Oatmeal Raisin Cookies – Michele’s Oatsie

Winning isn’t everything, but wanting to win is.

-Vince Lombardi

I know we’re talking about a cookie... but this is my cookie, and winning has many parts, nutrition playing a foundational role.   Long distance biking requires fine tuning attention to stamina.  Stamina in the heat.  Stamina in the cold. Our performance can be directly affected by the fuel (food) we prepare with… wanting to win motivates us to search for and analyze foods we know to enhance performance.

Whole wheat flour and raisins make these cookies hearty.  You can substitute equal amounts of dried cherries, currants, cranberries, or chopped apricots for the raisins.  All good.

You’ve heard of Carb Loading – well here’s one of my favorites. The Oatsie!

MAKES ABOUT 4 DOZEN COOKIES

Preheat Oven  to 350 Degrees

1 CUP BUTTER, SOFTENED

3/4 CUP FIRMLY PACKED BROWN SUGAR ORGANIC

1/4 CUP GRANULATED SUGAR ORGANIC

2 EGGS

1 TEASPOON VANILLA

3/4 CUPS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR

3/4 CUP WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR

1 TEASPOON BAKING SODA

1 TEASPOON CINNAMON

1/2 TEASPOON COARSE SALT

2 CUPS OLD FASHIONED OATS

1 CUP ROASTED CHOPPED WALNUTS  (To toast nuts, spread them in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake in a 350 Degrees F oven for about 10 minutes.  Cool completely.)

1 CUP RAISINS (or Currants)

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Whisk together both flours, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda in a bowl.

Put butter and both sugars into the bowl of an electric mixer; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy.  Reduce speed to low.  Add egg and vanilla; mix until combined.  Add flour mixture; mix until just combined.  Stir in oats, roasted walnuts and raisins.

Using a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing about 2 inches apart.  Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.  Let cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes.  Transfer cookies to wire racks; let cool completely.  Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature for a few days.

The will to win is important, but the will to prepare is vital.

-Joe Paterno

OATSTRONG… a super cookie.

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I make a trip to Central Market and Whole Foods Market at least twice a week.  The fruits and vegetables this time of year are in endless abundance. What a treat!

I have used currants in my baking for years but never thought to use FRESH Currants… until now.

Reducing our risk of disease means finding disease protection in the foods we choose to eat.  The Black Currant is a fruit known to supply extremely high concentrations of vitamin C  (305% of daily value per 3.5 oz.).  Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, cataracts, and some cancers.  Black Currants also show to have good levels of potassium,  iron,   phosphorus, vitamin B5,  and a broad range of other essential nutrients.  Phytochemicals in the fruit inhibit inflammation.

The European Black Currant has a strong flavor and is used widely in juice, jam, tarts, scones, and wines.  In the Bordeaux region of France, Black Currant is made into a liqueur called Cassis.  Black Currants are unrelated to the small raisins marketed as a type of currant.  These are raisins made from the Greek Black Corinth grapes.

Black Currants are the Super Fruit!

THE OATSTRONG

Heat oven to 350 Degrees

1 CUP BUTTER

3/4 CUP FIRMLY PACKED BROWN SUGAR

1/4 CUP ORGANIC GRANULATED SUGAR

2 EGGS

1 1/2 TEASPOON VANILLA

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1 CUP ORGANIC ALL PURPOSE FLOUR

1/2 CUP STEEL-CUT OATMEAL FLOUR  (simply take 1/2 cup steel-cut oatmeal – put into blender and blend until it resemble a flour. 2 minutes)

1 TEASPOON BAKING SODA

1 1/2 TEASPOON CINNAMON

1/2 TEASPOON COARSE KOSHER SALT

2 CUPS UNCOOKED ROLLED OATMEAL (old-fashioned)

1 1/4 CUP ROASTED AND CHOPPED WALNUTS

1/2 to 3/4 CUP FRESH BLACK CURRANTS (remove stems)

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Beat together butter and sugar until creamy.  Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.

Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well.

Fold in oats black currants; mix well.

Drop by a small ice cream scoop onto parchment paper (un-greased cookie sheet)

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool 2 minutes; remove to a wire rack.

Makes about 4 dozen.

ENJOY… CELEBRATE LIFE!

For additional information on Black Currants:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackcurrant

www.currant.com

black-currant.com

QUINOA, APRICOT, AND NUT CLUSTERS

Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) is a highly nutritious gluten-free seed, originally from the Andean region of South America.  It’s mild flavor allows for a variety of uses. Quinoa comes from the seeds of a plant related to chard and spinach.  Praised for its excellent nutritional profile, it is rich in protein, containing all eight amino acids. A good source of dietary fiber and also contains B Vitamins and Iron.

Done with The Clean Program 21 Day Detox and I feel amazing!  My energy has increased and the bad habits I picked up over last year have no power over my dietary choices… amazing really.  Gone from my diet is; morning coffee time, I now drink Green Tea, afternoon Wine, no Alcohol (maybe a special event), and Pizza, Pasta, and Breads must be whole wheat using only cheese and butter substitutes.  I work like this until November when the lure of delicious holiday foods declare their worth.  So far they have been memorable, fattening with a tendency to induce a stupor, but memorable, and I won’t give them up completely.

Along the way we discovered a wonderful substitute for brown rice called QUINOA.  I confess prior to this years Detox, Quinoa was not to be found in my pantry.  The recipes for Quinoa are as varied as are the benefits from this ancient seed.  Surprisingly delicious… Enjoy!

 QUINOA COOKIE

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees

1 1/2 CUP WATER

3/4 CUP WHITE QUINOA, RINSED AND DRAINED

1 1/2 CUP OLD FASHIONED ROLLED OATS (not instant)

1/2 CUP RAW SHELLED SUNFLOWER SEEDS

1/2 CUP RAW SHELLED PISTACHIOS, COARSELY CHOPPED

1 CUP DRIED APRICOTS, PREFERABLY UNSULFURED, THINLY SLICED

1/4 CUP ORGANIC SUGAR

1/2 TEASPOON COARSE SALT

1/4 CUP ORGANIC HONEY

2 TABLESPOONS NEUTRAL-TASTING OIL, SUCH AS CANOLA OR SAFFLOWER

1 1/2 TEASPOON PURE VANILLA EXTRACT

2 LARGE EGGS PLUS 1 LARGE EGG WHITE, LIGHTLY BEATEN

VEGETABLE OIL COOKING SPRAY

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Bring the water to boil in a small saucepan.  Add Quinoa; return to a boil.  Stir once; cover, and reduce heat to a simmer.  Cook until Quinoa is slightly underdone (it will finish in the oven) and has absorbed most of the liquid, about 12 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer the quinoa to a rimmed baking shet.  Bake, fluffing with a fork occasionally, until lightly gold, 30 to 35 minutes.  Transfer to a large bowl, cool.

Spread oats evenly on the baking sheet; bake, stirring occasionally, until lightly toasted, about 12 to 15 minutes.  Add oats to bowl with quinoa.  Spread seeds on baking sheet; bake, stirring occasionally, until lightly toasted, about 7 minutes.  Add Quinoa mixture, cool.  Reduce oven temperature to 300 Degrees.

Toss nuts, apricots, sugar, and salt with quinoa mixture.  Mix honey, oil, and vanilla into eggs; stir into quinoa mixture.

Line an unrimmed baking sheet with parchment paper; lightly coat with cooking spray.  Place 1/4 cup mixture onto sheet for each cluster, spacing them 3 inches apart.  Flatten to 1/4 inch thick.  Bake, rotating the baking sheet halfway through, until crisp, about 25 minutes.  Let cool completely on a wire rack.  Store covered for up to 2 days, at room temperature.

Makes 20 Clusters

By the numbers per serving (2 clusters):  320 calories;  3.4g saturated fat; 7.2g unsaturated fat; 42.3mg cholesterol; 49g carbohydrates; 10g protein; 139mg sodium; 5g fiber

“Be like the bird, who halting in his flight on limb too slight, yet sings–knowing he has wings.”

~Victor Hugo 

 

BANANA WALNUT OATMEAL COOKIE… Chocolate Optional!

 Oatmeal cookies have all the elements I look for in a healthy treat, and, I am forever perfecting my own oatmeal cookie to share with the world… Sigh, I have a cookie dream.  The world clamoring for my wonderful Oatmeal Cookie. My cookie in every market everywhere!

The only problem, my cookie was (is) common, pedestrian, good but not market worthy.  Healthy but not  a WOW!

Martha Stewart’s Cookies have several WOW! cookies… here is one of my favorites.

 

Banana Walnut Chocolate – Chunk Cookies

Oatmeal included…

Preheat oven to 375 Degrees

MAKES ABOUT 3 DOZEN

1 CUP ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR

1/2 CUP WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR

1 TEASPOON COARSE SALT

1/2 TEASPOON BAKING SODA

3/4 CUP (1 1/2 STICKS) UNSALTED BUTTER, ROOM TEMPERATURE

1/2 CUP ORGANIC GRANULATED SUGAR

1/2 CUP PACK LIGHT BROWN SUGAR

1 LARGE EGG

1 1/2 TEASPOON PURE VANILLA EXTRACT

3/4 CUP MASHED RIPE BANANA ( ABOUT 1 LARGE)

1 CUP ROLLED OATS

8 OUNCES SEMISWEET CHOCOLATE COARSELY CHOPPED (or CHOCOLATE CHIPS) I leave chocolate out if making cookies for workouts.

1/2 CUP COARSELY CHOPPED WALNUTS

Whisk together both flours, salt and baking soda in a bowl.

Put butter and both sugars into the bowl of an electric mixer; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy.  Reduce speed to low.  Add egg and vanilla; mix until combined.  Mix in Banana.  Add flour mixture; mix until just combined.  Stir in oats, chocolate and walnuts.

Using a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto a baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing about 2 inches apart.  Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden brown and just set, 12 to 13 minutes.  Let cool on sheets on wire rack 5 minutes.  Transfer cookies to wire racks; let cool completely.  Cookies can be store in an airtight container at room temperature a few days.

“In one cookie, find the flavors of two bakery classics…”

I’m still working on my perfect oatsie… maybe someday.

ENJOY!!

THE ULTIMATE OATMEAL COOKIE!

They can be wholesome, indulgent, or anywhere in between.  They can be familiar or surprising. And most of them are even easy to make.

-Martha Stewart

I know, I know!  I have worked on the perfect Oatmeal cookie forever… and the discoveries made along the way have been noteworthy.  Perfection lies more with the attitude one has going into the day- and can be triggered by texture,  followed up with flavor. (In other words we have several perfect Oatmeal Cookies to share…)

The cookie recipes–all Oatmeal Cookie Recipes–are excellent.  But you can take the same ingredients and produce an extraordinary cookie.  A cookie with crisp edges, the best chew, and a deep roasted flavor.  Start with more brown sugar than white.  The brown sugar should be the darker brown type and both should be organic – mash banana’s, lightly fold in as the last step… Let’s bake another batch of Oatmeal Cookies!

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THE ULTIMATE OATMEAL COOKIE

You will love this cookie…

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F

Makes 4 Dozen

1 CUP BUTTER (2 Sticks)

3/4 CUP FIRMLY PACKED DARK BROWN ORGANIC SUGAR

1/4 CUP ORGANIC GRANULATED SUGAR

2 EGGS

1 TEASPOON VANILLA

3/4 CUP ALL PURPOSE FLOUR

3/4 WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR

1 TEASPOON BAKING SODA

1 TEASPOON CINNAMON

1/2 TEASPOON SALT

2 CUPS OLD FASHIONED OATS (Uncooked)

1 CUP CURRANTS

1 CUP ROASTED WALNUTS (Spread nuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheets, and bake in a 350 Degree F oven for about ten minutes)

2 RIPE BANANAS (about 1 1/2 cup)

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Beat together butter and sugars until creamy.  

Beat eggs and vanilla in a separate bowl.

Combine butter, sugars, eggs vanilla.

Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well.

Combine above.

Stir in oats, currants and roasted walnuts; mix well.

MASH 2 RIPE BANANAS AND LIGHTLY FOLD IN MIXTURE

Drop rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until slightly golden brown.

Cool 3 minutes on the cookie sheet; remove to wire rack.

YUM!

enjoy…

THE LANCE OATSTRONG… a super cookie.

THE LANCE OATSTRONG… a super cookie..