Recipe: Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Chews (using applesauce or homemade prune puree)

CHOCOLATE CHIP OATMEAL CHEWS

"These cookies remain deliciously soft and chewy for days! Cookie sheets with a non-stick surface are best for this recipe."

6 tbsp. margarine, softened
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce or Prune Puree (recipe follows)
1 3/4 cups packed light brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups quick-cooking oats, uncooked
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 to 1 1/2 cups reduced-fat semisweet chocolate morsels

Beat margarine and applesauce in large bowl until smooth; beat in brown sugar, egg and vanilla.

Mix in combined oats, flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Mix in chocolate morsels. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls, 3 inches apart, onto greased cookie sheets.

Bake at 350 degrees F until lightly browned, about 10 minutes (cookies will spread and be very soft). Cool completely on wire racks before removing from pan.

Makes 5 dozen cookies

Nutritional analysis per cookie: 76 calories, 26 percent calories from fat, 2.4 grams fat, 1.2 grams saturated fat, 3.5 milligrams cholesterol, 57 milligrams sodium, 1.1 grams protein, 13.8 grams carbohydrates.

Exchanges: Milk: 0.0, Vegetable 0.0, Fruit 0.0, Bread 1.0, Meat 0.0, Fat 0.0

HOMEMADE PRUNE PUREE
Makes about 2 cups

1 (12 oz. pkg.) pitted prunes
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1 tbsp. sugar
2/3 cup water, divided use

Process prunes, corn syrup, sugar, and 1/3 cup water in food processor until smooth. Add remaining 1/3 cup water and process until smooth. Refrigerate up to 4 weeks or freeze.

Source: 1,001 Low-Fat Desserts by Sue Spitler and Linda Yoakam