- 1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, mix together both types of flour, the spices, salt, and baking soda.
- 2.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the sugar, canola oil, pumpkin, egg, and vanilla until smooth and fluffy. Add the molasses and beans. Stir well. Slowly add the dry ingredients to form a smooth, soft dough.
- 3.
Drop teaspoonfuls of dough onto a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Do not overbake! Cool on wire racks.
Jessica:
I like to undercook these just a bit so that they stay soft and moist inside.
Shepherd:
I love when they are warm in the middle.
1 serving = 2 cookies
Calories: 128, Carbohydrate: 18 g, Protein: 2 g, Total Fat: 6 g, Saturated Fat: 0.5 g, Sodium: 120 mg, Fiber: 1.5 g
Fig Bars
No one believes me when I tell them what is stashed inside—a nice, healthy portion of spinach, which is totally undetectable. My kids marvel at how similar mine look to the store-bought kind.
Photograph “Blythe’s Thumbprint Cookies”.
Prep:
30 minutes
Total:
45 minutes (plus overnight chilling)
Yield:
Makes 20 cookies
- 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1
/
8
teaspoon baking powder
- 1
/
8
teaspoon salt
- 3 teaspoons canola oil
- 1½ tablespoons honey
- 3–4 tablespoons water
- 2 large egg whites
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Nonstick cooking spray
FILLING
- 1 pound dried figs
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons 100% orange juice concentrate
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ¾ cup
spinach puree
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1.
In a large bowl, mix the flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt with a wooden spoon. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the oil, honey, 2 tablespoons water, egg whites, and lemon juice. Mix well until a smooth dough forms. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons more water if the dough is too dry. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough overnight.
- 2.
Make the filling. Chop the figs in a food processor with ½ cup of water. Spoon the puree into a medium saucepan and add the orange concentrate and honey. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat to medium. Cook until most of the liquid evaporates and the mixture is thick, stirring occasionally, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the spinach puree. If the mixture is not smooth, return it to the food processor and process for 30 seconds.
- 3.
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and divide it into 4 equal parts. Roll each part out into a rectangle about ¼ inch thick. Spread the filling equally over each section of the dough. Fold both long sides towards the middle, overlapping them to form a seam. Place the rolls seam-side down onto the baking sheet.
- 4.
Bake until the rolls brown slightly and are firm to the touch, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes, then cut each roll into 5 cookies. Once cooled, store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Joy:
Dried figs are a fabulous source of fiber, potassium, and iron.
1 serving = 1 bar
Calories: 127, Carbohydrate: 28 g, Protein: 3 g, Total Fat: 1 g, Saturated Fat: 0 g, Sodium: 45 mg, Fiber: 3.5 g
Other Mothers Know Best!
Amy, mother of Finn (7) and Ada (4):
Usually my son will eat an entire sliced apple with each meal. Our daughter will eat an orange. After they finish their fruit, I give them small portions of veggies such as steamed broccoli, baby carrots, and edamame, each on its own very small dish. There is the miniature aspect, which the kids really like. Then, once they are close to finishing their tiny plates of veggies, I offer them a small bowl of rice and a protein, like stir-fried chicken, beef, pork, or tofu.
Mary Ellen, mother of Kate (12):
I hate buying creamy store-bought dips, which can be high in fat and sodium. Instead, I puree some canned beans with a little garlic, chopped tomato, and finely chopped onion or scallions as a dip for tortilla chips or sliced raw veggies.
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
They’ve been around forever, but this is a new and nutritious take on a classic.
QUICK!
Prep:
15 minutes
Total:
45 minutes
Yield:
Makes 48 cookies
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1½ cups old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour or white whole-wheat flour
- ½ cup raisins
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons canola oil
- ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup
sweet potato puree
- 2 large egg whites
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1
/
3
cup bittersweet chocolate chips
- 1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat 2 large baking sheets with cooking spray.
- 2.
In a large bowl, mix the oats, flour, raisins, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
- 3.
In another large bowl, using a wooden spoon, mix the oil into the brown sugar until well combined. Mix in the sweet potato puree, egg whites, and vanilla. Add the chocolate chips.
- 4.
Add the flour mixture all at once. Stir until a thick dough forms. Drop the dough by the tablespoonful about 1 inch apart onto the prepared baking sheets. Flatten the cookie mounds with the back of a fork.
- 5.
Bake the cookies until they are golden brown around the edges, about 12 to 15 minutes. Using a metal spatula, move the cookies onto a rack and let them cool completely. Repeat with the rest of the cookies.
1 serving = 2 cookies
Calories: 114, Carbohydrate: 17 g, Protein: 2 g, Total Fat: 5 g, Saturated Fat: 1 g, Sodium: 35 mg, Fiber: 1.5 g
Cranberry Biscotti
I like to have these biscotti around because they’re low in fat and calories and are such a nice treat when friends come over for tea or coffee. This version is made with whole grains.
Shown here with Chocolate Biscotti (recipe “Chocolate Biscotti”).
QUICK!
Prep:
20 minutes
Total:
1 hour
Yield:
Makes 40 cookies
- 1½ cups oat flour
- 2
1
/
3
cups whole-wheat pastry flour, plus 2 tablespoons for rolling out
- 2½ teaspoons baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup canola oil
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg whites
- Zest of 1 lemon (about 2 teaspoons)
- Zest of 1 orange (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1
/
3
cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
- 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- Nonstick cooking spray