Cookies!
I would like to take this moment to say I’m done exams! Second year of university is over for me! Hurrah! and dance ecstatically.
(Okay, I’m finished now. Carry on reading).
The other day I made peanut butter oatmeal cookies from iVillage for the second time and was once again astonished at how tasty, easy, and healthy they are (because, frankly, if we’re going to prioritize aspects of recipes, taste then convenience and then health is usually the order that we’re working with, right?), so I felt the need to share the recipe with you today:
- Take 12 pitted dates and pop them in a food processor; pulse until they’re nice and gooey (they’ll form a sort of ball).
- Put the date mixture in a small mixing bowl, and add 1 tbsp of all-natural peanut butter and 1/3 cup of rolled oats.
- Mix them all up until they’re well-combined (I just use my hands as that’s easiest, but if you want to make the clean-up more annoying feel free to use an electric mixer).
- Form small balls with the “batter” (divide the recipe maybe into about 8 balls) and press them between sheets of wax paper so that they’re flattened into cookie-form.
- Stick them into the fridge and let them sit for a little while (the colder they are, the better). Enjoy!
Yes, these cookies are the healthiest cookies I’ve ever found. They make the perfect snack—it’s just fruit, oatmeal, and peanuts, with no additives or anything. Can you get any better than that? I mean, that’s what most people eat for breakfast! But because dates are so sweet, you’ll honestly be amazed at how sinfully delicious they are.
Everyone I’ve fed these cookies to really loved them and wanted me to make more, and the father dear pointed out that they are basically a power bar and would be excellent for a snack if you’re hiking or on a longer trail run or something. You’ve got protein and fat from the peanut butter (but make sure it’s the all-natural kind! Just straight peanuts. Otherwise you’ve got unnecessary added sugars and salt and hydrogenated oils) and carbs from the oats and dates (with tons of energy from the sugar in those dates).
Tweet ThisIf you’re the type to gobble up protein bars and power bars, I highly recommend you give these a try, because they’re going to be healthier for you and quite likely much more tasty, plus a lovely chewy texture which I’m rather partial to.
As I mentioned, I found this recipe posted on iVillage, from The Biggest Loser cookbook. As an aside, could someone please explain to me the fascination everyones got with The Biggest Loser TV show? I hear people raving about it all the time. I’ve only ever seen 10 minutes of it, but I wasn’t very impressed with what I saw—the coach of one team was really pissed off because one of her team members had *only* lost 5 lbs or something and she’d expected them to lose twice as much… in one week. (Don’t quote me on those numbers as this was a good couple months ago that I saw this short sequence of the show… actually I think it was more like 8 lbs that the person had lost or something).
Even if you’ve got personal trainers and nutritionists dictating every move you make, and even if the purpose of your life for however long you’re on the show for is to lose weight, isn’t losing a consistent 5 or 10 lbs a week for the duration of the show a little extreme? And unhealthy?
Granted, like I’ve said, I’ve only seen 10 minutes of the show. So maybe I just flipped on the TV at the wrong time–but I’m highly curious about the fascination that seems to be circulating over this show, so if someone could explain it to me and fill me in on it, it’d be greatly appreciated 🙂
At any rate, even if I wasn’t very impressed with the show, I have to say that I am pretty impressed with the recipes that their cookbook features—the only other recipe of theirs that I’ve tried is the roast beef roll-ups several months ago, and they were exceptionally good.
Within the past week, I somehow coincidentally ran into not one of my former best friends, but two! One of them I hadn’t seen for several years (I went to junior high with her), and it turns out she’s moved to a neighbourhood near mine and is currently working at the VitalHealth store a couple blocks away from my place (I was there searching for some trans fat-free butter or whipping cream… no such luck, even at an organic/vegan store!). The other was my best friend from high school, whom I hadn’t seen since December. It was nice to bump into them both, and it made me realize that I haven’t had a proper girls night with my one good girlfriend (besides my sister, that is) in a really long time. So I called her up and we are going to get together on Saturday—April is some kind of Chocolate Fest all around Winnipeg, so I think we’ll hit up some restaurant and enjoy a slice of chocolate cake or sample chocolate at the market at the Forks. I’m looking forward to seeing her.
Sometimes, we get so caught up in our own lives that we forget to call people or take the time to enjoy the day with old friends. I invite all of you to consider a friend you haven’t seen in a while but have been meaning to get a hold of: get thee to a calendar, book some time off, and arrange a date to see your friend! You’ll be glad you did.
Did you like this article? Share it with your friends!
congrats on finishing your exams! I’m sure that is a great relief for you. (that I can only vaguely remember now…sigh)
as for the Biggest Loser, I think the fascination is that it takes very obese people who have essentially given up and teaches them how to lose weight without surgery. Some of the practices are extreme (exercising for 6+ hours per day), but a lot of the screaming is just drama for tv. In the end, the contestants are much healthier and hopefully happier than when they started. I hope that helps! 🙂
Congrats on the end of a successful year!! I’m totally making those cookies. They sound wonderful! I looove dates.
Woohoo for finishing exams!
Those cookies look really good and healthy! Thanks for sharing.
Woohoo for finishing exams!
Those cookies look really good and healthy! Thanks for sharing.
Woohoo for finishing exams!
Those cookies look really good and healthy! Thanks for sharing.
Woohoo for finishing exams!
Those cookies look really good and healthy! Thanks for sharing.
Woohoo for finishing exams!
Those cookies look really good and healthy! Thanks for sharing.
Woohoo for finishing exams!
Those cookies look really good and healthy! Thanks for sharing.
Woohoo for finishing exams!
Those cookies look really good and healthy! Thanks for sharing.
Woohoo for finishing exams!
Those cookies look really good and healthy! Thanks for sharing.
Woohoo for finishing exams!
Those cookies look really good and healthy! Thanks for sharing.
Woohoo for finishing exams!
Those cookies look really good and healthy! Thanks for sharing.
Woohoo for finishing exams!
Those cookies look really good and healthy! Thanks for sharing.
Woohoo for finishing exams!
Those cookies look really good and healthy! Thanks for sharing.
Woohoo for finishing exams!
Those cookies look really good and healthy! Thanks for sharing.
Woohoo for finishing exams!
Those cookies look really good and healthy! Thanks for sharing.
Woohoo for finishing exams!
Those cookies look really good and healthy! Thanks for sharing.
Woohoo for finishing exams!
Those cookies look really good and healthy! Thanks for sharing.
Woohoo for finishing exams!
Those cookies look really good and healthy! Thanks for sharing.
Woohoo for finishing exams!
Those cookies look really good and healthy! Thanks for sharing.
Woohoo for finishing exams!
Those cookies look really good and healthy! Thanks for sharing.
Woohoo for finishing exams!
Those cookies look really good and healthy! Thanks for sharing.
Woohoo for finishing exams!
Those cookies look really good and healthy! Thanks for sharing.
Woohoo for finishing exams!
Those cookies look really good and healthy! Thanks for sharing.
Woohoo for finishing exams!
Those cookies look really good and healthy! Thanks for sharing.
Woohoo for finishing exams!
Those cookies look really good and healthy! Thanks for sharing.
Woohoo for finishing exams!
Those cookies look really good and healthy! Thanks for sharing.
yay for no more exams! what a great feeling that is.
I agree with Workout Mommy that I think people love BL because of the educational aspect but also because the people are pretty relatable. Not the whole “workout thrice a day” part, but they’re real men and women who are struggling mightily with their weight and want to get healthier.
Hooray for finishing your exams! The cookies sound great, I’ll be giving them a shot soon.
Yay for finishing the exams!
Biggest Loser to me is very inspirational. Yes, they do workout 8 hours per day, but I like that they take normal every day people and teach them how to incorporate healthy food and exercise into their lives.
Thanks everyone for the explanations! That makes a lot more sense now, looking at the show as a teaching lesson of how to get healthy without the surgery and all. I’m glad that it’s sending such a positive message to all the viewers.
Congratulations on finishing your exams. Must be a great feeling!
Love your recipe for cookies. Must try them. Simple recipes are the best!
Don’t watch the Biggest Loser, so can’t comment. Well, okay, I watched a few minutes once and had a similar experience to yours – the trainer was angry with the contestant for not losing as much as anticipated. Personally, I thought it was a little extreme.
Oh, and trans fats occur naturally in dairy products, so it will be difficult to find trans-fat-free butter and cream.
From what I’ve read of your habits on your blog, I think consuming trace amounts of trans fats probably won’t hurt you.
Keep in mind that humans have been consuming dairy products for centuries, and we are still around! 🙂
Personally, I am more concerned with finding products that haven’t been chemically or genetically altered, which seems to be much more difficult.
Have you done any research in that area? I’d be interested to know what you have discovered.
You strike me as such an enthusiastic, energetic individual, with a great deal of intelligence and natural curiosity…and I’m not just saying that because you complimented my place in your comment on my blog. Honest!
Congratulations on finishing! Tat must feel sooo good.
I don’t watch the Biggest Loser, but I do see inspiration in it. They might go a bit extreme, but the show gives a lot of people hope.
Bag Lady- you’re so sweet! And seriously? Trans fats occur naturally in butter and cream? …heh. How did I not figure that one out earlier? Thanks for letting me know! I feel a bit silly now… my priority is pretty much to not have anything chemically or genetically altered, too. I haven’t researched it very extensively but that is what I plan to delve into this spring/summer (with plenty of postings about it, of course!).
Well, I suppose tomorrow I’ll go out and fill my boots with buying some real butter and cream and all- man, it’s a REALLY good thing you mentioned that!
Ashley- I guess it just depends on how people view it… if they’re thinking “I should also be pushing myself that hard” or if they’re thinking “okay, if they can do it, then I can try to be healthier too”. My concern is that we live in a society that tends to be more negative about those kinds of things. But I AM glad to be done school! You’ll be finished really soon too, right?
Sagan- I agree with you about BL. I see the expectations and the damage that can create. I AM almost done with school! One more week in the semester and graduate in 8 months! =)