Vegan 

These cookies are incredibly simple and make an excellent healthy breakfast or snack food. I’ve kept it simple here so there is plenty of room for your creativity. Feel free to add chopped nuts such as pecans or almonds and raisins. This recipe makes about 1 dozen cookies, I recommend doubling it so you have some to share. 

Ingredients

  • 2 cups organic rolled oats
  • 3 large ripe bananas, peeled and smashed
  • ½ cup nut butter such as sunflower butter, almond or cashew
  • ¼ cup vegan and gluten-free chocolate chips or more to your liking
  • 1 Teaspoon cinnamon or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon raw vanilla (optional)

Options:

  • ½ cup chopped nuts such as slivered almonds
  • ½ cup raisins
  • Non-vegan but high protein and good for hair, skin, and, nails: 1 scoop collagen and 1 scoop hydrolyzed beef protein powder. (I prefer flavorless, but  some people like vanilla flavor)

Procedure

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F or 175 C.
  2. Add dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl.
  3. Peel and smash bananas in a medium mixing bowl.
  4. Add the nut butter to the bananas and mix well.
  5. Add nut butter and banana mixture to dry ingredients, stirring as you go until well-integrated.
  6. Add optional chocolate chips, raisins, or nuts. 
  7. Line a cookie sheet with wax paper.
  8. Make ball shapes and place on cookie sheet, then gently press them down a bit to make a flatter cookie. (The consistency should be such that you can make a ball or close to it. You want them slightly moist, but not falling apart completely. If it’s too moist simply add a bit more rolled oats until it’s the right consistency.)
  9. Bake for 10-15 minutes.  (My oven is a bit odd and takes about 26 minutes to bake these, but my previous oven was shorter.)  Keep checking them. When you touch the top, they should be firm. If the edges start to brown, take them out. I prefer them right before they brown.
  10. Remove from oven and lift the sheet of wax paper out, placing it on the counter or cooling rack. Wait another 10 minutes, then gently use a firm spatula to lift them off the wax paper. Gently jimmy them off by getting the spatula under one edge while holding the wax paper taught.
  11.  Store in a glass container in your fridge for up to 5 days (if they last that long).

Buen Provecho!