Tuesday, April 27, 2010

about baking the "flat" cookies

I made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies this weekend and they were yummy! Rainer called these the "flat" cookies to distinguish them from the healthy cookies which I also made at the same time. The kids eat both but you can guess which is more popular.

I finally got a chance to try my new book which I received for Christmas from my friend Sarah. (Thanks, Sarah--I love it!). This is one of those "cookbooks with heart" that I love so dearly. It's written by a mother and a daughter who run a bakery in Portland, Oregon. It sounds like my kind of place, though I've never been there.
Everything looks so delicious!
These little biscuit/jam things look especially appealing to me. I'm a big fan of sconey/biscuity things. If I try these I'll definitely blog about it.
Maybe it seems like I'm flip-flopping all over the place when it comes to adding-in or subtracting sugar from my diet. But in all honesty, what I dream about is being "self-actualized" when it comes to my diet in general and my sugar consumption in particular. I strive to be a healthy, low-sugar eating, real, and nice down to earth person who can definitely enjoy a homemade cookie now and then. Can anyone else relate to that? I love to bake and I love to eat sweets and it's fun to have a baking day and share treats with the family. I just don't want to overdo or to have it become an everyday or several times a week thing. And I don't want to model that for the little boys, either. So my plan is to only eat sweets on Sundays (preferably a home-baked something) or on special days like on vacation or when visiting Crushcakes with Rainer after his doctor's appointments. I've been doing pretty well since Lent, not perfect. I'll keep you posted!

13 comments:

Diane said...

I think your goal regarding sugar is spot-on; it's all about balance in my opinion.

And those cookies look great!

Anonymous said...

I've been wanting that cookbook, it looks great!

AndieF said...

I remember reading in Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Family Collection, that she started cooking desserts almost every night because she had the resources and the time now (this piece was written when she was older) but then it got to the point where dessert wasn't "special" anymore. So she went to doing it only on Sundays.

Denise C. said...

I was so inspired by your happiness project that I started my own. One of my goals was to not have white sugar. I now use pure cane sugar juice for cooking and baking.

It's been going well. In addition to the no-sugar, I took up running, and have lost 15 lbs. thus far.

Every once in awhile I crave something sweet. It's in my nature. I'll eat a few (3-4) chocolate chips, or I'll have one cookie. It's totally worth it. :)

Rain said...

That cookbook is on my wishlist. I was doing pretty well with eating sugar occasionally until my 15yr old daughter decided that she loves to bake.
I always love to see the bits of beauty around your table. I love the ceramic mushroom & elephant glass.

Joy said...

I really appreciate your sense of balance about this. I eat sugar mostly the same way. We make treats on Saturdays and holidays (or other school vacation days) and eat a square or two of dark chocolate maybe 2-3 nights during the week. My kids and I all seem happy with that arrangement. :)

Andrea said...

I can definitely relate to wanting to eat well and wanting to be able to enjoy a really yummy dessert now and then...I just have to skip over the mainlining chocolate as an emotional filler bit.

melissa s. said...

I can totally relate to the sugar thing. It's all about moderation, right? Too much makes you sick and too little makes you sad (that about sums up my take-home knowledge from my nutrition degree, ha!)

Grand Central is one of my favorite staple Portland bakeries. I need to check out that book!

sheer whimsy said...

oh, what an admirable goal!!! i definitely try to only eat sweets on weekends too. hence, i only bake during the weekends! your cookies look delicious :)

Jars of Giggles said...

Live in the Portland area! LOVE LOVE LOVE Grand Central. Bread and Cookies are AmAzInG! I will buy the cookbook!

It's all about balance and I am still experimenting to find mine :)

nuttymom said...

HI! lurker on your blog here :-) and I'm going to be the black sheep here and say for me, it is not all about balance at all. I simply cannot have sugar. In the past when I would have it, it would lead to a mini binge. I workout a lot, am fit and pretty healthy. Sugar doesn't have a regular place in my life. I love to bake with my two little ones and occasionally I can have a small treat and call it good, but regularly? I have to just say no.

Heather said...

Oh my goodness, I so know what you mean about the sugar issue. My kids are really reactive to sugar, and we had taken it out completely for a few months. I crave a really good baked treat every once in a while, and I think that balance is key.

Rachael said...

Hello there, it seems so long since I have actually stopped here and said hi. I have been eating sugar everyday of late but that will soon stop! I hope you are all well and enjoying your spring time. Rach xxx