Cookie Cookie Cookie!!!

I'm not interested in living in a world without cookies. But I'm also a stickler for eating nutritionally dense foods. So what do we do when pre-packaged healthy cookies leave a lot to be desired, and so many healthy cookie recipes are full of date purees, agave syrups and other mysterious ingredients we don't have in our kitchens? The answer is simple, make some easy ingredient substitutions and eat them in moderation. Think it might be harder than it sounds? Read on.

Start with your basic Toll House cookie recipe and make any or all of the following swap outs:

• Swap half the butter (1/2 cup) for yogurt or applesauce (any flavor yogurt is fine, greek plain is protein packed and low calorie, or try raspberry yogurt for a twist)
• Swap the flour for whole wheat flour
• Swap 1/2 cup flour for ground flax seeds (worth having in the kitchen if you don't already, and so easy to find, try breading chicken tenders with the leftovers, or add to muffins, cereal, yogurt etc)
• Add 1/4 cup of cocoa powder
• Swap 1/4 cup of the brown sugar for blackstrap molasses
• Add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• Add nuts, whichever ones you like, walnuts, hazelnuts, pine nuts etc
• Use the darkest chocolate chips you can find, semisweet counts as dark, so if you prefer not to go gourmet that's fine

Bake for 1 or 2 minutes less than directed to keep them soft

It's true, these cookies aren't quite as buttery or crisp as the originals, they are a little fluffier and cakier when you swap out the butter, but the flavors are bold so try this serving suggestion and you'll never go back...

Place one cookie in a ramekin (local tip, pick these up at a discount from Bar Boy in Hampton Bays at a great discount)
Microwave for 20 - 30 seconds
Top with vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt

The serving size is reasonable and guilt-free (eat slow and savor with a small spoon) it's a healthy home version of a chocolate lava cake. I had one last night, ok ok, i put 2 cookies in my ramekin, and it was absolute heaven, and even with two, I don't hate myself in the morning. That's always the best part.