that I feel a bit proud of my cookie indulgences. Yes, I could eat only one, but I find I have more when trying out recipes. I consider it quality control. My husband likes to join the QC department also and here is his feedback to my recipe below. 'I want it to be sweeter. When I eat a cookie, I want sweet'. Since I am not going for cavities when I eat cookies, feel free to toss some brown sugar into my recipe if you wish but I like them the way they are: Fluffy, Chewy and Not Too Sweet'. Please try my recipe and give me your feedback and I will continue to experiment and improve my QC department.

Not-so-Basic Healthy Oatmeal Cookies
3/4 cup organic blue agave nectar
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 large egg white
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups rolled oats (not quick cooking)
1/2 all purpose unbleached flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground flax seed
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 350° degrees (make sure the rack in the middle of the oven). Line baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper.

2. Whisk together agave nectar, applesauce, egg white, oil and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth. In a separate bowl, mix oats, all purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking soda, cinnamon, flax seed and salt together. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet and mix just until blended.

3. Place about a tablespoonful of dough onto the baking sheet, press them down lightly (not too think but not a big blob) spaced cookies about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake for 15 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool.

Variations:
A. Take 4 tablespoons mix and add 1 tablespoon dried cranberries (photo above)
B. Take 4 tablespoons mix and add 2 tablespoons semi-sweet mini chips

Want some more amazing recipes: Here are 3 more from some fabulous foodies. Check out their recipes.

Sarah from Winged Snail had applesauce and agave nectar on her mind as well but added the fiber and nutrients of apples, raisins and walnuts to her yummy ‘Apple Granola Oatmeal’ cookies.






Kevin, we all love Kevin, of Closet Cooking. This time he is wowing us with his Apricot and White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies. We are obviously meant to bake together as:

1. He is trying to seduce me by including white chocolate.

2. We are baking soul mates as we used the same amount of flour and rolled oats. Kisses to you Kevin!





Lauren of ‘Bytes from Texas’ has really impressed me by utilizing all whole wheat flour as well as, ready for this? Figs and Apple Butter in her Hippie Oatmeal Cookies. Hands in there air for this one!




As a side note, I have concluded that 1.5 cups of rolled oats is the key to the bet oatmeal cookie