Best Salad Dressing Ever!! No really...it is!!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp yellow mustard (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
Combine liquid ingredients, then add sugar.  Make your life a LOT easier by using the same container you plan to pour the dressing with (the OXO shaker is my fave).

Add dressing to the salad in the serving bowl just before serving.  Mix/turn the salad to evenly coat with dressing.  A little goes a LONG way...be careful not to over pour.

This recipe can be modified to achieve a different taste depending on what you're looking for.  Be careful to add a little at a time (like a spoonful) since it's easier to add a bit more of 1 ingredient, than to add several ingredients to balance the taste back out.

Low Fat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

•     1 cup all-purpose flour
•     1 teaspoon baking powder
•     1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
•     1⁄2 teaspoon salt
•     1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
•     2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
•     1⁄2 cup white sugar
•     1⁄2 cup brown sugar
•     1 large egg
•     1⁄4 cup plain unsweetened applesauce
•     1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•     2 cups quick-cooking oats
•     1 cup chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with a non-stick baking mat (I use a silpat, but you can also use parchment paper).

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.  I use a plastic storage container with a lid to shake up these ingredients.  Satisfies the "are we done yet" in me!

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and the sugars. Beat in the egg, followed by the applesauce and the vanilla extract. Working by hand (or if you're like me and too busy to do anything by hand...a Kitchen Aid mixer works perfectly), stir in the flour mixture and the oats, rotating scoops of each until mixed.  Stir in the chocolate chips.

Drop tablespoonfuls of the dough onto the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until the "shine" is gone from the center of the cookies. 

Let cool on sheet for 3 or 4 minutes. The cookies will continue to bake a little bit on the cookie sheet, which will create a soft chewy center, and a slightly crispy outside.  Finally, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Store cookies in an airtight container to avoid losing their chewy texture!