Banana, Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip, Oat Cookies

These cookies are a perfect "on the go" breakfast or snack. They are loaded with things that are good for you like; oats, dark chocolate, bananas, whole wheat flour and antioxidant rich spices. They will keep you full and fueled all morning long or in between meals. I made them for a picky toddler and they were an instant hit for the whole house. They are super fluffy in texture like a muffin but they are also chewy like a cookie. They are a cookie I feel good about eating and giving to my family! I always have bananas and inevitably overripe bananas at some point, so I am always looking for great, interesting ways to use them; other than just freezing for smoothies. Got some overripe bananas sitting on your counter? Try these!

Let's talk about dark chocolate for a minute! I always buy dark chocolate, and I always buy fair trade, from trusted sellers and producers. This means that the people and companies in the countries where they harvest cacao get paid fairly, and treated fairly by the companies and artisans who are importing it. Other things you should be buying fair trade are: coffee, sugar products, bananas and chocolate products. Here is a link for more information on buying fair trade and why its important to me: http://www.fairtradeusa.org/. Dark chocolate is loaded with antioxidants and is actually very good for you, I eat it daily! Make sure to buy 60% cacao or more to get the maximum benefits.

The recipe makes 15 to 20 good size cookies.
Adapted from Taste of Home, Banana Oatmeal Cookies; http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/banana-oatmeal-cookies.

Ingredients

1 Cup organic, unbleached, all purpose flour, I used a local one.
1/2 Cup organic, whole wheat flour, I used a local one.
3/4 Cup fair trade, organic, dark brown sugar
1 tsp Sea salt
1/2 tsp Baking soda
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Fresh nutmeg, grated on a microplane.
1 tsp Fresh ginger, grated.
1 Stick pasture raised butter, room temperature.
1/3 Cup organic, creamy, peanut butter, mine did not have sugar added.
1 farm raised egg
3 Overripe, fair trade bananas, mashed.
1 3/4 Cups organic, quick cooking oats
1/2 Cup fair trade, dark chocolate, chopped roughly into chunks, I used Callebaut.

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Mix first 8 ingredients to combine.

Mix in the butter and peanut butter and mix till it resembles wet sand.

Mix in the egg and banana and stir to combine well.

Fold in the oats and chocolate and mix to combine.

Scoop onto a cookie sheet, trying to make equal scoops, I like to use an ice cream scoop, it makes getting equal scoops very easy. They don't spread while cooking so you can put them close together.

Bake for 13 to 15 mins or until they are golden brown, and crispy on the edges.

Remove and cool on a wire rack, enjoy!

A cookie you can feel good about! Let me know what you think, stop back and leave some love!