(New today!) Beth Funk, the adult culinary instructor and coordinator at the EHOVE Career Center, will share a healthy recipe and cooking tips each Tuesday at firelandsintraining.com. This is her first installment:
With the new calendar year upon us, January is the time when most of us make those resolutions to improve our fitness and our health.
We start new diets, join the gym or make use of those exercise aides we received during the holidays.
But after a few weeks of hard work, we often slip and go back to our old ways.
First of all, you will succeed in your health and fitness goals much better if you can reward yourself by splurging on a treat. Mind you, there is quite a difference between an out-of-control binge and an occasional splurge.
For some of us, our pitfall is something sweet that is packed with sugar and fat such as chocolate mousse or crème brulee. For others, it is something savory and rich with those saturated fats like a porterhouse steak with béarnaise sauce. I think most of us like salty snacks. For me, sour cream and butter come in two serving sizes: a lot and more!
But you can manage your diet and health with an occasional indulgence of rich food. If you plan for it, you will have much less guilt than if you try to “make up” for a splurge. Besides, planning for a treat is a positive motivation that can impact other areas of your life.
For example, our family loves to go out for ice cream. In planning our outing, we are also conscious of eating lighter and healthier. We like having fruits for breakfast and lighter foods or salads for lunch.
We take a walk or stroll through the mall and we talk throughout the day about our treats.
When it comes to our outing, we really do enjoy those hot fudge sundaes with whipped cream, but without the guilt and without the extra calories!
So as you plan your New Year’s resolutions, work on a pattern of anticipation and reward for your indulgences. It is all about balance and moderation. This is the key to any successful program to improve your health.
White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies
Makes about 481⁄2-ounce cookies • about 90 calories each
INGREDIENTS
• 8 ounces of white chocolate — chopped into small pieces
• ½ cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 2 eggs
• 2¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup seedless raspberry jam
• 3 ounces of white chocolate
• ½ tsp. shortening
DIRECTIONS
• Melt 4 ounces of the white chocolate.
• In a large bowl, cream the butter.
• Mix the sugar, salt and baking soda and cream into the butter.
• Beat in the eggs one at a time until combined; beat in the melted chocolate.
• By hand, stir in the flour. When combined, fold in the remaining chopped chocolate.
• Drop the dough by rounded teaspoons about 2 inches apart onto a greased cookie sheet.
• Bake at 375° F for 10-12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are slightly browned.
• Cool for 1 minute before transferring the cookies to a wire rack to cool.
• Heat the raspberry jam in small saucepan to soften.
• Spoon ½ tsp. of jam onto the top of each cookie.
• In another sauce pan or microwave-proof bowl, melt the 3 ounces of white chocolate with the shortening.
• Fill a small parchment bag with the chocolate; drizzle it over the cookies.
• Place cookies in a cold room to set.
• To store or send: Wrap single layer or carefully layer with wax paper in a tin.
