Chewy Low Fat Chocolate cookies
4T Fat free cream cheese
2oz Prune Puree- one small baby food container is 2.5oz. just eyeball it, you may find you need the whole thing later
1/4c sugar
1/4c splenda
(or half a cup of ‘Splenda for baking’ in substitution for the sugar and splenda measures)
1/2c dark brown sugar firmly packed (if you like a sweeter cookie add a bit more)
1tsp vanilla extract
1c all purpose flour
1/2c cocoa
1/3 tsp salt
Preheat oven to 350F. Line your cookie sheets with parchment paper so no oil or cooking spray needs to be used.
Cream together the cream cheese, prune puree, sugar/splenda and brown sugar. Beat in vanilla. In a second bowl combine the remaining ingredients. Mix the dry mixture into the wet mixture. If you find the mixture is really dry and crumbley you can add in the last of the prune puree to help moisten it up.
Roll into small balls and flatten with your hand. Bake 8-10 minutes. Cool on the pan for a minute before moving to a rack.
I love chocolate and was in dire need of a chocolate fix. I found a similar recipe to this one and tweeked it to this. I wanted something very chocolatey and something very chewy, I didnt want a dry cookie, or one that would become a little chocolate rock later. I add a little extra sugar and salt to this just because I like really salty sweet cookies. A few of these will go a pretty long way if you are needed something chocolatey. Err on the side of caution with cooking these, if they are a little undercooked its fine, they dont contain eggs but if you over cook they will lose their chewiness.
I have been running consistantly for almost a year but I have always been hesitant to call myself a runner, even after running my half marathon. I just havent really veiwed myself as a ‘runner’ When I think of the word I think of a chick who is very fit and thin who can run and run and make it look effortless. Thats definatly not me! But a few nights ago I think I was initiated and can call myself a Runner now. I had had a really bad day, I could definatly feel my old depressed self creeping back up, after all the progress I have made its still deep down in there. I decided I HAD to get out for a run, for my mental well being. So I left the boys with my husband and got ready. I dressed warmly in a few layers, it was very windy, raining, cold and the sun had set. I wore a headlamp and my MP3 player. I listen to the radio on my MP3 player when I run, but the storm had knocked the station out so I started runnning in the silence. All I could hear were my footsteps and the rain. At points I could hardley keep my eyes open because the rain was hitting me in the face so hard. But I was safe running like this since I have a ‘track’ dug around my yard. We live on a bit over an acre and its fully fenced. I ran around and around. Even thought it was painfully boreing, 12 laps later (about 3 miles) I decided I had had enough of running around the yard. When I got back inside I felt much better. I could function as a better mommy and wife. Even this miserable run was a good run because it accomplished something very important for me. It wasnt a long run, it wasnt even a fast one but it worked!
Ive decided to go with an idea I read about in Susan Powters Stop the insanity book and eat under 30% fat. I looked at my diet, looked at some foods I like and figured I could happily live with limiting my calories from fat to 20%. How do you figure out the calories from fat? Its actually easier than it seems. Go grab any food from your pantry or fridge- take the fat grams and multiply it by 9. Got that number? now divide that by the calories in the serving thats your percentage of calories from fat. Did I lose you? I had to read it half a dozen times to process it. Numbers arent my strong point. So here are a couple of examples of foods I eat very often:Lenders 100% whole wheat pre-sliced bagels 270 calories 1.5g of fat
1.5g of fat x 9=13.5 13.5/270 =0.05 which means only 5% of the calories are from fat! WOO!
safeway chunky style spaghetti sauce 1.2cup 80 calories 2g of fat
2×9=18 18/80=.225 which means 22.5% of calories from fat I love me some pasta so I let this one squeek by-the noodles help redeem the sauce
spaghetti noodles-Barilla brand 2oz uncooked 200 calories 1 g of fat
1×9=9 9/200=.045 or 4.5% of calories come from fat! yay!
hillshire farms deli select Pastrami 7 slices 60 calories 1 gram of fat
1×9=9 9/60=.15 15% of these calories come from fat!
Lean Cuisine Butternut Squash ravioli (OMG this is SO good) 350 calories 9 grams of fat per container
9×9=81 81/350=.23 23% of these calories come from fat I let this one slip by because its seriously yummy!
I love peanut butter, but these days Im avoiding it.
skippy creamy peanut butter 2tbs 190 calories 16g of fat
16X9=144 144/190=.757 ouch 75.7% of the calories come from fat.