Oat'Nana Cookies

You know, studying is not as it was, oh let's say 10+ years ago, where fractions and foreign languages lulled me to wonderful naps. Sure, growing up is not all sugar and spice, with bills and wrinkles increasing daily, but studying sure is a whole lot more interesting, and far much tastier, these days. I find temperature, moisture levels and the role ingredients play in bringing varying results fascinating. Perfection is hard to come by, I've learned that too.
Feeding kids, who are growing, learning, developing and in need of intense attention spans as they make their way through these crazy-ever-changing young years, is harder than I could have imagined. So when nutrition packed 'sweets' have kids running to the kitchen, drooling as they see cookies come out of the oven, you've got my attention, and I'm all game for more research.

Oat'Nana Cookies

adapted from 101 Cookbooks

3 ripe bananas (fresh, not from frozen as they become too moist once thawed)

2 tbsp real vanilla extract

1/4 cup olive oil

2 cups rolled oats

2/3 cup ground almond

1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1 tbsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp aluminum free baking powder

6 - 8 ounces quality dark chocolate, chopped into chunks

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Mash banana, add vanilla and olive oil.

Combine oats, ground almond, coconut, cinnamon and baking powder. Stir into the mashed bananas. Fold in the chocolate.

Form 1 inch balls with the palm of your hands. Place 1/2 inch apart on parchment paper lined baking sheet, give a little smoosh on each to shape into a round cookie.

Bake in preheated oven, about 14 minutes.

Cookie with benefits

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies, with a Banana thrown in
Makes 3 1/2 - 4 dozen - These freeze amazingly well, and are a yummy treat frozen! Try sandwiching a scoop of ice cream in between two. Mmmmm summer!

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1 cup overripe banana, mashed
1 cup chocolate chips
1 3/4 cups rolled oats

Preheat the oven to 375.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together. Beat in egg.
All at once, add the flour, salt, baking soda, nutmeg and cinnamon on top of the butter mixture.
Stir together the dry ingredients, then mix into the butter. (Hey, it's a short cut I've used for years! And only admitted to it after watching Anna Olsen doing the same on her TV show. Save a dish, have a dish!)
Next, stir in the mashed banana, chocolate and oatmeal.
Drop by teaspoon onto ungreased cookie sheets, bake for 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
Let cool and store in airtight container.





I love to add a little extra something to my baking. It's possible I justify to myself the sugar and butter added also, but I am pretty sure I'm quite hooked on the flavours fruits and vegetables, nuts and dried fruits add to a cookie, muffin and loaf. Or pancake!

It's been hot lately... oh so very hot! If you know me well, you will remember I am not a huge fan of winter, so after a long bout of cold weather, I down right refuse to turn the air on until even I need a little relief.

Heat + bananas = super fast ripening... Basically, we eat them "straight from the package" for the first 2 or 3 days. Then I freeze a few cut into one inch chunks for smoothies. The rest I allow to get just about black, overripe and ready for baking. But how much banana bread can one family eat in a summer? Thus the cookie.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip with Avocado Cookies

Since the summer, I've been buying an avocado or two a week, but lately they seem to go bad on me before I get around to eating them. I must simply be in the habit of putting them in the grocery cart, and avocados being one of those foods I have to be in the mood to eat, they have not made it to the plate lately. Could be a summer mood for me... how apples are in the fall. But alas, who knew avocados could make a good replacement for butter in cookies?! If you've ever tried applesauce, you know that a cookie is just not a cookie with it. Using avocados, on the other hand, makes a magnificent cookie, perhaps one of the better ones I have ever had! And who can argue with replacing some bad fat with the good stuff. Don't tell the kids, until they are about to take a bite, "By the way, there's avocado in those, mwahaaha"! I am not a huge advocate of 'hiding' veggies in foods as a way to get kids to eat them - since a tablespoon or so of veg simply doesn't count as a serving, and I think it's super important for kids to learn about the colorful stuff, to discover it's taste and texture, and so create a love for it. It's most certainly hardly ever love at first sight, but I am not afraid of expecting my kids to try something they think they don't like. Here it's the cookies that benefit from the vegetable - well, technically it is a fruit.
I hope you try these!



Oatmeal Chocolate Chip with Avocado Cookies
Makes 30

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 peeled, mashed avocado
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp real vanilla extract
1 cup flour or whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups rolled or quick oats
1/2 cup shredded coconut (dessicated will make a denser cookie)
3/4 cup good quality chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Heat the oven to 190C/375F.
Lightly grease or line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Beat butter until smooth. Add sugars, beat for 2 minutes or until light and fluffy.
Gently beat in avocado.
Add the egg and vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda and salt, mix into batter.
Add the oats and coconut.
Fold through the chocolate chips and walnuts.
Drop by teaspoon size on a baking sheet, flatten lightly with fork.
Bake for 10 - 15 minutes, or until lightly golden.