Pumpkin Peanut Butter Protein Cookies

Winter may be around the corner, but I'm trying to hang on to fall for as long as a can! In my opinion, the combination of pumpkin, cinnamon, and peanut butter makes for the ultimate taste of fall. Most pumpkin-flavored treats are unhealthy and calorie-rich, but this healthy recipe allows you to enjoy your "all pumpkin everything" diet without the guilt. Made with whey protein powder, these pumpkin peanut butter cookies are great for a quick breakfast or afternoon snack.

Ingredients:
-1.5 scoops peanut butter whey protein powder (or vanilla) -- I used Cellucor Peanut Butter Marshmallow
-1/3 cup baking stevia, coconut sugar, or other granulated sweetener (I used a combo of both)
-1/2 teaspoon baking soda
-1/2 tablespoon pumpkin spice
-1 teaspoon cinnamon
-pinch of Himalayan pink salt
-2/3 cup pumpkin puree
-1/2 cup peanut butter or almond butter
-1 egg, beaten
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (optional but highly recommended!)

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium-sized bowl, mix all dry ingredients except for the chocolate chips. In a separate bowl, mix all wet ingredients until smooth. Add half the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until combined, and then mix in the rest of the dry ingredients. Fold in the chocolate chips. Scoop the batter using a cookie scoop or drop using a tablespoon onto the baking sheets. Bake for 14-16 minutes. Let cool and enjoy! The recipe should make about 18 cookies.

Don't Fear Fat! And a Peanut Flour Cookie Recipe

Peanut butter gets a bad reputation because it is a high-fat, calorie-dense food. Many people, including dieters and those with active lifestyles, fear eating it, but fat is actually important to incorporate into our diet everyday. Not just any type of fat should be eaten, though. There is a difference between "good" fats and "bad" fats. Hydrogenated oils, or trans fats, are commonly found in packaged, processed, and fried foods. Trans fats raise LDL, or "bad" cholesterol, and lower HDL, or "good" cholesterol, and may increase the risk of certain health conditions such as type 2 diabetes. These are fats that should not be a part of our diet. Saturated fats are found in meat, dairy, and some vegetable oils. Saturated fats should be limited in our diet, as excessive amounts raise LDL cholesterol and can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Polyunsaturated fats include the essential omega-6 fatty acids and omega-3 fatty acids, which must be obtained from our diet because our body can't produce them. Omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory and may help in the prevention and treatment of many diseases. Omega-6 fatty acids are commonly used in processed foods and although they are essential in our diet, they are over-consumed. The common Western diet is high in omega-6 fatty acids and low in omega-3 fatty acids, which can promote inflammation and increase the risk of various chronic diseases. Finally, there are monounsaturated fats. Research suggests monounsaturated fats may have a positive impact on cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and inflammation. Good sources of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats include nuts, nut butters, fatty fish, seafood, and cooking oils (such as olive oil).

So back to the consumption of peanut butter. Peanut butter is a good source of monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. It is also a good source of fiber, which along with its fat content will help you feel fuller longer. It provides a variety of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants as well. And it tastes amazing (some may beg to differ...and if so we can't be friends). So should you go and eat a whole jar of peanut butter in one sitting? I wish! (Did I mention it's one of my favorite foods...). It's important to be aware of your portion sizes when it comes to healthy fats, because as I said before, they are calorie-dense. They provide 9 calories per gram, versus protein and carbohydrates which provide 4 calories per gram. Also be careful about the peanut butter that you choose to eat. Common brands like Jif and Skippy contain hydrogenated vegetable oils, added sugar, and salt. Go for natural peanut butter--the less ingredients the better. They're more expensive, but worth it. If you're aware of these things, then peanut butter can most certainly be a part of your everyday diet.

Due to the fear of peanut butter and its fat/calorie content, powdered peanut butter has become quite popular. A brand that's found in stores is PB2. Powdered peanut butter, or peanut flour, is made by grinding roasted peanuts and pressing out the oil so it is lower in fat. Many people mix it with water to make it a peanut butter replacement. I bought Protein Plus Peanut Flour (no added sugar and salt like PB2 has) originally to do this to help me limit my peanut butter intake, since it's so hard to limit myself! But it just isn't the same. So instead, I use it for baking. Don't get me wrong, I love making peanut butter cookies with regular peanut butter, but it's good to have a lower fat, lower calorie option too. So yes, after all my rambling about how you should be eating healthy fats, I'm giving you a recipe for cookies that use peanut flour instead of peanut butter (I have so much of it that I had to put it to use). They still have a soft, moist texture and a delicious peanut butter taste. I have a ton of other recipes that use real peanut butter, so feel free to head over to those if I inspired you incorporate more fats into your diet! Or, you can always do what I did and put a little bit of real peanut butter on top when you eat these cookies. Why not? Peanut butter on alllll things.

Ingredients:
-1 1/4 cup peanut flour

-1/2 cup almond flour (can sub oat flour)

-1/2-1 cup baking stevia, depending on how sweet you like your cookies

-2/3 cup almond milk

-2 tsp coconut oil

-2 eggs

-2 tsp baking powder

-1 tsp vanilla extract

-cinnamon

-pinch of sea salt

-1/2 cup of peanut butter chips (I used these, from Trader Joe's-- so good!), chocolate chips, chopped nuts, etc.

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 and coat 2 baking sheets with non-stick spray. Mix dry ingredients in one bowl, and wet in another. Pour wet into dry and mix well. Spoon the mixture (don't use your hands the batter is sticky!) onto the baking sheets, about 1 inch big. Press down on each with a wet fork. Bake for 8-10 minutes. 

Not the prettiest cookies, but they're delicious!

Healthy Gingerbread Cookies

Whenever I'm really stressed out from school, I always find myself in the kitchen. Besides working out, baking is the one thing that always makes me feel better. It makes no sense because I'm putting off all the work I have to do, which will just make me even more stressed out, but taking a break never hurts! So tonight is one of those nights--I'm just a few days away from being done with my first semester of grad school, so naturally instead of working on the paper worth 30% of my grade, I baked some cookies. At midnight...on a Saturday night. Totally normal. They're similar to my healthy snickerdoodle cookies recipe, but in the spirit of Christmas being 2 weeks away, I came up with a gingerbread version. I seriously can't get enough of gingerbread lately! Just like my other cookies, these are paleo, vegan, and gluten-free.

Ingredients:
1 cup almond flour
2 tbsp melted coconut oil
1/4 cup baking stevia (or honey or agave)
1/8 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp blackstrap molasses
1 tbsp unsweetened vanilla almond milk, or milk of choice
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp each of nutmeg and ground cloves (I didn't measure any of the spices, this is just a guess)

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine almond flour, stevia, baking soda, spices and sea salt in one mixing bowl. Mix the coconut oil, milk, and molasses in a separate bowl. Then pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix well. Form the dough into balls about 1 tbsp big. Then place on the baking sheet. Flatten each dough ball slightly. Bake for 8-10 minutes. They will be very soft when they come out of the oven, so let them cool for a while before transferring them from the baking sheet. Enjoy!

Healthy Snickerdoodle Cookies

So I'm not going to lie, I've actually never had a real snickerdoodle cookie before! So I'm not exactly sure what they taste like. When I made this recipe, I actually didn't really have a flavor in mind. After I tasted them, I decided that they must be snickerdoodle because they had a sweet, buttery taste and when I typed snickerdoodle into google that's how it's described..haha. So if anyone ends up making these, let me know if I was right! Either way, they're delicious. They're also paleo, vegan, and gluten-free. There's no eggs, no dairy, and no grains, so they're very allergen-friendly!

Ingredients:
1 cup cashew flour (you can also grind up cashews in a food processor, or try almond flour)
2 tbsp melted coconut oil
1 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
1 tbsp unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or milk of choice)
1/4 cup baking stevia (or sweetener of choice)
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tsp butter extract (use more vanilla extract if you don't have this, but I highly recommend using it!)
pinch of sea salt
cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine cashew flour, stevia, baking soda, and sea salt in one mixing bowl. Mix the coconut oil, applesauce, milk, vanilla extract, and butter extract in a separate bowl. Then pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix well. Form the dough into balls about 1 tbsp big, and sprinkle with cinnamon. Then place on the baking sheet. Flatten each dough ball slightly. Bake for 8-10 minutes. They will be very soft when they come out of the oven, so let them cool for a while before transferring them from the baking sheet. They end up being soft on the inside, and firm on the outside!