Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Bacon Cookies

by Kris Pitcher

What a beautiful cookie!

This recipe was shared by the super hip and creative Devon, who is the only photographer to ever make me look beautiful and glamorous.

Find her work at devon-kelley.com

It comes from allrecipes but I altered it quite a bit, so I'll give you my version. When I overheard her telling someone else about this cookie I knew it would make me the most coveted wife on earth should I make this for my husband. This could be the thing which catapults me to uber fame...at least within my household. Heat the oven to 350 and be prepared to find the way to your lovers heart!

Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Bacon Cookies
6 slices maple-cured bacon, chopped
2/3 c sugar (original called for 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 c softened butter (original called for 1 cup)
4 oz. natural no sugar added apple sauce
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 c all-purpose flour
2/3 c cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 c dark chocolate chips (original called for simi-sweet)

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 F; cook bacon in skillet, drain on paper towels, chopp. Beat sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla &  apple sauce until smooth. Stir in four, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Mix in chocolate chips and bacon. Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes in preheated oven. Let stand 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

*Decreasing the fat and sugar in baking is easy to do, replacing some of the moisture and sweetness with natural apple sauce works nicely. I buy the apple sauce in snack packs so I have the perfect premeasured amounts ready for baking. The recipe doesn't miss either of these ingredients. The cookies are plenty sweet and have a nice balance between sweet and savory. I can't wait for Jacques to try them!

Red Curry with Vegetables

by Kris Pitcher

What a great way to ring in the New Year! A beautifully rich soup in color and in flavor. This soup will warm your senses on a wintery day. It's base is a red Thai curry paste which you can find in jars or cans in your Asian market.

The recipe calls for tofu, but you could add chicken, or shrimp, to bump up the protein profile of this meal. At 348 calories per serving/41 gm carbs/16 gm fat/13 gm protein you've got a meal in a bowl. Are you ready to try something new?

 Red Curry with Vegetables

Enjoy the spicy smooth flavors!

Green Tea & Oatmeal Cookies

by Kris Pitcher

Oh boy! When I saw this recipe I couldn't wait to try it. It blends my fascination with Japanese arts & culture (I don't know where I get this but hope to explore it in my lifetime) and cookies! Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees and let's get cooking.

Green Tea & Oatmeal Cookies:

• 1/2 T Maeda-en green tea powder - culinary quality    matcha green tea powder mix 
• 1 C all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 stick (1/2 C) butter at room temperature
• 1/2 C sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 C old fashioned oats

Beat together butter and sugar until creamy. Add egg and mix well. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda and green tea powder. Combine wet and dry ingredients, mixing together. Stir in oats. Place rounded tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes until golden brown.

You can order matcha green tea powder on line (check the link above), or visit your local Asian market if you're lucky enough to have one!


Tea can be divided into three broad categories: unfermented, semi-fermented and fermented drinks. White, green, blue-green, black roasted and smoked teas come from the same plant; it is the processing of the leaves that makes the difference. Japanese green tea is the unfermented type. To stop the fermentation of tea leaves, we use "steaming". Although there are many different types of Japanese green tea, the kind most often made and used by people in Japan is the steamed type of "sencha" and "fukamushicha". Aromatic teas such as bancha and hojicha are very popular as well. (ibukimagazine.com)

Ginger Crinkle Cookies

by Kris Pitcher

This is a beautiful cookie! It's one of my favorites to make, very easy and truly comes out so pretty and perfect. And as a bonus, and who doesn't like a cookie bonus?..it's not a nutrition nightmare! This year, I've made them to share at a cookie and clothing exchange party - how much fun! To all my new friends, enjoy Fitness Bliss, and your Ginger Crinkle Cookies! Preheat  the oven to 350 degrees f and let's get crinkling!

Ginger Crinkle Cookies:

• 2/3 C canola oil
• 1 1/2 C sugar, divided
• 1 large egg
• 4 T molasses
• 2 C sifted whole-wheat pastry flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 1/4 tsp ground ginger (you can use fresh too if you have it)
• 1/4 tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Mix oil and 1 C sugar in a large bowl until combined. Beat in egg until combined. Stir in molasses until evenly incorporated. Sift flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt over the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
3. Put the remaining 1/2 C sugar in a small bowl. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and roll each ball in the sugar before placing 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Do not flatten.
4. Bake the cookies until set, but still soft when gently touched, 10-12 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool. (I like to bake them on the 10 minute or even 8 minute side.)

Nutrition: Per cookie 103 calories; 5 g fat; 15 g carbohydrates; 1 g protein; 1 g fiber; 94 mg sodium; 38 mg potassium

Amy's Sweet Potato & Apple Whipped Casserole

by Kris Pitcher

This recipe was shared with Jacques by Amy...which I'm publishing without permission. Admittedly, I'm not good at instructions, or rules for that matter. This morning I had my apples and sweet potatoes on the counter ready for this recipe, then I got out my peeler and large stock pot because I was going to boil them.

But then I remembered my sense of inquiry being squashed by my 5th grade teacher who had a sign which read, "When all else fails, read the directions." I guess that teacher was tired of little 5th graders asking lots of questions. I thought I'd better double check the recipe before I started forging ahead on my own.

I did follow the directions for Amy's recipe, and the casserole is warming in the oven and smelling delicious. I highly recommend you give this a whirl!

Amy's Sweet Potato & Apple Whipped Casserole

• 4 sweet potatoes (equivalent 4 cups, cubed)
• 3 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and quartered
• 1 egg
• 4 egg whites
• 1 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/2 c freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 Tbsp freshly grated orange rind
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg (fresh is best, if you have it)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Roast sweet potatoes whole at 450 degrees until tender, about 30-40 minutes, depending on your oven and size of the potatoes. (Make sure you poke holes in them with a fork, first!)
2. Bake apple pieces on a pan sprayed with non-stick for the last 20 minutes or so, until soft.
3. Whip the egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff peaks form. Keep in the frig until ready to use
4. Let sweet potatoes cool enough to scrape the pulp out of the skins, add to mixer with softened apples. Using the paddle attachment, blend until as smooth as possible, adding the single egg, OJ, orange rind, spices, and vanilla.
5. When thoroughly mixed, slowly fold in the whipped egg whites to the sweet potatoes and apples, gently mixing by hand until a uniform, lighter color. (Nor egg white streaks)
6. Spray 9x13 inch baking pan with non-stick, carefully pour mixture into the pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes. Serve hot.

Optional:
Before baking, sprinkle with pecans for crunch and a couple of tablespoons of brown sugar for sweetness. Or, another great topping is chopped candied ginger, about 2 Tbsp - adds a nice bite of spice.

You can add a little Splenda or brown sugar to the sweet potato/apple mixture if you like things on the sweeter side, maybe 1/4 cup.

 Much more than a great cook...

Amy Hatvany's newest novel BEST KEPT SECRET

is due out July 19, 2011

BEST KEPT SECRET: "Amy Hatvany's powerful language, delicious imagery, and tender treatment of motherhood is a love letter to women everywhere, who try and sometimes fail, but who always get back up again. She is a gifted writer, whose compassion and clear-headed view of addiction and recovery are inspirational and empowering." ~ Rachael Brownell, Mommy Doesn't Drink Here Anymore.

No Crust Pumpkin Pie

by Kris Pitcher

Being both sensitive and inclusive I recently made what turned out to be a ridiculous suggestion to my husband. In light of his rather aggressive personal goals, he has been eating very clean. So, I suggested I could make him a crust less pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. Well, the look on his face was almost indescribable. You'd think I had suggested he stay home, while I enjoy Thanksgiving...where he didn't have to watch me eat it! That kind of look. Anyway, I got the message.

Needless to say, I won't be fixing this pie. But it's a great recipe, and I've fixed it before. Last year, I was dieting for contest preparation myself...all by myself (I had to start early because of what a great value that wonderful cruise was, boy did I eat my money's worth!). Through Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, my birthday, Valentine's Day, our anniversary...I dieted. So, I made this pie for at least two of those occasions.

It's a great way to save quite a few calories, and still enjoy dessert. Does this count as a vegetable serving? Enjoy!

No Crust Pumpkin Pie:

• 1/2 C buttermilk baking mix
• 1 2/3 C canned pumpkin
• 12 oz. evaporated mild
• 1/3 C milk
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 C brown sugar
• 1/2 C white sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 10 inch pie pan; dust with baking mix. In a large bowl, mix pumpkin, evaporated milk, milk and eggs together. Stir in baking mix, pie spice, vanilla and salt. Continue stirring while gradually adding the brown and white sugar. When thoroughly blended, pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for additional 35 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. 

Makes 12 servings. 128 calories, 2.7 gms fat

Menu Time! Wild Mushroom Stuffing

by Kris Pitcher

Many of us will be celebrating Thanksgiving this week. A holiday full of tradition, family, and food. Traditionally heavy food that is. There are many ways to lighten up the menu if people are willing to move a little bit from the old standbys. We divided up the menu amongst the family and I'll be fixing stuffing this year.

Now, this isn't the exact recipe I'll be using...I don't want to give away any secrets to readers who may also be family members. But this is a great recipe from a wonderful website. Eating Well where you will find a whole Thanksgiving menu of ideas to replace Grandma's wiggly green jell-o & mayonnaise salad. You can also turn in those sweet potatoes covered with marshmallows for a more grown up version.

As we discussed the menu we found there are certain items people must have, and others they could do without. It's good to have these frank discussions about such deeply rooted traditions. Why just continue to have something if nobody really likes it...tomato aspic salad for instance? Mom, you're not making that are you? Best of luck at the supermarket and may you find the perfect turkey! Enjoy this recipe and the others you'll find at Eating Well. Now, I've got a few last minute items to pick up myself...

Wild Mushroom Stuffing