Crazy's Coconut Christmas Cookie

 

Happy Holidays!  I am sure many of you have started, if not already, completed your holiday baking. I am a little slow when it comes to my holiday preparation. I have not purchased one gift as of right now and I also have not thought about my plans for next week. I like to be a little adventurous when it comes to the holiday (really I mean chaotic). This year, I thought I would try my hand at baking. Nothing I do is traditional when it comes to food, so I wanted to make a unique cookie to share with my tribe.

 

Welcome to the world Raspberry Coconut Macaroons!

 

I love coconut. Everything coconut. It reminds me of when my family lived in Hawaii. Just being outside smelled like coconut.  My parents would ride their bikes alongside the ocean with my sister, Kate and I on the back. Kate and I would pick up coconuts and hold them tightly in our laps on the ride home. This could be the reason I have a little bit a of ocean, sand and sun obsession (and why I may or may not enjoy the scent of suntan lotion all year around).  Our holidays were very different living on a tropical island. I remember mom putting coconut scented sunscreen on us girls and swimming on Christmas Day in sunny 80 degree weather. I remember opening presents on our patio and the coconut trees lining Waikiki Beach with christmas lights on them.  Making these cookies and eating them, really takes me back to my coconut filled memories of my youth.

 

Many of us are familiar with the traditional sweetened flaked coconut, but did you know unsweetened coconut existed?  It is still sweet and has wonderful flavor but you can decrease the amount of sugar in your recipes. You can also create coconut butter (in place of traditional butter) for your cookies. Place a 8 ounce bag of unsweetened coconut in a food processor for about 7-8 minutes.

 

 

The coconut flakes turn into this creamy butter that you will place into a mixing bowl.

 

 

To the coconut butter, you are going to add 1 cup of flaked unsweetened coconut.

 

 

To the coconut mixture, I like to texture of old fashioned oats. The more the merrier in my eyes. Add at least 1 1/2 cups of oatmeal. Feel free to go up to 2 cups if you love the texture.

 

 

Next is one of my favorite sweeteners, agave. Agave is not as sweet as honey or maple syrup, so it will not compete with the delcious coconut flavor.

 

Extracts are a great way to add more flavor to any recipe. In this recipe, I used vanilla extra and almond extract. If you wanted to change it up, substitute lemon extract for the almond.

 

 

Here comes my other favorite part, fresh raspberries. I think this is key to the recipe. You can use raspberry perserves instead of fresh, but you need to be careful with using too many fresh. There is a lot of water in fresh berries, so about 1/2 of a 6 ounces package is perfect.

 

Mash the raspberries gently with a fork.

 

Place into the cookie mixture and then you are going to fold the raspberries into the dough.

 

You do not want to completely mix it into the batter and you want it to be marbled.

 

The cookies will not spread when you bake them, so you can place them very close together. DON'T forget the parchment paper. I forgot it the first time I baked these beauties and it was a bit difficult to get them off the pan! 

 

I hope you bring the tropics into your home over the holidays with the smell of coconut in the air. I will close my eyes and feel the cool ocean breeze and sand between my toes as I dive into these cookies.

 

Mele Kalikimaka!

Raspberry Macaroons
Ingredients (30 cookies)

• 2 2/3 cup full fat shredded unsweetened coconut (one 8 oz. package) OR 1 cup of coconut butter
• 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
• 1 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup light agave nectar
• 1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp pure almond extract
• 3 ounces fresh raspberries, lightly mashed or ½ cup low sugar raspberry preserves

Instructions
Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a food processor, process 2 2/3 cups full fat shredded coconut for about 5-8 minutes, until a thick, smooth coconut butter forms, scraping down the sides as needed (this will yield about 1 cup of coconut butter).Combine the coconut butter and all of the remaining ingredients – except raspberries – in a bowl. Stir until well-combined. Fold in lightly-mashed raspberries until mixture is marbled… you don’t want the raspberries completely combined with the cookie dough.
Using a mini ice cream scoop or a small spoon, scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheet (no need to leave much room in between as they do not spread out). Bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until the bottoms of the macaroons are lightly browned. The macaroons will be very soft at this point.

Allow the macaroons to sit at room temperature on the baking sheet for about 30 minutes, or until they firm up and cool down.

Adapted from:  http://www.healthyfoodforliving.com/raspberry-coconut-oat-macaroons/

 

~Crazy

 

       

From the Kitchen Friday: Cookies for Breakfast?

Happy Friday! Now that you have gotten to know me a little more, you know my passion for nutrition and for cookies!  Recently, I had a friend of mine ask if there was such a thing as a healthier cookie (because I guess mine were adding a few inches to the waistline) and of course I said yes!  Combining my passions make me happy, so I decided it was time to share my breakfast cookie. 

Cool has a delicious one too that she will share during a later post, but I thought this was perfect timing with all the buzz about the importance of eating breakfast.

 

Breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day. You need something to kick start your metabolism in the morning, otherwise your calorie burning furnace gets started too late in the day. Many people think they need to have an elaborate meal for breakfast but it doesn’t have to be. It just needs to have balance, meaning you need a good high fiber carbohydrate with a good quality protein. By the way, coffee and/or soda do not count!  However, a nice black cup of coffee compliments my delicious cookies very well, go ahead and have a cup! 

 I bake up a batch once a week to have them ready to go when I am running late. They are also great as a quick snack or when you have a sweet craving.  Who would skip breakfast if they knew they could have cookies?

The Right Start

Get the day off to a great start by making a good breakfast a part of it.  Breakfast is truly the most important meal to eat. 

Studies show kids and adults who eat breakfast are more likely to:

 

§  Concentrate better with problem-solving skills used in reading, writing and math

§  Have healthier body weights

§  Have lower blood cholesterol levels

 

Follow the 3R’s to help yourself make healthy breakfast choices.

 

Rev Up Metabolism

Breakfast simply means to “break-the-fast”.  Your body tends to burn fewer calories as you sleep.  Burn more calories and jump-start your metabolism by eating breakfast.

 

Reach For Protein and Fiber

Smart breakfast choices should include two or three foods groups.  Include protein and fiber in your breakfast to keep you feeling full longer.  Our bodies love carbohydrates.  They are easy to digest and give quick energy.  Proteins take a little longer to digest, therefore providing energy when the carbohydrates are gone.

 

Ready-To-Go In One Minute

Don’t have enough time in the morning to eat breakfast?  Here is a great recipe for a breakfast cookie to start the day!  

 

Blissful Breakfast Cookies

Makes 12 cookies, or 6-2 cookie servings

All You Need:

·         1 c unsweetened applesauce

·         2 large mashed ripe bananas

·         2 tbsp agave syrup

·         ½ c dried mixed berries

·         ½ c sliced almonds

·         1 c fresh strawberries, finely            chopped

·         1 tsp pure vanilla extract

·         2 tsp cinnamon

·         1 scoop of low-sugar vanilla whey protein powder

·         1½ C old fashioned rolled oats(certified gluten free if necessary)

All You Do:

1.      Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare one baking sheet with parchment paper.

2.      In a bowl stir together the applesauce, mashed bananas and agave syrup.

3.      Add in the dried fruit, nuts. fresh fruit and vanilla.

4.      Sprinkle the mixture with cinnamon and protein powder, and then stir in the oats. When combined, drop 12 - ¼ cupfuls on the prepared baking sheet.

5.      Pat the cookies down to the shape and size you like and press all the goodies that may have fallen out of the cookie back so it bakes well.

6.      Place cookies in the oven and bake for 30 minutes till golden, rotating the sheet around half way through baking.

7.      Remove from oven, let sit for 10 minutes on cookie sheet then place cookies on a baking rack to cool completely (about an hour)

8.      Then you are going to bake again, but the place the bottom of the cookie facing up, so you are baking the bottom. Repeat steps 6 and 7.

-Crazy

 

 

What the What Wednesday: 3 am Oatmeal Cookies

Welcome to another episode of "What the What" Wednesday!  So let me just dive in. This past Sunday, I awoke at 3 am in the morning and just knew I was not going to get back to sleep. So I went for an invigorating run and by 4:30 am I was at the grocery store getting ingredients for my recipe this week. Hence the name 3 am Oatmeal Cookies. Now I don't make these often or for just anyone, but they are my favorite cookies of all time and I like to share them with special people (and that includes you!). I also wanted to share this with you because I know I am a dietitian, but I don't use "healthier" ingredients because I like the real deal. Like real butter...

White and brown sugar with whole eggs and pure vanilla extract combined with the insides of 1 vanilla bean (no imitation for this girl). 

I do use whole wheat flour and lots of cinnamon with a touch of nutmeg. Baking powder is key to keeping them from turning into hockey pucks and also whisking the dry ingredients together well to add air and encourage a lighter cookie. 

Here is my "must do" for the best oatmeal cookies:  Pump, pump, pump it up! Add warm water (not boiling) to your raisins (and I'm talking lots of raisins) to get them even tastier and juicier. Let them sit for about 5 minutes before adding to your batter. 

Use old fashioned oats, not 1 minute oats they will perish in the cookie. 

I like my cookies a little crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. Parchment paper really helps you achieve this. It also just lets the cookie slide right off the pan. 

Be ready for a lot of cookies! If you want to change it up and do your own thang, skip the raisins and go for dark chocolate chips, dried cranberries or even dried blueberries (pump those up too!) I hope you enjoy this recipe and when you make them, I hope that it's not because you're awake at 3 am. 

-Crazy (yep, I run and bake at 3 am, see how I got my title?)

3 am Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Makes 3 dozen cookies

• 2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter, softened but still firm
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 vanilla bean, inside removed
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 3 cups rolled oats
• 2 cups raisins, soaked and pumped up! 

1. Adjust oven racks to low and middle positions; heat oven to 350 degrees. 

2. With an electric mixer, cream butter until smooth. Add sugars and vanillas; beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. 

3. Beat in eggs one at a time, until completely blended. 

4. Whisk flour, salt, baking powder, and nutmeg and cinnamon together, then stir  by hand into butter mixture with wooden spoon or spatula. 

5. Stir in oats one cup at a time and gently fold in raisins. 

6. Form dough into 2-inch balls, placing  parchment paper–covered cookie sheets. 7. Bake until cookie edges turn golden brown (but not the tops) 18-20 minutes Let cool on cookie sheet for 2-3 minutes before cooling on rack.