Inspired by the dynamic duo of Dr. Roizen and Chef Jim at the Cleveland Clinic, where I interned last summer, I’m embarking on a mission to introduce culinary medicine in an accessible way – through social media. Every Friday, I’ll be sharing a “Functional Foodie” recipe as part of my job as Patient Care Navigator at Princeton Integrative Health.

With the winter season in full gear, I’ve noticed a growing fear concerning the sugar consumption implicit in the holidays festivities. A couple patients voiced worries of slipping back into an avalanche of cookies, cakes, and more. I get it, sugar can certainly be a slippery slope. But surely there can be a happy medium of satisfying and celebrating a sweet tooth in a healthy way?

Enter my NTD Oatmeal Cookies, with NTD standing for Not-Too-Desserty.

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‘Tis the season to be jolly. ‘Tis also the season to bake trays upon trays of cookies. 

Out of all desserts, biscotti are a must-have for Italian christmases.  This year, I wanted to hold onto this tradition, but shake it up a bit.  Instead of orange peel, why not add grapefruit zest for a floral touch?  And building off of that, how about some coconut flakes too? Above all, why not bake it just once? Gasp!

These cookies are what my mom calls “mangia mangia”, loosely translating to something you can’t stop eating.  They’re crunchy, but have a nice chew to the interior.  The finely chopped chocolate adds some smoothness in contrast to the cornmeal and flaked coconut. 

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Amidst coronavirus, I’m sticking to what I – and a lot of other people – love most: cooking and baking.  One challenge I’ve presented to myself is to make a dish (or dishes) of international cuisines every week, learn some words from the language, and e-visit some of the country’s landmarks.  Some of these dishes will be more complex than others, based on what ingredients I have available in the house.

Greetings from Sweden!

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