I am sure that there are people out there that would hear what I am about to say as fighting words but here goes: It’s hard to cook for two.
I imagine a parent of a brood reading this and yelling, “Are you kidding me?”
No, I am not kidding. It’s harder to plan, shop and cook without having leftovers galore and the same meal virtually all week for lunch and dinner. (That’s why I’m such a fan of Blue Apron.) As my work because a bit less hectic since basketball season is drawing to a close, I have been toying with the idea of perfecting recipes for two as a theme here at EE and seeing if I could duplicate the ease of those Blue Apron recipes (with the addition of the shopping, of course). I was really thrilled to see the last Sunday Supper posts and that they were all about dos. (You can see all the links here.)
Hezzi-D posted a cookie for two that I decided would be perfect for Valentine’s Day for us.
Here’s a healthy dessert for you and your +1.
“Hearty” Valentine’s Day Cookie for Two
Share this heart-healthy dessert with your sweetie this holiday.
Ingredients
- 3 T. coconut oil (in solid form)
- 3 T. granulated sugar
- 3 T. Splenda brown sugar blend
- 1 small egg*
- 1/2 t. almond extract
- 1/2 t. salt
- 1/2 t. baking soda
- 1/2 c, fine whole wheat flour**
- 1/8 c. chopped pecans
- 1/8 c. dried cherries (chopped if large)
- 1/8 c. cocoa nibs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray two small ramekins (or a heart shaped larger one) with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a medium bowl cream together the coconut oil, sugar, and Splenda brown sugar blend. Mix well. Add in almond extract and egg and mix to incorporate.
- In a small bowl combine the salt, baking soda, and flour. Add the flour mixture to the cookie batter and mix until just combined.
- Fold in pecans, cherries, and cocoa nibs.
- Divide the batter between the two ramekins (or your special heart shaped dish).
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the edges and top are golden brown.
*I used a small farm fresh egg (small because it’s cold and the hens were young). If using a medium or large egg, I would use just the egg yolk. If you wanted to take the heart-healthy theme further, you could use egg beaters.
**The only whole wheat flour I use is Wheat Montana. It is finely milled and perfect to sub in for all-purpose flour. If you can’t find Wheat Montana (try Sprouts or Whole Foods), then use a whole wheat pastry flour.
Ready to go in the oven.
I swapped in coconut oil (for the butter), Splenda blend (for the brown sugar), cocoa nibs (for the chocolate chips) and added dried cherries and almond extract.
Cooling (but not for too long—you definitely want to serve it warm).
I made up the one batch from the original recipe and then a heart-shaped healthier one.
I have to say that I honestly liked my version better.
That is totally a biased opinion.
What are you making for your sweetie this Valentine’s Day?
