Everything in Moderation

JC and I have recently been on this workout kick. With my love of food, I realized the scale and I were not the best of friends, so I needed to take control. I am a huge advocate of healthy living and eating, but sometimes I am not the model spokesperson. I admit it, I love my sweets. My new rule: everything in moderation. Most of you know my passion for baking. I have decided I will only allow myself to bake if I plan on sharing the goods. I can keep a few for myself, but the rest have to get out of the house. That way I still can have fun in the kitchen, have some tasty treats in moderation, and get to feed my friends all together. I think it is a win-win situation.

Speaking of being gym rats, JC and I have been hitting the gym nearly every day for the past month or so. This is the longest I have ever stuck with a workout regimen. I have tried all the videos P90X, Insanity, Zumba... they just get boring after a while. I can't listen to Tony Horton say "do your best and forget the rest" one more time. Going to the gym has been fun and I have been learning how to use all the machines. I have been switching off between the Wellness Center at UMC and the Rec Center on main campus. I think it is hilarious to see the difference between the two locations. For instance, at the Rec Center, I'm probably one of the oldest people there by a few years. At the Wellness Center, I am probably the youngest person there--by about 40 years. At the Rec Center, you hear frat guys grunting as they lift way more than they should. At the Wellness Center, you hear oxygen tanks rolling on the ground. One of the things I love most about the Wellness Center is that the windows look right towards the smoking deck. As I'm running, I get to watch people smoke their cigarettes while eating a bag of potato chips. It drives me to work that much harder.

With all that said, here is a great cookie recipe. Only make these if you are planning on taking them somewhere because they are addicting. One of my favorite cookies are white chocolate macadamia nut. I found this recipe with a slight twist on a classic. It is an oatmeal cookie with white chocolate and sea salt. The oatmeal keeps the cookie nice and soft and the salt is the perfect touch to compliment the white chocolate. You could easily substitute something instead of the white chocolate, just keeping the oatmeal cookie base. I think it would be great with some butterscotch chips, or dried cherries and dark chocolate, or with some chopped nuts. Let your imagination run wild. The only thing I would have changed would be to use some nice big flake sea salt. I only had some fine sea salt, which was fine flavor wise, but the cookies look so much nicer with the sparkle of those big salt flakes. It's not a big deal, just purely aesthetic.

This is a really really great recipe. Enjoy these tasty cookies, but remember: moderation is key!

Salted Oatmeal White Chocolate Cookies
from Smitten Kitchen

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 6 ounces white chocolate chips (or chopped white chocolate bar)
• 1/2 teapoon flaky sea salt (like Maldon or fleur de sel) (for sprinkling on top)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or Silpat or grease. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and table salt in a medium bowl.

2. Beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Scrape down bowl with rubber spatula, then add egg and vanilla and beat until incorporated. Scrape down bowl again. Add flour mixture gradually and mix until just incorporated and smooth. Gradually add oats and white chocolate and mix until well incorporated.

3. Grab about 2 Tbsp of dough and roll between palms into balls, then place on lined baking sheets about 2 1/2 inches apart. Using fingertips, gently press down each ball to about 3/4-inch thickness.

4. Sprinkle a flake or two of sea salt on each cookie

5. Bake until cookies are deep golden brown, about 13 to 16 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack to cool.