No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Cookies (on the healthy side of things)

So, I’ve been trying to eat better and I’ve also gotten back into my exercise routine (ugh—5 a.m.!) that I kind of gave up when we moved this summer.  As much as I complain (mostly to myself), I’m already starting to feel better than I had been and I’ve lost 6 pounds since Christmas.  I literally have to tell myself when I get up at 5 a.m. and SO don’t want to get out of bed that I should just do it and be grateful that my body CAN get up.  Just do it.  Even as I force myself to get on that treadmill and go, go, go for an hour, I have to just remind myself to keep going.  It helps that I read (most of the time) and that makes time just tick away.  Funny thing is—I mostly read food magazines!  Today while I plugged along, I was reading Everyday With Rachael Ray Magazine.  Yesterday it was Food Network Magazine.  Sometimes I enjoy flipping through Women’s Health Magazine, but I think my subscription just ran out on that one.

While it’s hard to believe I can still make things like the Nutella Truffle Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Cookies I recently posted and just sample a little bit, that is what I’ve been doing.  It isn’t easy!  How I’d love to just eat up 2, 3, 4, 6 of this and half dozen of that, I just can’t do it.  Sigh.  Just wait until you see what I just baked up today—Heart Shaped Chocolate Truffle Cakes—DIVINE.  Stay tuned for those in the next couple days!

Somehow I maintain and slowly lose a few pounds here and there by making myself more healthy treats and it seems to be working.  I found these no bake cookies on Jennie’s blog, Losing Ourselves and Loving It.  I love the very sugary, buttery and easy no bake cookies out there and even have my mom’s tried-and-true recipe on hand, but these just seemed to fit the bill of me wanting a little treat, but still saving on some fat and calories.  I adapted the recipe even a little more from Jennie’s posted version.  Her recipe called for a little bit of butter, but I decided to use I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter.  Her recipe just says “milk”, but I used skim milk.  Can’t even tell, because the dark chocolate is the star of these cookies as well as the healthy oats.  The only thing I will change next time (soon—just ran out of the cookies, which Kevin also loved and has eaten his fair share) is that i will toast the oats first next time.  The oats just had a little bit of a raw taste.  Other than that—great little treats!

No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter  Oat Cookies, by Katrina, Baking and Boys!, adapted from Jenna at eatliverun.com

2 tablespoons I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter, softened

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened (could use 3 T. of either)

1/4 cup skim milk

3/4 cup granulated sugar (150 grams)

2 heaping tablespoons cocoa powder

1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips (6 ounces)

1/4 cup peanut butter (I used Adam’s Natural Smooth no-stir PB)  (64 grams)

2 cups old fashioned oats (toasted—spread oats on a baking sheet and toast in 350 degree oven for 10 minutes, stirring half way during baking time)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt the butter in a medium sized saucepan on the stove.  Add the sugar, cocoa powder and milk and stir will.  Stir in the vanilla, peanut butter and chocolate chips.  Fold together until chocolate is melted.  Remove from heat and stir in the oats and mix until combined.

Scoop balls of dough with a small cookie scoop onto wax paper lined baking sheet.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes, until hardened.  Makes 18-24 cookies, depending on size.

Have one of these next time you need a little chocolate and a little pick-me-up treat!  I think almond butter would be good in these as well.  (I’m kind of on an almond butter kick.)