Healthy Pumpkin Cookies

These healthy pumpkin cookies get their health qualities from the whole-wheat flour, rolled oats and Okara. All are known for their healthy benefits and you get to enjoy them in a pumpkin cookie.

Not to mention the Pumpkin, which is a vegetable and also healthy. You know your Mom always said eat your vegetables. Well just have yours in a cookie!

Okara is the pulp, or residue, leftover from making soymilk. It's healthy because it's full of fiber-- both soluble and non-soluble. It also contains protein, calcium, iron and B vitamins. Firm Tofu blended in the food processor until it's smooth is a good substitute.

Healthy Pumpkin Cookies

1/2 cup white whole wheat flour (Regular whole wheat is OK)
1/2 cup unbleached flour
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup Earth Balance Margarine, softened
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup okara
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375F.

Mix the dry ingredients (flour through salt) in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar. Beat in the okara, pumpkin, and vanilla extract, until well blended.

Add the flour mixture a little at a time to the wet ingredients, stirring well after each addition. Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to drop rounded tablespoons of dough at least two inches apart on a half sheet pan lined with a silpat baking mat or parchment paper.

Bake the pumpkin cookies for 10-14 minutes.

Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Don't tell the kiddies these are healthy pumpkin cookies!

You Might Need:

• Kitchen Supply Aluminum Half Size Sheet Pan 18-inch by 13-inch
  
• Calphalon 12-by-17-Inch Rectangular Nonstick Cooling Rack
• Silpat 11-5/8-by-16-1/2-Inch Nonstick Silicone Baking Mat
• Oxo Good Grips Cookie Scoop