"Healthy" Cookie Recipe

I'm pregnant and looking for cookies that contain at least a FEW nutrients that I need. These are delicious (taste like the fabulous Folk Fest cookies sold at Tall Grass Prairie Bakery in Winnipeg, MB)!

Farmland Flax Cookies

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Makes 108 cookies.

325 ml or 1 1/3 cups butter
300 ml or 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
375 ml or 1 ½ cups lightly packed brown sugar
575 ml or 2 1/3 cups flax seed
3 large eggs
7 ml or 1 ½ tsp vanilla
825 ml or 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
15 ml or 1 tbsp baking soda
750 ml or 3 cups oatmeal

In a bowl, cream butter and sugars; add flax seed. In another bowl, beat eggs and vanilla together. Combine with flax mixture.

Sift together the flour and soda. Mix in oatmeal and combine with other ingredients.

Form dough into 4 cm (1.5 inches) round logs. Place in freezer and chill.

Slice into 0.5 cm (1/4 inch) medallions. Place on baking sheet leaving about 5 cm (2 inches) between cookies. Bake 13 to 15 minutes. Remove from sheet and cool.

*Caitlin's Modifications: Substitute 1 cup flour with 1 cup whole wheat flour and add a whole bunch of miniature chocolate chips! (A cookie without chocolate is like a book without words).

Kickin' My Vinyl Habit

Finally! A fabric shower curtain that doesn't require a vinyl liner!! Hemp is strong, durable and naturally resistant to bacteria & fungi; 95% of the world's ships' sails are made from hemp canvas. Water won't leak through because of the fabric's tight weave. Even better, it's made in Canada.

Many Devices = Many Cords

Cords are the bane of my existence. I look forward to the day when EVERYTHING is wireless (no matter how many damaging waves are flowing through my body)! Until then, there are clever ways to minimize the visual clutter that comes with technophilia. See Exhibit S (S for Super Cool) below.

Friendly cleaners

"Friendly" to both us and the earth. As I prepare to bring a child into my home, my desire to improve the health of that environment increases. Happily, these solutions also benefit my bank account - plain old baking soda and vinegar are significantly less expensive than Mr. Clean and Windex. There are many alternatives to the store-bought varieties of cleaners to be found at Cranberry Lane. I particularly like the Room Spray recipe, as most commercial sprays burn my wee nostrils with their intensity.

Fresh Air Room Spray
(Kills bacteria and eliminates unwanted odours)

50ml Distilled or filtered water
50ml *Ethanol or Vodka
20 drops essential oil (suggest a blend of clove, lavender, lemon, orange, oregano, pine and rosemary)

Instructions: makes 100ml
Mix all ingredients in a spray bottle. Shake well before using.
*Ethanol is often sold as "Rubbing Alcohol"; do not use Isopropyl as it is derived from petroleum.

I like fur?

If I had to list a few of my favourite things, items that might make the top ten are gin and tonics, the colour brown, the house roll at Toshi Sushi, New York City, and my cat Feta. I don't think fur would make it into the top 50, so why am I suddenly getting weak in the knees over these fur blankets?

Then again, why wouldn't I? The sensation of animal fur on human skin is primitive - both Homo sapiens and Homo neanderthalensis clothed themselves in fur. And in general, I'm not against the killing of animals for efficient use by humans, though I don't love the idea of slaughtering another living thing solely for a luxurious coat. Of course, I don't insist the leather on my shoes comes from an animal whose muscle I have grilled for my dinner....hopefully one day (likely when we no longer have a choice).

In the meantime, Vancouver's Ouno Design has made fur more appealing to the ethically conflicted like me. Their "recycled fur blankets and rugs are made entirely from high quality vintage fur and sheepskin coats." Upon finding a table of their throws at a local market, I could hardly suppress the urge to rub my face against their delicious softness. Justly, these fur throws start at $1400 CDN, so my indulging in their decadence will yet remain a dream.

My New Favourite Cookies

These are like a blend of my chocolate chip cookie recipe and my friend Jackie's monster cookie recipe - especially because I substitute half the chocolate chips for m&m's. Chewy and DEEEEEEELISH!! (I HIGHLY recommend that you don't bother unless you double the batch - they will fly off the sheets!)

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

4 servings 24 cookies 22 min 10 min prep

1/2	cup butter
1/2	cup sugar
1/3	cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2	cup peanut butter
1	large egg
1	teaspoon vanilla (or more)
1	cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2	cup oatmeal
1	teaspoon baking soda
1/4	teaspoon salt
1/2 (12	ounce) bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Cream butter and sugars together. Add peanut butter, egg, and vanilla. And mix well.
3. In another bowl mix dry ingredients together and add to butter mixture.
4. Add chips and mix well.
5. Either drop onto pan or roll into small balls.
6. Bake for about 10-12 minutes.
7. Cool for 5 minutes on sheet.