Oatmeal cookie is a winner

It's not that hard to make great-tasting cookies when you're not worrying about fat, calories and carbohydrates. But trying to "healthify" a treat is more of a challenge.

Stacy Brinkerhoff of Lake Alfred, Fla., used artificial sweetener, whole-wheat flour, wheat germ and oats to make "Brink's Nutty Oatmeal Chocolate Chippers." Her creativity was rewarded with a $1,000 first prize in the "Search for the Ultimate Oatmeal Cookie" contest co-sponsored by Quaker Oats and Blue Bonnet. She won in the "Lower-Calorie Cookies & Bars" category.

A press release from Quaker Oats said that Brinkerhoff's recipe evolved over time. She first created the cookie years ago, when she was a professional water skier performing four shows a day. She threw in some healthy ingredients she had on hand like whole-wheat flour and oatmeal.

After she started watching her cholesterol and her husband was diagnosed with borderline diabetes, Brinkerhoff made a new version, with less sugar and fat.

Two cookies have 120 calories, half of them from fat, and 14 grams of carbohydrate. These numbers are impressive compared to other chocolate-chip cookies. But keep in mind that they are treats, not a health food that you can snack on endlessly. The calories eventually add up!

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BRINK'S NUTTY OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIPPERS

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) Blue Bonnet 65 percent vegetable oil spread

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

3/4 cup Splenda brand sweetener

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup whole-wheat flour

1/4 cup wheat germ

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups uncooked oats, quick or old-fashioned

2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips, regular or mini

1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts

1/3 cup finely chopped pecans