Just because you're getting ready for your big day does not mean the whole month or two before has to be boring and restrictive. After all, it’s more about the journey than the destination. And sometimes, we just need a little treat that tastes good and guilty — and it doesn't hurt when it's festive for fall!
The good news is that you won't blow your calorie budget (or your waistline) with this one, even though it's totally one of my "cheat" recipes. Why? Because it's not all 'whole food' clean eating — yes, there's flour and sugar in these. But hey, we still have to live a little and indulge!
The 59-Calorie Pumpkin Dark Chocolate Chip Cookie
Prep time: 10 min.
Bake time: 15 min.
Makes: 32 servings
Ingredients:
• 1 cup white sugar
• ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• Cooking spray
• 1½ cups dark chocolate chips
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a cookie sheet with cooking spray.
2. Cream the sugar, applesauce, pumpkin and vanilla extract together. Set aside.
3. In another bowl, mix flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice. Once mixed, add the dry ingredients into the wet, and mix to combine.
4. Drop cookies using a spoon onto the prepared sheet and bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until browned.
I love the idea of putting on pretty festive-themed paper plates or in little baggies and tying up with ribbon and giving as a guilt-free pleasure. Enjoy, and have a happy fall!
I recommend this as a welcome treat, not part of your healthy balanced diet (although it really is not that bad)! For more of my healthy and "cheat" recipes, diet plans, and daily workout plans and programs, head over to FitStrongandSexy.com and join the community. It’s more than diet and fitness; it’s full length workout videos, motivation, support and endless tips, tricks and fun!
—Amanda Russell
Amanda Russell is a top-rated fitness and lifestyle writer, professional keynote speaker, Olympic-trained athlete, model, spokeswoman, founder of FitStrongandSexy.com and one of the industry's leading experts in fitness, wellness and change. Amanda has her own professional online workout channel and talk-show and was named as one of Google’s ‘Next Top Fitness Trainer’s in 2012’.
Amanda can be found writing about life, fitness, wellness and change on her website, Amanda-Russell.com. To watch Amanda's show, visit AmandaRussell.TV and subscribe! And for more 'Sex and the City Meets Iron-Woman', join Amanda on Facebook and Twitter. Amanda's Website and Fitness Program: FitStrongandSexy.com. Amanda's Fitness App: Hot Body Fitness with Amanda Russell.
- adminbg's blog
- Log in or register to post comments
