Cranberry Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookies

I have 3 words for you.

Big. Honking. Cookies.

Now I warn you, these are probably the most indulgent treat I have posted to date. Stuffed full of huge chunks of chocolate and local sweet Bala cranberries, these cookies are the size of your face. I kid you not! If you don't believe me just look at how ridiculously big they are against the palm of my hand.

Anyone who says they don't love a good oatmeal cookie are either lying or hasn't had a real one. It's just one of those classics. But the real star of the show here is the chocolate! Camino organic & fair-trade semi-sweet chocolate to be exact. Bars of gold I tell you.

These cookies are adapted from my favourite oatmeal cookie made by Giada. The original recipe is from her cookbook Weeknights With Giada. I've seen her make these a few times now. They're hearty and delicious, and they only use a half cup of unsalted butter so they're not greasy. The cinnamon in these also give it something extra special. LOVE cinnamon!

Giada's recipe says it makes a dozen cookies, but if you want big giant ones it will only make about 9. Make sure you keep an eye on them while they bake so they don't burn. They took the full 15 minutes in my oven to be perfectly baked and golden. The hardest part was waiting for them to cool. Now where's the fun in that?!

Cranberry Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookies

Makes9 big cookies

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Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped into large chunks
•  

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350* F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
4. Then add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth. With the machine running, gradually add the flour mixture.
5. Add the oats, cranberries and chocolate chunks, mixing until just incorporated.
6. Using an ice cream scoop or large spoon, scoop slightly rounded mounds of the dough into 9 4-oz balls.
7. Arrange 6 balls of dough, spaced evenly apart, on each baking sheet. Using the back of a spoon, flatten the tops and bake until the cookies are golden around the edges, about 13 - 15 minutes.
8. Transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack and cool for 20 minutes (if you can wait that long) before eating.

*Tip* To bring the egg to room temperature, fill a small bowl with hot water and place the egg in it for 2 minutes.

Now to sit down with a cookie and a nice cup of tea for a relaxing end to the day.

Peanut Butter Energy Bites

Who like's snacks?

I do! I do!

Snacks play an important roll in giving us a little energy boost when we need it.

If you've ever felt the afternoon blahs when you're lacking energy and contemplating a trip to the candy machine then this is for you. We all know the feeling right? Either you're at the office or going about your day, you're energy crashes and you're now looking for the nearest doughnut shop or what have you. The reason why you hit the afternoon wall is because you're blood glucose has taken a sharp dive. You're as "hangry" as a walrus and probably feel a bit like one too, ready to take it out on someone else.

You can avoid the dreaded afternoon crash by eating frequent mini meals throughout the day and making sure you get a good lunch that includes a combination veggies and/or whole grains and quality protein, so when 3 o'clock rolls around you're not falling asleep at your desk. Instead of reaching for that candy bar or doughnut, first reach for your water bottle and make sure you are well hydrated. Now it's time to make a healthy snacking choice. This part requires a bit of planning but it can be quite easy (and tasty)! It's also important to remember to pair your snack with some protein to keep you from getting hungry again too soon.

So what should you snack on that's healthy? Here are a few examples:

• A hand sized piece of fruit (like an apple or pear) with some nuts
• Veggies and hummus
• Ryvita crackers spread with nut butter
• Hard boiled eggs with some salsa and sliced bell peppers
• Low fat granola and yogurt

Then there are these little gems. I'm excited to share a great recipe with you today. Something else to throw into your snacking repertoire.

These are a great pick me up in the middle of the afternoon and a surprisingly energy packed pre-workout snack that can double as dessert.

A doughnut is tasty, but has no nutritional benefit. These power balls are just as tasty and will leave you feeling good about what you ate. Plus they look like little doughnuts! I swear these look just like the timbits we used to get from Tim Hortons when I was a kid.

Peanut Butter Energy Bites (makes 16 balls)

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Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup dried apricots
• 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
• 2 tbsp unpasturized honey or maple syrup 
• 1/4 cup vanilla sunwarrior protein powder
• 1/4 cup rolled oats
• 2 tbsp ground flaxseeds
• 2 tbsp coconut flakes

Method:

1. Place sunflower seeds and oats in a food processor and process until flour like. Now add the dried apricots and process again until crumbly.
2. Add remaining ingredients except for the coconut and process until everything is incorporated and the mixture is well combined. It should be slightly crumbly.
3. Scoop out tablespoons of the mixture with your hands and roll into balls.
4. Roll each ball in coconut to coat.
5. Store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to one week.

*You can also stash these in the freezer and they'll keep even longer.

(If you can keep your hands off them) ;)

This recipe has been shared at Amee's Fit and Fabulous Fridays.