Who among us does not enjoy a good homemade cookie?

Small, portable, and usually clean to eat, cookies can be a satisfying treat.

They can also pack a wallop in terms of the ill-effects of high fat, white flour, and white sugar. Not exactly health food.

But could it be?

Simply converting a few ingredients to gluten-free versions helps; but we’re still left with high fat and sweeteners. I reserve such cookies to special indulgences over the holidays – and only when I can give most of them away.

A recipe for a healthy cookie crossed my path the other day that really caught my eye. Naturally, I tweaked it to pack in even more goodness, and the results are quite pleasing as I paired it with my afternoon cup of tea.

No butter to soften and no flour at all! Let’s look at this recipe without further delay:

Healthy Cookie

Makes 24 cookies.

Ingredients

3 ripe bananas, mashed

1/3 cup apple sauce – I just cooked up one apple, mashed it, and used all of it

2 cups of gluten-free rolled oats – I used a bit more because of the increased applesauce –

1 Tablespoon whole flax seeds, freshly ground –

1 Tablespoon chia seeds, freshly ground  

About 3 Tablespoons water to moisturize the ground flax and chia for 5 minutes

¼ cup dried fruit, softened and coarsely chopped – raisins, craisins, cherries

¼ cup chopped nuts

3 ounces of good chocolate, chopped – I used 72% dark chocolate  

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of salt

Optional: 3-4 Tablespoons of erythritol and monk fruit plant-based sugar alternative 

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Using a large bowl, mash the ripe bananas and add ingredients in order given.

Yes, I did use a bit of the erythritol and monk fruit sugar substitute. This is not the chemical wasteland that phony sugar substitutes are and does not give the sugar/carb hit that comes when people turn to honey, agave, or maple syrups.

Spoon onto a lightly greased baking sheet or use parchment paper to line pan.

Bake 15-20 minutes until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Store in the refrigerator or freeze.

NOTE- The dried fruits and ground seeds may be used dry, but you may need to add up to ¼ cup of your favorite milk type if the dough is too stiff.

About seed grinders: I tried to find an equivalent to my decades old – yet trusty – seed/spice grinder on Amazon and would recommend this one for spices and seeds. This one has great reviews and is a good price.

I like having a simple small device dedicated to seeds and spices. Coffee beans get their own grinder and I do not have to worry about extra clean up to avoid crossing up flavors.

My cookie was rich and satisfying – one did the job.

Here’s to an afternoon treat with lots of fiber, good fats from nuts and seeds, minerals, and antioxidants.

In health-

Deidre

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