Healthier Holiday Treats: Bailey's Irish Cream and Peppermint Whoopie Pies

The part of marathon training that I find the hardest is recovery. I am SO bad at taking days off. But yesterday I made myself do it. To keep myself busy, I decided to whip up some holiday treats for my friends and neighbors. I like to give out tasty treats, but am also conscious of calories. I like to think I'm giving my friends 2 treats in one- something yummy and something that won't leave them starting the new year weighing 10 extra pounds!

For my friends I made home-made Bailey's Irish Cream. It was really easy to lighten up, and still amazingly good.

• 1 C fat free half and half
• 14 oz reduced fat sweetened condensed milk
• 1 2/3 C Irish whiskey
• 1 t instant coffee
• 2 T Hershey's chocolate syrup
• 1 t vanilla
• 1 t almond extract (I used Torani hazelnut instead)

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and set on high speed for 30 seconds.
2. Bottle in a tightly sealed container and refrigerate. Shake before using.
3. Will keep for up to 2 months

 
 
Since most of my neighbors are over 65, I decided to skip the booze for them and make some peppermint whoopie pies. 

Pies
3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup mashed banana
2 eggs
1 cup skim milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup cocoa
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Filling
1 cup powdered sugar (I ended up using way more because my frosting was not thick enough)
1/2 cup Neufchatel cream cheese
1/4 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt


Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray nonstick spray on cookie sheets.
2. In a large bowl cream together sugar and banana. Add eggs, milk and vanilla. In a small bowl combine the cocoa, flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the liquids beating together until smooth.
4. Drop batter (about 2 tablespoons at a time) on to the cookie sheets to make 18 cookies.
5. Bake 15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
6. To make the filling, cream together the cheese and sugar add yogurt and continue to mix until well blended.
7. Assemble sandwiches by spreading the filling on the flat side of one cookie and topping with another pressing down to distribute filling evenly. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling.
8. Wrap whoopie pies individually in plastic wrap or place them in a single layer on a platter as they will stick if stacked on top of each other.

These were my first 2- they don't look that pretty. My technique improved as I went!