Stress Eating by Elvy Howard

As a few people who know me, know, I’ve been feeling a little stressed lately, due to the, ahem, publishment  (I know, publishment is not even a word) of my book, Love on a Half Shell (I’m supposed to insert a link here to the Amazon page where you can get it. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=elvy+howard. Evidently it’s impossible to not promote yourself enough.)

Feeling the stress of this reality, of having worked most of my life towards this goal, only to find out I am completely freaked out that it is actually happening, has prompted my latest urge to Stress Eat.

I have strategy to not weigh three hundred pounds, and one component of it is, thou shalt not imbibe high-fructose corn syrup of any kind. So, if I’m gonna eat anything like cookies or cake, I gotta make it. 

Another strategy in my plan, if I’m ever so stressed that I actually take the time and effort it takes to make some kind of goody, I’ll also have the time to be smart about it, and Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (with optional walnuts) is the smart answer. The reason? They are delicious and even I, in a state of being able to eat the entire house, can’t eat more than six of these. Because they fill you up. And you poop good too, a second benefit to counter-act symptoms of highly stressed individuals. 

 So I’m giving this gift to you, anyone else who gets stressed out there. Enjoy!

De-Stressing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

-1 cup all-purpose flour

-1 tsp baking soda (not powder)

-1 tsp salt

-two sticks butter (I use salted), softened

-two cups packed dark brown sugar

-one egg

-one tablespoon vanilla

-two teaspoons vanilla/nut/butter flavoring

-two tablespoon of Cinnamon and one tablespoon of nutmeg

-three and a half cups rolled (not instant) oats (I love the organic brand I get in the bins at Good Foods Grocery)

-one cup of organic raisins and an optional cup of chopped walnuts for people lucky enough to be married to someone who LIKES walnuts.

In your mixer, beat the butter for at least three minutes. Add all the sugar and beat it for at least three more. Mix in the egg, the flavorings and slowly pour in the flour/baking soda/salt/spice mixture.

When all mixed, put in the oatmeal, raisins and optional walnuts. You may need your hands to accomplish this.

Pre-heat oven to 375. Use parchment paper on cookie sheets or on baking pans. Parchment paper is the bomb and if you’ve never used it, you owe me five dollars for telling you about it. Or, you could go to http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=elvy+howard and buy my book instead.

I use the little ice-cream scoop I bought just for this purpose. But you can use your hands to make walnut sized balls you place on the parchment sheet I already got you to buy, and then flatten them out some with the palm of your hand, and bake. 

Here comes the cool part. If you like chewy oatmeal cookies, bake them for around ten minutes until they are very light brown. 

If, like me, you like them crisp, cook them for around fifteen minutes, or until very brown, let them cool for ten minutes on the parchment and then put them on a rack to finish cooling.

You can’t eat over six, I promise. 

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Elvy Howard's debut novel, Love on a Half Shell, is available in print and e-book at Amazon, Barnes&Noble.com, and coming soon to other online retailers . 

Love on a Half Shell
Three parts love, two parts grit...the perfect recipe to save a family.