KEEBLER Fudge Stripe Cookie Ingredients: Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate [Vitamin B1], Riboflavin [Vitamin B2], Folic Acid), Sugar, Vegetable Oil (Partially Hydrogenated Soybean, Cottonseed, Palm Kernel and/or Hydrogenated Cottonseed Oil With TBHQ and Citric Acid For Freshness), Cocoa Processed With Alkali, Contains Two Percent or less of Whey, Butter (Cream, Salt), High Fructose Corn Syrup, Leavening (Baking Soda, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Salt, Soy Lecithin, Nonfat Milk, Molasses, Sorbitan Monostearate, Polysorbate 60, Artificial Flavor
TBHQ comes from petroleum (think "lighter fluid"). It is applied either to the carton of fast food items or sprayed directly onto them, as well as in various other prepackaged food items. TBHQ is banned in other countries.
TBHQ keeps fats from going rancid, so you see it in a lot of foods that they want to have a long shelf life. It is considered an "anti-oxidant" BUT it can itself be oxidized into harmful molecules, like tert-butylquinone...causing a TIRED TOXIC LIVER (see chapter on the liver in Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism).
But it also promotes production of quinone reductase, which is linked to cancer. TBHQ can cause a full range of reactions from asthma to anxiety, ADHD, insomnia, depression, tiredness, learning difficulties and children's behavior problems. This chemical is also found to effect estrogen levels...are you trying to get pregnant? or dealing with menopausal symptoms? I would avoid this like the plague.
In pre-packaged foods, if you see the words "no trans-fats," look for TBHQ in the ingredient lists. Some manufacturer's, such as Kellogg's, are using this "trickery," and are using TBHQ instead of trans-fats. Is it better than trans-fat? No. BUT what is even scarier... if you don't see it, that does not mean it is not there. Manufacturers are not required to list "secondary" ingredients. If you don't believe me, call the company and ask if their oil now contains TBHQ. Thank you FDA!
COOKIES:
1 1/2 cup blanched almond flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 tsp aluminum free baking powder
1 cup coconut oil or butter
1 cup Just Like Sugar
1/2 cup erythritol (or Truvia)
2 tsp stevia glycerite
1 egg
1 tsp Celtic sea salt
CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE:
2 TBS grass fed butter or coconut oil
1 oz unsweetened baking chocolate
10 TBS unsweetened almond milk OR heavy cream
1/4 cup erythritol (or Just Like Sugar)
1 tsp stevia glycerite
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. In a medium bowl, cream the butter, Just Like Brown Sugar, erythritol and stevia (add in egg if using). Cream for a few minutes until very fluffy. In a separate bowl mix together the almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add in the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth.
In between 2 pieces of parchment (greased parchment), roll the dough out into 1/4 in thick dough. Using circle cut-outs, cut into Samoa cookie shapes.
Place cookies about 2 inches apart. Bake in preheated oven for 17-20 minutes or until golden around the edges. Cool completely on the baking sheet before removing from cookie sheet.
CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE: Place the butter and chopped chocolate in a double boiler (or in a heat safe dish over a pot of boiling water). Stir well until just melted (don't burn the chocolate!), add in the cream, and sweetener. Stir until smooth and thick. Place 1/2 the chocolate in a shallow bowl and dip the bottom of the cookies into the chocolate. Place on parchment paper. Put the other 1/2 of the chocolate in a small ziplock bag. Cut the corner of the bag and use to pipe stripes over the cookies. Makes 24 cookies.
NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Keebler = 150 calories, 7g fat, 1g protein, 21 carbs, 0 fiber
"Healthified" Cookie = 150 calories, 14g fat, 2.5g protein, 3.2 carbs, 1.8g fiber
