bess blanco

Healthy Cereal Cookies

Ever get a sweet tooth, and just need a little bite to satisfy the craving?  These little treasures can fulfill that need, and put health in your body at the same time!  Full of fiber, low on sugar - win-win for you and your family! These cookies are actually more like a homemade granola bar, but my kids still think they are eating dessert! I make a couple batches at a time, and freeze them in little baggies for quick lunch and snack grabbing. This way, we keep portion size in check, yet provide a healthy option to other empty calorie snacks!

Those “100 calorie” snacks bags at the store don’t hold a candle to the 100-calorie-per-cookie goodness of these babies! These cookies actually contain natural sources of nutritious fiber, very little sugar, and NO fillers or preservatives! The benefits of the flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, nuts, oats, and bran come together to make a nutritious treat!

Healthy Cereal Cookies 

How To Make It:

Ingredients:

•    1 cup whole wheat flour
•    1/2 cup flaxseed, milled
•    1 tsp baking powder
•    1 tsp baking soda
•    1 tsp ground cinnamon
•    3/4 cup butter, softened (1 ½ sticks)
•    1/2 cup white sugar
•    1/2 cup brown sugar
•    2 eggs
•    1 tsp vanilla
•    2 cups wheat cereal flakes (bran)
•    2 cups rolled oats
•    3/4 cup walnuts, chopped
•    1/2 cup craisins
•    1/4 cup unsalted sunflower seeds

Instructions:

 

1.    Heat oven to 325 degrees. Combine the flour, flaxseed, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl, set aside.

2.    In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 30 seconds. (For chewier cookies, add in an extra 2 Tbsp butter!) Add sugars and beat for about 2 minutes more, or until combined. Add eggs and vanilla in and mix until combined. On low speed, add in the flour mixture a little at a time, until the entire mixture is combined. Then stir in the bran flakes, oats, nuts, and fruit.

3.    Drop a rounded teaspoonful onto cookie sheets, and bake for about 11-13 minutes, or until golden around edges and set. Let the cookies cool for 2 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack. Enjoy these cookies in moderation, as they are natural “system regulators!

For the *Peanut Butter/Chocolate Chip version,* just switch out 1/2 cup of the butter for peanut butter, leave out the walnuts and craisins, and add in 1/2 cup MINI chocolate chips instead....yummy!

Let me know what you think of this healthy goodie in the comments below, or join the discussion in our community!

Easy Asian Chicken Slaw Dinner

Always on the lookout for fast and healthy ways to use store-bought roasted chicken, I was so excited to find this recipe in a magazine recently!  This easy, affordable chicken dinner idea is delicious and filling.  Here is the recipe:

Easy Asian Chicken Slaw Dinner Recipe

How To Make This:

Ingredients:

•    2 cups shredded roasted chicken
•    1 package coleslaw mix
•    1/3 cup peanuts, chopped
•    1 ramen package, crushed into small pieces
•    2-4 green onions, diced
•    1/2 cup light Asian toasted sesame dressing, mixed with 1 Tbsp peanut butter

Instructions:

1.    Mix all ingredients together, serve and smile - dinner is ready!

Your family will think you've been slaving over dinner for much longer than the 5 minutes it takes to throw this dish together!  The leftovers are fabulous the next day as a work lunch - go ahead, make 'em jealous!  (Then share the recipe...)

Do you have a favorite slaw-style dinner recipe you'd like to share?  Maybe you want to brag on your version of this dish!  Either way, feel free to comment below, or visit our community and comment there!