Skype date! plus ginger snaps!

Today I got to have a skype date with my husband while he is pulled into port. Every time I see his name come up on skype butterflies seem to flutter in my stomach. The same feeling happens with emails, my heart seems to skip a beat for a second while I open it. Seeing him is always so amazing - technology is really a blessing when it comes to a situation like this. I feel so grateful that we get these kind of "luxuries", if you will, during a difficult time away from each other. Way back when, it would be months until you received a letter in the mail from your loved one overseas. I'm so thankful that we get to correspond almost everyday and we get to see each others faces when the time - and the wi fi connection - comes along. I miss him so much but seeing him makes my whole day so much brighter.

I started week two of my 5k training. Wow. You really wouldn't think thirty extra seconds of running would make a difference but it really, really does. I am feeling great these past two weeks since I have started and after running I feel so empowered and motivated. It makes me want to do more - eat healthier, take more yoga or pilates classes, and really stick with it. Some of my friends and one of my amazing cousins, who is a runner and has done multiple races, will be running the race too! I'm so excited to share this experience with them and have fun while doing it!

After I spoke to my husband, I was a very happy girl. And what do I do when I am happy? I bake! I seem to bake when I am sad too, so pretty much I am baking no matter what. Today I wanted to make something that I adore and could never get tired of - ginger snaps. Did you know ginger has many health benefits, including gastrointestinal relief (motion sickness is a great example), anti-inflammatory effects, and immune system boosting agents just to name a few. This recipe, which I found on allrecipes.com but made some modifications to, has NO BUTTER, only 1 egg, and 1 cup of brown sugar. This cookie is one to keep in your back pocket for when you want a little something sweet - or when you have a belly ache.

Homemade Ginger Snaps

1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/4 cup white sparkling sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease cookie sheet with cooking spray.
Combine brown sugar, oil, molasses, and egg in a large bowl or in the bowl of your electric mixer attached with a paddle attachment. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and spices in a separate bowl, making sure everything is mixed thoroughly. Add flour mixture to brown sugar mixture in small batches, mixing until combined.
Add the white sparkling sugar into a separate small bowl. Roll dough into 1 to 1 1/4 inch balls and dip just one side of the dough balls into the sugar. Place sugar side up on the baking sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet for 2 or 3 minutes. Remove and let cool on cooling racks completely.

Happy baking! :)

Laura