Cookie Make-over

I'm a runner.  I'm probably not as good as I could be because training tends to be inconsistent no matter how careful my planning is.  One aspect of my training that I take very seriously however, is fuel.  If you put garbage in the tank then your performance is going to suffer.  An avid Runner's World reader, I was excited to read the Baked Goodies article in the February 2014 issue because even though good fuel is extremely important to me, sweet treats satisfy on a deeper level.  Old fashioned oatmeal raisin cookies, so wonderful with their buttery, brown-sugary goodness, seem like a challenging classic to reinvent in a healthy way but I decided to give the Lemony Almond-Oat Cookies a try.   The recipe, along with the other four dessert make-overs in the article, can be found on the Runner's World website: http://www.runnersworld.com/nutrition-for-runners/healthy-dessert-makeovers.

The ingredient list certainly has a promising sound to it- oats, almond meal, flaxseed, honey, applesauce!  There is no oil or refined white sugar, and the traditional oatmeal cookie recipe's two sticks of butter is reduced to only three tablespoons. The smell of the batter is quite delicious and since there is no raw egg, it's okay to go ahead and lick the spoon!  Baking the cookies for the recommended 14 minutes resulted in a treat more like a soft granola bar than a cookie.  Even so, you'll find no disappointment here because the taste of the lemon zest, oats, almonds and tart cherries is outstanding.  What a delicious way to eat your daily nutrients and satisfy your sweet tooth at the same time.