Trail Mix Cookies

Here's a great cookie that is full of healthy ingredients. They are perfect for a snack or even a breakfast-on-the-go. I know the kids will love them!

Trail Mix Cookies

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 egg whites (at room temperature)

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 1/4 cup quick-cooking oats

1/4 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/3 cup dried cherries, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 2 baking sheets with cooking spray.

Beat applesauce, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. In another bowl, use an electric mixer to beat egg whites until they begin to firm up (soft peak stage). Fold egg whites into applesauce mixture. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Gently stir into egg mixture. Stir in the oats, chocolate chips, pecans, and cherries. Drop by heaping tablespoons on prepared baking sheets.

Bake cookies in preheated oven until set and lightly browned, about 12-15 minutes. Remove immediately to wire racks to cool. Makes 24 cookies. Each cookie has 90 calories.

Note: For variety, try walnuts, raisins, dried cranberries, or M&Ms instead of the chocolate chips, pecans, and dried cherries.

Printable version

Natural Easter Egg Dye

It's time to dye eggs for Easter! Even though the kids are grown, and we have no grandchildren (yet), I dye eggs every year. I use them to make deviled eggs and egg salad instead of having an Easter egg hunt. 

This year I decided to forgo the food coloring and do some experimenting with natural dyes. My favorite colors were blue from red cabbage (the red cabbage dyed the water purple and the eggs blue), yellow from chamomile tea, and pink from beets. The intensity of the color varies by the amount of time the eggs soak in the dye. I left some in the refrigerator overnight.

Blue: Cut 1/4 head of red cabbage into chunks and add to 4 cups boiling water. Stir in 2 tablespoons vinegar. Let cool to room temperature and remove cabbage with a slotted spoon.

Yellow: Steep 4 bags of chamomile tea in 2 cups of  boiling water for 10 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons vinegar.

Pink: Cut 1 medium beet into chunks (I used about 10 slices of canned pickled beets instead.) and add to 4 cups boiling water. Stir in 2 tablespoons vinegar and cool to room temperature; remove beets.

The BHG website has recipes for making more colors using onion skins, orange and apple peels, flowers, and spices.

Have a wonderful and blessed Easter weekend! I hope you enjoy time with family and friends to celebrate the Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior.