In my never-ending quest to satisfy my sweet tooth without having to buy bigger clothes every month....I give you....

Only Slightly Guilty: Mocha Biscotti

So the big exchanges here are olive oil, not butter, whole wheat pastry flour for white flour, and honey instead of sugar.

These biscotti are not for those of us who want really, really sweet cookies. They are for those of us who need a slightly sweet biscuit to dunk in our lattes...

Starting with the highest-rated biscotti recipe on Allrecipes.com (92 calories per cookie originally), here's what I came up with.

Ingredients

* 1/4 cup light olive oil
* 1/4 cup honey
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 1 tsp of water with a 2 tblspoons instant coffee dissolved in it
* 2 eggs
* 1 3/4 cups to 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 cup dried cranberries or mixed berries
* 1/2 cup nut of your choice (I like pecan)
* 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup chocolate chips (white or dark, your choice)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, mix together oil and honey (heat your honey in the microwave for 10 seconds if you can't get it to mix) until well blended. Mix in the vanilla and coffee water, then beat in the eggs. Combine flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking powder; gradually stir into egg mixture. Mix in cranberries.
3. Divide dough in half. Form two logs (12x2 inches) on a cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment paper (or non stick cookie sheet without parchment paper like me). Dough may be sticky; wet hands with cool water to handle dough more easily (or flour your hands, either way).
Now, crumble/chop up your nuts and stick them on the top of your logs. I find it's easier for small children to avoid the nuts, as well as keeping the biscotti from crumbling apart to put the nuts on top.
4. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until logs are light brown. Remove from oven, and set aside to cool.
5. Cut logs on diagonal into 3/4 inch thick slices. Lay on sides on parchment covered cookie sheet. Bake approximately 8 to 10 minutes, or until dry; cool.
6. Microwave chocolate chips until just melted. Use a spoon or dip the cookies to coat one side (I usually coat the side that was resting on the cookie sheet for the second bake) with chocolate. Place chocolate side up in tupperware or on a plate. Sometimes I put them in the fridge to make the chocolate cool faster.

Eat and enjoy!