These quick and easy-to-make cookies more than satisfied our nutritionists, along with the sweet tooths of our tasters. Something for everyone! Elena sent us her cookie recipe opens in a new tab to test, saying that she loves to make healthy food for her family and bakes these cookies for her son, who loves them! Her recipe was right on the mark; we added a bit of cinnamon and everything else stayed the same. Check out the full recipe for Cinnamon-Walnut Oatmeal Cookies opens in a new tab. Speaking of "everything else," there's a secret ingredient in these cookies. We received lots of positive feedback on our Secret Ingredient Flourless Brownies opens in a new tab, which call for black beans. So we are hopeful that you'll once again try something new and different: prunes. Yep, one cup of chopped prunes goes into this cookie recipe. As they bake, the prunes don't stand out as a separate flavor but instead add moistness, texture and natural sweetening. And don't forget fiber, potassium and vitamin A! Prunes are a powerhouse secret ingredient. Some of our tasters didn't know the cookies had prunes and never suspected (until we told them... or maybe we never told them... we don't remember!). Additionally, these cookies upgrade your standard fare with:
Walnuts - are packed with omega-3 essential fatty acids, important for supporting healthy brain and nervous system function. They also provide dietary fiber and manganese.
Whole wheat pastry flour (instead of processed white flour) - made from whole grain wheat, this is a very good source of dietary fiber and manganese, along with some magnesium too.
Unsweetened applesauce - a naturally fat-free substitute for some of the butter or oil called for in similar recipes.
Old-fashioned rolled oats - this whole grain ingredient makes all oatmeal cookies a good choice for added protein, soluble fiber, vitamin B1, manganese, selenium, magnesium and phosphorus.
Do you have a favorite recipe using prunes or another secret ingredient? I'd love to hear about it. Please let us know in the comments below. Did you miss the link for the full recipe? Here is the complete Cinnamon-Walnut Oatmeal Cookies opens in a new tab recipe. Got a recipe that needs a natural makeover? Post it in the comments section below! If we select your recipe for a healthy makeover and publish the improved version on our website, we'll send you a $25 Whole Foods Market gift card.
