Getting CocoNUTTY!

Well my fellow FOODIES, I have finally fallen in love with coconut oil.  I know, I know, join the club.  But, really, it's amazing and tastes so good in everything!

Case in point: 

Coconut Cookies

Take out butter and replace with coconut oil= AMAZING!

Go ahead, try it!  I DARE YOU NOT TO LOVE IT!

(unless, of course, you don't like coconut, because then  you would really not like these at all)

Ingredients:

*1 cup coconut oil (measured solid and softened in microwave for about 30 seconds)

*1 cup brown sugar

* 3/4 cup sugar

* 2 eggs

* 2 tsp vanilla

* 2 1/4 cups flour

* 1 tsp baking soda

* 1/2 tsp salt

* 1 tsp baking powder

* 1 cup oatmeal

* Extras (shredded coconut, choc chips, white choc chips, nuts, etc)

DIRECTIONS:

*Using the paddle attachment, blend together coconut oil and sugars until well whipped- 3-5 minutes.  Add in eggs, one at a time and vanilla just until blended.

* Pour in half the flour plus the baking soda, salt and baking powder.  Blend just until blended.  Add in the rest of the flour and blend until combined.  Stir in oats and extras.

* Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.

*ENJOY the best cookie that's semi-healthy of your life!

**Mushroom Lettuce Wraps**

About a month ago, Jeff treated me to a lovely lunch at Cheesecake factory- swoon!  One of my favorite places!!  They had this new low-cal lunch menu and we just HAD to try one of the appetizers (since our entree is a full-cal yummy selection).  Well, we tried it and were immediately in LOVE!  

Are you surprised??  I'm pretty sure it's impossible to not love something from Cheesecake factory!  So, as soon as I got home I scoured through recipes online to recreate the magic!  

I found a close match, and, along with some adjustments have found a pretty good substitute for those folks like me who cannot get on over to CF as often as they would like!  

Without further ado...

Ingredients:

*1 box sliced mushrooms (you can get whole ones and slice them yourself, but I found this to be a                                       

        pleasant time saver)

* cooking spray

*2 tsp ground ginger

*2 TBS chopped cilantro

* 1/2 yellow onion, chopped

* 2 TBS soy sauce, low sodium

* 2 shakes rice vinegar

* handful of brown sugar

* (optional) 1 cup cooked boneless skinless chicken, cubed

* 1 TBS green onion, chopped

* 6 long romaine lettuce leaves

DIRECTIONS:

* Heat a large skillet on medium high heat and spray with cooking spray.  Throw in mushrooms, ginger and cilantro and cook for about 3 minutes, until mushrooms soften and lose water.  Add in onion and continue to cook 2-3 more minutes until mushrooms are really soft.  Add in soy sauce (I just do 2-3 swirls around the pan), rice vinegar, brown sugar, and chicken.  Cook to heat through and dissolve sugar.  Remove from heat and add in green onions.  

*Serve with romaine lettuce leaves.

DEVOUR!  YUMMMY!