The holidays have arrived with sweets galore: candy canes, cookies and cake. Even if you're watching what you eat, this is the time when those good habits seem to go out the window. Wait! Homemade cookies can give you the tasty treats you want with a bit of healthy goodness and portion control. Nothing says love and caring like something homemade and healthy!uava all give you a super dose of vitamin C with a sweet juicy taste. 

With cookies, it's taste, taste, taste. Without missing a nibble of delicious, these cookies can make the holidays a bit healthier and save time. Try these No-Bake Date Jingle Bell Balls with dates, nuts, cranberries!

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup pitted and snipped dates
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1/3 cup chopped pistachios, preferably unsalted
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans
• 1 tsp rum extract
• 2/4 cup shredded coconut

Preparation

• Combine sugar, cranberries, dates and eggs in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, is pale yellow in color and a spoon, pulled through it, leaves a clear trail. 6 to 14 mins, depending on how hot your stove's "medium-low" setting is.
• Remove from the heat; stir in pistachios, walnuts, pecans, rum extract. Let stand until cool enough to handle, about 45 mins.
• With damp or lightly oiled hands, form the mixture into 1-inch balls (about 1 generous tsp each). Roll each ball in coconut.
• Place the finished balls on a baking sheet lined with wax paper and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days!

Add a touch of health to your holiday cheer. Cut the calories by using applesauce. (See Tips Section). Toss nuts and pieces of fruit and molasses into your sweet cooking. Look for white whole wheat flour and use it to replace half your regular flour.  

Now all you have to think about is caring and sharing. That's what the holidays are all about! 

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HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM HARVEST HOME!

Puerto Rican Meringues

Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 egg whites
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 1/2 tsp grated lemon zest

Preparation

• Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a large clean glass or metal bowl, whip the egg whites with salt and cream of tartar until they can hold a soft peak. Gradually sprinkle in the sugar while continuing to whip to stiff peaks. Fold in the lemon zest. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake for 35 mins in the preheated oven, or until they peel off of the sheet easily. Cool on wire racks, then store in an airtight container at room temperature.

More Cookies That Delight

• Dark Chocolate Florentines: Lacy cookies with a chocolate middle.
• Almond and Honey Butter Cookies: Butter cookie taste without too much fat!

Fun, Taste AND Health

Tips

 Cookie Share Party with your family or friends. Kids love to help make cookies and are pleased to tell everyone, "I made these." It's a festive way for busy neighbors to gather, have some fun and get ready for the holidays.

Nuts add extra crunchy taste and health: Almonds have more calcium than milk; pecans have vitamins A,B and E, plus lots of those minerals you need!

Cut the Calories with Applesauce and Up The Taste!

• 1 egg = 1/4 cup of applesauce
• Oil or butter: Use the same amount of applesauce instead of the oil or butter (IE: 1/4 cup of applesauce = 1/4 cup of oil or butter).

Replace either the eggs OR butter and oil in your cookies with applesauce!

• Crispy Cookies: Use applesauce in place of eggs or use applesauce to replace 1/2 the butter or oil.
• Soft, Chewy Cookies: Use applesauce to replace the eggs or all the butter.

Another Cookie Delight

• Orange Spice Molasses Cookies from Eating Well

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

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