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Monday, June 1, 2009

Cut The Fat!

It's June!
That means summer and swimming and wearing swim suits! If you're anything like me, you're still wearing your winter padding. I don't want to put on a swim suit with my extra roll, or two, or three, Ok, so I won't be wearing a swim suit BUT if I was going to - I would need to be more careful what I eat. I admit, I have a sweet tooth and it's hard to completely cut out sweets so I decided to post a recipe for cookies with less fat. I've made cookies using applesauce instead of shortening and they're OK but you can still taste the applesauce in them and they're flatter than the other cookies. Now I use white beans! You can substitue the beans for all the fat if you want but I like to do half and half.

First, open the can and with the lid covering the beans, pour off as much liquid as you can. That still leaves some liquid in the beans and that's what you want.

Pour the beans into a blender and blend until smooth, about the consistency of shortening. Word to the wise, don't put your rubber scraper in the blender while blending. Turn the blender off then stir. (I think I still have a few pieces of plastic in my cookies...just don't tell my family. That will be the secret ingredient in this recipe!)

Now you're ready to use it in your recipe. I use half a cup in the cookies and the other half cup left in the blender is put in a baggie and placed in the freezer for future use.

Here's the recipe with my "low-er fat ingredients in parenthesis:
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup shortening (pureed white beans)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs (I used 3 egg whites - a little less fat)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
3 cups flour ( I like to use half whole wheat and half white. In the recipe today, I used only white)
1 1/2 cups choc chips
Mix butter and beans together until smooth. Add sugars and blend well. Add eggs and vanilla. Stir in dry ingredients. Add chocolate chips. (I used half chocolate and half cherry chips) Mix well.

Place on baking sheet (perhaps you can find better looking baking sheets than mine. I'm sure it won't be hard to do) and bake at 350 degrees for 11-13 minutes. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Let cool then eat! Or don't even let them cool, just eat them. Now be careful, don't think just because there's less fat, you can eat more. You can share these cookies or bag them up and put in the freezer for later.

By the way, I baked these cookies for 14 minutes. Too long!
I don't have the nutritional value of each cookie but using the beans instead of shortening and egg whites instead of the eggs, you cut the fat content of the entire recipe by 99 grams. Not a big whoop - but it's a start. Does anyone have ice cream to go with these cookies?

13 comments:

Sondra said...

Well that is clever. I love to find recipes that helps you use up food storage supplies. I think that is a great idea.

During a recent Home Making meeting they made fudge with beans too. I'd say it must have more nutrition in goodies made with beans instead of all butter..

It's much more fun to look at the bright side in curbing my sweet tooth too! :) Beans = Protien (right?)..

CB said...

I have to agree - that is a really clever idea. I have heard of substituting with applesauce but never with beans.

I bet you could do this in most baking recipes - Thanks for the great tip.

Who woulda thunk it - ha ha :D

wendy said...

are you serious --do they still taste good?? and if you use beans WILL THEY MAKE ME FART. just wondering

Joanie said...

Trish and I are reading your blog and she is totally amazed with your use of beans. She learns so much when she comes home.

Connie said...

Wendy, I suggest YOU don't eat these cookies before you go to the gym!

Small House said...

Hi, found you through Sondra. And this seems like a pretty good tip. I think I could make these, but NOT tell my kids what I've done.

I've enjoyed your blog.
Sandra

Ann Marie said...

I thought the exact smae thing as Wendy.. Ha-ha..

After looking at that picture of the cookie dough.. I don't think they would even make it to get baked.. MMMMMMMM...

PS: I have never felt comfortable in a swimsuit.. Even when I was a string bean.. We are always not happy with something arn't we??

The Pettit Family said...

Yummo! I'm going to try that. I'm looking forward to seeing you soon. Take care.

gigi said...

Beans, beans good for your heart, the more you eat the more you fart!
Now, I just can't wait to try this!! That is just to neat. I love baking much more than I like cooking. I asked the sweetheart if he wanted oatmeal for supper last night. He looked at me as if I was crazy. Needless to say we had leftovers from Sunday. But I hated even warming that up. I'd don't know what's wrong with me lately. I guess I just need a vacation, which is coming in two weeks!!!!

Rachel said...

Thank you so much for stopping by my blog, Connie and for your very kind words! If you have a "sweet tooth", I definitely suggest trying the frosted brownies...we kept them in the fridge and they were SO good cold!!! (The double chocolate banana bread is also very good and rich, too!!!)

I never would have thought to use beans in place of shortening, but I would imagine it's quite a bit healthier :) I'm looking forward to taking a look around your blog!

jill langston kaufusi said...

When did you make these cookies?? AND WHY DIDN'T YOU BRING ANY OVER TO ME?

Valerie said...

No weenies? I am sorely disappointed!
You have inspired me...I just might have to make some cookies. Or not (yeah, that one!)
Thanksfully, I have a neighbor who bakes (and shares) cookies on a somewhat regular basis! :) Otherwise, my kids would be deprived.

Camille said...

Jill, they're in Mom's freezer, awaiting your visit :)

And for anyone wondering, they're absolutely delicious! Especially with extra chocolate chips... :)