Cooperative Living February 2017 - 40

CommonwealthKitchen
Celebrating
Valentine's Day
with:
Healthy Sweets
& Treats
Ever wonder why so many of us have a sweet tooth? Biologist Jason Cryan explains
that humans' dislike of bitter foods may have an evolutionary basis. Our ancestors
spent much of their time hunting and foraging for their next meal, so we evolved to
physiologically associate a sweet taste with high-energy foods.
Fast forward to modern times, when sweets are readily available and most of us
exercise less than we should. To prevent Type 2 diabetes, the American Diabetes
Association recommends exercising, eating right, replacing sugary drinks with water
and eating more fresh fruit. But if a sweet tooth should strike, here are some healthy
treats for you and your sweetie to enjoy in moderation.
FROM OUR READERS:
Wholesome Oat Cookies
Chris Bowden, Chesapeake, Virginia
Ingredients:
½ cup coconut oil
1 egg
1 small, ripe banana, mashed
1 t vanilla
½ cup agave nectar
2 t orange zest
1 cup flour
¼ cup wheat germ
1½ cups rolled oats
½ cup each coconut, raisins &
chocolate mini chips
½ cup each chopped walnuts &
halved cranberries
1 t cinnamon
½ t salt
¼ cup water (approximately)
Directions: Mix wet and dry ingredients separately, then combine and add enough
water so that dough has a good consistency. Drop heaping spoonfuls on greased cookie
sheet and press lightly to flatten. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until lightly
browned.
FROM OUR READERS:
Valentine Tarts
Diane Hollomon, Prince George, Virginia
Ingredients:
2 8-oz. packages low-fat cream cheese,
softened
¾ cup sugar, honey or equivalent sweetener
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
½ t. salt
21-oz. can cherry pie filling OR
16 oz. fresh cherries
24 vanilla wafers
FROM OUR READERS:
Gail's No-Bake Ricotta Cheesecake
Marcy Alvo, Locust Grove, Virginia
Ingredients:
1
⁄3
cup lemon juice or water,
heated to boiling
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
½ cup honey or equivalent
low-calorie sweetener
16-oz. container part-skim
ricotta cheese
1 egg
1 t vanilla
8-oz. can of peaches, pineapple OR
½ cup sugar-free jam
Directions: In a blender, dissolve the gelatin in the hot juice/water. Add sweetener,
ricotta cheese, egg and vanilla. Blend until thoroughly combined and pour into a pie
plate or one-quart casserole. Refrigerate several hours, until firm, and top with your choice
of fruit or melted jam.
Directions: Line 2 muffins pans with cupcake
liners and place 1 vanilla wafer in each. In a large
bowl, use a mixer to blend cream cheese,
sweetener, eggs, vanilla and salt. Fill liners ¾ full
and top with cherries. Bake 10 minutes in a
preheated 375 degree oven; chill before serving.
Send us your recipes!
We need recipes for these upcoming issues: main
dish salad recipes; sweet, bell and hot pepper
recipes; and cantaloupe and melon recipes.
Please email submissions to commonwealth
kitchen@co-opliving.com or mail them to
Commonwealth Kitchen, c/o Cooperative Living, P.O.
Box 2340, Glen Allen, VA 23058-2340. All published
submissions will receive a $20 Walmart gift card.
38 | Cooperative Living | February 2017
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Cooperative Living February 2017

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