Good Strong Word Cookies

You can skip right over this post, because I’m sure this never happens at your house. I’m talking about kids repeating bad words! I know. It’s horrible. But it has happened here. We tackle the problem by reading that  great book by Audrey Wood, Elbert’s Bad Word. Still, like the wizard explains,

life can be hard. “Sometimes we need strong words.” So, we read over the “Good Strong Words” that Elbert learns from the magic wizard:

My Stars! Thunder and Lightning! Rats and Blue Blazes! Suffering Cats! Blistering Hot Toad! Zounds and Gadzooks!

Then, following the example of the wizard, we bake the new Good Strong Words into

something sweet. There is no recipe in the book for this cake; but this King Arthur Flour Cookie recipe fits the bill. It’s very sweet and crumbly; but at the same time it’s full of good, healthy strong ingredients to fight the bad words, including barley flour, flax seeds and, believe it or not,vinegar. The vinegar actually cuts down the bitterness of the whole grains, and the acid flavor never comes through the cookie dough or the cookies. So, you can make a great flourish when you ask the kids to pour in the spoonful of vinegar — knocking out all the bad words.  Even if you don’t have any Good Strong Words to celebrate, this cookie recipe makes a healthy version of chocolate chip cookies.

White Chocolate Chip Barley Cookie Recipe

• 3 tablespoons butter, softened (unsalted)
• 3 tablespoons ground flaxseeds
• 1/2 cup extra light olive oil
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup barley flour (4 oz by weight)
• 1 cup whole wheat flour (4 oz by weight)
• 2 cups white chocolate chips

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees f.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat together butter, flax seeds, oil and both sugars.
3. Stir in vanilla, egg and vinegar, followed by salt, baking powder and baking soda.
4. Add both flours and stir until well mixed. Stir in chips.
5. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheets. Bake 14-16 minutes. Cool on cookie sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool.

Makes two dozen. Guaranteed to keep the bad words away.