About one year ago, when I was in my final year of undergraduate studies, one of my assignments was to interview someone who was in a place in their career that I aspired to one day be.  The assignment was for my Business Communications class, and we were being graded (by the interviewee) by how well-prepared we were for the interview and our ability to carry on a conversation.  Everyone in the class, including myself were in the College of Business.  Some were accounting majors (like myself), some were finance majors, and others were business management.  However, like you all know by now, I was already making plans to change my career so I could become a registered dietitian.So, I interviewed a registered dietitian!  (I’m assuming this took my teacher by surprise since I was an accounting major!)  The choice of which dietitian to interview was not hard…I’d was going to interview the lady who worked at the Wellness Center (my gym).  Not only does she work part-time at my gym, but she was works in a doctor’s office as their practicing dietitian and has her own nutrition counseling business.  On top of all this, she is working on earning her master’s.  Her list of accomplishments is amazing, inspiring, and motivating!  I could not have chosen a better person to interview!

We continue to keep in touch, both as friends and as my dietitian.  The other day, I sent her an update on my eating habits.  I told her how much I enjoyed reading Intuitive Eating, a concept I really had never been aware of (especially while gaining weight)!  Her response took by complete surprise…there was an online Intuitive Eating seminar next week!!   You may think me silly for getting so excited about an online seminar, but do you know how much I like this book and the method of practice that advocate?  It’s all about becoming more in tune with your body, respecting its needs with your wants/desires.  It’s ALL about balance and moderation!

The reason I tell you this is because I know a lot of you are nutrition majors, practicing dietitians, aspiring doctors with a huge interest in nutrition, or at least are very interested in health & nutrition.  I wasn’t asked to tell you this nor am I getting paid to tell you this.  I just thought you guys might find this very interesting!  Let me know if you’ll be listening to the webinar!!

On Friday, I had a life changing experience.

I made a gratin for the first time ever.

The recipe came from The New Sonoma Cookbook, which was a christmas present from my parents.  If you are interested in a  cookbook that is packed with simple, nutritious recipes, this one fits the bill.  Connie Guttersen has compiled an amazing collection of recipes that literally made me want to cook straight through her book.  I have refrained myself, somehow.

I don’t remember how I settled on this recipe- it quite possibly could have been I closed my eyes and chose a page at random.  Whatever the reason, it was fate.  I was in love.   The fresh tomato sauce poured over the steaming cauliflower…all topped with salty feta cheese….

Oh baby!

Cauliflower Gratin with Chickpeas

• 3 tbsp EVOO (I only needed 1)
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 2  14.5-oz cans diced tomatoes, drained
• 1  15-oz can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained
• 6 cloves garlic, minced (1 T minced)
• 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 2 T capers , rinsed and drained
• 1 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped(I used 1 tsp dried)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped (I omitted because I didn’t have any)
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly group pepper
• 1 3/4 pounds cauliflower, cut into florets
• 4 oz feta cheese, crumbled

In a large saucepan, heat EVOO over medium-high heat.  Add onion and cook for 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.  Add drained tomatoes, garbanzo beans, and garlic.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.  Stir in parsley, capers, oregano, lemon juice, thyme, kosher salt, and pepper.

Meanwhile, in a covered Dutch oven, cook cauliflower in as mall amount of boiling water about 5 minutes or just until tender.  Drain and keep warm.

Transfer cauliflower to a 2- to 2 1/2-quart baking dish..  Top with hot tomato sauce.  Sprinkle with feta cheese.  Broil 3-4 inches from the heat for 1-2 minutes or until cheese begins to brown.  Serve immediately.

Source:  The New Sonoma Cookbook

I splurged yesterday and bought another cookbook for my collection…Heidi Swanson’s cookbook, super natural every day.  Tonight’s dinner will feature her Black Pepper Tempeh.  It just so happens it calls for cauliflower, too.

What is your favorite cookbook, or place to find recipes?

The other day my uncle sent me a picture with words overlaid.  It said something like this:

Choose a crummy picture.

Add a vintage tint.

Write something on it in Helvetica.

So, I chose a crummy picture.  Added a not-so vintage tint.  And wrote a lot of words on it in who-knows-what font.  I call it Le Tree de Wisdom.

These are words I try to live by everyday.  The key word being “try!”  There are days (most days) when I am lacking in one or more of these qualities.  But it’s the effort that counts, right?  In the few hours I’ve been awake today, I think I’ve accomplished almost every one.

BE ADVENTUROUS:  I tried a new recipe for breakfast…Mama Pea’s French Toast!  Make this!

BE CARING:  I haven’t done anything yet, but I plan on making Coconut GROWnola Bars for my friend who had surgery a week ago.  They are a bit overdue.

BE HAPPY:  It’s Saturday.  I have no class.  And I just finished eating french toast.  How could I not be happy?

BE YOURSELF:  Done and done.  My hairs a mess, I have no make-up on, I’m wearing shorts and an oversized sweat shirt, and by 8am I had looked at 50 recipes.  That’s about as me as it gets.

BE HONEST:  Honestly, I don’t think I can run that Tough Mudder in mid-February.  It was only 32 degrees yesterday, and in the 3 minutes it took for me to walk to my car my fingers went numb and stiff.  Now add to that freezing cold mud and water and I might as well write my eulogy.  I am going to look for a Tough Mudder in the summer or Fall.

BE MOTIVATED:  In 10 minutes, I’m headed to the gym to workout.  Weights + Climber Machine + Abs.  Argh!  And if I stay motivated throughout the day, I may have an awesome recipe to share that I made from THE NEW SONOMA COOKBOOK.

Now it’s your turn!  How have you been adventurous, caring, happy, yourself, honest, and motivated.

I literally had a jump start to my day.We’ll get to the eggs in a minute.

Yesterday morning, I decided to rekindle my youthful spirit by doing a jump rope workout.  After all, what’s more fun than waking up at 4:45am to do 1,500 jumps!  Obviously not sleep.  Actually, my reasoning for pulling out the jump rope was because my legs were sore from running the past few days.  I also need to come up with some intense, 30 minute workouts I can do once class starts next Monday.  I will continue working full-time while taking my class, so my Mondays and Wednesdays will be short on free-time.   In what little time I have in the mornings before heading to work, I plan on doing short HIIT workouts to get my blood flowing and heart pumping (and to keep in shape for the Tough Mudder). 

THE JUMP ROPE WORKOUT 

• 100 jump ropes
• 25 regular crunches (or sit ups)
• 100 jump ropes
• 15 bicep curls to overhead press *
• 100 jump ropes
• 30 lunges with 12 lb weight in each hand
• 100 jump ropes
• 20 side kicks per leg (think Karate Kid)
• 100 jump ropes
• 15 tricep extensions on exercise ball
• 200 jump ropes
• 100 bicycle crunches
• 200 jump ropes
• 15 bicep curls to overhead press *
• 200 jump ropes
• 30 lunges with 12 lb weight in each hand
• 200 jump ropes
• 20 side kicks (each leg)
• 200 jump ropes
• 15 tricep extensions on exercise ball

 *Next time I do this workout, I will replace this exercise with 10-15 burpees.

 This workout may look intimidating, but it’s totally doable and very fun.  The inspiration for this workout came from my brother, who did 1,000 continuous jumps for time (I can’t recall how long it took him).  There was no way I was going to get my legs to do 1,000 jumps in a row, so I broke it up by doing exercises after every 100 or 200 jumps.  This workout will go by really quickly if you go through it uninterrupted.  I stopped  twice to take a sip of water.  Next time I plan on doing it for time to see if I can make improvement.  You can adjust this workout as necessary so it is challenging for you fitness level.

The goal is to have fun.

And then to fuel yourself afterwards.Now, savory foods like scrambled eggs are not my preferred morning fare.  But after this workout, that seemed to be what I was in the mood for.    I toasted some minced dried onion on the skillet right before adding the eggs.  Once the eggs were poured on the skillet, I stirred in some McCormick’s Roasted Garlic and Herb Seasoning.  I’m not sure if it was the Seasoning or the onion, but these were the best eggs I have made in a long time.  Now if only I could have enough time every morning to have a breakfast like this!

Scrambled eggs

(1 whole egg + 2 egg whites + Dried Minced Onion + McCormick’s Roasted Garlic & Herb Seasoning)

Toast + Avocado + Oregano

Fruit & Red Peppers

Share your favorite workout!

And my list of goals for 2012 continues!  I wasn’t kidding when I said I was taking this year’s resolutions seriously.  Today I want to share my FITNESS goals for the new year – or more appropriately, my FITNESS challenges.  Exercising has never been a chore for me.  I have always been either running around the house like a wild child (my younger days), participating in sports (my high school days) or exercising on my own (now).  What is a chore is challenging myself to step outside my comfort zone and try something new…something that might be daunting initially…something that takes me outside my comfort zone.  A few of these items will certainly accomplish that! 

FITNESS

 Finish a Tough Mudder

Learn to Box Jump

Participate in the Krispy Kreme Challenge

Another Half Marathon (still undecided here)

 Strength Train 3 X a week (30 minutes or more)

 Keep a exercise journal

A few of these items are self explanatory, like keeping an exercise journal, strength training, and possibly running a second marathon.  But I want to expand upon the first 3 items.  Let’s start with the Tough Mudder.  This is basically a 13 mile obstacle course.  The obstacles include running through live wires, monkey bars, jumping of a 20 ft high ledge into freezing cold water, climbing up a quarter pike…  Fun stuff, eh?!  Just say yes.  For my sake.  Please.   My brother ran a Tough Mudder last March with his friends and convinced me to sign up for this one.  Okay.  It didn’t take much convincing.  It sounded like a blast!  I was stoked.  I mean, what could be more fun than running through 13+ miles of obstacle?  It’s like being on the playground again, except now you’re running 13+ miles.  Then it hit me that this race is in February…the dead of winter.  Panic set in…panicing now.  I am not a cold weather person!  Then add to that ice cold water and…oh god…what have I gotten myself into…  I think I’d be ok if it weren’t fo the fact it’s going to be freezing!  So you see, my mentally barrier is the cold weather.  If I can overcome that (maybe by buying and wearing a wet suit), I’ll be okay on race day. 

On to the second item.  The box jump.  It seems simple enough.  Place a box (not cardboard) in front of you and jump onto it with both feet.  Then jump back off with both feet.  Pretty easy, right?  Wrong.  Everything’s fine and dandy until I stand behind the box, them my mind goes haywire with all the horrible things that could happen.  Like having my feet miss the box and scrape my shins (I can feel the pain just thinking about it).  Fall forwards and land on my face.  Fall backwards and break my butt.  Mental barriers, galore!  I am determined to do this, though.  It may involve holding onto something the first time just to convince myself nothing bad will happen, but I will end up doing a very beautiful box jump by December 31, 2012. 

Before I explain the third item on my list, please pretend I never said I wanted to be a dietitian.  Also pretend that this is not a health and wellness blog.  Oh yeah, and pretend that donuts are healthy.  Thanks.  So, the Krispy Kreme Challenge is a local race held every year in November.  In involves running 2 miles, eating a dozen donuts, then running another 2 miles.  All in under one hour.  When I first heard of it two years ago, I thought it was gross and so very unhealthy (which it is).  Those were also the days I was extremely strict in my eating habits and the idea of eating a Krispy Kreme donut was forbidden by my food god.  Now that I’ve relaxed a bit - taken on a healthier (don’t laugh at the irony) view – I’ve decided to give it a try.  My brother and sisters jumped on board as well!  Like any race, I have decided we need to train.  This training I speak of is more an excuse to eat Krispy Kreme donuts a few times before the race.  But it’s all in the name of preparation, trust me.  Fun fact, this race is sponsored by a power washing service (because a few people lose their donuts after mile 4…gross).Well, there you have it.  If I don’t freeze to death in the Tough Mudder, I’m going to break my shins learning to box jump and throw up a dozen Krispy Kreme donuts after running 4 miles.  It should be a fun year fitness-wise….I think…I hope.

Share one fitness goal you have set for yourself this year.

The first time I made New Years Resolutions was last year.  I did not take it very seriously.  In fact, I can’t even remember what my resolutions were for 2011.  I would have to go back to that blog post to remind myself.   

This year, I decided to take it seriously.   After all, I enjoy making lists and love challenging myself with new goals.  So, on New Years Day, I sat down at my computer and wrote down all my goals.  It is quite a list, let me tell you!  I have my goals categorized under FOOD, FITNESS, PHOTOGRAPHY, and SELF.  Rather than overwhelm you with the entire list, I thought I’d start with my FOOD resolutions.

FOOD

Make a weekly Meal Plan (I’ll share the spreadsheet I’m using later this week)

Cook 2 new meals a week (following a recipe)

Bake something new no more than once a week

Spend less money on groceries  (making a weekly meal plan should help this)

Eat vegetarian 2X per week (more is better)

Continue practicing Intuitive Eating

I am absolutely stoked about all my FOOD goals!  Some may drive me crazy initially, like making a meal plan and actually sticking to it.  Some of them will help me become a more educated cook, like preparing 2 new recipes a week (rather than just throwing X and Y together and crossing my fingers it doesn’t make me gag).  Others will help me become a  healthier person, like eating vegetarian 2X per week and intuitive eating.  But I am excited about having these goals!

Yesterday, I made my first attempt at a meal plan!  I changed my mind about 20X while I was making it, but at least I took the initial step of thinking ahead.  I don’t expect myself to be perfect the first few weeks.  I truly believe it will take some time getting used to actually carrying through my meal plans.  But int he end, I am hoping it will help me spend less money on groceries and force me to make new recipes.  That’s three goals down!  

On the menu last night was Ranchero Beans, a recipe from The New Sonoma Cookbook.  This was a gift from my parents for Christmas, and I plan on working my way through almost all fo the recipes!  The beans last night were a success.  I was  a bit skeptical when I started cooking.  I mean, the recipe just called for beans, tomatoes, and some seasoning.  But man were they awesome!  I’m actually have some packed for lunch today.  We served this with a side of pumpkin cornbread and roasted brussel sprouts.  A very satisfying meal!

Ranchero Beans

Source:  The New Sonoma Cookbook

1 T EVOO

1 cup onion, diced

1 T garlic, chopped

1/4 t cumin seeds

1 T chile powder

1 cup tomatoes, diced, canned or fresh

1 15-oz can pinto beans, drained well

1 15-oz can black beans, drained well

1 cup low sodium chicken stock

Heat a saucepan over medium heat.  Add EVOO, onions, and garlic; cook for 4 minutes or until onions are tender and a little brown.  Add cumin seeds; cook 1 minute.  Add chili powder and stir.  Add tomatoes.  Bring to a simmer.  Add beans and chicken stock.  Bring back to a simmer.  Cook for 15 minutes or until flavors meld.

I love to reminisce on the days when I was young, innocent, and my only worry was whether I would be allowed to play outside after the sun went down.  This christmas, my brother thought it would be funny to make fun of how excited I used to get about Christmas- I was completely and absolutely infatuated with the holiday. I  LOVED Christmas.  I loved the decorations, the music, the anticipation, the stash of presents that slowly grew bigger as December 25th approached, going to Christmas Eve mass in an obnoxious dress my mom said I should wear, opening one present on Christmas Eve; I loved waking up at 3am on christmas morning only to find that “Santa” hadn’t come yet and running back to bed, dragging my parents out of bed at 7am by making them coffee, and spending the day in PJ’s opening presents.

Can you tell I like Christmas?

I liked it so much that I would be in tears at the end of  the day because Christmas was over!  In the blink of an eye my most anticipated holiday ended and I had to wait another…(here it comes)…364 days for the next Christmas!  Oh, the horror!  So at 10 pm on Christmas night, I would climb up onto my brother’s bunk bed (because having slumber parties with your siblings was super cool), curl up under the covers, and cry myself to sleep.  My brother, who occupied the bottom bunk bed, would ask me what was wrong.  Between heaves and sniffles, I managed to tell him that “Christmas…sniff, sniff, sniff…is…sniff, sniff…over!”  More tears.  More sniffles.  More blubbering. This year my brother rubbed that emotionally sensitive experience in my face.

“Caitlyn, you’re not going to cry tonight, now are you?”

“No Erik.  I think I can hold myself together this year.”

“Good.  Because we wouldn’t want you getting upset.”

“No, that wouldn’t be too impressive for a 24-year-old.  I think I’ll be okay. Thanks for your concern.”

And I held true to my word.  No tears were shed this Christmas, or last Christmas for that matter.  Instead, I was a bit excited for the holiday to be over.  Whereas in the past I would build Christmas up to be THE best day of the whole year, I realize now that any day can be the BEST if I make it so.  Monday could have been the best day because someone gave me a high-five while I was running on the Greenway.  That was motivating!  Yesterday could have been the best day because I got to hold my friends 2.5 day old baby.  My heart melted and I decided if all else fails in life, I will be a professional baby holder.

Caitlyn Glynn, PBH    <– pretty impressive, eh?

I have matured a lot since those days when I would cry myself to sleep on Christmas night.  What good was weeping about something I couldn’t change?  Nada!  It’s all about making the most of eat day.  If you’re unhappy, then find happiness.  If you’re bored, find a hobby.  If you’re struggling, then find a way to tackle whatever you’re struggling with.

Smile and make the best of today!

They say that the best way to reach your goal is by telling other people.  So, after sitting on this post overnight, pondering over what I should write, I have decided to share my goal with you.  My goal for the next forevers is to make and eat less sweets and breads.  Over the past few months I have made and consumed an outrageous amount of sweets, breads, brownies, and cookies.  Sweet Potato Brownies, CinnaBOMB cookies, Melted Cinnamon Chip Cookies, Coconut GROWnola bars, store-bought scones…you name it.

Not only have I been making them but I have been eating them.  Too much of them.  Last year, I would not have been a problem with over eating the sweets I made because I had the will power of a donkey.  (That’s a pretty strong will power, in case you’re wondering.)  I was underweight and had a distorted, overly strict attitude towards food.  There were foods I considered off limites and I avoided them at all costs.  Sweets, meals prepared in stores, restaurant food, and sweet breads were all on my “bad” list.  It was sometime around May when I  snapped out of this funk.  It was literally an overnight epiphany when I gave myself permission to eat those off-limit foods.  I was so tired of restricting and not being able to bake and cook everything I wanted for fear it was “unhealthy.”  I allowed myself to eat a brownie.  I recognized that the world would not come crashing in if I ate three cookies in one sitting!

Since that switch to a better attitude towards food, I have started making more sweets.

When you have restricted sweets from your diet as long as I have, you have a hard time saying “NO” when you finally allow yourself to have some.  Therein lies the problem.  For three years I have not allowed myself to have the food that I truly desire…like the scones my mom and sister buy from the supermarket weekly, or the Texas Brownies my mom makes that have the fudge icing, or even something as simple as pancakes from Cracker barrel.  These foods were off-limits.  For three years!

Now that I have given myself permission to eat these once off-limit foods, I find myself eating a bit too much when I am in the environment of these foods.  It don’t just eat one scone.  I eat a two, or three, or more.  One slice of Cranberry Orange Bread is not enough.  I want another one.  Maybe just one more after that.   Because, hell, how long have I been craving these foods but NOT eating them?!  Oh that’s right.  Three years!

So, for the past few months, I have been working on developing a better relationship with food.  One where I can stop when I am comfortably satisfied rather that full and sick.  Yes, I’ve been there many times over the past few months and it is not fun.  I am working harder at listening to my hunger and fullness cues, something I didn’t have to do when I was gaining weight because I had to eat so much.  (When I was gaining weight, I had to eat when I wasn’t hungry because I wasn’t hungry.  This disabled my ability to truly recognize my hunger and fullness cues.)  If I want to eat something and am not hungry, I try to figure out why I want to eat.  Is it stress?  Boredom?   Do I just have the nibbles?  The book Intuitive Eating has been a great help as work through these difficulties.  It talks about how to break the cycle of dieting, which in essence was what I did to get to my underweight state.  It describes how you can create a better relationship with food, one where you allow yourself unconditional permission to eat any food, and stop eating when you’re satisfied.  Intuitive eating.

I am still working on these eating struggles.  All too often I have my moments when I eat too much of something and find myself regretting each bite because I lacked the self-restraint to stop.  But I am making progress.

Which brings me back to my goal…to make and eat less sweets.  When I make all these sweet breads and desserts, I am putting myself in an environment to fail.  I am surrounded by all the foods I have once restricted and am likely to overeat.  Until I can stop when I’m satisfied, I do not need to be surrounding myself with these foods.   Instead, I will be making more well-rounded dinners.  Meals that are a little healthier and nutritious than, say, cheesy bread and granola bars and cookies.  Meals that I won’t binge on.

I had never planned on sharing these struggles with you.  They are embarrassing, especially for something who was so strong-willed a year ago.  But keeping these things bottled will not help.  I want to improve and will improve, but I needed to be truthful.  This is also the reason I only post every once in a blue moon- because sometimes I’m so frustrated and uncomfortable with myself I can’t fathom faking that everything’s A-OK.  Because it’s not.

But I don’t want to end on such a negative note, because negativity and frustration won’t make things any better or help me become a more intuitive eater.  The only way to overcome any difficult situation is to keep a positive attitude.  So positive I will be!

Positive.  

Patient.  

Motivated.

10 Things I Thought While Making Sweet Potato Brownies

1.  Man I want to stick my face in this bowl of brownie batter.

2.  Oh look, I got brownie batter all over my hand.  Darn!

3.  I hope no one comes into the kitchen right now because it looks like I’m making out with my hand.

4.  I wonder if heaven is made of coconut and chocolate?  If so, then I need to start being a better Christian.

5.  Cocoa powder has fiber.  These brownies have cocoa powder.  Therefore, these brownies are healthy.

6.  Sweet potatoes are healthy.  Therefore, these brownies are healthy.7.  I love my logic.  (See #4 and #5)

8.  Is it possible to OD on cocoa?  Dear God, I hope not.

9.  It would probably be beneficial for me to make another tray of these brownies.  Right?  Yeah.  Definitely.  Just in case, ya’ know.

10.  I need to hit the gym hard if I do #6. 

11.  I want to move to London.  Or Germany.  I’d be cool with Italy as well.  What am I saying?!?  I’ll move to Belgium!  Genius!

12.  Would dad be cool with eating brownies for dinner instead of the meatballs I said I would make?  Oh!  I got it!  Maybe I’ll make brownie balls and just say they’re meatballs! 

13.  Dad’s a pretty easy-going guy.  I”m sure he’d be game for whatever, including chocolate for dinner.  It might help if I washed his car, though.

14.  When these brownies come out of the oven I can A) test a brownie, B) go to the gym, or C) make another batch of brownies.  I hate difficult decisions!  (I went with A and C, obviously)Gooey Sweet Potato Brownies/Fudge (with Coconut with White Chocolate)

2 cups baked sweet potatoes, skins removed

1/4 cup + 2 tbsp cocoa powder

1/4 cup sweetened cocoanut flakes, chopped into small pieces

2 tbsp coconut butter

 3 tbsp agave nectar

1 tsp baking powder

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup dark chocolate chips

1/2 cup white chocolate chips, melted

1.  Preheat oven to 325*F.  Spray and 8 X 8 inch baking pan with cooking spray.

2.  Using a mixer, combine all ingredients but the dark and white chocolate chips.  Mix on medium speed until everything is incorporated.  Stir in dark chocolate chips.

3.  Spread the batter evenly in the baking pan.  Melt the white chocolate chips in the microwave on High for 1 minute, stirring after 30 seconds.  Drizzle melted white chocolate chips over brownie batter, from left to right.  Wiggle your spatula through the dough from top to bottom (the opposite direction you poured the white chocolate) in order to mix the white chocolate in a bit more.  Your goal is to spread the white chocolate throughout the batter, not mix it into the batter completely.  Level the batter with the spatula.  Sprinkle coconut flakes on top.

4.  Bake at 325*F for 25-30 minutes.  The brownies will begin to pull away from the sides of the tray. Serve warm as brownies.  Or freeze for several hours to serve as fudge.  If you freeze the brownies, allow them to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes to soften a bit.  Enjoy

**You can omit the white chocolate if you so choose.  If you do that, just refrigerate the brownies instead of freezing.

It’s not what it looks like.Or maybe it is, depending on what you’re thinking.

If you thought melted cinnamon chips poured on top of addicting cinnamon-and-almond-butter cookie dough, you were right.The only thing I wanted to do tonight was perfect the dough I used in the cinnaBOMB cookies.  As much as I liked the cookies, the dough was lacking in something.  It didn’t have the melt-in-your-mouth-and-eat-straight-from-the-bowl effect I was going for.  So tonight I planned on tweaking the dough.Butter.  That was my solution.  My Paula Dean solution.  Because, apparently, butta’ can solve any problem.

Dry cookies?  Add butta’.

Flavorless bread?  Add butta’.

Not so saucy sauce?  Add butta’.

Dry lips?  Use butta’.

Razor burn?  Use butta’.

Basically, butta’ is like a supa’ fat, ampin’ up the flava’ and makin’ everythin’ betta’.  (Don’t say it.  I know I need a life.)

I was exaggerating just a bit about the butter.  It does do amazing things to food, but it should definitely not be used in everything.  Unless your name is Paula and you get paid to add butter to everything.  In that case, it’s totally OK and totally acceptable to add butter to everything.  Right?

Since it’s obviously getting late and I’m starting to ramble about butter, let me get to the point.  The addition of butter and a few other adjustments made this cookie dough 10 times better than the cinnaBOMB cookie dough.  They had the melt-in-my-mouth-and-eat-straight-from-the-bowl effect I was going for.  The final cookie reminded me of a cloud, if it’s possible for a cloud to be compared to food.  They were incredibly light and fluffy and it was seriously hard to just stop at one.  Which is why I didn’t.  I stopped at three (plus the dough I ate straight from  the bowl).

Good luck with your self restraint.  Mine was pretty much non-existent.

Melted Cinnamon Chip Cookies

dry
1 cup + 3 T whole wheat flour
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup ground flaxseeds
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 t cinnamon
1 t baking soda
1/4 t ground nutmeg
1/8 t ground cloves

wet
1/2 cup milk (or non-dairy alternative)
1/4 cup creamy almond butter
4 T butter, melted
1 t vanilla extract
1/4 t almond extract
2/3 cup cinnamon chips
1/3 cup dates, pitted and chopped

1.  Preheat oven to 325*.

2.  In a large bowl, mix together dry ingredients.   In a separate bowl, mix together the wet ingredients.  Pour wet ingredients in to dry and stir until just combine.

3.  Place cinnamon chips and chopped dates in a microwavable bowl, and microwave on HIGH for 30 seconds or until melted.  Stir to combine.  Fold melted cinnamon chip mixture into cookie dough.  Cover bowl and refrigerator for 1-2 hours or until firm (or freeze for 20 minutes).

4.  Form dough into balls and place on a greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 325*F for 12 minutes.  Let cookies rest on tray for one minute then transfer to a cooling rack to cool.  Enjoy!

**If you’re feeling adventurous, skip the baking phase and eat the dough straight from the bowl.  That’s what I did!