Strawberry Shortcakes

Adapted from Good Housekeeping, June 2011

I cleaned this recipe up a little bit as I made it, but not entirely. It was really tasty. I think I'll have one for breakfast tomorrow!

Extremely tasty, yet... HEALTHY? Well, healthiER.

Ingredients

3/4 cup old-fashioned oats
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (I used 3/4 cup AP and 1/2 cup Whole Wheat)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons sugar, divided (I used both sugar and Florida Crystals Pure Cane Sugar*)
1/2 teaspoon sugar, for shortcake tops ( I used Florida Crystals Pure Cane Sugar*)
2 tablespoons cold margarine or butter, cut up
3/4 cups low-fat buttermilk
2 large egg whites
2 pounds strawberries, hulled, cut in half (I for some reason only bought a pound, but I doubt we'll make it through all eight servings in the next day or two!)
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated lemon peel (or more...)
1 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream (I used fat free)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil.

2.In food processor with knife blade attached, pulse oats until coarsely ground. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 3 tablespoons sugar (Here is where I used the Florida Crystals). Pulse until combined. Add margarine; pulse until mixture resembles cornmeal. Add buttermilk and 1 egg white; pulse just until dry ingredients are evenly moistened.

3.With 1/4-cup measuring cup, scoop mixture and drop onto prepared sheet, 2 inches apart.

4.In small bowl, lightly beat remaining egg white. Brush on top of mounds, then sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon sugar/Florida Crystals.

5.Bake 16 minutes or until shortcakes are golden brown. Cool completely on sheet on wire rack. Can be kept, tightly wrapped, at room temperature up to overnight. (Refresh before serving in toaster oven or preheated conventional oven at 375 degrees F for 5 minutes.)

6.Meanwhile, in large bowl, combine strawberries, lemon peel, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Let stand. Can be refrigerated, covered, up to overnight.

7.In medium bowl, stir yogurt, sour cream, vanilla, and remaining 3 tablespoons sugar. Can be refrigerated, covered, up to overnight.

8.Split open shortcakes. Divide strawberries and filling among shortcakes.

The Verdict: Mr. Discovery said they were very good and he'd eat them again. I really liked them. They weren't too sweet and they were very filling. I didn't feel guilty eating this at all! :-)

*Florida Crystals states that it is "less processed pure cane sugar with the flavor that nature intended." I was searching for Evaporated Cane Juice all the live-long day and found this at Kroger. Upon just now searching the label, it says that the ingredients are... drumroll please... EVAPORATED CANE JUICE. I guess I bought the right thing without even knowing it! :-)