50 SHADES OF GREY

…Earl Grey tea that is. Happy Holidays! Tis the season for baking and eating baked goods. My biggest struggle during the holidays is finding a baked good that is rich in flavour, lower in fat, gluten free (my nephew and sister both have celiac disease) and reasonable in calories. So what’s a dietitian to do when she must meet the baked good criteria while not compromising her sweet tooth? The answer always lies within her tea cupboard - whip up a few batches of vanilla earl grey tea cookies! If you are a fan of earl grey tea, then you will not be disappointed. Remember how I told you that Greek yogurt is amazing? Well, it’s making its’ cameo in the recipe below and will likely pop up in many more! With 2016 less than two weeks away, I hope you are thinking about your health and nutrition goals. Will this be the year you take your diet by the reigns? If so, connect with me. Let’s work together as a team to make this year be your healthiest yet.

-keeping.up.with.the.dietitian

Vanilla Earl Grey Tea Cookies

Makes 10-12 cookies

Ingredients

1/8c non-hydrogenated margarine (e.g. Becel Buttery)

1/3c brown sugar

1/8c 2% Vanilla Greek Yogurt (e.g. Oikos)

2 tsp honey

1 egg yolk

1 tbsp 2% milk

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp earl grey tea leaves (e.g. David's Tea cream of early grey)

1c gluten free all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 375◦F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.

In a bowl, cream together the margarine and brown sugar. Whisk in the greek yogurt, honey and egg yolk. Whisk in the milk, vanilla extract and earl grey tea leaves.

Fold in the gluten free all-purpose flour – mixture may be slightly gooey.

Once well mixed, drop heaping tablespoons onto the baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for approximately 12-13minutes or until golden brown.

Once baked, let cookies cool on cooling rack and then store in tightly sealed container for up to three days. Enjoy.

Note - using margarine instead of butter will change the consistency/texture of the cookie. Don't be surprised if the cookie tastes different with the gluten free all purpose flour.

Nutritional Information (per cookie)

Calories: 95kcal Protein:2g Fat: 3.5g Carbohydrates:15g Fibre:1g