Scottish Shortbread Cookies

Scottish Shortbread Cookies 

This recipe was given to my mother back in the late 60's and has been somewhat perfected by my sister and I (however, we are watched like hawks by our mother when we make them!)  It is an authentic Scottish recipe and it's a "workout" in itself making them! 

 You can do 3/4's of the mixing with a wooden spoon, but the trick is to knead the dough with your hands after you have almost all the flour mixed in. You want the dough to have a "cracked" look which means it is ready for roll-out.   You can use either your hands to flatten the dough or a wooden rolling pin, up to you.  I use a wooden cutting board.  Use the left over flour to smooth over the board before you roll out dough. 
You will also need a Sifter for flour mixture

1lb Butter softened (you can use unsalted / salted) 
1 cup Fruit Sugar - this is in a 500g Plastic resealable bag - Redpath Instant Dissolving Sugar)
4 cups of Flour
1 cup of Rice Flour 


Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar.  In a smaller bowl, mix the two flours together.
Put flour mixture in sifter and gradually sift into the butter/sugar mixture.  
You will want to do this very gradually as it gets tougher to fold it in as you go along! 
(this is where you get your arm workout) !  Eventually you can knead it with your hands until the dough "cracks".  At this point you can take parts of the dough and roll out flat and even.  Make sure the cookies are no more then 1/4" thick as they won't cook well.

Holy Crap These are Amazing Cookies !

"Holy crap these are amazing Cookies!"

(PB and Corn Flake Cookies) 

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Ingredients:
(Makes about 3 dozen cookies)
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1 cup sugar
1 cup corn syrup
1 jar (18 oz ounce) peanut butter, crunchy or creamy (I like creamy.)
6 cups corn flakes
3 oz good quality chocolate of your choice (optional)
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Preparation:…

Combine sugar and corn syrup in a medium saucepan. Place over medium-high heat and stir until the mixture comes to a full boil.

… 
Remove from heat and stir in the whole jar of peanut butter. Mix well.

… 
Add corn flakes to a large bowl. Pour peanut butter mixture over corn flakes and mix well, taking care to coat all of the corn flakes.

… 
With a tablespoon or cookie scoop, scoop out and form into 1-2 inch balls, depending on your preference, and place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or wax paper.

…Put the chocolate (if using as you can make them "naked") in a small bowl and melt in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Stir until smooth.

…Drizzle the melted chocolate over the cookies.

…When cooled, eat these cookies with reckless abandon. Be careful, though. We wouldn’t want anyone to get hurt!

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Enjoy!

"Peace, Love and Fitness" 

Choconana Peanut Butter Smoothie - PERFECT After Workout Fuel !

Start sipping this shake within 15 to 30 minutes after exercise to best replenish, replete, and refuel your body !  

Feed your Muscles to see results of your hard work ! 

Choconana Peanut Butter Smoothie 

Makes 1 serving

3/4 cup plain, fat-free Greek yogurt
1/2 cup 1% low-fat milk
 or Almond Milk
1 medium banana

2 tbsp Peanut or Almond butter
2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract  1 scoop of Vanilla Protein powder (optional) but packs on more protein! 

A combination of milk, Greek yogurt, and peanut or almond butter jacks up the protein to 34 grams, making this beverage more of a post-recovery meal than snack. Banana supplies sweetness and contributes to the eight grams of fiber—which is nearly 35% of what you need for the day. 

Unsweetened cocoa powder provides powerful antioxidants that head off cell damage linked to heart disease and cancer. 

Choose alkaline-free cocoa powder for the highest levels of protective com- pounds. As part of a balanced, low-fat eating plan, a regular dose of cocoa powder can raise HDL (good cholesterol) and lower total blood cholesterol levels, helping to keep clear the blood vessels that supply your muscles, heart, and brain.

Nutrition Facts (per serving):

457 calories, 34g protein, 39g carbohydrates, 8g fiber, 18g fat, 4g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 255 mg sodium

Enjoy ! 

"Peace, Love and Fitness"