Okay, I hadn't planned to include these little cookies in the Advent cookbook, but I'd like to share them with you and see what you think. A trainer at the gym gave me the recipe, which I subsequently modified to suit our tastes. You're welcome to do the same. As is, the cookies are simple, contain no added sugar, wheat flour, or dairy. They get their sweetness primarily from bananas and dried fruit (I used dried blueberries in these). I keep the baked cookies in the refrigerator and, in the morning, pull them out and pop them in the toaster. The toaster will warm and crisp them a bit on the outside, but if you want to eat the cookies "as is" or microwave them for a few seconds, that's fine, too. I think the cookies, in addition to being a good way to use up a lot of squishy bananas, make a great, nutritious accompaniment to morning fruit and yogurt. If you're in a hurry, try the cookies with a piece of cheese or smeared with peanut butter for a super-quick breakfast. And, if you have children, the cookies make a nutritious after-school snack with a glass of milk. Of course, kids probably would prefer the cookies with chocolate chips rather than dried fruit, but that's up to you. Why not try a little of both?
Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
3 cups of oats (old fashioned)
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
1 cup of chopped walnuts
1/2 cup of dried fruit (blueberries, cranberries, cherries, raisins, dates, apricots, etc.)
2 eggs
5-6 very ripe bananas, mashed (about 2 cups)
1/4 cup of canola oil
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line cookie sheets with parchment paper or coat them with non-stick cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine the oats, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, walnuts, and dried fruit. In another bowl, combine the mashed bananas, eggs, oil, and vanilla. Add the wet to the dry ingredients and mix everything well. Let the batter stand for about 10 minutes. Drop the batter by large spoonfuls (about 2 tablespoons worth) onto the parchment and spread each mound of batter out to a disk that's about 1/2 inch thick. Leave about two inches between each cookie mound. Bake the cookies 20-30 minutes or until the edges are firm and the tops are golden. Cool the cookies completely and store them in the refrigerator.