Peanut Butter & Flax Cookies

This is quite possibly the easiest cookie you'll ever make. Add that to the fact that they're low glycemic and high fiber, and you'll wonder why you shouldn't eat one or two a day.

Peanut Butter and Flax Cookies

2 cups creamy peanut butter
1 cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
2 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup peanut butter chips
1/4 cup flax seeds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix peanut butter, brown sugar blend, eggs, baking soda and vanilla until well mixed. Fold in peanut butter chips and flax seeds.

Use a 1 oz cookie scoop, or a tablespoon measure to drop cookies on to an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 minutes. Let cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 48 cookies.

Each cookie contains 7 grams of fat, 91 calories, 4.5 grams of carbohydrate, 1 gram of fiber and 3.5 grams of protein.

Chocolate Brownies

Let's start things off simply. Brownies are a quintessential part of life. I like mine dense, fudgy, and with chocolate chips. Though I'm not opposed to additions of nuts, I despise frosting anywhere near my brownie. This recipe is adapted from Mark Bitman.

Brownies

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 sticks butter, softened
3/4 cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
4 large eggs
1 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 pan with butter, or line with no-stick aluminum foil.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a medium saucepan over very low heat. When the chocolate is almost melted, remove from the heat and stir until completely smooth. Pour the chocolate into a large bowl, and stir in the Splenda Brown Sugar Blend. Then beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gently stir in the flour, salt, and vanilla. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, and bake for 20 minutes, or until the brownies are just barely set in the middle.

Do not overbake.

Cut into 24 equal pieces, each serving contains 12 grams of fat, 146 calories, 9 grams carbohydrate, 1 gram of fiber, and 3 grams of protein.

Peking Chicken Salad

One of the biggest changes I've made in eating is bringing my lunch to work everyday. Temple's campus is not overflowing with healthy food options, so temptation is around every corner. I try to package up leftovers and stick them in the freezer or fridge in anticipation of my lunch needs. This salad held up well for two days in the fridge after it was prepared.

Peking Chicken salad

1/2 cup brown rice, cooked
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
4 scallions, sliced
1/4 pound snow peas, trimmed
1 cup finely shredded red cabbage
2 cups finely shredded romaine lettuce
1 cup shredded carrot
2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
6 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast

Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the snow peas and cook for 30 seconds. Drain and rinse with cold water until cool. Pat dry and cut lengthwise into thin strips. In a medium bowl, combine the snow peas, cabbage, romaine, carrot, rice vinegar, seasame oil, and ginger. Add the shedded chicken, rice, scallions, and hoison sauce and tose gently to coat.

Serves 4

Each serving contains 4 grams of fat, 209 calories, 26 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of fiber, and 17 grams of protein.