Almost-good-for-you-cookies and more rejection

can you guess the secret ingredient?

no hints!

Good news guys! My site stats went up to 100 views for yesterday! That’s the highest I’ve ever gotten!! and it’s all because of YOU ! I honestly didn’t think anyone would read my blog at all, so I’m really happy about where I’m at today.

Also, I wanted to say thanks to everyone who commented on my last post about Operation Beautiful. You guys totally made my day (and the rest of my life) with your sweet comments! My siblings thought I was watching a really cheesy romantic movie or something cuz I had my hand over my heart and I kept awwwwwing.

I feel so lucky to have such awesome blog friends :’)

Anyway, I’ll stop being cheesy now in case I’m making you uncomfortable ahaha

did you guess 'chocolate chips'? sorry, try again

On to the cookies! What kind of cookie monster am I? I haven’t posted a cookie recipe in forever! When I realized that, I quickly baked up a batch before the cookie gods decide to take away my title.

wha? did you say oats? close but no cigar, try again my friend!

 Alright, alright, if you guessed whole wheat flour then you’re correct! These babies are made with 100% whole wheat flour as well as flax, seeds, wheat germ and oats! I had about 5 of these in one go. Yenno, to fulfill the daly requirements of fiber and whole grains 😛 

I said they’re ALMOST good for you cuz like any delicious cookie, it has butter and chocolate, but in smaller amounts than usual.

these were real soft when they came outta the oven

Remember how I told you guys about my crazy family and how they don’t like my baking? Well here’s another story for you today.

Me: “Yo bro, have more cookies.”

The brother: “Nah, I don’t really like them?”

Me: “What the heck dude, you had 2 yesterday!”

The brother: “yea, but they have oatmeal and I don’t like how it makes the cookies crunchy.”

Me: “You guys suck, the oats make the cookie.”

The brother: “Yenno what’s weird though? I REALLY LIKE the chips ahoy cookies!”

Me: “Dude, you know how I feel about store bought cookies. So you like those cookies, but not mine. That’s the most offensive thing you could say to a baker.”

 See what I have to go through everyday? So much rejection. So much hurt.

But nothing a cookie can’t fix!

Don’t be like my brother, treat yourself to some whole wheat oatmeal cookies with lots of TEXTURE (not crunch, I would NOT make crunchy cookies). He’s 15 and ignorant. He’s clearly too young to know what a good cookie is, even if it hit him in the face.

mmm mmm good

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt ( I left this out)
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature (I used salted butter)
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp milk (I used skim)
1 cup rolled oats (I used rogers oats. a blend of oats, wheat germ, and flaxseed)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I only used 3/4 cup and that was PLENTY, even for me)

 How To

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

2. Whisk WW flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt (if using) in a bowl.

3. Cream butter on low just to break the shape. Then add in both sugars and beat until creamy.

4. Add egg, vanilla and milk to the butter mixture and mix well.

5. Slowly add the dry ingredients in and mix until JUST incorporated. Don’t want gluten to form !

6. Switch to a spatula and mix in oats and chocolate by hand.

7. Using a cookie scoop or two spoons, drop cookie dough onto a baking sheet and bake for 12-13 mins. Note: I made really big cookies, if you’re making standard sized ones, go with 10-11 mins.

Yield: 12.5 large cookies

sorry for the PVR in the background

Source: Two Peas and Their Pod

 

 

 

Honey Granola

Mix nuts, dried fruit and oats together and i guarantee you I will be your best friend forever.

I absolutely love granola.

Ever since I had a granola yogurt parfait thingy two weeks ago at my niche, agora, I have been craving for more.

I couldn’t do anything about  my craving last week because I had 3 midterms to study for. Today though, during the last class, I started packing up 5 mins early because I really wanted to get my granola and yogurt! ok ya caught, and a little because psychology isn’t exactly my favourite course.

I hopped on the bus and went to TWO grocery stores. I was determined to find the best ingredients to make my granola.

Right when I got home I went into the kitchen and got right to it. I couldn’t wait any longer.

Little did I know, granola bakes for a long time in the oven. I lack patience when it comes to waiting for food to be ready. It’s food, I can’t help myself.

So I grabbed a pillow and my laptop and sat in front of the oven. Then my friend’s mom’s voice popped into my head, “A pie won’t cool if it’s being watched.”

Then it occurred to me that granola probably works the same way, so I retreated to the living room.

When the timer went off I ran, literally, ran into the kitchen. The kitchen had the warmest and most delicious aroma. I immediately grabbed my carton of yogurt and made myself that long-awaited parfait.

You didn’t think that I was gonna wait for it to cool first did ya?

DIG IN

Honey Granola
adapted from Joy of Baking

Ingredients

3 cups oats ( I used Rogers porridge oats w/ a blend of oat bran, wheat bran, and flaxseed)
1/2 cup almonds (I used 3/4 cup)
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds (I omitted)
1/4 cup sesame seeds (I used 2 tablespoons)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup canola oil (I used a scant 1/4 cup)
1/2 cup honey
2 tbsp brown sugar (I used 1 tbsp)
1/2 tsp vanilla (I used 1 tsp)
1 cup dried fruit (I used cranberries, golden raisins, dark raisins)

How To

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F

2. Mix oats, nuts, seeds, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl.

3. Microwave water, oil, honey, sugar and vanilla til just boiling.

4. Pour wet into dry and coat evenly.

5. Spread onto a baking sheet and bake for approx 25-40 mins. Cool completely then store in the fridge. This will keep for several weeks.

Super Easy Granola Bars

I have a confession to make. I’m obsessed with granola bars and all bar-type finger foods. If I could, I would eat granola bars all day long. Naturally, when I saw this recipe on How Sweet It Is, I immediately jumped off my sofa and ran into the kitchen. These require only several basic ingredients, they’re super simple so you can jazz them up with whatever add-ins you want. I’m already thinking about what to add in the next time I make these: chocolate chips, graham cracker bits and marshmellows. MMMM s’moressssss 🙂

When I first took these out of the oven though, I was super disappointed. They didn’t hold a bar-like shape, they were crumbly and the texture was just all wrong, kinda soggy oatmeal that’s drying up. Yea ugh. I was about to declare these as another baking fail but then a wave of ingenious-ness hit me.

I had left half the batch unbaked because I always like to snack on unbaked dough while I bake 🙂 I pressed this half into a pan and refrigerated them over night. The next day when I took them out, they were still really soft but at least they tasted better than the baked batch.

But still, I had a whole pan of disgusting tasting oatmeal-bar-fail-stuff. I crumbled them up and spread the crumbs on a baking sheet to make….. GRANOLA. I think they taste best this way, so addictive. I ate all of it in one sitting!

Granola Bars
adapted from How Sweet It Is

Ingredients

4 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup natural peanut butter, melted
1/2 cup honey, plus extra until perfect consistency
raisins
craisins
pecans, chopped
wanuts, chopped

*I didn’t measure add-ins, so go crazy and splurge !

How To

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

2. Combine oats, nuts, raisins and craisins in a large bowl. Add in honey and stir til everything is coated in honey. Add in peanut butter and mix until combined.

3. Add more honey/peanut butter to reach your desired stickyness.

4. Press into a pan and bake for 25 mins.