Whether your family is religious or secular, Easter is the time of the year when families come together to over indulge in chocolate bunnies, chocolate eggs and pretty much anything that contains a hint of cocoa. There is, however, a way to go the healthy route if you’re trying to stay on track with your diet:
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Choose Cocoa!
High-cocoa Dark Chocolate (70% or more) contains powerful antioxidants, decreasing blood pressure, improving blood vessel health, and lowering cholesterol levels. Cocoa also has potential in preventing heart disease.
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Try small portions
No one said you should eat all fifteen chocolate eggs at once, so keep it simple. Don’t deny yourself that treat, otherwise you’ll probably be miserable watching everyone else enjoying Easter and feel guilty for secretly sneaking a few Easter bunnies when no one’s watching.
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Make it yourself.
Treats on the grocery shelf usually contain a lot more sugar and calories than your home made version, so why not try this guilt free Easter Egg Cookies Recipe. You can even let the kids help decorate!
Ingredients
Icing:
Preparation
1. To prepare cookies, spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.
2. Place granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 5 minutes). Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla and egg. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed until blended.
3. Place dough between two sheets of plastic wrap. Roll dough to a 1/4-inch thickness. Chill 1 hour.
4. Preheat oven to 190°.
5. Cut dough with a 2 1/4-inch egg-shaped cutter. Place cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 190° for 8 minutes or until edges of cookies are browned. Cool cookies 1 minute on pan. Remove cookies from parchment; cool completely on a wire rack.
6. To prepare icing, combine powdered sugar, milk, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla; stir until smooth. Add food coloring, if desired. Stir well. Spread or pipe icing onto cookies.
Calories: 90
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Get in on the action!
Hunting for Easter eggs can be quite a workout, so why not join the kids and have some fun. Walking for 30 minutes can burn between 100-200 calories, and you can bond with the kids at the same time. It is after all a family weekend.
So before you start stressing about all those calories you’re about to consume, take a step back, remember why you’re celebrating this weekend, and enjoy your family, you only have one.
