Breakfast Fruit and Nut Cookies

Wouldn't it be a treat to have a delicious yet low-fat breakfast cookie with your morning cup of coffee? Try these breakfast cookies for a yummy alternative to high calorie, high fat muffins.

This is a recipe from Tosca Reno Author of the bestseller  "The Eat Clean Diet Cookbook".   This is one of my favorite go-to cookbooks when I want a great-tasting recipe that also keeps you lean.  I made a batch and packed some goodie bags for my evening clients Lynn and Candy.  They loved them and also purchased Tosca's book.  Here is the recipe for you to enjoy!

Breakfast Fruit and Nut Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

1/4 Cup Olivina or Light Oil (I used Land o Lakes Butter with Olive Oil Blend)

3 Egg Whites

1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Dried Figs

1/4 Cup Dried Cranberries

1 Tsp Best Quality Vanilla

1 Cup All-Purpose Flour

1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Flour

1/2 Cup Bran Flakes

2 Tbsp Ground Flax Seed

1/2 Tsp Baking Soda

1/4 Tsp Ground Cinnamon

1/4 Tsp Ground Allspice

1/4 Cup Slivered Almonds

Preparation:

1.  Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.

2.  Combine sugar, oil and egg whites in a large mixing bowl.  Stir in chopped dried fruit and vanilla.

3.  Lightly spoon all-purpose flour into measuring cups and level with a knife.  Combine Whole Wheat Flour, Bran, Baking Soda, Flax Seed and Spices.  Stir with a whisk or fork.

4.  Add flour mixture to egg mixture, stirring until just combined.  Fold in Almonds.

5.  Drop by tablespoon full onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper or Silpat.  Bake for 12 minutes or until almost set.  Cool on pans and transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

*Make sure to let these cookies cool properly on a rack before placing them in an airtight container.

Senior Players Championship

Congratulations to my client John! He got a hole-in-one at The Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship this week at Westchester Country Club! John was lucky enough to have his whole family there to witness! Incredible! Way to go Johnny!

This is a video I made a while back of us training together. "Johnny Be Good" is his favorite song so he wanted it in our video! Boxing is our warm-up every session, everyone is saying "We hear he is a fighter!" HaHa! He loves his new reputation!  

Classic Eggplant Caponata

Caponata is a great Sicilian vegetable dish. You can eat it as a relish or along side chicken, beef, roast pork or fish. This Eggplant based recipe has a wonderful sweet and sour taste, a combination of sugar and vinegar. It's great eaten as an antipasto, spooned over toasted , added to baguette, sandwiches or as I eat it over my grilled chicken. You can serve it hot or cold, or at room temperature. It's an ultimate vegetable dish for everyday.

Ingredients

1/4 Cup of Olive Oil

1 Celery Stalk, chopped

1 Medium Eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 Medium Onion

a few cloves of Garlic diced

1 (14 1/2 ounce) can Diced tomatoes

1/4 Cup Red Wine Vinegar

1 Tablespoon of Sugar

1 Jar Capers (drained) 3.75 oz

Sliced Green Olives (a few tablespoons)

Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper to taste

Fresh Basil for garnish, Parsley (optional) Toasted Pine Nuts (optional)

In a large heavy skillet heat the oil over a medium flame. Add celery and sauté until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the eggplant and sauté until softens, about 2 minutes. Add the onion and garlic sauté about 3 minutes.

Add diced tomatoes with juice, simmer over medium-low heat until the flavors blend and mixture thickens, stirring often, about 20 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, sugar, capers and salt & pepper. Transfer Caponata to a bowl and garnish with Basil & Parsley, serve and enjoy!

Nothing Can Take the Place of Persistence

Quote from Calvin Coolidge.

“Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan ‘Press On’ has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”

Be persistent. If you do not believe in your dreams who will.

Incline Chest Press