Chocolate (and yes MORE) Chocolate Cookies

Who says something sweet can't be sort of healthy. You can take any recipe and change parts of it to make it healthier! The problems comes with so many substitutions that the recipe doesn't work. I remember making Pumpkin Pie one year and substituting Apple Juice Concentrate (I use this in my muffins) and it obviously was the most disgusting ever! My husband still makes fun of me about that...but hey, I like to make things healthier?! It will take some failures to make something successful. I love this recipe and it is actually is adapted from another recipe I found in a Chocolate cookbook given to me from a compilation made by women in my Mother-in-Law's ward. I hope you enjoy...these are my husbands favorites!

Chocolate Chocolate Cookies

2 cubes butter

2 1/2 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. soda

1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour

1 c. white flour

1/2 c. Hershey's cocoa

1/3 c. dark chocolate chips

1/3 c. milk chocolate chips

Cream sugar and butter. Add eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla. Sift flour and cocoa gradually. Stir in chocolate chips. Roll into 1" balls. Bake at 350 for 7-9 minutes. Better slightly undercooked (they are very soft).

Shake, Shake, Shake it!

Since I've sworn off sugar for a little while, my new favorite indulgence are my protein shakes. Now, for those of you who don't know what protein shakes are...let me share a little of what I know, which of course I'm no expert! You can usually buy protein powders in most health food stores or in the health food section of most grocery stores. I buy mine at my gym GOLDS. There are several different kinds of protein; soy, egg, whey. What I use for my shakes come in powder form and in different flavors. Why take protein like this? Well, it's quick, easy, healthy and a great supplement before or after you work out and since I hit the weights hard core 6 months ago, I have to have it right after my workout or I'm dead tired and super sore! My favorite form of protein is the Building Blocks Whey Protein Isolate/Egg White Complex Protein. Most whey protein would give me indigestion for some weird reason, so I tried soy protein but it was just not cutting it. My trainer recommended this protein and I've had no problems with it at all and love creating new shakes for variety. Just to give you an idea of this supplements nutritional value; for one scoop (pretty large in my opinion), you have 128 calories, 2 grams fat, 3 grams carbs, 1 g sugar, 25 g protein, 140 g potassium. It is loaded with vitamins and Amino Acids.



Here are a few ideas for shakes:





Rocky Road


1 cup ice
1 scoop chocolate protein powder
8 ounces water or lowfat milk ( I use water only or soy milk, my hubby likes lowfat milk )
1 tablespoon Adam's Peanut Butter or one small handful toasted almonds
1-2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut
1/3 of a banana
1 teaspoon Cocoa (optional)


Blend well. YUM!

Lemon Mango (this is my fav!!!)

1 cup frozen mango (if using fresh, add ice)
Cover mango with water
1-2 tablespoons Barleans Lemon Zest Omega Swirl (this stuff is so yummy, it's drinkable and hard to believe it's fish oil!)
1 scoop vanilla protein powder

Let the frozen mango's sit in water for 5 to 10 minutes, then blend all ingredient together.

Strawberry Banana

1 cup strawberries
Cover strawberries with water
1 scoop vanilla or tropical berry protein powder
1-2 tablespoons Barleans Strawberry Banana Omega Swirl (optional)

Blend well.