A Skinny Sugar Cookie Recipe That Actually Tastes Good

It’s pretty easy to find low-fat recipes for just about anything these days, so you’d think it’d be no problem to track down one for sugar cookies. Wrong. I’ve been testing out low-fat recipes for sugar cookies for years now and I’ve never really found a good one. In fact, most of them taste like dog food. You might think I’d just make my own health(ish) sugar cookie recipe, but no, not a good idea. I can usually follow other people’s recipes, but if I’m tasked with substituting healthy ingredients on my own, I’m better off serving a bowl of Kibbles ‘n Bits.

In my continued quest to find a low-fat sugar cookie that actually tastes good, I decided to test out one I found on the Good Housekeeping website. Their “Whole Wheat Sugar Cookies” recipe seems pretty solid, looks good on paper, and has great nutrition stats. Plus would Good Housekeeping really put a bad recipe on their website? Well it’s time to find out!

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Anddd the final result is… they’re DELICIOUS!! Obviously they don’t taste the same as traditional fatty sugar cookies, because well they’re not full of fat, but they have their own flavor of excellent. Yum! After years of searching, I’ve finally found a skinny sugar cookie recipe that actually tastes good!

Everyone knows that sugar cookies can’t be naked*, so after you bake them, it’s time to make some frosting.

*Actually, as it’s virtually impossible to make super healthy frosting, it’s a good idea to keep some of your sugar cookies in their natural state. They’re so good you won’t even mind!

Nothing says Christmas like a naked poodle sugar cookie.

Goat Cheese Frosting

I LOVE goat cheese. In fact, if it was possible to live on reduced fat peanut butter and goat cheese, I’d be the first sucker in line. So when I saw this recipe for goat cheese frosting on Domestic Diva M.D.‘s blog, I pinned it to my recipe board on Pinterest for the next time I needed a frosting recipe. If you even have to ask, her recipe is ahh-mazing! Plus she also puts funny little stories above her recipe posts, so make sure to check the top of the page out before scrolling down to the recipe itself.

Mmm skinny Christmas poodles & unicorns with goat cheese frosting.

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Try These Healthy Fourth of July Recipes, That Actually Taste Good

This recipe for baked zucchini sticks from Gina’s Skinny Recipes is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. So amazing actually, that I took it to two Fourth of July bbqs this weekend. I cheated and bought the marinara sauce from the store, but for any ambitious people, here’s the recipe for both the baked zucchini sticks and the accompanying marinara sauce.

Why eat greasy, fatty mozzarella sticks, when you can make healthy, baked zucchini sticks?!

Baked Zucchini Sticks (from Gina’s Skinny Recipes)
Servings: 3 •
Serving Size: 1 zucchini
• Old Points: 1.5 pts (sauce extra) •
Points+: 3 pts
Calories:
121.9 • Fat: 2.4 • Carbs: 21.0 g • Fiber: 6.0 •
Protein:6.7 g

• 3 medium zucchini sliced into 3″ x 1/2″ sticks
• 1 large egg white
• 1/3 cup seasoned whole wheat bread crumbs
• 2 tbsp grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• cooking spray
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• salt
• fresh pepper

Quick Marinara Sauce
Gina’s Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 6 • Serving Size: 1/2 cup • Old Points: 1 pt • Points+: 1 pt
Calories: 51.5 •
Fat: 0.8 • Carbs: 9.0 g • Fiber: 1.1 • Protein: 0.1 g

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 28 oz cans crushed tomatoes (I like Tuttorosso)
• 1 small bay leaf
• 1 tsp oregano
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• salt and fresh pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425°.

In a medium pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and saute until golden, being careful not to burn. Add crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper, oregano, basil and bay leaf. Stir and reduce heat to low. Cover and let simmer about 20 minutes.

In a small bowl, beat egg whites and season with salt and pepper. In a ziplock bag, place breadcrumbs, garlic powder and cheese and shake well. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray and set aside.

Dip zucchini sticks into eggs then into bread crumb and cheese mixture, a few at a time and shake to coat. Place the breaded zucchini in a single layer and spray more cooking spray on top. Bake at 425° for about 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with 1/2 cup marinara
sauce for dipping.

Just say no to pie.

Healthified Raspberry Bars, from Eat Better America

These healthified raspberry bars are way better for you than pie, cookies and brownies, and they’re actually good. Here’s the recipe for the healthified raspberry bars that I made, thanks to a recipe I found on Eat Better America’s site. I left the walnuts out, because everyone in my family isn’t a nut-love, but I’m sure they were fab with them too.

Prep Time:15 min

Start to Finish:2 hr

makes:24 bars

3/4	cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
3/4	cup Gold Medal® whole wheat flour
3/4	cup sugar
1/2	cup butter, softened
1	egg white
3/4	cup Cascadian Farm® organic raspberry fruit spread
1/2	cup chopped walnuts

1.	Heat oven to 350°F. Line 8-inch square pan with foil. In large bowl, mix flours, sugar, butter and egg white with electric mixer on low speed until crumbly.
2.	Reserve 1/2 cup crumb mixture for topping. Press remaining crumb mixture firmly in bottom of pan. Spread fruit spread to within 1/2 inch of edges. Sprinkle reserved 1/2 cup crumb mixture over top; sprinkle with walnuts.
3.	Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely, about 1 hour. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows.

Nutritional Information

1 Bar: Calories 130 (Calories from Fat 50); Total Fat 6g (Saturated Fat 2 1/2g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 10mg; Sodium 30mg; Total Carbohydrate 18g (Dietary Fiber 1g, Sugars 11g); Protein 1g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 2%; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 0%; Iron 2% Exchanges: 1/2 Starch; 1/2 Fruit; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 1 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 1
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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