Cinnabun Cookies

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Mmmmmmm, these taste like a crispy cinnamon roll from Cinnabon! I made a batch and brought them to my group of women in a weight loss series of classes that I am teaching for the month of October. We meet every Monday night and it is a blast. Healthy treats that keep insulin low, make losing weight easy.

Whey protein can help suppress appetite. A recent study, published in the British Journal of Nutrition, found a fantastic effect when people consume whey protein before meals. In this study, the participants drank a 400 calorie beverage 90 minutes before eating a test meal. They split the test subjects into 4 groups to see how many calories they consume after their test beverage:

Group 1 = placebo – 987 Calories
Group 2 = 12.5% protein beverage – 841 Calories
Group 3 = 25% protein beverage – 808 Calories
Group 4 = 50% protein beverage – 681 Calories

This is just one of the many benefits to adding whey protein to your snacks and desserts...it helps with portion control!

I never use white or "whole wheat" flour in any of my recipes. Do we have anyone who is celiac in my family, no, BUT I do understand the connection of what wheat does to our body and cells when we consume it. This is why I replace flour with whey protein and nut flours. This is really a great video of Dr. William Davis (author of Wheat Belly) describing why no one should consume wheat. It is worth everyone watching.  CLICK HERE to see the entire video (3 parts).

If you are looking for more information like this, Dr. Davis wrote the foreword to my book "Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism".  Get you copy HERE.

Do want to learn more on how to eat the foods you love and still lose weight? Or do you need a little encouragement to help you stay on track or supplement ideas for beating those cravings? Even if you are a pretty savvy dieter, I am teaching a Maximize Your Metabolism class on Sunday January 6th from 5-7pm central in my home office in River Falls, WI (email for more details). This class will really help you emotionally to "stay the course" and continue on the journey to health!

The class is only $25. Pre-registration is required. For those of you who are out of the area there will be a Skype option. The Skype option will be limited to the first 25 people (so sign up fast) and you get a PDF of the slides to follow along with the Skype audio and video to recap the conversation.

To sign up, please email me at: craigmaria@gmail.com

"HEALTHIFIED" COOKIES:
1/2 cup Blanched Almond Flour
1/2 cup Jay Robb vanilla whey protein
1/4 cup Swerve (or erythritol and 1/4 tsp stevia glycerite)
3 TBS butter, softened
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg

FILLING:
3 TBS butter, softened
3 TBS cinnamon
3 TBS Swerve (or erythritol and 1/4 tsp stevia glycerite)

FROSTING:
6 TBS cream cheese, softened
3 TBS butter, softened
2 TBS unsweetened almond milk
2 TBS Swerve (or erythritol and 1/4 tsp stevia glycerite)

 Preheat oven to 325 °F (165 °C). Sift almond flour with whey, natural sweetener and baking powder. Add the butter and 1 egg into the dry mixture and mix well until you have a smooth dough. Place a sheet of plastic wrap on counter, then grease or spray with baking spray. Place dough on greased plastic, push the dough down a bit, and grease with another layer with coconut oil or spray. Top with another sheet of plastic wrap. Roll the dough out with a rolling pin until a long rectangle shape (9x12) or so. Then remove the top layer of plastic. 

Cinnamon filling: Mix 3 tbsp (45 mL) butter, 3 tbsp (45 mL) cinnamon, 3 tbsp (45 mL) erythritol and ¼ tsp (1 mL) stevia glycerite together. Use to spread evenly over the dough (make sure the top layer of plastic is off the cookie dough). Roll up dough using the edge of the plastic to make a tight log. Cut into 1/2inch pieces. Bake for 8 minutes or until baked through (insert a toothpick to check doneness...the toothpick should come out clean).

 Cream cheese frosting: In a medium bowl, blend 6 tbsp (90 mL) cream cheese, 3 tbsp (45 mL) butter, 2 tbsp (25 mL) unsweetened almond milk, 2 tbsp (25 mL) erythritol and 1/4 tsp (1 mL) stevia glycerite until very smooth. It will thicken up overnight.

Nutritional Info: Make 24 cookies
Per Roll with frosting: 69 calories, 0.8 carbs, trace fiber, 2g protein, 6.5g fat
Per Roll without frosting: 43 calories, trace carbs, trace fiber

Cinnamon Fun Facts!

1 teaspoon of cinnamon per day can lower LDL cholesterol. Cinnamon has a regulatory effect on blood sugar, making it especially beneficial for people with type II diabetes or anyone who wants to lower insulin levels. It has shown an amazing ability to stop medication-resistant yeast infections. Cinnamon has an anti-clotting effect on the blood. Taking cinnamon in the morning can provide significant relief in arthritis. When added to food, it inhibits bacterial growth and food spoilage, making it a natural food preservative. It is also a great source of manganese, fiber, iron, and calcium!