Coconut Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

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I spent 8 hours in my kitchen last Wednesday.  No joke.   My work closed due to the snow so I had a full day to myself as my permanent roommate (… read that somewhere last week and thought it was hysterical) and his crew were out working.  Snow days are a perfect time for me to bake a bunch of goodies!    I made three loaves of banana bread, 4 batches of cookies and a 3 layer cake with buttercream frosting.  All from scratch, folks.  None of that boxed crap going on in this household.

And for the record – ALL of that went home with Clint’s crew minus one mini loaf of bread and a bag of cookies that stayed with us and the layer cake that went to work.

So, about these cookies.

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Coconut Oil replaced the butter and cooking oil and Truvia replaced most of the white sugar, leaving these cookies slightly better for you than your typical choco chip cookie.   You could even use whole wheat flour for an extra nutrition boost!

 

 

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As for the baking time, when I say that you must pull these cookies out of the oven when the centers still look not quite done, I am serious.   Take them out.  Let them cool on the cookie sheet for a bit before transferring to a cooling rack.

Oh, who am I kidding?  I don’t own cooling racks.  I just place the cookies on a sheet of foil or parchment paper and call it good.   Let’s be serious.  How many people really use a cooling rack?   I am betting the percentage is pretty low.

Don’t lie to me.  You don’t use one either.

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I suppose, if you are all about the crunchy cookie, leave them in the oven a bit longer.  But, if you like a slightly crunchy cookie that still has a little melt in your mouth softness to it, then yank them out of the ol oven early.

Enjoy!

coconut oil and choco chip cookies

Superfood Bites

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These little nuggets are packed full of nutrition, minerals, fiber and vitamins… not to mention they are SO FREAKING YUMMY!

Let me give you a little breakdown of what is in these babies.  <Links embedded in food titles>

Chia Seeds

  • Omega -3
  • Fiber
  • Antioxidants

Flaxseed Meal

  • Omega -3
  • Fiber
  • Lignans – Natural antioxidants.  To get the lignans that are in 2Tbsp of flaxseed meal you’d have to eat 30 cups of boccoli

Vanilla Shakeology

  • High Protein
  • Vitamin A, C, D, E and K1
  • Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B6 and B12
  • Calcium
  • Biotin
  • In a nutshell – one scoop has high protein and amino acids, antioxidants, digestive enzymes, prebiotics, vitamins and minerals, phytonutrients and NO artificial sweeteners.

Peanut Butter

  • Healthy Fats
  • Protein

Raw Honey

  • vitamins
  • minerals
  • antioxidants

Did you know?  Raw honey has anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties. It promotes body and digestive health, is a powerful antioxidant, strengthens the immune system, eliminates allergies, can stabilize blood pressure, balance sugar levels, relieve pain, calm nerves, and it has been used to treat ulcers.

 

 

Directions

  • 1 cup natural peanut butter
  • 1/2 – 3/4 cup raw honey ( start with 1/2… add as necessary)
  • 1 scoop vanilla shakeology
  • 2 Tbsp. Flaxseed Meal
  • 1 Tbsp. Chia Seeds
  • 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Stir together.  Mixture will be thick!   Scoop into mini baking cups or as is onto a plate.  Store covered in the refrigerator for a quick and easy snack before or after a workout or if you NEED a sweet treat. 🙂

 

ENJOY!

 

 

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Natural Peanut Butter Honey Bites

My friend, Ashley, brought these to work a few weeks ago and I officially fell in love.   The perfect sweet treat with nutritional value.  I am so obsessed with these little bites of goo that I have now made them for a group fitness holiday party as well as three Christmas parties.   They make a great healthy alternative for all those sugary fatty treats that are looming this time of the year.

Make sure you use natural peanut butter, unsweetened coconut and raw honey to get all the nutritional values without all the extra artificial sweetener and ingredients.  You can buy crunchy peanut butter, or take unsalted peanuts and crush them into your peanut butter for some extra crunch.  Scoop into mini baking cups, store covered in fridge.

 

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Christmas Treats 2014

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I hope this finds you all basking in the warm afterglow of a wonderful Christmas!  I am sure 90% of you are sitting in a sugar coma – lord knows I am.   I figured why not just go ahead and share with you the treats that have put me into this blissful state.

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Top Left:  Cookie Dough Bites

1 cup soft butter, 1.5 cups brown sugar, 2 tsp. vanilla, 1/2 tsp. salt, 2 cups flour, 1 Tbsp. water, Mini Chocolate Chips.   Cream butter and sugar together, add remaining ingredients by hand.   Roll into bite size balls and place into mini baking cups, store in fridge.

 

Top & Bottom RightRolo Cookies

1 box devils food cake, 2 eggs, 1/3 cup oil, package Rolo’s, powdered sugar.   Mix devils food cake, eggs and oil.   Take a Rolo and roll enough dough around Rolo to create a ball.  Place on cookie sheet and bake 7-8 minutes in 350 degree oven.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

 

Bottom Left:  The best cookies known to man, Eileen’s Cookies.

Visit them at various Omaha locations.  <– link

 

Center:  Caramel Chex Mix, aka Christmas Crack

Recipe can be found here.

 

Enjoy!