Healthy Banana Oat Cookies

Many of the breakfast cookie recipes I’ve seen online will have your arteries completely clogged by the very next day.  I really like this one that I modified from the original to be fat free and have a little more flavor. You can also double this for a large batch.

This recipe is extremely healthy and easily beefed up with various add-ins to suit your preferences. It's also a great way to use up those extra bananas in a low calorie way and has absolutely no processed flour.

Here we go: 3 mashed bananas (ripe), 1/3 cup apple sauce, 2 cups uncooked quick-cooking oats, 1/4 cup skim milk, 1/2 cup raisins (or any other dried fruit you want to add), 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp cinnamon and 1 tbsp Splenda , sugar or other sweetener.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients in a bowl really well. Let this mixture stand for at least 5 minutes to let the oats become good and hydrated. Heap the dough by teaspoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes and let cool.

Variations: If you add some chopped nuts, you have a grab and go breakfast that includes protein as well as fruits and grains. Dried cranberries are also a great addition if you don't care for raisins, which some people don't. Cardamom fans may want to substitute that spice for the cinnamon.

You can make a huge batch of these and then freeze some, leaving a few to be snagged each morning while you and your other family members are on the way out the door.

It's important to note that this is not a dessert type of cookie, so it will not be what you are used to eating when you think cookie. These are also very moist, due to both mashed bananas and apple sauce being included. It's basically oatmeal with add-ins for breakfast that you can eat from your hand.

This made a huge difference in how well we were able to stay on track nutrition wise. They are a really power-packed cookie (particularly with chopped nuts) that can help you make it through to lunch without binging.

Another bonus? You don't have any oatmeal bowls to wash out in the morning! The dishes for these little babies are done once, when you first bake them. Love that!



Source: http://www.wisebread.com/whats-cooking-breakfast-cookies-for-the-life-hacker-on-the-go