Traveling for work this summer is coming to a close. I have one more trip and I’m done for a while. I normally don’t travel this much, but since COVID, our leadership wanted to get us back out there. I’m ok with the traveling, but I get tired. I am ready to stay home for a while.

I have been lately switching up my diet a bit. I am doing two things: paying more attention to my macros and not allowing for any suffering. Both have been helping. I finally was ready to lose the weight I gained during perimenopause. The first thing is pretty self explanatory. Calculating my calories and macros was easy using an app. The suffering part is something new. I am making sure I am not suffering through the process. That seems to be a part of weight loss, you must suffer. I decided that was not what I wanted to do. I am making adjustments to make sure I stay full on a lower calories diet.

This also means keeping somethings I enjoy. One of them is dessert after dinner. The recipe I am doing this week is from Southern Living for Oatmeal-Caramel Cream Pies. I plan to make these high protein to help with my macros. Also, low sugar as I have with my other recipes. I think this will make a great addition to my recipe box.

Here are the original stats:

Here’s what I changed:

• I replaced the sugars with their sweetener equivalents to reduce the sugar.
• I deleted the added salt to reduce the sodium.
• I replaced the butter with unsweetened applesauce to reduce the saturated fat.
• I replaced the flour with protein powder to increase the protein and reduce the carbs.
• I deleted the pecans to reduce the calories
• I replaced the cream cheese and heavy cream with their plant based equivalents to remove the dairy.
• I deleted the caramel candies with a sugar free caramel syrup to reduce the calories.
• I reduced the servings from 24 to 14 to make bigger cookies.

Here are the final stats

Here is the final recipe:

High Protein Oatmeal-Caramel Cream Pies

Make 14 Pies

For the cookies

• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 3/4 cup granulated sweetener
• 3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sweetener
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups vanilla protein powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 cups uncooked regular rolled oats

For the filling

• 1 ounce sugar free caramel syrup
• 3 tablespoons plant based heavy cream, divided
• 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter
• 3 ounces softened plant based cream cheese
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 16 ounces powdered sweetner

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Gather your ingredients.
2. Beat applesauce and sugars with a heavy-duty stand mixer on medium speed until combined; add eggs and vanilla, and beat until just combined.
3. Whisk together protein powder, baking soda, and cinnamon in a small bowl; gradually add to applesauce mixture, beating on low speed just until combined. Stir in oats.
4. Using a 2-inch cookie scoop, drop spoonfuls of dough 3 inches apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. (Or use your hands to shape dough into 2-inch balls.)
5. Bake in preheated oven until golden but still soft in center, 9 to 10 minutes. Cool 1 minute on baking sheets; remove cookies to wire racks, and cool completely, about 20 minutes.
6. Beat 1⁄2 cup softened butter and 3 oz. softened cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy; add 2 tsp. vanilla extract; beat until combined.
7. Gradually add 1 (16-oz.) pkg. powdered sweetener alternately with caramel syrup, beating on low speed until blended after each addition. Add 1 Tbsp. cream, 1 tsp. at a time, to reach desired consistency, if needed.
8. Pipe or spread about 1 1/2 tablespoons Caramel Buttercream on 1 flat side of half of cooled cookies.
9. Top with remaining cookies, flat side down, pressing gently.