Granola Cookies with Carob

Cookies
YUM
everyone enjoys
a good cookie
this one caught my eye

Granola Cookies
this recipe is with my change ups
click on the above link
for the original recipe
1 cup Butter
3/4 cup Granulated Sugar
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
2 teaspoons Vanilla
2 whole Eggs
2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
½ teaspoons Baking Soda
2 cups Granola, Crushed
1 cup Organic Rice Puff Cereal
3/4 cup Malted Carob

Preheat oven to 350F.

Using your mixer, cream butter. Add sugars and continue to cream. Add vanilla, beat until smooth and creamy


Add one egg at a time, mix on medium speed for 1-2 minutes


remind your helper it's not yet time
to like the bowl


Mix flour, baking powder, and baking soda together in separate bowl, then gradually add dry ingredients to the butter mixture until combined.


Add in granola,rice cereal, malted carob chips. This will get thick and hard to stir; make sure you take the time to incorporated these add-ins well. Feel free to add more nuts or dried fruits.


At this point
your helper can
have the mixer paddle


I found it easiest
to just use my hands
to put the cookies
on the cookie sheets
if you are using metal cookie sheets
line them with parchment paper
I make my cookies
on the smaller side
as smaller people
will be eating them
make sure you flatten
the cookie dough


these cookies
depending on the type
of cookie sheet
took about 15 - 20 minutes to bake
and tasted soooo GOOD


my kids have been
eating them up
and they were
easy and fast
just my style

Orange and Carob Buttermilk Scones

When I first read
Orange and Dark Chocolate
I was sold
wouldn't you be?

I've been into
making scones
thanks to my
good friend Joleen
she shared the secret with me
the secret
of how EASY
scones are to make


Orange and Dark Chocolate Buttermilk Scones
makes four large or six small scones
***I DOUBLED these amounts for a double recipe***

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
**I used half whole wheat,
half white
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
**in the doubled recipe
I used 3 tablespoons total sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
1 large egg yolk
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold buttermilk
**add vinegar to regular milk
to create 'buttermilk'
for 1/2 cup I used 1 teaspoon vinegar
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
**I used Malted Carob Chips


Place rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, sift together flour, sugar, orange zest, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or double knives until mixture resembles coarse meal.
(Please remind me NOT to use a white plate when displaying white ingredients...opps)


In another bowl, combine egg yolk and buttermilk and beat lightly with a fork.


Add to flour mixture all at once, stirring enough to make a soft dough. I needed to add about 2 more tablespoons of milk, I think because I used whole wheat flour.
Fold in chocolate chips.


Turn out onto a floured board, it will look very crumbly


Work the dough mixture until it comes nicely together and forms a nice ball


Roll or pat out into a 1-inch thickness, circle. Cut with a pizza cutter. I cut 9 pieces. these turned out to be fairly large, you could do smaller pieces and end up with more scones


Place on prepared baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees F for 12-15 minutes and golden brown



This is the first
time I've used Carob
in place of Chocolate
they tasted great

my family loves it
when I make these
for a yummy breakfast



Have you tried
making scones yet?


I love hearing from
people who are trying
these recipes
it really give me
encouragement
please leave a comment
and let me know
and if you change it up
for your family
let me know the changes
I'm interested!

Did you Know? - Carob VS Chocolate

What is Carob?

Carob is an edible tropical bean or pod that grows on carob trees in the Mediterranean region where people have been enjoying it for thousands of years.

Carob tastes really good and it looks a lot like chocolate. But in the end, it's NOT chocolate. I don't recommend trying to pass carob off as chocolate. You can't fool a true chocolate lover! They'll know right away that you've made a switch. That could make for a very awkward situation

Carob vs Chocolate: The Good

~ Carob ~

-Carob has it's own natural sugars similar to what you find in honey and fruits.
-Unlike chocolate, you don't have to add a lot of sweetener to make it taste good.
-It's an alkaline food
-Contains 3 times as much calcium as chocolate.
-High in fiber and protein
-Full of antioxidants and polyphenols
-Low in fat (contains about 1% fat compared to 24% fat in cocoa)
-High in vitamins and minerals (contains iron, vitamin B, phosphorus, and magnesium)
-Hypoallergenic
-Doesn't contain any harmful stimulants such as caffeine, theobromine, or theophylline
-Not addictive
-Safe enough for dogs to eat unlike chocolate which can seriously injure or kill them

~ Chocolate ~

-Dark chocolate is high in flavanoids (antioxidants) which may help to lower blood pressure
-Some of the fats in chocolate may help to lower cholesterol levels
-Eating chocolate causes your body to produce endorphins which make you feel good
-Chocolate also contains serotonin which acts like an antidepressant


Carob vs Chocolate: The Bad


~ Carob ~
-Carob doesn't taste like chocolate. But that's not really a problem if you're willing to accept the fact that carob has its own unique and delicious flavor.
-Some brands of mainstream carob chips and candy may contain animal ingredients. Again, not a real problem if you're into reading labels to make sure you're getting a vegan product. Or, you can buy carob powder and make your own carob candy at home.


~ Chocolate ~

-A lot of the antioxidants in chocolate are destroyed during traditional methods of roasting and fermenting the cocoa.
-Chocolate is high in calories and fat (contains about 24% fat)
-One of the fats in chocolate is palmitic acid, a saturated fat. It can raise your cholesterol levels and your risk for heart disease.
-To get chocolate bars smooth and creamy even more oil is usually added
-Chocolate is very bitter on its own. So, manufacturers add other ingredients such as milk, corn syrup, sugar, and artificial flavors to improve the taste.
-Chocolate contains caffeine which is an addictive drug. It stimulates your heart and raises your blood pressure. It can also cause damage to your DNA.
-Contains theobromine which is an alkaloid drug and a stimulant like caffeine. Theobromine may cause acne for some people.
-Contains oxalic acid which binds with calcium in your digestive system and prevents you from being able to use the calcium. It also robs your body of stored calcium and causes you to lose it in your urine.
-Also contains tyramine which is a trace amine that comes from the amino acid tyrosine. It can cause you to have headaches.
-Chocolate makes your body acid rather than alkaline


Here are some of the nutrients you'll find in carob:

Vitamin A
Vitamin B (e.g, B1, B2, B3, B6)
Vitamin D
Calcium
Potassium
Iron
Magnesium
Manganese
Selenium
Fiber
Antioxidants
Protein

Carob is also great because it is:

An alkaline food
Low in fat (contains less fat than cocoa)
Good for your gums, teeth, and bones
Able to help lower cholesterol levels
Free from harmful stimulants such as theobromine or caffeine
Info from Natural Health Restored