Fifteen years and counting: I wouldn't be here without you

The past year has been full of milestones and today's no exception. Fifteen years ago Lean and lovin' first appeared in the Daily Herald. What a road I've traveled in that time! Here's how the journey started.

In 1990, I lost a little more than 100 pounds. By 1992 I'd kept the weight off and early that year a Chicago newspaper featured my story and wrote that my recipes were "fresh and vibrant, about as far from deprivation dining as you can get."

Soon thereafter, while walking for exercise, I started thinking that maybe I could write about trimming fat, cutting calories and help folks create healthier meals.

I spoke with the Daily Herald food editor, sent her a sample column that told my story. She called, we met and my first column appeared Oct. 8, 1992.

A month later, a local cable company approached me about cooking on local television. My days in the custom photo lab business certainly didn't prepare me for TV, but I gave it a try. My cable cooking show began airing in February 1993. First available to 42,000 homes in five suburbs, by year-end it was available to more than a million homes throughout the Chicago area. Heady stuff.

Since then I've written four cookbooks, appeared on radio and television, including "Good Morning America," more times than I can count, and demonstrated recipes and lean cooking techniques at classes around the country.

Sounds too good to be true, doesn't it?

Things went great for years until my 29-year marriage began to unravel. Foods like Hostess Cupcakes that I'd shunned for years started calling my name, and I turned to them for comfort again and again and again.

Over time I regained all the weight I'd lost in 1990 and then some, topping out at 327 pounds. For a while I hid from everyone. I was ashamed of how I looked and what had happened in my life.

In 2005 my brother, Robert, out of love and concern, led me back to my lean path. Two weeks later I joined a weight-loss program, and made a personal commitment to lose 150 pounds.

A year later, a new lean guy reappeared as one of the judges at the Daily Herald's Cookie and Candy Recipe Contest. At that point I was well on my way to losing 150 pounds.

You followed my monthly progress and you shared your own stories and support, helping me maintain my forward momentum.

By June 2007 I had achieved my goal and went on to lose 10 more pounds. I've leveled out at 167 -- a number I hadn't seen on a scale since my teen years.

I could not be more pleased to let you know that, here it is October and, although my weight varies a pound or so from week, I'm still maintaining my 160-pound loss.

It has been a privilege like no other to write this column every week and share my life and recipes with you. Your feedback has made the difference between success and failure. I'm fortunate, I don't go to work; I go to joy. Without you, that would not be possible. Thank you.

Try this recipe: I spent some time creating this anniversary cookie recipe. I cut out half the fat (70 grams) and more than 600 calories leaving the oatmeal, chocolate, tart cherries and brown sugar flavors intact. They're soft, chewy and packed with flavor. Enjoy!

Don's Big Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal Cookies

¾ cup unsweetened applesauce

1¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon table salt

1¼ cups rolled oats, old-fashioned (not quick)

1 cup dried tart cherries, chopped coarse

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chunks about size of chocolate chips (about ¾ cup)

6 tablespoons unsalted butter (¾ stick), softened but still cool

1½ cups packed dark brown sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place a wire mesh strainer in a bowl deep enough to keep the bottom of the strainer from touching the bottom of the bowl. Add applesauce to strainer and set aside.

Adjust oven racks to upper and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two, 12-by-18-inch (½-sheet) baking pans with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, stir together oats, cherries and chocolate.

In a stand mixer fitted with a flat beater, beat butter and sugar at medium speed until combined, about 1 minute. Stop mixer. Measure 6 tablespoons drained applesauce and add to mixer bowl and mix at medium speed for 1 minute; scrape down sides with rubber spatula. Add egg and vanilla and beat on medium-low speed, about 30 seconds. Scrape down bowl. With mixer on low, add flour mixture and mix until just combined, about 30 seconds.

Gradually add oat mixture; mix until just incorporated. Give dough final stir with rubber spatula to ensure even ingredient distribution.

Using a ¼-cup measure, divide dough into 16 portions. Roll each portion into balls; stagger 8 balls on each baking sheet, about 2½ inches apart. Gently press each ball to 1-inch thickness.

Bake 12 minutes; rotate pans front to back and top to bottom and continue baking 8-10 minutes more or until cookies are medium brown and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft. The cookies appear underdone in the cracks but do not overbake.

Cool cookies on pans on wire rack 5 minutes; carefully transfer (they're soft) cookies to wire racks and cool to room temperature.

Serves 16.

Nutrition values per cookie: 218 calories (30.6 percent from fat), 7.4 g fat (4.1 g saturated fat), 37.7 g carbohydrate, 1.3 g fiber, 2.8 g protein, 25 mg cholesterol, 134 mg sodium.

Lean suggestion: An equal amount of dried, sweetened cranberries may be substituted for the dried tart cherries.