One of my mantras for daily living is, “something is always better than nothing.” Get Natured isn't about perfection. It is about the simple pursuit of happiness. Sometimes that means watching the sunrise on a morning run. Sometimes it means forgoing my “to do” list in favor of sharing freshly baked chocolate chip cookies with my favorite person. Health and happiness are both physical and mental. I believe in feeding both.

I am a firm believer that none of our favorite foods should ever be completely off-limits. In my case, a life without chocolate or baked goods is not for me. Even us "health food nuts" have moments where we nearly trip on our own feet trying to get to the kitchen to preheat the oven after seeing recipes like these fresh-baked squares of sinful goodness on the internet.

So how do I handle this? Sometimes a bowl of fresh berries will do the trick. Sometimes not. For those times when only fresh-baked will do, I try my best to modify the recipe to make it lower in fat and sugar. These bars sound A-M-A-Z-I-N-G, but even my soul doesn't need that much butter and sugar. Here is my "health-nut-ified" version of the recipe:

My "health-nut-ified" cookie bars:
3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup ground oats (grind 1/2 cup oats in a blender or food processor)
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 Tbsp canola oil
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup real maple syrup
1/4 brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 Tbsp non-dairy milk
1 Tbsp ground flax or chia seeds
1/2 cup semi-sweet (vegan) chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, chocolate chips, and nuts in a large bowl. Set aside.
2. In another bowl, whisk together flax or chia seeds and non-dairy milk. Let sit for 5 minutes then whisk again. Add the canola oil, applesauce, maple syrup, brown sugar, and vanilla and stir well.
3. Add the wet mixture to the dry and stir gently until combined. Don't over-mix!
   
4. Line an 8 X 8 pan with parchment (or spray with non-stick spray) and gently press the batter evenly into the pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Let cool completely before cutting into squares. If you are using parchment, lift the bars out of the pan by the edges of the paper and place on a cooling rack (this will help to prevent them from drying out).

Note: Because of the lower fat and sugar content, the texture of these bars is more muffin-like than I imagine the original recipe results to be.

1. Add a handful of fresh spinach, romaine lettuce, or other leafy green (iceberg lettuce doesn't count!) to a smoothie.
2. Add grated carrots or zucchini or pureed red bell peppers (or other veggies) to your pasta or pizza sauce.
3. Puree steamed cauliflower in with your mashed potatoes.
4. Replace 1/2 of the oil in a baked goods recipe with pureed carrots, pumpkin, or sweet potatoes/yams.
5. Mix the liquid portion of your pancake batter in a blender and add raw zucchini or carrots or cooked sweet potatoes/yams before blending.
6. Include grated veggies in baked goods: try zucchini or carrot muffins.
7. Add finely chopped greens or broccoli to your soup. If you don't like the "chunks" (as my kids say), try pureeing veggies and adding them to the broth.
8. Add sliced veggies (like red bell pepper) to a sandwich, wrap, or quesadilla.
9. Replace french fries with a side of baked sweet potato "fries".
10. Add broccoli, zucchini, or spinach to lasagna or enchiladas.
11. Make homemade veggie burgers and include red bell peppers, broccoli, carrots, zucchini, or other veggies in the mix.
12. Replace spaghetti noodles with zucchini that has been sliced with a vegetable peeler. Top with your favorite pasta sauce.
13. Add your finely chopped veggies to rice or grain dishes.
14. Make roasted red pepper dip or add pureed veggies to hummus.
15. Try preparing your veggies in a way that you haven't tried before. E.g. if you hate steamed brussels sprouts, try roasting them. Roasting veggies brings out their natural sweetness and they taste great!