Heart Healthy Fruit and Nut Oatmeal Cookies

Ok, do I sound like a commercial? Maybe it's because I am so excited about this new recipe. No more Magic Cookie Bars or Mrs. Fields' chocolate chip cookies. I can actually enjoy a delightful cookie that tastes great without consuming ungodly amounts of sugar and empty calories. So let's do this!

What you will need

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (Healthy Alternative: no cholesterol margarine)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3/4 cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend (equivalent to 1 1/2 cups brown sugar)
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 large egg (Healthy Alternative: egg substitute equivalent to 1 egg)
1 1/3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour (I use King Arthur's)
2 cups dried fruit of your choice (apricots, cranberries, figs, dates, raisins ... be creative!)
Note: You can combine a variety of fruit or just use 2 cups of one kind, depending on your mood. I tried 4 different fruit using 1/2 cups of each - cranberries, apricots, dates and golden raisins. It was a fabulous combination!
1 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts (you can use almonds if you like)

What To Do Next

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cream together margarine or butter, Splenda, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and vanilla.
3. Beat in the egg or egg substitute.
4. Add in the oats, fruits, flour, nuts and combine thoroughly.
5. Drop the cookie dough by heaping spoonfuls on to a nonstick baking sheet. If you have a silicone baking mat, even better!
6. Bake the cookies for approximately 12-13 minutes, or until cookies are beginning to brown around the edges, but are still soft in center. Do not overbake as the cookies will be tough and dry.
7. Remove from oven when done, and cook on a rack.

This recipe will yield about 3 dozen medium cookies.

You can't go wrong with oats! Here are some health benefits

Lowers cholesterol levels
Reduces risk of cardiovascular disease
Enhances immune system
Stabilizes blood sugar
Rich with antioxidants
Loaded with vitamins and nutrients

Cranberries are always a welcome addition to any recipe. They offer a very nice tart flavor to muffins, cakes, cupcakes, breads, ice cream, or any kind of dessert!

HEALTH FUN FACT: Not only do cranberries add color, texture and flavor to your cookies. They are also very high in antioxidants and are known to prevent urinary tract infections.

Aside from tasting wonderful, apricots have so much to offer.

Rich in potassium, iron, calcium, silicon, phosphorus, and vitamin C
High in fiber
Good for anemia
Eases indigestion

Fun fact: Drief apricots have a much higher concentration of nutrients than any other forms - cooked, canned, raw or juice.

Great source of fiber
Powerhouse of energy
One of the best sources of potassium
Contains a variety of B-complex vitamins
Good for the digestive system
Helpful in maintaining a healthy heart
Low calorie count
Low in sodium

Nutritional Highlights
Raisins (seedless)
50 raisins (26g)

Calories: 78
Protein: 0.83g
Carbohydrates: 20.5g
Total Fat: 0.12g
Fiber: 1.04g

Raisins, dark or golden pack a healthy punch! It's a perfectly healthy snack with a relatively long shelf life. They are rich in fiber and antioxidants and has tons of vitamin B which boosts energy. Extremely versatile, they can be a great addition to salads, cookies, cereal, breads, and tons of other foods. Definitely better for you than a bag of M&M's!