Whole Wheat Peanut Butter and Nutella Cookies.

Today was just one of those days. Both kids woke up sick, one stayed home from school, the other didn't nap well. It was raining. We didn't leave the house, both kids grumpy and stealing toys from each other. Somehow I kept my cool. But, it was really hard. At 3:30, I found myself debating whether to crack the wine or make more coffee. Did I want to pep myself up for the remainder of the day or mellow out? I decided to wait a half hour, until 4, and then I did crack that wine. But, in the meantime, I decided to do us all a favor and made some cookies. I took an existing recipe and made a wee bit healthier and better, I think. I cut back a little on the sugar, used whole wheat flour and tada...every little bit counts, right?

Whole Wheat Peanut Butter and Nutella Cookies

1/2 cup soft butter

3/4 cup peanut butter, I like chunky myself, but either works

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 teas vanilla

3/4 teas baking soda

1/4 teas salt

1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour

1/4 cup Nutella or TJ's equivalent (Cocoa Almond Spread, which I used)

Pour a glass of wine and preheat oven to 350.

Cream together butter, pb, sugars, egg and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients.

Add dry ingredients to wet and stir to combine. The dough shouldn't be too dry but it takes a little to combine. And, I am too lazy these days to get my mixers out, so I usually whisk the butter etc and then use a wooden spoon and a little muscle when combining the two. When mixed, add the Nutella and stir in only until it is marbled throughout.

On a silpat or parchment, roll out balls about 1 1/2 inches across, then press them down with a fork in a criss cross. I baked most of the dough tonight, but not all and my guess is that you get about 2 dozen in total.

Bake for 12 minutes or so, until dry on top. 

gobble. 

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip & Carrot Cookies.

I ended up with a lot of carrots last week. We don't have a horse, but my son does love them. but, still, that is a lot of carrots. So, I started pinning on Pinterest. Carrot Pancakes, Carrot Cake.. I even looked at some cookies. But, nothing I saw was what I had in mind when I started to envision a carrot cookie. I didnt want frosting on it. I didnt want it to taste like cake. If I want cake, I will make cake. I like my cookies chewy.
So, I took a recipe that I have used and tweaked it. I used all whole wheat flour. I cut back on the sugars, eliminated the raisins, added some chocolate chips and some carrots, and voila, this cookie was baked. And, they turned out good. not too cakey, but, just a touch raised. and, chewy. I also really liked the flavor of the whole wheat and the carrots. This one is a keeper.

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip & Carrot Cookies.

1/2 cup butter

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 teas vanilla

1 c oats

1 c whole wheat flour

1/2 teas baking powder

1/2 teas baking soda

1/2 teas salt

1/2 teas cinnamon

1 c chocolate chips

1/2 cup carrot, grated thin.

cream butter and sugars, add egg and vanilla. whip to combine.

in a separate bowl, whisk together flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

add this to the wet mixture. stir to combine. (the batter might seem a little dry, but the added carrots shouls alleviate this. )

add the carrots and the chocolate chips.

preheat oven to 350. line pan with silpat or parchment.

spoon hefty Tablespoon of dough. (I got about 18)

Bake for 10-12 minutes until slightly golden and dry to the touch.

Meyer Lemon Whole Wheat Honey Bread.

This bread started out as sweet Portuguese buns for Easter. But, I had some lemon infused milk and a lemon sweet bread was born. Then, I ran out of regular flour and a whole wheat bread was born. then, I ran out of time chasing the kids and threw the dough in the freezer.

This is how is goes these days.

A couple days later, I pulled the bread out and thawed it. I proofed it and baked it, and a lovely lemon honey whole wheat bread was born.

Since having kids, I am amazed at how many times I have bagged a recipe. I put things off. I run out of time. But, I am trying to bake a loaf of bread a week, in the very least. This recipe, or my new version of it, yields just the right amount of dough for 2 loaves. If you choose or have no choice, throw half in the freezer, and pull it out next week. You will be glad you did.

Meyer Lemon Whole Wheat Honey Bread.

(say that three times, fast)

Sponge:

1 1/2 Tablespoons dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water

1 cup warm milk, steeped with Meyer Lemon Zest of 2 lemons.

(I let it sit overnight, but I imagine 30 minutes would do. bring 1 1/4 c milk and zest to a simmer, then let it sit.)

1/4 cup sugar

2 cups all purpose flour

mix ingredients until smooth, then let sit for an hour at room temp, covered.

Dough:

1 stick butter, room temp, in pieces.

1/2 cup honey

2 teaspoons salt

3 eggs, at room temp.

3 cups or so Whole Wheat Flour

*Stir down sponge and add butter, honey, salt, eggs and 1 cup flour. stir. continue to add flour, little by little until you have a soft dough that comes together. any flour left? use it to flour your surface for hand kneading. knead for a few minutes until springy, then let rise in a covered bowl for 1.5 hours.

(at this point, if you run out of time, you may retard the dough in the fridge or freezer and pull it out later. if you do this, be sure to allow a few hours for the dough the thaw, if frozen, or to come to room temp, if in the fridge. when thawed, proceed with the instructions below..)

divide the dough into 2 portions and grease 2 loaf pans. (9 by 5 by 3 or similar)

form each portion into a elongated football shape and place in pans.

let rise for 45 minutes or until just puffy near the top of the pan, yet slightly springy to the touch.

bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes, until golden brown on all sides.

let cool, then eat.