I've been a little cookie crazy lately, I must confess. My weakness has always been those chocolate-peanut butter no bake cookies like the kind you make in middle school home economics class. Remember those? Oats (fiber!), peanut butter (protein! healthy fat!), cocoa (flavanols!) and usually WAY too much butter and sugar. Those things can pack 250-300 calories per cookie the way some make them. This version keeps the sweetness (just toned down a bit) and the shape (just refrigerate to help them stay firm since the butter is reduced) but have only 200 calories for a much bigger piece- 1/16 of the recipe instead of 1/36. Yay!
3 cups old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup nonfat milk
1/4 cup butter or soft tub margarine
1 1/3 c granulated sugar or evaporated cane juice crystals
1/2 cup natural creamy peanut butter (try Smuckers- it's fantastic!)
In saucepan, melt butter or margarine with milk, peanut butter, sugar and cocoa. Bring to boil for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and add oats and vanilla. Drop onto cookie sheet lined with wax paper or press into 8x8 inch pan.
Now for a bonus, I also made this macaroon recipe from Vegetarian Times this week and it was DIVINE and also under 200 calories :)
