Blizzards & Ginger Cakies!

Hey guys! Happy Blizzard! Though it doesn't look too terrible out here at the moment, the weather channel tells me it is quite bad in my vicinity! Unfortunately, my company's building doesn't have power, so I'm on "pause" mode, waiting to see if I'll be able to work after noon! Fingers crossed my clients all hop on their treadmills or ellipticals at home to at least get some cardio in ;) I plan on trudging out to the gym this morning myself! Hello, 10 am yoga class :) Anyways, I hope you're all safe and warm with power and heat and get to look out the window at all the pristine white snow :) Here's my view!

I have a recipe to share for you! I based this off a Betty Crocker recipe, but hardly left anything unchanged so its quite different when healthified :) I tested one, then dropped a plate off to Riley to share with his co-workers; they were a hit!

A few whined when Riley told them (after they scarfed them all up) that they were healthy; tricked them!! teehee ;) The texture of these cookies is cakey, so I made up the "cakie" label to describe them as best I could. It is optional to make them snow capped, which is just dipping half the cookie in melted vanilla chips. Obviously this cuts down on the healthiness and adds a few extra calories, but they're still wwwayyy better for you than the original recipe, with way less sugar and such :) So, if you're snowed in, mind as well get your oven fired up!

Ginger Cakies!

Makes 3 dozen


1/2 C stevia for baking
1/4 C packed brown sugar
1/2 C unsweetened applesauce
1/4 C molasses
1 egg
2 C whole wheat pastry flour (I haven't tried it with GF flour, but it might work?)
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
tiny bit of sugar for sprinkling

Optional snow-caps:

3/4 C white vanilla baking chips
1/2 tbsp margarine
crystallized ginger

In a large bowl, mix stevia, brown sugar, applesauce, molasses and egg. Stir in flour, baking soda, spices, and salt. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. Heat oven to 375 F and spray cookie sheets. Use a small spoon to plop cookie dough balls (about 1 inch blobs) onto cookie sheet. Sprinkle each cookie with a little bit of sugar, then bake 9-12 minutes. Remove from sheet right away and let them cool.

Snow-caps: Melt the baking chips and margarine in the microwave for 1 minute 30 seconds at medium-high, stirring every 15 seconds until its smooth. Dip half of each cookie into the mixture and sprinkle with the pretty crystallized ginger!

Nutrition (without snow-caps): 38 cals, .25 g fat, 1.5 g sugar, .8 g protein
with snow-caps: 50 cals, 1.9 g fat, 4.2 g sugar, 1.1 g protein

Did I mention baking these makes your house/apartment/bungalow smell wonderful and perfectly holiday-y (that has to be a real word)?? It does :) On a random note, did I mention Rory the out-of-control kitten knocked down half our ornaments (I had hung them high until my mom insisted we put them down lower and trust Rory, silly girl ;) ) and matted down one side of the tree where he lounged on the branches? Oh, he did. Check out the half-decorated, gaping tree.

Now that you're equipped with a holiday healthy cookie recipe, a pile of pretty snow, a snowed-in car, and a mug of coffee (for your sake I hope you at least have the latter), go have an amazing snow day! Or if you do brave your way to work, promise yourself a mug of coffee and a healthy cookie after work :) Happy baking!

--KQ