My mornings used to look like this:
Drag myself out of bed before sunrise, grab a quick snack while lacing up my sneakers, then rush out the door—rain or sun or snow—to run 7 or 8 miles.
My mornings now look like this:
Wake up and lazily contemplate getting out of bed for a while before actually moving. Eat a big breakfast. Stay in the kitchen to start the day’s baking experiments while still in my pajamas. Honestly, I thought I was going to really miss it when I made the decision to give up running… but that’s not the case at all!
For instance, yesterday morning’s first baking experiment involved oatmeal and raisins and brown sugar and cinnamon, leading me to ponder: Run 8 miles through the Texas heat, or sit on my couch eating oatmeal raisin cookie dough?
If only all questions were so easy to answer.
Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Dough Dip
Adapted from the original: Cookie Dough Dip
- 1 can chickpeas or white beans, drained and rinsed very well (250g after draining)
- level 1/4 tsp plus 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup rolled oats (20g)
- 2/3 cup brown sugar or coconut brown sugar (150g)
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 3 tbsp oil (30g) or 1/4 cup nut butter of choice
- 2 tbsp applesauce
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup raisins (78g)
- 1/2 cup more rolled oats (40g)
Combine first 10 ingredients in a food processor and process very well, until it is completely smooth like cookie dough. (Some commenters had success with a blender, but I did not. Try at your own risk and know the result will be better in a high-quality food processor such as a Cuisinart.) Add the last two ingredients, and blend again—either a little for a chewier dip, or until completely smooth again for a creamier dip. Serve with apple slices, graham crackers, pretzels, fruit skewers, bananas, cookies, use to top pancakes, or whatever else you wish. Note: The raisins give extra texture and sweetness. If you need to omit them, you will have to experiment. For recipe troubleshooting on this or any recipe, see the Recipe FAQ page at the top of the blog.
Click for: Oatmeal Cookie Dough Dip Calories & Nutrition Facts
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I don’t understand why you are using baking soda if you aren’t baking this?
To give it the taste of cookie dough! 🙂
Baking soda is a leavening agent, it doesn’t contribute to the taste of cookies or cookie dough.
Is one able to omit baking soda from a recipe in general? Or is there some sort of replacement I’d have to substitute in place?
Hi EVA, I saw your comment and figured I’d reply! In a baked good, you usually can’t subtract the baking soda without it changing the final product. In a no-bake recipe like this though you can leave it out without much change in the final taste. The general rule for baked goods though is using 2 or 3 times the amount of baking soda called for in baking powder instead.
Thank you for da info! I don’t have baking soda, and MOST of the recipes I follow don’t require it, so I don’t want to waste money buying a tub that’ll go sour before I even get a fourth of the way through it. I’ll have to try the super-baking powder method, thank you!
Have you ever left baking soda out of cookie dough and tasted it? Maybe I’m an oddball, but personally I have. Yes, it tasted fine, but it did in fact taste different with the baking soda subtracted.
I’m not saying I disagree with you though, I’m 100% sure that you could leave it out like you were suggesting and it would taste fine!
Check out these other edible cookie dough recipes with baking soda: http://www.kailleyskitchen.com/2013/12/19/edible-eggless-cookie-dough/
http://theroyalcook.blogspot.com/2013/09/edible-chocolate-chip-cookie-dough.html
Hey there, Skipper –
Actually, the baking soda does add flavor to cookie dough. It gives it that slight basic “twang” that we associate with uncooked dough. 🙂
Wow! You must really plan recipes in advance if you wrote this back while you were still in Texas! 🙂
I definitely do like to plan recipes in advance! 🙂
However, this one was actually written last night and mentions Texas simply because that’s where I spent the bulk of my years as a runner.
Ah. I see 🙂 I was going to say… You are a superstar for writing posts months in advance. Well, you’re still a superstar though. Haha.
Superstar? It’s not that difficult to write posts when they consist of approximately 10 sentences with zero interesting content, practically the same picture posted 5 times, and a recipe that’s merely a half-hearted attempt to revamp a previously posted recipe.
No. You’re right, you are the superstar because you are being a DIVA. Katie is a superhero for the way she is treated by some people. She provides all of these recipes for free and asks nothing in return. Seriously, when has she asked anyone for a dime for herself? (Aside from ads of course… but really, how much can those make?)
Oh wow I came on here to comment on how good the cookie dough looks and was not prepared to see such nasty comments.
I can find at least four different photos on this post and unfortunately can also find a lot of jealousy in Betty’s comment. Betty, if it is so easy to be a full time blogger, why do you not leave Katie alone and become one yourself? Please take your nastiness elsewhere.
Recipes and content here are provided for free. No one is forcing you to read this or make the recipe. There’s no need to be so nasty.
It’s also worth pointing out that every variant of this dish (original, brownie, oatmeal cookie dough, etc.) tastes quite different, and I very much doubt that the effort that went into creating each one was “half-hearted.”
Hi Katie! You are such an inspiration! Thank you so much for sharing your story of not running anymore. I myself am an over-exerciser and hate it. I feel like a slave to it. I wish I could be as strong as you to just give it up. It would be so much healthier for me not to drag myself to work out 2 1/2 hours everyday. Can you offer any tips to stop the madness? Sitting on the couch eating your cookie dough would be so wonderful!
I don’t know if everyone would have the same experience, but what worked for me was to walk in the mornings instead of run. That way, for a while, I still had the same routine. (Now I sometimes walk in the afternoons or just while out during the day instead.) The first day of not running… it’s going to be hard, especially if you’ve been a runner for many years like I was. But you’ll soon get into a new routine. And, once again, I’m just speaking from experience in what worked for me, not as someone professionally qualified to give training advice, so take my words with a grain of salt. 😉
Thank you for responding Katie! Your advice is greatly appreciated!!!! I will try your game plan and hopefully it works for me too. I know it will be hard but it definitely seems worth it in the end – especially if I can have those lazy days with your yummy recipes! Thank you for your help and all that you do and share. Please don’t ever stop with your blog or recipe creating. You are the best! Thanks again!!!
Yummm… I love everything about this post! I love a good oatmeal cookie dough dip (and with raisins to boot, heck yeah), but I especially love the sound of your more low-key, relaxed mornings. I used to be the same way– drag myself out of bed before sunrise, workout like a fiend, head home and shower and hopefully have time for a decent bite of food before class. My newer schedule is much more lax and leaves lots of time for lazy mornings 🙂 well, I shouldn’t call them lazy… recipe creation is a full-time job!
katie, what a disappointment you have become. with a nation that is more than 70% overweight, this is NOT the message we need – that sitting on the couch eating junk food is ok, or even BETTER than exercising. you used to be an inspiration, but now you are just like the rest – a lazy slug – no self discipline, no nothing. living for your own pleasure while your body goes to mush as is evidenced by the recent pictures you have posted. how pathetic.
Wow…what a comment. I hate it when people simply jump to the defense of their favorite blogger, so I’ll say that I *slightly* agree with CTT that the post did seem a little anti-exercise, even tho Katie was just specifically talking about running. Yes, some people need motivation to get off the couch and start exercising, but (as Krissy said) many people have become obsessive with exercise to an unhealthy degree and need the reminder that a day off is OK too.
As far as Katie’s body turning into mush…well, NOTHING Katie has ever said on this blog leads me to think that she would welcome comments on her body. I could say that *I* think she looks great in her pictures, but that’s also not really relevant. The important thing is that Katie feels like her body is strong and can accomplish everything she wants to accomplish; how her body looks to other people doesn’t matter.
It’s sad you have to be so negative when you see someone else who is gorgeous, happy, and healthy. Unbelievable.
This comment made me sort of laugh, because it’s clear intent is to incite hurt/anger/a big fight in the comment section. I don’t believe you actually mean a word you just said. So whatever. Next, please.
After years of being called anorexic by blog commenters, it’s great to finally get a comment going the other extreme.
CTT, you are of course entitled to your opinion, but I’m pretty sure relaxing in the mornings instead of running 8 miles does not mean my body is going to mush. The media tries to make us feel guilty for pretty much everything these days, but there should be no guilt in taking time to relax and give one’s body a break. I’m still an active person; I just choose not to run. And as someone who wanted curves for years, I’ve honestly never loved my body more than I do now. 🙂
Like I said before, Katie is a true inspiration! Over-exercising is a serious problem and it is hard to break the habit and addiction. Katie had the strength to stop doing something that she truly did not love – running. I am going to try to do the same. Katie looks beautiful and extremely happy now. I only hope one day soon I will too. Thank you again Katie!
i am so grateful for your postings of such amazing recipes for free. it means even more when you can open up about yourself. that comment was complete bullshit and you should be proud of yourself. and you look nothing like mush. keep doin you girl. youre still an inspiration
I feel like as a runner, i gotta put my 2 cents in. While i can tell where CTT is coming from, I think his/her outlook on running is wrong. You shouldn’t run purely for vanity reasons, you should run because you love it! Katie found that she no longer loved running, so she stopped. That doesn’t mean she stopped exercising in general, or that she’s going to “turn to mush”! Mental health is just as important as physical health 🙂
Sorry to write an essay, but I just had to put my thoughts out!
Yuuum! I love your original cookie dough dip, with the chick peas, so I can’t wait to try this one! Ha ha, I think that decision was pretty much a no-brainer! Would have been for me anyway =P
Even though I ALWAYS make it a point to take a little walk outside everyday, I can;t imagine running a couple of miles as soon as I woke up. Some people say it’s refreshing, I say I favor the comfort of slowly taking myself out of my blanket cocoon and relocating to cuddle on the couch with my bowl of cereal.
But now I am conflicted on to how to use my can o’ white beans…. the snickerdoodle blondies, or the oatmeal-raisin cookie dough? I must choose wisely….
Mmmm, this with your homemade graham crackers…heavenly! I hope you are enjoying DC, I have family out there and love visiting.
Yum! You and your blog bring me happiness.
That sounds and looks amazing! I have made chickpea dip before, but never that flavor combo! Gotta try it soon! Love baking with chickpeas too 🙂