Remember coming home from school to find a plate of freshly baked cookies waiting for you? Or spending a rainy Sunday baking with mom? These are all memories conjured up when biting into a chewy chocolate chip or oatmeal raisin cookie. But with the fast pace of today's society, it can be hard to find the time to bake a batch of these classic delights. Most store bought cookies, full of refined sugars, preservatives and artificial ingredients, don't even come close to matching the taste or softness of the ones that come straight from the oven. But thanks to Dr. Laura Trice of Laura's Wholesome Junk Food you can have the convenience of a pre-made cookie with the experience and healthfulness of a homemade treat all rolled into one.

A graduate of the University of Vermont's College of Medicine, Dr. Laura is a practicing MD but she's also the CEO and Head Cookie Cutter of Laura's Wholesome Junk Food, based in Venice, California.  Dr. Laura's unofficial baking career started at a very young age and her nutritionally conscientious upbringing inspired her to create her own wholesome cookie recipes while in college.  Dr. Laura was frustrated that most cookies on the market either tasted great or were good for you (but never both), so she set out to develop a recipe that would satisfy her love of delicious food while at the same time incorporating quality ingredients to deliver nutritional benefits.  Established in 2001, Laura's Wholesome Junk Food was born while Dr. Laura was working as a technical advisor and medic on movie sets. As a treat for her coworkers she regularly brought her signature cookies to work, and found that everyone (including the truck drivers and construction workers) were quick to devour her nutritious baked goods.  The far-reaching appeal of her cookies got her thinking about going into business.  "While in medical school, I was drawn to the idea of preventing illness.  It seemed a natural fit to make the same cookies I had created for myself, family, and friends but on a larger scale," says Dr. Laura. 

The love-child of a homemade cookie and protein bar, these tasty morsels, called "Bite-lettes", have been suitably described as "cookie dough-like" by Health Magazine.  And with flavors ranging from classics including Oatmeal Raisin, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip, and Grandma's Gingerbread to more adventurous varieties like Lemon-Vanilla, Anna Banana Split, and yes, even Better Brownie (which also happens to be gluten-free), there's bound to be a cookie to satisfy the whole family.  Laura's Wholesome Junk Food Bite-lettes allow you to indulge your cookie craving guilt-free; the ingredients are all natural, free from artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives, Kosher and 100% vegan, too.

We were lucky enough to sample nearly every one of Dr. Laura's delectable cookie flavors, all of which impressed us. Anna Banana Split, one of our favorites, brought a taste sensation we've never experienced before.  One Naturally Savvy staff member was particularly taken with Oatmeal Raisin - quite a surprise considering she was never a fan of their traditional cookie counterpart. Another staff member fondly recalled holiday baking with her Nana as she ate Grandma's Gingerbread Bite-lettes. Lemon-Vanilla was also a favorite around  the office, and even convinced one Naturally Savvy team member, who has never been a coconut fan, that with the right recipe those sweet flakes can taste great. Laura's Wholesome Junk Food brings together the comfort of a homemade cookie with healthy, whole food ingredients, earning these Bite-lettes the Naturally Savvy Seal of Approval.

Laura's Wholesome Junk Food is available at Whole Foods and online. For more information, or to purchase, visit www.LaurasWholesomeJunkFood.com.