Coconut Macaroons

Oh boy. These coconut macaroons are scrummmmptious, but also TROUBLE!! I’ve eaten, um, five already! The wonderful and genius people at Self magazine (December 2008) put a chocolatey, but low-fat twist on this chewy classic cookie. Oats replace part of the coconut to make this a low-fat yet still satisfying treat.

Makes about 40 macaroons

Vegetable oil cooking spray

10 egg whites*

2 cups unsweetened dried shredded coconut

2 cups plain quick-cooking oats

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons bittersweet chocolate morsels

1 teaspoon trans-fat-free soft-tub margarine

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray 3 baking sheets with cooking spray; set aside. Stir egg whites, coconut, oats, vanilla, sugar and salt in a bowl until well blended. Drop tablespoons of dough onto baking sheets, half an inch apart. Bake macaroons until light golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely. Place chocolate morsels and margarine in a glass bowl or measuring cup. Microwave on high until chocolate melts completely, 40 to 50 seconds, or melt in a 350° oven 5 to 6 minutes. (Do not overheat chocolate or it will scorch.) Dip a metal teaspoon into warmed chocolate and gently drizzle chocolate over cookies in a zigzag pattern. Cool completely. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 3 days.

THE SKINNY: 52 calories per macaroon, 1.9 g fat (1.3 g saturated), 7.4 g carbs, 0.8 g fiber, 1.6 g protein

* I used liquid egg whites instead of the “real deal,” which seemed to work fine, but the macaroon batter was really watery. If you decide to use liquid egg whites from the carton, I recommend using less than what equals “10 egg whites” when measuring. You can always add more liquid egg whites if needed. My batter was so watery that I needed to add quite a bit more oats and coconut.