A Holiday Treat With The Added Benefits of Black Strap Molasses

I love everything about holiday food, especially the smell and the fun of making holiday cookies. That being said, like most people I rarely have a lot of time and I don't want to feel guilty about what I eat. That is why gingerbread people are one of my favorite holiday treats. Not only are they delicious, but because of the spices and molasses used, they have all kinds of health benefits!! So read up then eat up.  
Note: For a GF version just swap out the flour with GF all purpose flour.

Recipe
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all pupose flour (about 10 oz)
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
3/4 cup coconut sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup blackstrap molasses, unsulphured
1 large egg

Decorations
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
2 tbs 2% milk or unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup colored  sugar sprinkles

Instructions:
1. To prepare the cookies, lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 6 ingredients (through cloves) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk.
2. Place granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl, beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth and well blended. Add molasses and egg; beat until well blended. Stir flour mixture into sugar mixture until well blended. Divide dough in half, shape each portion into a flat disk. Wrap dough portions separately in plastic wrap; chill 1 hour or until firm.
3. Preheat oven to 350°
4. Remove dough portion from refrigerator, remove plastic wrap. Roll dough to a 1/8-inch thickness on a floured surface. Cut with a 3-inch boy or girl cookie cutter. Place cookies 1/2 inch apart on parchment paper- lined baking sheet. Repeat procedure with remaining dough. Bake at 350° for 11 min or until edges of cookies are lightly browned. Remove from pan, cool completely on wire racks.
5. To prepare decorations, combine powdered sugar and milk, stirring until smooth. Spoon mixture into a heavy duty zip top plastic bag. Snip a tiny corner of bag (may also use your own piping devices) Pipe onto cookies. Decorate as desired with sugar sprinkles. 

Benefits of Unsulphured Blackstrap Molasses:

Rich in iron - Two tablespoons of blackstrap molasses contain 13.2 percent of our RDI of iron, which our bodies need to carry oxygen to our blood cells. People who are anemic (including pregnant women) will greatly benefit from consuming 1-2 tablespoons of blackstrap molasses per day.

Good for your hair - One serving (two tablespoons) of blackstrap molasses contains approximately 14 percent of our RDI of copper, an important trace mineral whose peptides help rebuild the skin structure that supports healthy hair. Consequently, long-term consumption of blackstrap molasses has been linked to improved hair quality, hair regrowth in men and even a restoration of your hair's original color! 

Safe sweetener for diabetics - Unlike refined sugar, blackstrap molasses has a moderate glycemic load of 55. This makes it a good sugar substitute for diabetics and individuals who are seeking to avoid blood sugar spikes. Moreover, one serving of blackstrap contains no fat and only 32 calories, making it suitable in moderation for a weight loss diet.

High in calcium and magnesium - Blackstrap molasses contains a mineral profile that has been optimized by nature for superior absorption. For example, two tablespoons of blackstrap molasses contain 11.7 percent of our RDI of calcium and 7.3 percent of our RDI of magnesium. Both of these minerals aid the growth and development of bones, making blackstrap a good safeguard against osteoporosis and other bone diseases.

Additional mineral content - Two tablespoons of blackstrap molasses also contain 18 percent of our RDI of manganese (which helps produce energy from proteins and carbohydrates), 9.7 percent of our RDI of potassium (which plays an important role in nerve transmission and muscle contraction), 5 percent of our RDI of vitamin B6 (which aids brain and skin development) and 3.4 percent of our RDI of selenium, an important antioxidant.

Laxative qualities - Blackstrap is a natural stool softener that can improve the regularity and quality of your bowel movements.

Nutrition : Yields about 5 dozen cookies (serving size is one cookie) 
Calories per cookie:  56 , Fat 0.9g, Protein 0.6g, Carbs 11.5g,  Fiber 0.2g