A Snackers Guide to Losing Weight and Keeping it off for Good.

Author Gregory Ladas is a writer for The Providence Journal (www.ProvidenceJournal.com) 

“Thrive” debuted on Monday 6/28/10 in The Providence Journal. This new section, with a decidedly bold design, will help you live better, right here in Rhode Island. Every Monday, you’ll find advice and ideas on everything from more healthful eating to relieving stress. Please refer to this page for advanced copies of Greg's articles, his current article, and past articles.  Many of Greg's new diet tips can be found below! 

Monday January 9, 2012

Monday February 20, 2012

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Help your family consume fewer calories with better cookie dough recipe

Hello moms in RI, this article is for you.

A “couch potato” dad is perfectly content with cookies by the bag. I enjoy Josephs Lite Cookies. Yet, many moms prefer homemade cookies. I say, enjoy both. Bake your cookies with better ingredients, though. Here's why.

Dad recently snuck prepared cookie dough from the freezer (a common theft in some households). Mom found the dough missing upon baking her next batch. Mom was also shocked how easily he'd consumed about 1000 calories for each cookie dough binge- 130 calories, 6g fat, 10mg cholesterol, and 18g carbohydrates (carbs) per piece.

Ladies, if you're baking cookies, help your hubbies and kids consume fewer calories by using my better cookie dough for all your recipes.  Here's how.

My tasty mixture of NuNaturals Baking Blend, unbleached all-purpose, oatmeal, and coconut flours provides a more healthful carb ratio.  The Agave Nectar is a low glycemic sweetener and replaces 1 cup of brown sugar. Agave is sweeter than sugar, so use less.  The Smart Balance Light replaces butter to significantly reduce calories, saturated fat, and cholesterol.

Per batch, the zero-calorie Stevia replace 3/4 cup of sugar, and saves your family 581 calories and 150g carbs. The ½ cup egg substitute replaces 2 whole eggs, and eliminates 280mg cholesterol. Consequently, if you bake cookies with my recipe, you save your family 80 calories, 3g fat, and 14 net carbs per cookie.

Why my recipes vs. other diet products and tips? Mine use all-natural, no-sugar-added ingredients that will not upset your stomach.

Better Cookie Dough

·         1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

·         ½ cup NuNaturals More Fiber Stevia Baking Blend (or additional all-purpose)

·         ½ cup Bob's Red Mill oatmeal flour

·         ½ cup Bob's Red Mill coconut flour

·         1 teaspoon baking soda

·         1/2 teaspoon Morton Lite Salt

·         1 cup Smart Balance Light

·         2/3 cup of Agave Nectar (amber)

·         16 packets of Stevia

·         ½ cup fat-free egg substitute

·         2 tablespoons of vanilla soy milk (low sugar)

Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies (add to other cookie dough ingredients)

·         3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

·         1 teaspoon pure almond extract

·         1/2 cup 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate chips (chopped into small pieces)

Directions

1.      Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

2.      In a large bowl, mix together Smart Balance Light (melt in microwave prior to mixing), agave, soy milk, and stevia until smooth. Beat in the eggs, then stir in the vanilla and almond extracts. Blend in the dry ingredients and chocolate chips. Drop 54 quarter sized scoops onto ungreased cookie sheets.

3.   Bake for 9 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool before enjoying.