“Now is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions. Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual.”
– Mark Twain
Now that the holidays are pretty much in the rearview mirror, it’s time to look at the year ahead. A new year is an opportunity for a reset, a time to ponder changes in our habits to achieve a healthier lifestyle. Each year I make resolutions at the beginning of January that I promise myself I won’t break, no matter what. Well, you guessed it. Most of those promises turn into epic fails, usually by mid-February. Let me put it this way: I’ve been chasing the solution to lose the same 10-plus pounds since I was 22 years old. My commitment to “change” and be more diligent usually fades quickly. I promised to reach out my hands in love and friendship, but more often than not they ended up clutching a slice of gooey pizza or a chunk of freshly made crumb cake from Danziger’s Bakery.
As I got older, I got more serious about eating healthy. I exercised more and ate a more sensible diet. I actually followed through on those resolutions. Those extra pounds that had held onto my waistline with tenacity were gone. Then a bump in the road came along (a sinkhole, actually) and it was then that I decided to move to Maine, eventually settling in Harpswell. It felt great. I was determined to hit that curveball that life threw at me right out of the park, and I did just that. I was once again content and, you guessed it, those pesky pounds made a comeback.
I have now vowed to make 2025 the year of vegetables and to focus on more exercise and a low-carb lifestyle. However, I will not deny myself the occasional craving for something delectable. Many folks are on a sugar-free and low-carbohydrate diet. This diet is not only for weight loss; it is a medical necessity for many. It’s long past time that I offer a sugar-free option to those whose diets are restricted. That is where these tasty cookies from Ellen Hoebeke come into play.
Ellen and her husband, Dan, have been volunteers with Harpswell Aging at Home for several years. They live on Orr’s Island.
Ellen is an amazing cook, and I’m grateful for the variety of goodies she always has to offer. I hope these cookies fulfill the hankering for something sweet, especially for those who must limit their intake of carbohydrates and conventional sugar or corn syrup.
Five-carb sugar-free almond drop cookies
Ingredients:
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1/2 cup Splenda for baking (I use Pyure bakeable stevia)
- 1/2 cup softened butter
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 egg
- Whole almonds
Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
With an electric mixer, blend the softened butter for a minute. Add remaining ingredients, except the whole almonds, and mix together until smooth.
Form dough into walnut-size balls. (If the dough is too warm to form into balls, chill for about 15 minutes.)
Place balls on a cookie sheet. Keep enough space (1-2 inches) between them that they keep their shape when you have to move them.
Bake for 15-18 minutes. (The cookies will not brown.)
Take the sheet out of the oven. Let cookies cool completely, about 5-8 minutes, before moving them off the sheet. While they cool, gently push an almond on its long side on top of each cookie.
If desired, drizzle a little melted sugar-free chocolate across the top. Wait until cool before moving.
Be careful when moving these cookies, as they are fragile. Enjoy!
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Now that 2025 has arrived, don’t be concerned with goals that aren’t reachable or resolutions you weren’t able to achieve in the past. Doing your best is what’s important. Treat every day as a gift, because it is. Happy New Year!
Cooking at 43° North, a program of Harpswell Aging at Home, brings together Harpswell residents for cooking programs, in person and online. Watch the Anchor calendar for listings.
Harpswell Aging at Home always needs cooks for its Meals in a Pinch program, which provides nutritious meals to older adults in need of emergency assistance. For more information, contact Julie Moulton at 207-330-5416 or juliemoulton28@gmail.com.
