Healthy, “Any Way You Like” Cookies (Microwave-Friendly)

Cookies are such a bizarre entity, aren’t they? I mean, what is a cookie? Wikipedia tells us a cookie is flat-baked and small; the New Oxford American Dictionary adds the qualification of being sweet. In all fairness to both sources, their task-to define this thing we call a cookie-was insurmountable and, as expected, they failed miserably.

I, for one, know of several parts of the world where the idea of a sweet cookie is laughable. And how many times have you read the words “no bake” in front of a cookie recipe? I’m not going to sit here and pretend I can do a better job of defining this foodstuff, but I will present you with a rudimentary technique to create cookies so appetizing your salivary glands won’t know what to do.

Mix-and-Match Cookies (microwave-friendly)
makes 10-12 cookies

Start with some dry…

• 1/4 c. mashed Fiber One Original Bran (mash it till it has the consistency of flour)
• 1/4 t. baking SODA
• 1/4 t. baking POWDER

Add about 2 T. (1/8 c.) total of…

• Nut flour (peanut, almond, pistachio, etc)
• Oat bran
• Flavored powdered gelatin
• Oat flour (oatmeal blended until it’s the consistency of flour)
• Protein powder (any type)
• Nonfat dry milk powder
• All purpose flour
• Cocoa
• Wheat bran
• Wheat germ
• Sugar-free, fat-free pudding mix
• Flaxseed meal
• Low-calorie drink mix
• Sugar-free hot chocolate mix
• Any combination of the above

Now some wet…

• 1.5 T. nut butter or light butter sticks

Add a total of 6 T. (3/8 c.) of…

• Natural applesauce
• Flaxseed meal mixed with water
• Yogurt (flavored or plain)
• Eggs/eggbeaters
• Cooked lentils
• Sugar-free jelly
• Guar gum or xanthan gum mixed with water
• Pureed fruit (banana, berries, peaches, etc)
• Canned unsweetened pumpkin
• Pudding (prepared from mix or pre-made)
• Low-fat/fat-free cream cheese
• Any combination of the above

Toss in some…

• Sugar-free syrup
• Extract
• Dried herbs
• Chocolate chips
• Nuts
• Spices
• Any combination of the above

And don’t forget to add some sweetener and/or salt if you feel the need…

→Preheat the oven to 350*F.
In a bowl, melt the butter and mix in the rest of the wet ingredients (they should be at room temperature).
In another bowl, mix the fiber one, baking soda, baking powder and 2 T. of variable dry ingredient.
Add the wet to the dry and mix. Taste a very small amount.
Add any sweeteners, spices or seasonings. Mix.
Add enough water to make it drop cookie consistency. You want it to stick to an upside down spoon but fall off when the spoon is shaken.
Drop by spoonfuls on cookie sheet sprayed well with nonstick spray and bake for about 15-20 minutes, turning halfway through.

→Don’t have an oven? No problem!
Mix the dough as directed.
Drop by spoonfuls on parchment paper.
Microwave at 70-80% power for 5 minutes. Check the cookies at this point and rotate.
Microwave at about 70-80% power for 3-6 minutes longer. (Variations in flour/wet ingredient choice change the cooking times slightly).