Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies

Posted by Michele at 3:38 PM

Originally posted here on March 31, 2011 as "This Isn't a Food Blog"

This morning, I dropped the kids off at my in-laws for their weekly visit. The kids LOVE this visit. When I say "Let's go to Uita and Grandpa's!", immediately, they both start "talking". Maya says "shoes! shoes!" and Bobby walks to the coat closet. I take out shoes and coats and they vie for who gets to sit in my lap first to get ready. Today was no different. I shoe and coat them, and get them in the car, promising that if they keep their shoes on, they can walk from the car to my in-laws' house. This is for Bobby more than Maya, since she keeps her shoes on. We get there and, of course, both kids have shoes on and I have to make good on my promise. Did I mention it had drizzled and everything was wet?

I get Bobby out first and have perfected the art of keeping him inbetween the car and I while I get Maya out. And then they are both down, one on each hand. And we are, the three of us, walking down the walk to the front door. It was a surreal moment and, I confess, I almost cried. I mean, really, when they were born almost 19 months ago, so very early, this was something I had a hard time imagining. And now, they are walking, dragging me by the hand, a second away of saying "Mom, let go- I'm too big to hold your hand."

When I left, I had planned to do my run first (instead of after cleaning). I have my first (of four) childbirth education classes tonight (for my coursework) and have things to get ready. I didnt want to feel hampered. In order to get everything done, I actually stripped beds on Monday, dusted bedrooms on Tuesday, and made sure to scrub counters last night. I didnt love fitting the extra into already busy days, but I would have loved not being able to run or get my stuff together for tonight even less. So, I drove to a park I ran through in the beginning of my running, a year ago... A path that was SO hard. And, it wasnt so hard today. Funny how that works...

I did a 5 mile (at a 5mph pace). And, I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I've fallen into an elevated category of runners.... I peed on myself. I know. I cant believe I'm actually typing that. But it happened. At first, it was this little "oops!" and then, I'm like "DAMMIT! I actually have peed a little bit!" But, I channeled Sarah who would have said something (I'm sure) like "Hey, it's raining and you've already peed... Finish your run." So I did. Wet pants and all. I know... I'm embarrassed... But it's true. You cant make stuff like this up. Of course, getting in the car, I sat on my (waterproof) running jacket... just in case my body had more surprises in store (which it didnt).

After my shower and lunch, I cleaned a little, but my heart wasnt into it. (Maybe the whole peed-on-self thing, I dont know...) I wanted to bake. But I wanted it to be sort of healthy... Like peanut butter cookies! Wait... Peter doesnt like peanut butter cookies... So, a lightbulb moment. What about chocolate hazelnut cookies! You know... chocolate hazelnut... Nutella... Mmmm... I looked around at several different recipes online and finally found one that I could easily modify.

These bad boys come in at only 50 calories a pop. And they are 50 deliciously worth it calories. You only put a little bit of "dough" but it expands to become a large, thin cookie. SO.GOOD. Seriously.

Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies

4oz snack cup (111g) unsweetened applesauce

1/2c splenda

1/2c brown sugar

1 egg

1/2c Nutella (chocolate-hazelnut spread)

1/2tsp salt

1/2tsp baking soda

1/2tsp vanilla

1/2c plus 1/8c all purpose flour

1/4c plus 1/8c whole wheat flour

Mix all the ingredients together. Using a tablespoon, spoon out egg shaped dollops onto a cookie sheet sprayed with no-cal spray. Bake at 325 degrees for 9 minutes.

I know it is hard, but let them cool for 1 minute before devouring them. Really... They are worth it. They are thinner cookies and are a pain to get off the cookie sheet, but it doesnt matter. They are out of this world!! Really... They are that good. (36 cookies/50c each)


(want a modification? for the flour, do 1/3c each of regular AP, whole wheat, and hazelnut and omit the vanilla. ups to calories for 52c per cookie (36 cookies). Totally delicious!!)

Peter's going to be happy when he gets home. In answer to his "are there snacks???" question (because, he's obviously starving away and I never, ever send him to work with lunch AND snacks...), I can say "Actually, there are... But you wouldnt like them." And, while I smile, he'll grab the cookie tin from my hand and rip into them and say... "DELICIOUS!!!" or some variation thereof... At least, he'd better say something like that!

But, it isnt a food blog... I swear... Just a blog by someone who loves food... L.O.V.E.S. it...

(And, in happy news, I've broken the 180 barrier... This morning, the scale read 179.5! Only 9.5 pounds until my goal of Peter's weight!!)