Healthy Honey Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies

I'm always on the lookout for healthy recipes, especially for dessert.  I love a sugar-laden, buttery, chocolate chip cookie every now again, but for the most part I really do prefer the healthier option.  I don't feel so sluggish after eating them, for one.  I also feel better giving them to my kids.

They were asking for a cookie and we had just run out of our last batch (which we typically keep in the freezer to last us longer).  The kids really enjoy cooking with me so I figured why not search for a new healthy cookie recipe to try out?  I found Healthy Honey Oatmeal Cookies from www.Food.com and made a few adjustments.  To be a bit healthier, we used Greek yogurt instead of butter, and we cut the sugar from 1/2 cup to a scant 1/4 cup.  They are still plenty sweet even with the reduction. You could probably use even less and they would still be tasty, especially if using chocolate chips or the other optional ingredients that provide sweetness.  The chocolate sweetens them a lot, so I used a bit less than I normally do.  There's a very subtle sweetness to the batter, which balances out the chocolate nicely.  They are pleasantly chewy, which I wasn't expecting.  They hold their shape rather nicely.  Since butter is absent, they didn't spread, so they were perfect bite-size snacking cookies.  We likely won't even have a chance to freeze these -- I'm certain they will be gone in the next couple of days!

Healthy Honey Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes about 20-25

3 tablespoons Greek yogurt
scant 1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups rolled oats

Optional Ingredients: chocolate chips, raisins, cinnamon, chopped nuts, chopped dates, chopped figs, currants, dried cranberries, dried cherries, white chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Lightly oil cookie sheet or use parchment paper.  Mix together yogurt, brown sugar, honey, egg and water.  Add dry ingredients and mix until combined.  Add the optional ingredients, if using. Use a cookie scoop or drop by heaping spoonfuls onto the cookie sheet.  (Since these don't spread at all, you can place them rather closely on the cookie sheet.  I managed to put all of mine on one sheet.) Bake 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Photos: A Musing Mamma

Light-As-A-Cloud Lemon Mousse

I am a big fan of using lemon in my cooking and baking. This dessert gets an A+ from me.  Very light, very lemony, and very delicious! Adapted from Blanchard's cookbook (one of my faves...more on that later).

Light-As-A-Cloud Lemon Mousse
Serves 4-6

1 C. sugar

3/4 C. freshly squeezed lemon juice

6 large egg yolks

2 large eggs

1 Tbs. freshly grated lemon peel

1 1/2 C. heavy cream

assorted berries and whipped cream, for serving (optional)

On top of a double broiler over simmering water, combine the sugar, lemon juice, egg yolks, eggs, and lemon peel. Cook, whisking constantly so as not to get lumps, until a thermometer reads 160 degrees. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge until chilled. When the lemon mixture is cold, whip the cream until you get soft to medium peaks. Gently fold a quarter of the whipped cream into the lemon mixture to blend, and then fold in the remaining cream. Spoon into individual glasses or bowls. Garnish with berries and sweetened whipped cream.

Photo: Ben Fink via: At Blanchard's Table: ATrip To The Beach Cookbook