Banana Oat Breakfast Cookies

Today is Monday! For some reason, I really like sharing breakfast recipes on Monday. Perhaps because Monday is the beginning of the week and breakfast is the beginning of the day? Whatever the reason, this is a super awesome breakfast. Because-get this-it's cookies. COOKIES. FOR BREAKFAST! And not like in a "I don't care how unhealthy this is I'm totally having 3 of these leftover chocolate chip cookies for breakfast because I'm lazy and they're just so good-" kind of way, but in a "these are totally good for me but don't taste like they are" way. They're chock full of things that are a perfect way to start your day: whole grains, oats, protein, fruit.....chocolate....OK-the chocolate is optional. And if you want to be extra good, maybe don't use the chocolate chips. The original recipe didn't even have them. But...I...well...I NEED THEM OKAYYY?! But, it's dark chocolate. And like, a couple chips per cookie. Still totally healthy.

Don't judge me.

Banana Oat Breakfast Cookies

Adapted from Eat. Drink. Love.

Makes about 12 cookies.

Ingredients:

• 1 large banana (1/2 cup) mashed
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce (or, if you don't have any, you can sub in an extra 1/4 cup mashed banana here. I've done this with great success)
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup honey (or, if you prefer sweeter cookies, you can add an additional 1/4 cup as well. I think it tastes great with just the original amount, though.)
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• pinch of salt
• Optional: 1/2 cup dried raisins, cranberries, other dried fruit, or chocolate chips.

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a large bowl, combine mashed banana, applesauce, peanut butter, honey, and vanilla extract.

• In a separate bowl, mix oats, flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. 
• Combine the wet and dry ingredients.
• Stir in any of the optional mix-ins.
• Prepare cookie sheet(s) by spraying with non-stick cooking spray or lining with parchment paper.
• Drop 1/4 cup balls of cookie dough onto the prepared cookie sheet(s)., keeping them 3 in. apart from each other. Flatten the cookies to approx. 1/2 in. thick.
• Bake 15 minutes, until set and lightly browning.

Surprisingly pretty for something surprisingly healthy.