Fit Friday - Yummy Cookies and Sick Kiddos

Fit Friday is here with another fantastic recipe from our favorite fit chick in the kitchen, Ruthie! Ruthie is full of healthy twisted recipes, enjoy this week's yumminess! I love a yummy snack when stressed, tired, and worn out. Those are also things that all bring on sickness, keep on reading for some sick fighting tips from this momma!

Cranberry, Pecan, Dark Chocolate Cookies are a healthier cookie that taste like everything you've been craving in a cookie and more! SO Delish!!  They're packed with plenty of healthy-yummy-goodness too. . .  with the oats, whole wheat flour, milled flax seed, applesauce, dried cranberries, pecans, and dark chocolate!  YUMMMmmm.
 I'm completely telling the truth when I tell you that these Cranberry, Pecan, Dark Chocolate Cookies are one of my all time favorite cookies!  They totally are.   You'll love them too, I promise!  They make A LOT of cookies but the cool part is that they freeze really well, so whenever that little sweet tooth kicks in. . . you've got a healthier way to satisfy it right on hand. :)
 Cranberry, Pecan, Dark Chocolate Cookies recipe originally came to me via a friend who got it from a yoga spa. . . no one will ever believe they're good for you!  Most of the moisture in these cookies comes from applesauce with just a 1/4 cup of butter- which for 70 cookies is hardly anything at all!   Oh, yah.  I did remember to mention that it makes enough to feed a whole a yoga spa, right?!?!  You'll love them fresh or out of the freezer- no worries. 
 

Healthy Cranberry, Pecan, Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

Author: Ruthie

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 30 mins

Serves: 70

Ingredients

• 7 cups whole rolled oats
• 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/4 C milled flax seed
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 2 cups applesauce
• 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
• 2 cups light brown sugar or 1 C agave (or 50/50)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 whole eggs and 4 egg whites (to reduce fat/cholesterol), room temperature
• 2 cups dark chocolate chips
• 2 cups dried cranberries
• 2 cups sliced pecans
• sea salt to garnish each cookie

Instructions

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees.
2. Coat half sheet pan with cooking spray; set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl whip butter and sugar or agave; cream until smooth.
4. Add eggs one at a time, scraping with each addition.
5. Add vanilla; mix.
6. In a large mixing bowl combine flour, flax seed, baking soda, and sea salt; whisk together.
7. Add dry mixture and mix until 80% incorporated.
8. Add oats in two batches mixing between each addition.
9. Do not over mix.
10. Add dark chocolate, cranberries, and pecans; stir to incorporate.
11. Drop cookies onto prepared pan by the tablespoon or use a large cookie scoop.
12. Add a sprinkle of sea salt to each dough ball before cooking.
13. Bake at 350 for 12-15 min or until edges are crispy and lightly browned.
14. Store in airtight container.
15. Dough can be frozen for two months or last one week in the fridge.
16. Baked cookies freeze well for up to 2 months.
17. Makes approx 70 cookies.
18. * if using only agave, add an additional 1/2 C whole wheat flour

Cranberry, Pecan, Dark Chocolate Cookies will be you favorite new cookie!  Enjoy!!

3.5.3208

  The season of germs and sickness is here. I have cleaned up more vomit over the last couple of weeks than I care to remember. This means that I have skipped right over one of the key tips to staying healthy, avoid sick people, but I am practicing tip number two fervently, clean!!!!

That brings me to tip number three and four (the tips Ruthie and I am here to help with) eat right and exercise. With that being said let's talk workout!

We are doing a chipper today. A chipper is one of those workouts that scare us when we first look at it, instead of looking at the whole you need to break it down into doable chunks. Stay focused on the completing that chunk you are working on and don't stress about what is still to come.

No Equipment Needed Chipper:

100- jumping jacks

90- walking lunges

80- ice skaters

70- situps

60- squats

50- pushups

40-  dips

30- bicycles

20- burpees

10- inch worms with a push up

Don't let the numbers scare you! This is a very doable workout. Break it down and do it right!

~Much Love and Peace~

Ruthie and Nichole