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Lentil Soup with Crusty Bread and Heart Smart Cookies
by Jes Mostek 		 
In addition to the recipe, you will also need the following for this meal:
  2 cans  lentil soup
  1 loaf  crusty bread

Recipe:
The Ultimate Heart Smart Cookie
by Mary Ross
serves: 32
 

The recipe gives you the cholesterol-lowering benefits of oats and fiber packed dates.





Ingredients:
  6 1/2 T   unsalted butter
  3/4 cup   packed light brown sugar
  1/3 cup   all-purpose flour
  1/3 cup   whole-wheat flour
  3/4 t   baking soda
  1 1/2 cups   regular oats
  1/2 t   salt
  1   lightly beaten egg
  1 t   vanilla extract
  1 cup   chopped and pitted dates
  3 ounces   coarsely chopped bittersweet choc.
Directions:
 


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt 6 tablespoons unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat and add 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar. Stir until smooth.

In a medium bowl, combine 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, 1/3 cup whole-wheat flour, 3/4 teaspoon baking soda, 1 1/2 cuts regular oats and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Combine the butter mixture with the dry ingredients, and add 1 lightly beaten egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, plus 1 cup chopped and pitted dates. Fold in 3 ounces coarsely chopped bittersweet chocolate. Mix well and spoon mixture by tablespoon-fulls out onto lightly greased baking sheets. Bake for 12 minutes or until tops are dry to the touch.

Makes 32 cookies

Notes: Make sure and measure oats as too many will make mixture to dry and it won't hold together. I also used the warmth of my hands to make the cookie into a ball to ensure it stayed together. If you have choc. chips on hand use them instead of the bittersweet choc...that is what I did. I used a whole box of dates...wasn't that much more and added to the chewy part of the cookie. Leave on cookie sheet for a minute or two after baking or they will fall apart. These cookies also freeze very well.