Healthy Steps: Winter Treats

by Lady Jess

Well, the Cultural Christmas season is here. Many count it as time for peppermint, cookies, brownies, blondies, cakes, gingerbread, candy turtles, and pies. That means sugar, fat, and a new New Year's Resolution.

Here are some winter baking recipes that you can use with brown sugar.

Almond-'Sugar' cookies

1-1/4 cup almond flour
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

Pre-heat oven to 350 F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a non-stick baking mat. Stir together flour and Splenda. Blend in butter, egg and vanilla until well mixed. Form into 1-inch balls on a cookie sheet and flatten each with a fork. Sprinkle with additional Splenda. Bake for 8 minutes or until set but not brown. Allow to cool for 2 minutes on baking sheet then remove to wire racks to cool.

Snicker doodles

Makes about 26

1/2 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cups ground almonds
1 cup granulated brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

In a medium bowl, beat butter until creamy. Add half the ground almonds, 1 cup brown sugar, egg, vanilla, baking soda and cream of tartar. Beat until well combined. Beat in remaining ground almonds. Cover and chill in bowl for 1 hour. Pre-heat oven to 350 F. In a small bowl, combine the 2 tablespoons brown sugar and the cinnamon; mix well. Roll chilled dough into 1-inch balls. Gently roll each ball in the cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat and place 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes until lightly browned at the edges. Carefully remove from pan to cooling rack to cool completely.

Brown sugar cookies

2 cups sifted flour, less if possible
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1 tablespoon 15% cream (any kind of cream from 10% to 35% will work fine)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
granulated sugar, for decorating

Blend 1 cup flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, vanilla, and cream. Stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture, then add enough of the remaining 1 cup flour to make the dough stiff enough to roll. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill several hours. Preheat oven to 375 F. Place on a lightly floured cutting board and roll to 1/8" thickness. Use floured cookie cutters to cut into shapes. Place on an ungreased baking sheet, sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake 8 minutes.

Be cautious not to give into temptation and eat all your sweet goodies this season. We can enjoy teats from time to time, but do not overindulge.

Proverbs 23:12, "For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags."

Isn't it interesting that he names gluttony in the same verse as a drunkard? Be wise with your winter delicacies meeting up with your taste buds. ;O)

I hope this has been a neat help for all of you.

Lady Jess is a teen lady who is homeschooled along with her siblings. She assists her mother in teaching her younger siblings, is an interpreter in her church's deaf ministry, sings in the choir, and is the Toys for Tots Assistant in her county.