So I realize that it has been over 4 months since I have posted a new recipe, but I am finally back! While I make no promises, I am going to try to post at least once a week. Since my last post, I have officially started my own business, which seems to consume most of my waking (and some sleeping) hours. In the midst of everything, I have still been cooking. There just hasn't been much time for trial and error of adapting new recipes, much less analyzing the nutrient content or writing about it. I have missed creating and modifying recipes so my goal is to set aside some spare time each week and devote it to doing just that.

The recipe that I have today is the perfect way to kick off the Fall season. I have always associated the cool autumn weather with the scent of pumpkin spice, and the smell of these pumpkin pecan cookies baking in the oven seemed so perfect. Not only are they soft, chewy, and delicious, but they are also low in fat and sugar, and packed with fiber and Beta Carotene. I found the recipe at SkinnyTaste.com, which is a fabulous source for healthy, weight-watcher friendly recipes. Try these cookies for dessert or pair them with coffee for a perfect breakfast treat. I see many more pumpkin recipes in my near future!

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with wax paper.
2. In a medium size bowl, whisk together flour, oats, baking powder, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.
3. In a large bowl, cream together butter, Splenda, and brown sugar with a hand mixer. Add the egg, pumpkin, and vanilla extract. Mix together. Stir in the pecans.
4. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture. Stir to combine.
5. Place 16 tablespoons of dough on each baking sheet, evenly separated.
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Cookies are generally recognized as a fat laden baked treat. A common misconception is that a cookie loaded with oats and raisins is more healthy than a chocolate chip or sugar cookie. While the oats and raisins are not the problem, oatmeal raisin cookies contain the same amount of fat and sugar as other cookies. In an attempt for a big, soft, chewy cookie with lower fat and calories, I decided to whip up a batch of Hungry Girl's Oatmeal Raisin Softies. This recipe uses light butter, applesauce, and egg beaters to create significantly lower stats. Not only are the nutrition facts impressive, but the flavor and texture are equally as great. Often, a cookie deemed "healthy" or "only 100 calories" can be advertised in that way because of the tiny size or portion. I just can't justify 100 calories for a quarter-sized treat. These cookies are large and soft and chewy. They are also filling as each cookie contains 2g of fiber. This would be a great addition to your kids lunch box. Let them help bake the cookies to be a part of part of making a tasty, nutritious treat.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, Splenda, butter, applesauce, egg beaters, and vanilla. Mix thoroughly with a wire whisk.
3. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir until completely mixed and smooth.
4. Add oats and raisins and mix until are thoroughly coated with the batter.
5. Spoon batter onto baking sheet in evenly spaced mounds. Using the back of the spoon, flatten batter into circles about 3 1/2" wide.
6. Bake for 12-13 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cookie comes out clean.

Originally when I created this blog, I pledged to only add healthy recipes in order to promote a healthy lifestyle. Since then I have had many requests for the appearance of some of my more indulgent dishes. Of course I want to please my readers, so I have decided to add some of these recipes as well. Since all foods are fine in moderation, just be sure to treat these as occasional treats, and not everyday eats. From this point on, such recipes will be referred to as my "Seldom Splurge" files. Although these foods will not necessarily be low-calorie, I still tend to lighten them a bit from their original content.

A lot of my "seldom splurges" are are also my go-to ideas for parties and tailgating. These red velvet cake cookies are no exception. They are the perfect replacement for cake or cupcakes at parties because there is no cutting or messy icing to deal with; but still the fluffy cake texture and sugary flavor. I have made these for multiple Alabama football games, considering the perfect crimson color and white powder sugar coating (also perfect for Christmas and Valentine's Day). You can make these with any flavor of cake mix that you desire. If your team color does not happen to be red, try white cake mix with added food color (or you could just become a Crimson Tide fan). I have previously made these cookies with lemon, strawberry, chocolate, and confetti cake mix. As far as the promised diet tweak, I used light cool whip in place of regular and they turned out great. Each cookie clocks in at around 70 calories so while the stats are not the best, the cookies have only one gram of fat each. Also, these are so easy to make and you only need four ingredients.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Combine first three ingredients, stirring well (dough will be sticky).
3. Pour sugar on a plate and dust hands in sugar.
4. Drop heaping teaspoons of dough into sugar, roll to coat, and place on baking sheet two inches apart. (12 cookies should fit on regular size baking sheet)
5. Bake for 10-12 minutes.