Healthy Ways to Make Cookies for Oatmeal Cookie Day
Oats are known for being a grain that’s high in fiber. This grain also is touted for acting like a sponge and soaking up some of the bad fats in your bloodstream, which may help lower your cholesterol.
April 30th is Oatmeal Cookie Day. Cookies taste great, but the added sugar and fats make them unhealthy options. Are there ways to make oatmeal cookies healthier options?
Get Rid of the Butter or Oil
Home Care Wilmette, IL: Oatmeal Cookie Day
One way to make oatmeal cookies a little healthier is by removing the fat. Instead of butter or oil, use a cup of unsweetened applesauce or date puree. Mix a half cup of one of those with two eggs and use that in place of the oil. Stir in 2 tsp of vanilla extract into that liquid mixture.
Replace the Sugar
Dates are sweet, so you could lower the amount of sweetener needed if you use dates for the oil. For the remaining half cup of sugar you’d need, use a natural sweetener like maple syrup or honey. There’s still sugar, but you’ve cut down the amount you’re using.
You could use agave nectar if you’re trying to keep the glycemic load of the cookies down. Add those to the egg mixture.
Use Almond Flour and White Whole Wheat Flour
Blend 1 ½ cups of white whole wheat flour and a ½ cup of almond flour. Mix in the old fashioned oats, 3 tsp of baking powder, 3 tsp cinnamon, and 1 tsp salt. That forms your dry ingredients. Mix them with the wet ingredients.
If the mixture seems too dry, add a little milk or oat milk to correct it. Some brands of white wheat flour absorb more liquids than others. Finally, stir in a ½ cup of walnuts or pecans and a ½ cup of dried cherries or cranberries. Use two spoons or a cookie scoop and place the dough in mounds on two baking sheets and bake at 350 F.
What If You Want to Cut Out All Added Sugar?
It’s possible to make oatmeal cookies without added sugar like maple syrup and honey. You’ll need to boost the fruit in the recipe. Instead of the ½ cup of sugar, swap that for an extra ½ of dates or applesauce. It will change the texture some, but it keeps the sugars to fruit-based sugars instead.
Can your mom and dad make cookies by themselves or do they need help? One way to make sure they have help with meals and snacks is by hiring home care aides. They’ll have someone available to cook meals for them or help them make those meals. They have someone to bake with. They have a companion to eat with. A home care representative can assist you in making the arrangements.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Home Care in Wilmette, IL, contact the caring staff at Companion Services of America today at (847) 943-3786. Our home care service area includes Northbrook, Highland Park, Deerfield, Glenview, Buffalo Grove, Evanston, Des Plaines, Skokie, Lake Forest, Wilmette and the surrounding areas.
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