Until recently, I was not a fan of baking. I always thought there were too many steps and too many ingredients and that it just would not come out right. I would grab a premade box mix of cookies or brownies and add in the one or two ingredients and that was just about as far as my baking would go. But if you take the time to really break down what ingredients are in your baking recipes it makes a difference between add ins and ingredients that are not good for you vs. adding some healthy and natural ingredients as well as something sweet like dark chocolate that allow you to still indulge without all the extra things that really are not good for you. Today, I will be sharing one of our favourite healthy and quick to make cookie recipes!
What I usually look for in baking recipes are ones that include ingredients that I have in the cupboard and on hand like oats, nut butters, nuts, seeds, fruits for some added protein and fiber, etc. The great thing about this recipe is that it uses leftover bananas that you may have laying around at the end of the week. I am not a fan of bananas on their own but mix them up with other items in a baking recipe and I am in! I also love that it uses oats, we buy these Quaker Quick Oats to use in other recipes as well, so we always have some on hand. This recipe is great for an afterschool snack, to take with you on the go, have with your coffee, or if you are away at school, travel to school and/or come home on a weekend, whip up a quick batch of these (using items that you parents may already have in their cupboards) and take it with you to school for the week – healthier than grabbing some junk food during those study periods!
This recipe for Skinny Monkey Oats cookies is courtesy of SkinnyMom.
Ingredients:
3 Bananas
2 cups of oats
2 Tbsp of reduced fat peanut butter
1/3 cup of natural apple sauce (we use plain greek yogurt instead - either or is great)
1 Tbs of brown sugar
1/4 cup of chocolate chips (we use the Hershey's Chipits DARK chocolate chips)
1 tsp of vanilla
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2.Mash up the bananas using a fork. Add in all of the other ingredients
Below: Made with plain apple sauce (you can also use greek yogurt- plain instead)
3. Let it sit for a few minutes 15-20.
4. Scoop up the mixture using a spoon into a ball and place it on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
5. Baking time says: 10 minutes - we usually add about 2-4 minutes depending on if you like it less soft/chewy.
My husband and I make this recipe as part of our food prep usually at the end of the week for the following week. It makes about 14-18 cookies depending on the size that you make them. This is a favourite of ours and of our family when we get together for dinner and I will make some extra for them to snack on during the week as well! A quick and easy cookie recipe for an afterschool snack or a snack on the go during the day or make some extra to pop in the freezer for a future snack break!