About Moi

About Moi
My Name is Brittany, and I'm 23yrs old. I was diagnosed with Lupus when I was 15, and then diagnosed with RA, when I was 18. I also got married when I was 18, and I'm enjoying my happily ever after with my hubby! When I got married, I was slim and trim...But not for long. After getting married, I started to gain a LOT of weight! In 1yr, I gained 50lbs! Finally, I went to the Doctor, where I discovered I have low thyroid. After being put on medicine, my weight gain slowed down, although over the next 3yrs, I gained an additional 26lbs. When I was 20yrs old, I got yet another diagnoses of Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome. That's 4 diagnoses in a 5yr period, if you lost count. They all effect my weight, in one way or another. Add on top of that, my love affair with food, and every 1 of those 76lbs gained was accounted for. Being 76lbs over weight is unhealthy for anyone, but it was especially unhealthy for me, and my health issues. Since starting this blog, in Jan-2010, I have lost 40lbs! I'm a new, slimmer, and healthier me! Before losing weight, I was told I needed knee replacements. Losing weight was the ONLY tool I had to help me hold off on that life changing surgery. Since losing 40lbs, my knees have never felt better! My husband and I are also trying to start a family, but my PCOS was not going to make it as easy as 1,2,3, as I didn't have periods on my own. My doctor had told me if I wanted a baby, I HAD to lose weight. Since losing 40lbs, I've had regular cycles for the first time in my life! Which is very important when trying to have a baby ;) This journey of mine is more than me simply wanting to wear skinny jeans. It has been a quest to becoming :Deliciously Healthy, so ALL of my dreams can come true! I'm almost half way there! With each new day, I get closer and closer to my goal of 120lbs, and becoming :Deliciously Healthy!

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

12 Days of Christmas Cookies- Day 1: Swirled Mint Cookies

This holiday season, we can give ourselves the gift of being healthy, and reaching our weight loss goals, while still enjoying our holiday baking! We can have our Christmas cookies, AND look good for Santa ;) For the 12 Days of Christmas Cookies, I will make healthy cookies, during each of the 12 days of Christmas!

On the first day of Christmas, your true love made for you, Swirled Mint Christmas Cookies.


I was so excited to make these cookies, because of their colorful Christmas colors.
And I got to play with food coloring. Which is always awesome.

So I blasted Josh Groban's Christmas CD, and got started.

first, you make the cookie dough, which was very simple.
Then you divide your dough into thirds. With food coloring, die one third red, one third green, and leave the last third white (plain). Let the dough chill out in the fridge for an hour.
Then the real fun begins! Divide each portion of dough into four equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 12-in. rope. Place a red, green, and white rope next to each other. Cut through all three ropes at 1-in. intervals, forming sets of three differently colored doughs. And repeat. Next roll each set into a ball. Place on a baking sheet, and flatten. Pop them in the oven, and bam! You've got perfect, minty, Christmas cookies!Each cookie is only 59 calories! So I had 2.
Get the recipe HERE.

These were so much fun to make. They definitely helped spread Christmas cheer throughout our home. I think kids would have a blast making these.

Want a healthy Christmas cookie tip?
Freeze your cookie batter, and only pull a few cookies out at a time to bake. This helps to limit your Christmas cookie intake :D
I'm excited for the 2nd day of Christmas!

What's your favorite Christmas CD?

13 comments:

Red Deception said...

Where does the mint come in?

Unknown said...

@Red Deception...there is peppermint extract in the recipe. =)

Brittany!!! These look like so much fun to make! Thank you, my kids and I will have so much fun making them!!!

I can't wait to see what else you've got up your sleeve.

:Deliciously Healthy said...

You mix in mint extract when you're making the cookie dough. It explains everything in more detail if you click on the recipe link. :D

xo

Michelle said...

These look yummy. I think I might try them without the mint extract though.
As far as Christmas cd's my current favorites are both of the cds by the acapella group "Straight No Chaser" - They're fun and kind of give a different edge to the traditional songs.

Natalie's Quest said...

I made vanilla/choc cookies in a similar way once before, but instead I twisted the ropes of dough together and cut into short lengths. These would be great like that, you could even make them curve like a candy cane.

Ak said...

These are so pretty and low calorie- awesome!

erica said...

these are my favorite Christmas cookies! I absolutely love them!

xo

Jess said...

Great idea...you are right! Kids would love them.

I love Amy Grant's Christmas CD. Sweet songs!

Bella said...

OMG! Those look so cute. I'm going to make these with my nieces next week! Thank you for sharing.

I'm really enjoying my Glee Christmas album this year, but my favorite Christmas album is Michael Buble's "Let it Snow." I also love Barbra Streisand.

Jenn@slim-shoppin said...

How fun! My kids would love this project!!

Paul and Whitney Rohrbaugh said...

These are so pretty! I want to make them! :-)

Carina said...

I made them and linked to you on my blog today where I posted about them. I was okay with the taste, not my favorite at all, but they're so pretty and colorful that I think they'll be a regular inclusion on my holiday baking list. They'll look very pretty in plates and tins for the ones I give away. And I like them enough to eat the remainder! Thanks for the idea.

:Deliciously Healthy said...

Hehe, glad you tried them. If you like the look of the cookies, but not the taste, you could either follow the recipe, but leave out the mint, or you could make your favorite sugar cookie batter, and just follow the dieing and assembly directions from there :D