Tossing Chocolate Cookies

The other day my sister-in-law came down to visit. Before she left “the big city” she stopped at a bakery and purchased some cookies. She was bringing us down a fancy treat! She rants that they are heavenly. They were a chocolate cookie with some German chocolate frosting and a little chocolate squiggled on the top. Although it was very thoughtful, I could not partake…okay or at least not very much.

The first thing I was told about these cookies was that they were expensive. My first thought was–”They better be dang good for that much cash.” She purchased a dozen, which set her back a little bit of cash, but in her mind it was totally worth it.

She came over and brought three cookies. I took a bite of the first one. It wasn’t disgusting, but I wasn’t good either. The cookie part was okay, but the frosting totally had a chemical aftertaste. I’m sure it was from a tub of purchased frosting. Nasty! I had to tell her it was really good, so I did.

I have been known to “eat dessert first” and then eat dinner, but in this case…I ate my dinner. I left the cookie sitting next to my plate. The whole time I was wondering…”Do I have to eat this cookie? I certainly don’t want to waste any extra calories, and I don’t want to have to run extra miles for this cookie!” I couldn’t go and accidentally drop it in the garbage. Giving it to the kids, would make a scene. I finally concluded the best way out of this was to eat the blasted thing. So I did.

You know what that means…running more miles to work off the cookie.

We were still left with two cookies. No one would eat them. Somehow one of the kids got a hold of the package and squashed them. One thing you need to understand is that I’m not above eating an ugly cookie, as long as it’s “heavenly”.

The next day my sister-in-law was on her way back over. I needed to dispose of the evidence of the mangled cookies still sitting uneaten. I was faced with a moral dilemma! Do I eat these gross cookies, that I don’t like and run a little extra, or do I just throw them in the garbage before she gets here? She’ll never know! They ended up at the bottom of my garbage can.

Yep, I did it. Call me a cookie snob if you will.

What would you do? Would you eat the cookies and run the laps simply because they were a gift, an expensive gift? Or would you silently dispose of them and carry on graciously?

If you’re looking for an excellent chocolate cookie recipe here’s one that people have been known to drive across the state for. These won’t end up in the trash for sure.

And Here’s a delicious German Chocolate Cookie Frosting recipe. I’ve made it a million times, and it’s perfect. There’s a rule written somewhere that Cookie athletes can’t eat store bought frosting. Pretty sure that’s a rule.

We do all know the one main rule of the Cookie Athlete. Work off the cookies.

Lemon Cookies, simplified

I’m not sure why, but I just can’t follow directions—even if it seems important, and especially if there’s no apparent reason for the rule.

“Don’t lean on this.”

“Open other end first.”

“Store in a dark place.”

“Don’t sign below this line.”

“First melt butter and allow it to cool completely.”

Really? That last one is just a trick instruction designed to postpone my cookie enjoyment. I have a recipe that really instructs to melt and then cool. Sorry, but if there’s not a good reason for a rule or a set of instructions—I’m simply forced to ignore it.

For example, when I saw the warning sign at Five Guys (or Five Fat Guys, as my 7-year-old daughter so aptly calls it) I had to disregard the warning—just because. “For safety reasons, do not remove peanuts from eating establishment.” I personally can’t stand peanuts, but that stupid sign forced me to remove a handful of the goober peas from the place. I’m happy to report no harm befell me even though I broke the only rule at Five Guys.

Tonight I again realized, I really can’t follow directions. At the high school track, “No wheels of any kind allowed on the track.” Sorry control freaks, but we like to run in peace, so we allow the four-year-old kid to ride his big wheel on the less than pristine track.

Just now when I realized I’ve worked out twice today and I could use a lemon cookie and a spot of tea. I broke some more rules.

I found a hoity toity recipe for a delicate lemon cookie. The recipe was like three pages long. I couldn’t even read the whole thing. Something about “don’t activate the gluten” and “refrigerate the dough for at least two hours”.

Ha, ha, ha. No way! I want a cookie today.

I’m happy to report my rudimentary skills still produced an amazing cookie. See the speedy version of the recipe below. The lengthy one comes from the knowledgeable and super thorough folks at The Splendid Table. You may prefer their version.

I will say there are some rules I like—all the rules I instate and the cardinal rule of the Cookie Athlete. Only eat cookies when you have earned them. Workout first…cookies second. You can’t earn it ‘til you burn it.

Lemon Butter Cookies

(I started off by halving the recipe, because that’s a responsible Cookie Athlete kind of thing to do.)

• ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature (salted or unsalted, who cares? Tonight I even microwaved it a little to simulate “at room temperature”.)
• 1/3 cup confectioners sugar, sifted (Didn’t sift it!)
• 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature (Yeah my eggs where medium, and fridge temperature.)
• Pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (one rule I always follow. Pure vanilla only.)
• Grated zest of 1 lemon (I used a few drops of orange oil)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar, for coating

Instructions

• Beat butter at medium speed until smooth.
• Add confectioners sugar and beat again until smooth and silky.
• Beat in the egg yolk, followed by the salt, vanilla, and grated lemon zest.
• Carefully add the flour.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Form or scoop cookies.
• Coat in sugar.
• Bake 12 to 14 minutes, or until they are set but not browned.

Ready....

Whether you live in the great state of Utah or not, you’ve probably heard of Alta Ski Resort, right. In fact my neighbor took a trip to France and were proud to report they spied a glorious Alta sticker stuck to the ceiling of a tram they rode. Those of us who love the “greatest snow on earth” beam over such stories.

Those of us who love the greatest snow on earth also take any opportunity to play in the stuff (even if it’s only for a couple hours.) Here’s the deal: any day after 3:00 p.m. one can pay a few bucks to ski out the last hour and a half in Alta’s Albion basin, which is exactly what the my husband does with the kids whenever possible.

Today he took our speed-demon child we lovingly refer to as “Lead Butt”. This appropriate moniker came five years ago when we went to a water park with some Olympian Lugers. These guys know speed. After catching our two-year-old speed bomb at the bottom of a waterslide—they christened her Lead Butt. The name stuck because she performs all sports with intense speed and wreckless passion.

Is she dreaming of Cookies?

Today Lead Butt and her dad hit the slopes. He reports that she is the ultimate motivation for a Cookie Athlete.

“I’m actually really tired from trying to keep up with her.”

In true Cookie Athlete fashion we made treats for the tired skiers. They (the cookies) may sound strange, but this salty sweet combo is the perfect combo. And after keeping up with a little Lead Butt you can indulge in a few of these without worrying about becoming a lead butt yourself.

Saltine Treats

•                4 ounces saltine crackers (about 1 sleeve)

•                1 cup butter

•                1 cup dark brown sugar

•                2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (1 bag)

•                3/4 cup chopped nuts

Directions

1.              Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).

2.              Butter cookie sheet and it with saltine crackers in single layer.

3.              In a saucepan combine the sugar and the butter. Bring to a boil and boil for 3 minutes.

4.              Immediately pour over saltines and spread to cover crackers completely.

5.              Bake 5 to 6 minutes.

6.              Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over the top.  Spread when melted.

7.              Top with chopped nuts.

8.              Cool completely and break into pieces.

9.              Indulge only after intense exercise.

I swam a mile to earn my treats today. What’d you do?

None of this is sponsored by Alta,. We just love snow and cookies.

Here it is, 10:00 in the morning, and I’m sitting down at the computer eating my breakfast. What delightful erdurve am I eating for breakfast you ask? I’m eating a chocolate cupcake filled with a tasty cream cheese filling with coconut and chocolate chips! It’s so good!

The funny thing is, that here in about 20 minutes I’m going to go and run 3-4 miles to try and lose some weight, or at least maintain my current weight. That’s what I’m all about and why I click so well with Cookie Athlete. I exercise so I can enjoy my sweets. I can’t even imagine a world without sweets. Take those away and you’ve taken away everything worth living for, well, besides my kids that is!

When I’m out running and have time to think to myself…sometimes a little too much, I think “Ugh! If I would just cut out my sweets and crap, then I wouldn’t be having to kill myself now!” Then when I’m in one of those moods, or someone has some fresh baked goods, I think “Oh, I’ll just go and exercise later. This little one won’t hurt anything.” Kinda funny how it switches back and forth between the extremes, mostly depending on the situations! If you find yourself relating to any of this, then you are a Cookie Athlete too!

If Garrett Popcorn is your first stop when you’re in the Windy City, you’re a Cookie Athlete. If you eat Garrett Popcorn while on the treadmill you know you’re a gold-level Cookie Athlete, and you deserve every delicious kernel.

If you’re still reading this and wondering what kind of treat can elicited such love? Read on you little sweet tooth. Imagine delicate, buttery caramel coated popcorn and the heartiest cheddar cheese popcorn around. Combine the two (Yes combine them, salty & sweet. Trust us, it’s the best.) and you have the world-famous Garrett Popcorn. Sure they have the plain ol’ flavors too, but here at Cookie Athlete we only recognize the Chicago Mix, as they call it.

Of course, the line outside of the place is crazy, but don’t bail. Wait your turn and enjoy your corn. Otherwise you may end up with a little angry Cookie Athlete on your hands.

Here are a couple stats to help you consume your Garrett Popcorn responsibly.

1. Running a seven-minute mile down the Magnificent Mile will burn 174 calories
2. Eating one serving of The Chicago Mix will cost you 170 calories.

Conclusion: You have a few options for enjoying Garrett Popcorn guilt free. Choose your favorite and enjoy yourself.

1. Run, eat, run, eat. Repeat.
2. Run, run, eat, eat. Repeat.
3. Eat, eat, run, run. Repeat

This review was not solicited by Garrett Popcorn or anyone else, for that matter. We’re just honest to goodness Cookie Athletes with a highly trained sweet tooth.

Doughnut vs. Cookie

So here you have a list of the top ten reasons cookies are better than doughnuts, or in other words, ten more reasons to eat more cookies (as if you needed anymore reasons.)

10. Have you ever heard of a Chocolate Chip Doughnut? Well even if they exist they can’t taste as good as a cookie.

9. Cookies are more portable than Doughnuts.

8. Cookie Jars are cool. Doughnut Jars…that sounds messy.

7. Cookie Monster, the ultimate spokesperson

6. Fortune Cookies are mystic. Fortune Doughnuts are impossible.

5. Doughnut Athlete? I don’t think so.

4. Chocolate Chips Cookies are baked not fried.

3. There’s only one way to spell cookie—delicious.

2. Oatmeal Raisin Doughnuts are just wrong.

1. There’s no hole in the middle of a cookie.

Hopefully you had a good laugh over that top ten list. But seriously, I give you permission to indulge in some doughnuts on this National Doughnut Day, if you must. But when you’re done, don’t forget to work off those extra cookie calories–because that’s what Cookie Athletes do. Go Cookie Athlete!

1. Girl Scout Cookies^® had their earliest beginnings in the kitchens and ovens of our girl members, with mothers volunteering as technical advisers. The sale of cookies as a way to finance troop activities began as early as 1917, five years after Juliette Gordon Low started Girl Scouting in the United States. The earliest mention of a cookie sale found to date was that of the Mistletoe Troop in Muskogee, Oklahoma, which baked cookies and sold them in its high school cafeteria as a service project in December 1917.
2. Girl Scout Cookies were sold annually by local councils around the country until World War II, when sugar, flour, and butter shortages led Girl Scouts to begin selling Girl Scout calendars to raise money for their activities. 
3. Thin Mints are the biggest seller, making up 25 percent of all sales, followed by Samoas/Caramel deLites at 19 percent; and are the third most popular cookie sold in the United States.
4. As of 2005, 71.5 percent of women in the U.S. Senate and 67.1 percent of women in the House of Representatives are Girl Scouts alumnae.
5. About 200 million boxes are sold every cookie season; the Girl Scout cookie program has generated about $700 million per year since 1999.
6. In 1933, Girl Scouts of Greater Philadelphia Council baked cookies and sold them in the city’s gas and electric company windows. Just 23 cents per box of 44 cookies, or six boxes for $1.24 helped girls develop their marketing and business potential and raise funds for their local Girl Scout council program. In 1934, Greater Philadelphia became the first council to sell commercially baked cookies. 
7. Jennifer Sharpe, age 15, of Dearborn, Mich., holds the record for most cookies ever sold, with 17,328 boxes in 2008.
8. There are two licensed bakers, ABC and Little Brownie, that get to propose and name the cookies that they bake.
9. ABC uses palm oil in place of partially hydrogenated oils in order to get to zero grams trans fat per serving for each of our varieties. Palm oil provides the greatest stability so  cookies stay fresh and taste better longer. Palm is naturally stable, and does not require hydrogenation. This allows us to lower our trans fat to zero grams per serving.
10. Weekly ingredients at Little Brownie Bakers:

• Flour: 21 truckloads, 1,050,000 lbs.
• Shortening: 7 truckloads, 300,000 lbs.
• Cocoa: 50,000 lbs.
• Chocolate coating: 500,000 lbs.
• Sugar: 14.5 truckloads, 650,000 lbs.
• Peanut butter: 230,000 lbs.
• Toasted coconut: 75,000 lbs.

The Greeks understood that mind and body must develop in harmonious proportions to produce a creative intelligence. And so did the most brilliant intelligence of our earliest days – Thomas Jefferson – when he said, not less than two hours a day should be devoted to exercise. If the man who wrote the Deceleration of Independence, was Secretary of State, and twice President, could give it two hours, our children can give it ten or fifteen minutes.
John F Kennedy

A synopses of ​​a lecture I recently attended by Jim Rhoades.

1. Rest: “Your body will exact revenge on you later in life for lost sleep. That is why they are called Rest Homes.”

Our bodies regenerate 1 Billion new cells per minute. That means that every seven years our body has replaced every cell in our body. Sleep is when most of the regenerating occurs.

How much do you need? 8 is ideal, 7 + is good. A 15 minute power nap is extremely healthy and can increase productivity, patience, reaction time, judgment, and short-term memory to name a few benefits.

If you increase your hours of exercise, increase your hours of sleep.

2. Stress: “Stress is the silent thief of your health”

Stress will burn energy needed to fight off illness. A stressed out person can have a cold turn into pneumonia overnight.

To reduce your stress:

a. recount daily what is good about your life. Find things to be grateful for and acknowledge it.

b. Fill your life with positive people and books. Find a core book that you can turn to for stability.

c. Perform a T. V.-ectomy. especially the news. Turn it off and leave it off. If something important happens your neighbors will let you know.

d. Find out way to work out your stress. Hint: exercise!

3. Nutrition: “I saw few die of hunger; of eating, a hundred thousand.” – Benjamin Franklin

Many foods are bankrupt in what we really need. Your body then sends the message to go looking for more food ​​​​in order to fill the need. The 3 biggest killers last year were Heart Disease, Diabetes, and Cancer; all three can be headed off by good nutrition.

The average 80 year old has had cancer 6 times; but their immune system was strong enough to stop it before it manifested. Your cells need proper nutrition in order to fight off disease. You must have:

a. amino acids

b. fatty acids

c. vitamins

d. minerals – vitamins and minerals work together; one without the other is useless!

4. Exercise: “Not exercising 5 hours a week, is like not vacuuming your house for a year”

We have 60,000 miles of lymphatic vessels in our bodies. These are what suck up the garbage and send it on its journey out of the body. Moving your muscles is what make these vessels work.

This means that if you do not move the garbage doesn’t leave your body. 72 hours of not moving makes you toxic and can kill you.

There is no way around it. If you want to live longer and be healthy you have to exercise.

You can follow Jim Rhoades on  Twitter

Jim lives in southern Utah. He and his wife Kathy are the parents of 8 children and grandparents to a growing number. Jim has become a nationally recognized nutritionist, researcher, educator and popular guest on radio talk shows discussing proactive, intelligent health and wellness.

Jim’s credits:

• Author (Road to Health)
• Life mission coach
• Educator/mentor
• Instructor and presenter at George Wyeth College, America’s leading statesmanship university
• CEO and president of his own international nutritional products company for 7 years
• Close working association with many universities, testing facilities, biochemists, doctors of nutrition and master herbalists
• Twenty plus years of research in nutrition and disease prevention
• Guest speaker at Harvard Medical School, addressing The State of Food in 2004
• Lectures and presents seminars across the U.S. on health and nutrition