One of
the most difficult seasons for fitness buffs is the holidays. It is the period
between Thanksgiving and New Years that causes all of the troubles. The
calories beckon at each social event. Egg Nog, peanut butter balls, taffy,
chocolate…the list goes on. Not only is there less time to work out but the
eating might pull you in a completely different direction. It takes more than
will power to keep those sweets where they belong.
The good
news is that there are healthy alternatives for those who are willing to get a
little creative with their cooking. Pumpkin cookies fit within the holiday
spirit and have fewer calories than some of the crackers you might buy from the
store. The taste is soft and light and can double as coffee cakes in the
morning. With a total of 41 calories, a gram of fat, and 9 grams of
carbohydrates and a single gram of protein you are on the right track.
Let us
compare some alternatives. A bar of fudge will set you back 170 calories,
chocolate covered peanut butter balls another 120, a cup of Egg Nog 400, peanut
brittle 480 and pumpkin pie a whopping 500. Healthy eating is about finding
alternatives to commonly enjoyed offerings. Sometimes it is helpful to cook
those alternatives and leave out some of the most damaging ingredients.
Preparation
Time: 5-8 Minutes
Cooking
Time: 15-19 Minutes
Amount:
30+ Cookies depending on size.
Ingredients:
1 cup of
white sugar
1 teaspoon
baking powder
1 teaspoon
baking soda
1 cup of
whole wheat flour
1 cup of
all purpose flour
2
teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice
1/8
teaspoon of salt
1/2 cup of
apple sauce
1 teaspoon
of almond or vanilla extract
1 cup of
canned or pumpkin
The
process of making these cookies is relatively easy. Preheat oven to about 350
degrees. Grease two cookie pans using either a spray or olive oil. Mix the
sugars, apple sauce, pumpkin, and extract together. Mix it well as to not leave
clumps. Work in the rest of the ingredients. It should have the consistency of
cookie dough.
Each
cookie sheet should hold about 12-15 cookies. Since this recipe makes around
30+ two cookies the sheets should work fine. Simply use a tablespoon and place
clumps accordingly. They will spread out a little as they cook. Once completed,
put the cookie sheet into the oven and check at 15 minutes. Cook until a slight
discoloration of the edges occurs. Take out and place on a cooking rack for 15
minutes. 