Now that the major holidays are over for a while and we don't have the promise of spring for a couple of months we are headed into the biggest danger zone for dieters. It's cold outside! Sweaters cover flaws. You can layer up and if you do nobody can really tell where your clothes end and you begin. During this time of year there are other de-railers too like Valentine's Day, that dreaded day of the year when folks with partners buy each other flowers and candy and those of us without just load up on chocolate. But the biggest diet buster of all is just around the corner...Girl Scout Cookies! I can say no to almost anything when I'm focused on my diet. I've given up meat, white potatoes, white bread, week day alcohol, all hard to resist. But when faced with the Girl Scout Cookie sign up sheet there is nothing I can do to avoid the inevitable. Last year I think I spent $50 on Girl Scout Cookies and I'm pretty sure I ate two thirds of the proceeds. What is it about those darn cookies that make us all go a little gaga? Well lets check it out...
Thin Mints - These are always the first to go at my house. Four cookies equal 160 calories and 8 grams of fat. They are tiny little morsels of chocolate and mint that freeze well and are conveniently packaged with two servings in the box (I know that isn't what the label says but come on, you all know one sleeve is a serving). You have to order at least 4 boxes of these ($3.50 a pop). You may have company and they will need their own. Maybe you should get 5 boxes so you can freeze one for summer...
Smores - Who wouldn't want a few boxes of these? You don't need a fire pit to enjoy the marshmallow, chocolate, graham cracker combo. I don't know how many calories these have because I rip that info off the box the minute I make the purchase. It's just not good for my morale to know that kind of information. You have to buy at least 3 boxes of these, again because company may come and you really don't want to have to share.
Samoas - The GS bakeries describe Samoas as "vanilla cookies dipped in caramel, topped with coconut and dipped in chocolate". I describe them as a sinful peek into heaven. The cookie box will tell you that a serving is two cookies. Yeah, right! Who can stop at just two of these? Well, if you do you'll consume 140 calories and 7 grams of fat. You can make these from scratch, I'll include a recipe below, but it's a whole lot of work and you won't be helping the Girls' out. If you do make them yourselves though you can cut back on the fat and calories with a few minor substitutes.
Do-si-dos - the original is what I am talking about here with the peanut butter in between two vanilla sandwich cookies. Two cookies equals 110 calories and 5 grams of fat. They should sell these with a quart of milk because the only way to really get the full value out of this choice is to dunk them in a cold glass of milk. DAYUM. Must have 4 boxes....no explanation needed.
Shortbread - My all time favorite are the shortbread cookies and I prefer these dunked in coffee. But I am the only one in my family who likes these so I only get 2 boxes. One for now and one for a low mood night on the sofa with a cup of joe and a chick flick...not so bad really, 4 cookies equals 120 calories and 4.5 grams of fat.
Tagalongs - Peanut butter covered in chocolate. What could be wrong about that? 140 calories and 9 grams of fat for two cookies, that's what. But who cares, we'll work it off in the summer.
Those are my main choices but I always get one box of each of the others, you know, to support our youth. And every year they introduce some new flavor that must be tried because, after all, that's how we discovered Smores and Tagalongs...
So now we're into late March and we've gained 10 pounds...just in time to start freaking out about bathing suit season. Thanks to the Girl Scouts.
Homemade Samoas
1 cup of butter, soft (sub Smart brand olive oil butter to cut fat)
1/2 cup of sugar (use Splenda to cut calories)
2 cups of all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking power
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp whole milk (use 1% milk to cut fat)
Preheat oven to 350.
Cream together butter and sugar. Mix in flour baking power and salt and mix on low speed, followed by milk and extract, The dough should come together in a soft, not-too-sticky ball. Add in a bit of extra flour if your dough is too sticky. Roll the dough into 1/4 inch rounds using wax paper and a round cutter. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and use a knife or the end of a straw to cut a smaller center hole. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes until bottoms are lightly browned and cookies are set. Cool for a few minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Topping
3 cups of shredded coconut, 12 oz chew caramels, 1/3 sp salt and 3 tbsp milk, 8 ox dark chocolate. PReheat oven to 300. Spread coconut evenly on a parchment lined baking sheet. and toast for 20 minutes. Set aside and let cool.
Unwrap the caramels and place in a large microwavable bowl with milk and salt. Cook on high for 3 to 4 minutes. When smooth, stir in the toasted coconut and spread on the tops of the cookies.
Melt chocolate in a small bowl in the microwave for 45 seconds. Dip the base of the cookie in the chocolate and place on a clean piece of parchment paper. Use remaining chocolate to drizzle on top of the cookies. Cool completely before storing. Makes about 3 1/2 dozen cookies.
If there weren't enough reasons to buy Girl Scout cookies, here's a recipe that is sure to increase your Thin Mint purchase. It's a modification from a recipe a friend gave me using Oreos and it could possibly be next year's new offering....
Chocolate Mint Truffles
2 boxes of thin mints, crushed finely
1 8 oz package of cream cheese
1 12 ox bag of milk chocolate morsels
Mix the cream cheese and thin mints together and form 1/2 inch balls. Put the balls in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Meanwhile melt the chocolate chips. Take the balls out of the frig and roll them in the chocolate. Put them back in the frig for another 30 minutes. I put them on wax paper both times.
These taste like real truffles and people will think you spent a lot more time on them then you did.
My advise to dieters everywhere this time of year, buy some big sweaters, load up on GSCs and work extra hard in April to get the weight off. There isn't anything you can do to say no to the GSCs.
Smores - Who wouldn't want a few boxes of these? You don't need a fire pit to enjoy the marshmallow, chocolate, graham cracker combo. I don't know how many calories these have because I rip that info off the box the minute I make the purchase. It's just not good for my morale to know that kind of information. You have to buy at least 3 boxes of these, again because company may come and you really don't want to have to share.
Samoas - The GS bakeries describe Samoas as "vanilla cookies dipped in caramel, topped with coconut and dipped in chocolate". I describe them as a sinful peek into heaven. The cookie box will tell you that a serving is two cookies. Yeah, right! Who can stop at just two of these? Well, if you do you'll consume 140 calories and 7 grams of fat. You can make these from scratch, I'll include a recipe below, but it's a whole lot of work and you won't be helping the Girls' out. If you do make them yourselves though you can cut back on the fat and calories with a few minor substitutes.
Do-si-dos - the original is what I am talking about here with the peanut butter in between two vanilla sandwich cookies. Two cookies equals 110 calories and 5 grams of fat. They should sell these with a quart of milk because the only way to really get the full value out of this choice is to dunk them in a cold glass of milk. DAYUM. Must have 4 boxes....no explanation needed.
Shortbread - My all time favorite are the shortbread cookies and I prefer these dunked in coffee. But I am the only one in my family who likes these so I only get 2 boxes. One for now and one for a low mood night on the sofa with a cup of joe and a chick flick...not so bad really, 4 cookies equals 120 calories and 4.5 grams of fat.
Tagalongs - Peanut butter covered in chocolate. What could be wrong about that? 140 calories and 9 grams of fat for two cookies, that's what. But who cares, we'll work it off in the summer.
Those are my main choices but I always get one box of each of the others, you know, to support our youth. And every year they introduce some new flavor that must be tried because, after all, that's how we discovered Smores and Tagalongs...
So now we're into late March and we've gained 10 pounds...just in time to start freaking out about bathing suit season. Thanks to the Girl Scouts.
Homemade Samoas
1 cup of butter, soft (sub Smart brand olive oil butter to cut fat)
1/2 cup of sugar (use Splenda to cut calories)
2 cups of all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking power
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp whole milk (use 1% milk to cut fat)
Preheat oven to 350.
Cream together butter and sugar. Mix in flour baking power and salt and mix on low speed, followed by milk and extract, The dough should come together in a soft, not-too-sticky ball. Add in a bit of extra flour if your dough is too sticky. Roll the dough into 1/4 inch rounds using wax paper and a round cutter. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and use a knife or the end of a straw to cut a smaller center hole. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes until bottoms are lightly browned and cookies are set. Cool for a few minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Topping
3 cups of shredded coconut, 12 oz chew caramels, 1/3 sp salt and 3 tbsp milk, 8 ox dark chocolate. PReheat oven to 300. Spread coconut evenly on a parchment lined baking sheet. and toast for 20 minutes. Set aside and let cool.
Unwrap the caramels and place in a large microwavable bowl with milk and salt. Cook on high for 3 to 4 minutes. When smooth, stir in the toasted coconut and spread on the tops of the cookies.
Melt chocolate in a small bowl in the microwave for 45 seconds. Dip the base of the cookie in the chocolate and place on a clean piece of parchment paper. Use remaining chocolate to drizzle on top of the cookies. Cool completely before storing. Makes about 3 1/2 dozen cookies.
If there weren't enough reasons to buy Girl Scout cookies, here's a recipe that is sure to increase your Thin Mint purchase. It's a modification from a recipe a friend gave me using Oreos and it could possibly be next year's new offering....
Chocolate Mint Truffles
2 boxes of thin mints, crushed finely
1 8 oz package of cream cheese
1 12 ox bag of milk chocolate morsels
Mix the cream cheese and thin mints together and form 1/2 inch balls. Put the balls in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Meanwhile melt the chocolate chips. Take the balls out of the frig and roll them in the chocolate. Put them back in the frig for another 30 minutes. I put them on wax paper both times.
These taste like real truffles and people will think you spent a lot more time on them then you did.
My advise to dieters everywhere this time of year, buy some big sweaters, load up on GSCs and work extra hard in April to get the weight off. There isn't anything you can do to say no to the GSCs.
