If you are one of those, who can’t keep their hands off cookies, here’s a healthy alternative. Why not try baking cookies that are high in fibre content and are made from oats, barley, bran, nuts and raisins. Instead of sugar, you can alternate it with sugar free or a natural sweetener, if you want.

Some just love being in the kitchen, as a stress buster. For media-person Vatsala S., baking cookies is a great relaxer after a hard day at work. “When I go to work I don’t know how my day will shape up. The only thing that brings back a smile on my face is baking cookies made of oats, barley, raisins, white chocolates in my oven and I love to surprise my family. I love the happy look on my husband’s face when I serve him cookies after dinner with coffee. And the greatest thing is that I don’t feel guilty that I am consuming calories,” she shares.
HR consultant Marsha Lewis loves to try out new things, oatmeal cookies being one of her favourites. She adds different variations to make them even more delicious. Sharing her recipe with us, she says, “Yes, I’ve tried out easy oatmeal cookies, it’s very easy to make. The cookies turn out absolutely delicious and the plus point is they are healthy too. I stumbled across the recipe in a cookbook and decided to try it out for Christmas. They were quite a hit. I make variations by adding cocoa powder, peanut butter, honey and even desiccated coconut. People love home-made goodies so if there is oatmeal in the cookie, it doesn’t really dampen your spirits.”
For Gita Arora, it was the concern for her teenage son that drove her to baking. “Jason loves cookies with milk, but endless chocolate chip cookies were ruining his teeth. I looked up healthy recipes and now I bake cookies at home,” she adds.
So what are you waiting for, go ahead and have fun baking!

EASY OATMEAL COOKIES

INGREDIENTS
w 1/2 cup butter, softened
w 1/2 cup light brown sugar
w ¼ cup sugar
w 1 egg
w 1 cup rolled oats
w ¼ cup flour or maida
w 1/2 tsp salt
w 1/2 tsp cinnamon
w ¼ tsp baking powder
w ¼ cup raisins
w ¼ cup walnuts, chopped
w 1 tsp vanilla

METHOD
Add cream, butter and sugar. Sift dry ingredients together. Beat in egg, oats and dry ingredients. Stir in raisins, walnuts and vanilla. Drop a teaspoon on a well-buttered or parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350°F.

OAT AND RAISIN SOFT COOKIES
INGREDIENTS
w 1 cup butter, softened
w 1 cup white sugar
w 1 cup brown sugar
w 2 eggs
w 1 tsp vanilla essence
w 2 cups wheat flour
w 1 tsp baking powder
w 1 tsp salt
w 11/2 tsp cinnamon powder
w 3 cups cooking oats
w ¼ cup raisins

METHOD
In a medium bowl, cream together butter, white sugar and brown sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time, and then stir in vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Stir into the creamed mixture. Mix oats. Cover and place dough in refrigerator for an hour. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets and roll the dough into walnut-sized balls and place two inches apart on cookie sheets. Flatten each cookie with a fork. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool and then serve.

WHOLE WHEAT BRAN COOKIES
INGREDIENTS
w 3 cup whole meal flour (atta)
w 4 tbsp brown sugar
w 1/2 cup bran (husk)
w 1 egg (whisked)
w 1 tsp baking powder
w 300 ml milk
w 75 gm butter or table spread

METHOD
Sift flour and baking powder and add bran and mix. Rub in butter or table spread until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Whisk sugar with eggs and add enough milk to make soft dough. Preheat the oven to 220º C/ 425º F. Knead lightly, and shape in the form of cylinders with 1’’ thickness and freeze it for two hours. Take it out and slice to get cookie coins, place it on a greased cooking tray. Bake for 15 minutes.
(Recipes courtesy Tarun Kapoor, Executive Sous Chef, Metropolitan Hotel)