Pecan Crisps with Cranberries and Rosemary

Hello Folks,

Well this week I’m trying to be good.  I had only 4 small cookies today, hey thats progress!  So this weekend, since my hand is always reaching for the cookie jar, I decided on filling it with something that is small, crunchy, a little sweet and a little savory.

I saw this recipe in my e-mails from the Secret Recipe Club and I was intrigued.  I knew I had to make them, so I checked out The Cafe’ Sucre’ Farine and she made these delectable Raincoast Pecan Crisps w/ Raisins and Rosemary.

I changed up the recipe by using cranberries instead of raisins, and made a little minor changes here and there.  Well the crisps are perfect!!  So instead of grabbing for cookies, I grab a crisp. There filled with pecans, flax, honey, whole wheat flour and more.  There so good.  The Rosemary makes them savory where as the honey and brown sugar make them sweet.  Perfect little snack!

I used a little Trader Joe’s Cranberry Apple Butter for a little added touch!  I made two different sizes, one long and one small.  I ended up using an 8×8 baking pan and two mini loaf pans to make these wonderful little crisps.  I like the long crisps for some reason, but no difference in taste!  Just fun!

Pecan Crisps with Cranberries and Rosemary – Adapted from The Cafe’ Sucre’ Farine

Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 cups non-fat milk, with 1 Tbsp. lemon juice

¼ cup brown sugar

2 Tbsp. honey or maple syrup

1/2 cup dried cranberries

½ cup pecans, lightly chopped

½ cup roasted pumpkin seeds (pepitos)

¼ cup sesame seeds

¼ cup flax seed

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped (I used dried)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add the milk & lemon mixture, brown sugar and honey and stir a few strokes. Add the cranberries, nuts, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, flax seed and rosemary and stir just until blended.

3. Pour the batter into two 9×9″ cakepans or 4 small loaf pans that have been sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden and springy to the touch. Remove from the pans and cool on a wire rack.

4. Allow the loaves to cool completely, then freeze for 45 minutes to 1 hour. This will help you slice the loaves very thinly. Slice as thin as you can and place the slices in a single layer on a sheet pan that has been lined with parchment paper.

5. Bake at 300˚F for about 15 minutes, then flip them over and bake the slices for another 10 minutes until crisp and golden. Let crisps cool for about 10 minutes, if not super crispy, return to oven for another 5-7 minutes. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Makes about 4 dozen long thin crisps (made in the 9×9″ pans) or 6 dozen square crisps (made in the small loaf pans).

Serving Size: 77 pieces

Calories per piece:  32.5,  Fat:  1.2,  Cholesterol:  .01,   Sodium:  39,  Potassium:  15,  Carbs: 5,  Fiber:  .08,  Sugar:  1.9,  Protein:  1

Enjoy!

You should check out The Cafe’ Sucre’ Farine.  She seems like a sweet lady with a lot of wonderful recipes.  I plan on trying more!!

Since you have the basic recipe, I am betting you could add other goodies.  If you don’t like rosemary, add sage or thyme.  Or change the whole thing up by adding walnuts, raisins and cinnamon. So many different ways to go with this recipe.  I’m thinking the raisins and cinnamon would be so good!!

I’m really trying to do my exercises, but I feel like slacking, my body is a little tired, but I must push myself, so here is last weeks Exercise Recap.  Giving this to you makes me accountable.  Hey, by the way what kind of exercise do you do and when you feel lazy, how do you get yourself out of it?

Sunday – Nothing

Monday – 50 minutes kickboxing, 10 minutes jump roping

Tuesday – Ab workout, 11 minutes Circuit Training, 40 Minutes Jump Roping, 1.43 Mile walk

Wednesday – 10 Minutes lower body, 40 Minutes kickboxing, 10 inutes jump roping

Thursday – Nothing

Friday – 20 minutes jump roping

Saturday – Nothing

Total Burn:  1916,  Goal:  1700 (yah!)

Well I am off, I need to make some peanut butter or I may end up going through withdrawals and thats not good!  Have a great day!!