Double Cherry-Chocolate Chip Breakfast Cookies

Double Cherry-Chocolate Chip Breakfast Cookies ~ full of fresh & dried cherries, as well as a hint of chocolate.  The perfect Breakfast Cookie for right now, especially since we are smack-dab in the middle of cherry season!

Recipe Repost from July 29, 2012 ~ Since there are lots of fresh cherries in the market right now, I decided to repost one of my favorite ways to bake with cherries. ~ Enjoy!

This new spin on Breakfast Cookies came about because of all the fresh cherries that I keep seeing everywhere, as well as getting the inspiration / idea from one of the visitors to the blog who mentioned making Breakfast Cookies using fresh cherries. (you didn't leave your name, so I can't properly thank you ~ but you know who you are! :)   I just had to try making a cookie using fresh cherries, too.  Now is definitely the right time to try this recipe, since cherries are so cheap.   Cooking with the seasons does have its advantages!

I came up with a ~ Double Cherry-Chocolate Chip Breakfast Cookie.  It has a double hit of cherry flavor, calling for both fresh & dried cherries, as well as a hint of chocolate.  You could easily use frozen cherries instead of fresh.  If you're like me & you're looking for new ways to use/cook with all the fresh cherries that are everywhere right now, this just might be the Breakfast Cookie for you ~ Enjoy!

Double Cherry-Chocolate Chip Breakfast Cookies

makes 16 regular cookies

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oatmeal ~ uncooked
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed with fork until creamy 
  
• 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 12 fresh cherries, pitted & sliced into smaller pieces (or 12 frozen cherries, thawed & sliced/chopped)
• 1/4 cup dried cherries, chopped
• 3 Tbsp chocolate chips or carob chips (or more, to taste)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon (or more, to taste) 
   

Directions
 

Preheat heat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix vanilla extract & cinnamon into the applesauce.

Combine the applesauce mixture with all other ingredients & let sit for 10 minutes

Drop cookie dough, by spoonfuls, onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet & flatten cookies into rounds.

Bake approx. 30 minutes, or until golden & done.

Remove from oven & let rest on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then move to cooling rack.  Cookies will firm/sweeten up as they cool.
 
When completely cool store in a covered container.

Apple Mug Muffin ~ ready in 2 minutes

This evening, I was looking around on Pinterest and saw a pin for this recipe, that came from the blog ~ Civilized Caveman.  It was for an ~ Apple Mug Muffin ~ a quick microwave recipe that's ready in 2 minutes.  The photo looked good, it was for a single serving, the recipe was gluten-free, there was no added refined sugar, it said it was good for breakfast or dessert, I was hungry and I had most of the ingredients...so, off to the kitchen I went.

I did make a couple of substitutions ~ replacing 1/2 the coconut oil (I actually used melted Olivio Coconut Oil Spread) with unsweetened applesauce (to make it a little lower in fat); honey for the maple syrup (all outta maple syrup); chopped walnuts/cinnamon for the 'streusel topping' (couldn't be bothered to chop that little bit of apple); and I nuked it in a custard cup instead of a mug (just 'cause I felt like it...shoulda used the mug :) .  The resulting 'muffin' was surprisingly good, with a subtle sweetness and flavor.  To me, it had more of a substantial cooked 'egg custard' feel to it.  I'm a fan of that 'egg-y custard' flavor, so it was right up my alley.  Since it uses almond meal instead of flour, it has a denseness that you wouldn't get from a regular microwave-in-a-cup muffin.  I think it would make a quick and tasty breakfast...but for tonight, it was my dessert.  Yup, real-time cooking in my kitchen!  Now, I need to eat dinner ~ tonight was one of those eat-dessert-first kinda evenings.  teehee

 

Day Spa Fruity Water ~ Cheaters Version ~ a simple & cheap recipe that makes a variety of low calorie ~ Fruit Flavored Waters ~ quickly!

Apple Cinnamon Day Spa Fruity Water ~ Cheaters Version ~ The basic recipe can be varied by using any 100% fruit juice concentrate flavor that you like.  Tropical, citrus, fruit punch blends ~ whatever you can find at the market.  It's super easy & a pretty cheap 'copycat' way to enjoy the trendy 'Fresh Fruit Infused Water' that's so popular right now.  (Shhh... you could even doll-up a glass with a slice of fresh fruit when you pour it for company, so it looks like the real deal.  I'll never tell! :) 

(If you want to see the recipe first ~ scroll down.  If you want to hear me on my soapbox first, read on...)

Lately, I've been seeing a lot of pins on Pinterest showing how to make Fresh Fruit Infused Waters.  All of the photos show beautiful, water-filled carafes and glasses, full of glorious jewel-toned, sun ripened fruits, fresh herbs and occasionally, spices.  Talk about eye candy!  I instantly fell in love with the idea of creating this lovely drink at home.  So, on the 'Fruity Water' (as my English hubby calls it) bandwagon I jumped and off to the market I went, determined to 'brew' a batch for myself...

Only problem was, it's wintertime and the cost of the fresh fruit is up there.  Grrrr.   So, I opted for frozen fruit, still a bit up there price wise, but not near as bad.  I used these recipes for inspiration for my first batch.  As I waited (a tad impatiently) for to the water to be 'infused' enough to notice/drink, I watched how all the vibrantly colored fruits began to lose their beauty and eventually become pale, limp and sorry looking.  It made me feel sad.  Well, that was unexpected... the pictures never showed that part of the 'fresh fruit infused water' making process.  It makes perfect sense, it just never really occurred to me.  I was so completely seduced by the tempting photographs ~ showing the color saturated, full 'o' life fruits, all bathing in the beautiful, water filled carafes.  (I'm such a sucker for a pretty food picture!)

Yes, the water did take on a delicately flavored hint of the fruit, but, at the end of the day, seeing the lifeless/tasteless and almost colorless fruit left sitting in the bottom of the container, just left me wanting.  It seemed such a waste, all that real fruit flavor, diluted into a weak shadow of itself.  It really made me less enthusiastic for the whole 'fresh fruit infused water' process.  I've come to the conclusion, that for me, I would rather eat my fruit.  I'd rather savor every colorful, full-of-fruit-flavor bite ~ than to give it a long soak in water...wasting away, leaving just a hint of its true, sun-kissed flavor essence behind.  Meh!

On a more positive note ~ With all that being said, I did drink 64oz. of water that day with no problem at all!  Having a little hit of flavor in the water made it super easy to do.  I decided there had to be a better and cheaper way!  Hmm...Why not just use 100% frozen fruit juice concentrate instead?   A little bit goes a long way and there's no 'waiting' time, just stir and you're good to go. Booyah!  Now, everyone says that just by 'infusing' the water with fresh fruit, that it's a no-calorie drink.  Well, I've decided that using 2 tablespoons of 100% frozen fruit juice concentrate (approx. 60 calories) in 64oz. of water (turning it into about 8 calories a glass), was an acceptable trade-off.  It's still a super low calorie drink to me, it won't break the bank, and if you buy frozen cans of juice that have a resealable lid, you can buy a variety of flavors and make a different tasting batch every day ~  Double Booyah!

It's just SO MUCH CHEAPER to use 100% frozen fruit juice concentrate and here's the best part ~ there is no sad, depleted fruit left behind in the bottom of the pitcher at the end of the day!   When you consider how much fresh fruit costs, (and even some frozen fruits) it's just so much more budget friendly to use 100% concentrated fruit juice.  I'm so happy with my 'Day Spa Fruity Water' copycat version of 'infused' fresh fruit water, and at about 1 calorie an ounce/8 calories a cup, I'm happy with the calorie count, too.  OK, I'm off my soapbox now, time for me to drink up.  :)  ~ Enjoy!

Apple Cinnamon Day Spa Fruity Water ~ 'Cheaters Version' ~ vary the juice flavor for unlimited possibilities! 
makes a little more that 64oz.
inspired by this recipe

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp frozen 100% apple juice concentrate
• 1/4 tsp to 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (more or less to taste ~ the more you use, the more golden & cinnamon-y flavored it gets ~ I'm a bit heavy handed, I really like cinnamon :)
• 64 oz. filtered water (or the usual kind you drink ~ tap, bottled, etc.)

Directions

Mix the apple juice concentrate, cinnamon and 1/2 cup of water in a pitcher/container large enough to hold all the water.  Stir it until the cinnamon is completely blended into the juice.  (if you don't mix the cinnamon in really well first, it will just float on top when you add the rest of the water)  Add the remaining water, stir and then leave in the fridge.  When ready to serve, give it a good swirl, to get the cinnamon mixed back up again (it settles to the bottom after a while) or just let it stay down there ~ as you like.  Serve straight-up or over ice.  Enjoy!

*Just a little heads up ~ ground cinnamon's viscosity (that occurs when it sits in liquid over a period of time) might make it clump together & form into 'strands' while in the bottom of the container. (it kinda reminds me of the 'Mother' found in the bottom of organic unfiltered apple cider bottles)  You can drink the remaining cinnamon on the bottom, or pour it out, your call.  I usually drink it.

~ Flavor Variations ~ 

• 2 Tbsp any flavor  ~ 100% fruit juice concentrate blends
• fresh ginger, mint, basil or whatever herbs/spices might inspire you   

Prepare it the same way, mix and match to your hearts content, with the addition of herbs/spices or without.  Make it anyway you like! 

Apple Spice Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

Apple Spice Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies ~ for those who would rather not bake with bananas, this might be the breakfast cookie recipe for you!

Christine T, a reader of the blog, wondered about using all applesauce in one of the breakfast cookie recipes ~ just forgetting the banana altogether.  She also mentioned adding chopped apples & some extra spice.  Sounded interesting, so I made a batch using her thoughts as my inspiration.

Skipping the banana and using only applesauce seems to work just fine.  The texture is a bit different from the other breakfast cookies that include banana, they don't seem quite as chewy to me.  I still prefer them when made with bananas, but, it's a nice option if you don't like bananas or don't happen to have any bananas around when you want to make a batch of breakfast cookies.   I did include a little honey to make up for the loss of the sweetness that the bananas would have provided.  Next time, I might up-the-spices for an even bolder flavor.  You could even add a bit more honey, just depends on how sweet you like your cookies; maybe throw in some chopped walnuts, too.  If anyone tinkers with the recipe even more, please leave a comment and share what you did ~  I'm sure those who don't like bananas will be thrilled.

Christine T ~   Thanks so much for the idea to create a new breakfast cookie flavor using only apples!  Hope you like them.  :)


Apple Spice Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
12 ~ 16 cookies

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oatmeal
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2/3 cup diced apple ~ your favorite kind
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp allspice

Directions

Preheat heat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients together & let cookie dough sit for 10 minutes, so the oats can absorb some of the moisture.

Drop cookie dough, by spoonfuls, onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet & flatten cookies into circles.

Bake approx. 20 - 25 minutes, or until golden & done.

Remove from oven & let rest on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then move to cooling rack.
 
Store in a covered container when completely cool.

Celebrating New Year's Day ~ Pennsylvania Dutch Style ~ Guest Cook Post

Our friend, Barbara, invited us over to her home to celebrate New Year's Day.  She made her traditional New Year's family meal, full of Pennsylvania Dutch flavors.  We had a fantastic time, enjoying ~ great conversation; beautiful winter views on the lake; a home full of holiday spirit; great food and wine; and delightful desserts.

Barbara, thanks again for inviting us to share in your family's tradition!  What a wonderful way to start the New Year.   x/o

 

I didn't get Barbara's actual recipe for the dessert she made, but, I did find recipes for Apple Crisp with Pecans and for Homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream that sound pretty close to the flavors of the desserts we enjoyed.

As you can see from all the photos, Barbara is a marvelous cook and hostess.  Everything she prepared was wonderful.  My son was all over the baked brie and Barbara also made him some homemade root beer that he went nuts for.  Now he wants me to buy one of those do-it-yourself soda machines, too.  :)  Between me and my foodie friends, I think we're teaching my young son to be a budding gourmand... and that's a good thing!   Here's wishing everyone a fantastic 2013!

 

Cinnamon Red Hots Applesauce ~ a vintage family recipe from the 30's

Our dear family friend, Dick, makes a wonderful vintage gelatin 'apple sauce salad'.  I've always called it by my own name for it ~ Cinnamon Red Hots Applesauce.  It's a recipe that he got from his Aunt Maud and dates back to the 1930's.  Way back when, Cherry Jello and Cinnamon Red Hots were new taste sensations that were all the rage, as were Jello/gelatin 'salads'.  So, it's not surprising that she combined them into this unusual combo.  We enjoy it so much, that I always ask Dick to bring a bowlful of it to our holiday dinners.  When he was a child, Dick says he remembers it being served on a bed of lettuce, as the 'salad course' of a special dinner.  I just serve it right along with everything else.  To me it's more of a fun and tasty spin on traditional applesauce, rather than a 'salad'.  Different times, different definitions of what a 'salad' is. 

Yesterday, I posted a picture on the blog's Facebook page showing what we had for our Christmas dinner and mentioned the Cinnamon Red Hots Applesauce.  (it was on last years Christmas dinner plate, too)  Thanks to Crystal (a reader of the blog) for asking for the recipe and giving me the inspiration for today's blog post.   Here you go, Crystal, hope you like it!

Cinnamon Red Hots Applesauce

makes 4~6 servings 

(Roy likes it with 1/4 cup CRH & I like it a little spicier, so sometimes I use 1/3 cup CRH)

Ingredients

• 1 cup boiling hot water
• 1/4 cup Cinnamon Red Hots candies (add more for an even spicier, cinnamon-y taste)
• 1 small box Cherry Jello (or your favorite red flavor)
• 1 pint unsweetened applesauce (16 oz)

Directions 

Add 1/4 cup Cinnamon Red Hots to one cup of boiling hot water, stir to dissolve.  ((gently heat up the water/CRH in a saucepan if the Cinnamon Red Hots don't dissolve completely with just stirring))

Add one package Cherry Jello to the hot water/Cinnamon Red Hots liquid, stir 2 minutes or until Jello is completely dissolved.   Add the pint of applesauce to the Jello mixture, stir well.  Refrigerate for a few hours until it firms up.   ((It will be thicker than regular applesauce, but not as firm as Jello))  Enjoy!

Mean Green Juice ~ Meatless Monday

Mean Green Juice ~ from the movie Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead.

I'd been looking for juicer recipes that included the superfood ~ kale ~ when I came across tons of posts that talked about the documentary movie ~ Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead.  I remembered hearing about the documentary, but had never seen it.  I was intrigued & read a couple of the blogs.  Then I headed on over to the ReBoot With Joe site & looked around.  If you haven't seen the movie yet, I highly recommend it.  (you can watch it over on Hulu ~ if you're in the US)   Wow!  What an amazing journey Joe & Phil went through!  Certainly a lot of food for thought. (no pun intended ~ OK, pun intended :)

I made the signature ~ Mean Green Juice ~ and really enjoyed it.   It'll become a regular in my juicer recipe rotation.  Watch the movie & see for yourself how much these guys (and others who's stories where told) benefited from their juicing journey.  Very inspiring, indeed!   Good on ya, mate!

Mean Green Juice 

recipe adapted very slightly from the ReBoot With Joe site

Ingredients

• 6 Kale Leaves
• 1 Cucumber
• 4 Celery Stalks
• 2 Green Apples
• 1/2 Lemon, peeled
• 1"-2" piece of peeled ginger, depends on how spicy you like your juice

Directions

Feed your fruit & veggies down the shoot of your juicer & juice away!

Here is a great post from the blog ~ Macheesmo ~ that talks about the movie, reviews it & also has the basic recipe, but he makes his Mean Green Juice with his blender.  And for more variations on the original Mean Green Juice recipe, check out this site.  :)

Learn more...

Fresh Carrot-Apple Juice with Ginger

Lately, I've been enjoying playing around in my kitchen ~ with my juicer. There is something so satisfying about shoving all those fruits & veggies down the chute and watching the glass fill up with liquid nectar.  I'm having so much fun, that even cleaning the juicer doesn't bother me.  Yup, I'm a kitchen geek!

I was pleasantly surprised when I made this super simple juice ~ Carrot-Apple Juice with Ginger.  The thing that surprised me was how much I love including a slice (or two) of fresh ginger with the other ingredients.  The ginger's flavor is subtle, but it brightens up & immensely improves the over-all taste of every juice recipe I've added it to.  I'm hooked & think I'll be including a few slices of ginger to all my juicer drink recipes now.  :)


Fresh Carrot-Apple Juice with Ginger
serves one

Ingredients

• 2 carrots
• 1 apple
• 2 slices ~ fresh, peeled ginger 'coins' ~ 1/8 inch slices (more or less, to taste)

Directions

Cut carrots & apple into chunks that will fit into your juicer.  Shove the chunks, along with the ginger slice(s), down the chute & juice away.

Serve straight-up or over ice.

Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Raisin Breakfast Cookies ~ Kimberly's Version

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Raisin Breakfast Cookies ~ This breakfast cookie is sweetened with bananas, applesauce & raisins.  It's gets its high protein from ~ peanut butter, vanilla protein powder & egg.

Kimberly, (one of the readers of the blog) shared her tweaks to the original Peanut Butter Banana Oat Breakfast Cookies ~ recipe.   In her version she added an egg, raisins, cinnamon & baking powder ~ & she left out the extra nuts, butter extract & carob/chocolate chips.  Cool!  It sounded like such a neat spin, I just had to give it a try ~ so I made them today.  She turned the recipe into what I'm calling the ~ Peanut Butter Oatmeal Raisin Breakfast Cookies.  Her version is very good & just as easy to make as the original version.  We treated ourselves & 'frosted' some of the cookies with a few spreads that we like.  (I've got a picture down below showing all the different ones we tried out) 

Kimberly, thanks so much for sharing your version of the peanut butter breakfast cookie!  You ROCK!  :)

Updated 9/6/2012 ~ I worked up the nutritional info over at Calorie Count.com  ~~ CLICK HERE ~~ for the breakdown.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Raisin Breakfast Cookies ~ Kimberly's Version

makes 16 - 24 cookies, depending on the size you like your cookies

• 2 ripe bananas, mashed until smooth & creamy
• 1/3 cup peanut butter
• 1 egg, well beaten  
• 2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon (or more, to taste)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 cups quick oatmeal  ~ uncooked  
• 1/4 - 1/3 cup raisins

Preheat heat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix, in a large bowl ~ mashed banana & peanut butter until completely combined.  Then add in the applesauce, beaten egg, vanilla protein powder, cinnamon & vanilla extract ~ mix again until all are completely combined.

Add in the oatmeal, raisins & baking powder to the banana mixture & combine.

Let dough rest for 10 minutes.  Dough will be 'thinner' than my other breakfast cookies ~ more like a really thick batter.

Drop cookie dough/really thick cookie batter ~ by spoonfuls ~ onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.  Shape the cookies into circles, the batter should stay where you put it, if it's just a tad too thin, add an extra tablespoon or two of oats.  The cookies should not spread when baking.

Bake cookies approx. 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown & done. (cooking time really depends on how big you make your cookies & if you like them a bit more soft in the middle)  Remove from oven when done & let rest on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then move to cooling rack.  

 
Cool cookies completely, then store in a covered container. 

 **  For a special treat ~ check out some of the optional cookie 'frostings' below  :)  **

Enjoy! 

 ~ OPTIONAL ~ 

Today, as a special treat, we've been enjoying adding some flavored spreads to the tops of these breakfast cookies.  So far, we have 'frosted' the breakfast cookies with:

• Speculoos Cookie Butter from Trader Joe's (it tastes like gingerbread ~ J really likes it)
• peanut butter mixed with honey
• plain peanut butter
• Nutella

We all love having a 'special treat', every now & then.  Especially when it's eating a 'frosted' cookie!  

P.S. ~ I had some extra cookie dough/batter that wouldn't fit on the cookie sheet, so I cooked it like a pancake. One word ~ A W E S O M E !!!  I just topped it with some butter & skipped the syrup. I really enjoyed it.  I'll have to explore that avenue in the future.  :)    If you have some cookie dough/batter left over, why not give it a try, too ~ you might find you like it as much as I did.

 

~ Other NUT BUTTER / SEED BUTTER variations to consider for this breakfast cookie ~

For a different spin on these breakfast cookies, you could change up the Nut Butter or Seed Butter that you use.  You can purchase different kinds of nut/seed butters...  Or, you could make your own nut/seed butter, if you're so inclined.  (making my own homemade nut/seed butters recipes sounds intriguing,  I might be trying that out soon) ~ Some different kinds of butters that might be interesting to try in these cookies:

Almond Butter

Hazelnut Butter

Soybean Butter

Sunflower Butter

Cashew Butter

Hemp Seed Butter

Sesame Seed Butter ( aka ~ Tahini )

Pumpkin Seed Butter

Walnut Butter

Pistachio Butter

Pecan Butter

Macadamia Nut Butter

Fresh Cucumber-Apple Juice

My friend, Luciane, told me about a simple fruit & veggie drink that she makes with her juicer ~ Fresh Cucumber-Apple Juice.  Her kids are just crazy about it AND it's as easy as can be to make ~ just cucumbers & apples.  Cool!  I was intrigued & decided to make it this morning for my breakfast drink.

I now know why she & her kids like this combo so much.  It's so light & refreshing, just perfect for these hot, end-of-summer days.  Cucumbers are plentiful right now, so this is the perfect time to try this in your kitchen.  Use your favorite variety of apples & if you can, organic would be a nice choice since you are juicing the cucumbers & apples with their skins on.  Whatever produce I throw in my juicer, I always give it a fruit & veggie wash 'bath' before juicing, just to make sure there is no 'produce wax' left on the skins.

Here's an interesting, little bit of info for you ~ a cucumber is technically a fruit & not a veggie.  Since the seed is enclosed inside the flesh & the cucumber develops from a flower, it's a fruit.  Ask a botanist  ~ it's a fruit.  Ask a cook ~ it's a veggie.  Who, knew?  Since I'm a cook, it's a veggie to me & always will be.  :)

Thanks for sharing your recipe, Luciane! 

Fresh Cucumber-Apple Juice

serves one ~ two

• one cucumber ~ well washed

• one apple ~ well washed  

Cut cucumber & apple into chunks that will fit into your juicer, shove the chunks down the chute & juice away.

Serve straight-up or over ice.

Optional ~ if you want it a tad sweeter, just add another apple down the juicer chute... or stir in a touch of honey or a sprinkle of stevia. 


Enjoy! 

Double Apricot Almond Breakfast Cookies with Sweet Almond Butter

I had some apricots that were really ripe, so I decided to use them in a batch of Breakfast Cookies.  The new flavor I come up with is ~ Double Apricot Almond Breakfast Cookies.  I added a little bit of honey to this recipe to enhance the flavor of the fruit, but you could leave it out (or use another type of sweetener), if desired.  I really enjoy the combination of the flavors of apricot & almond together ~ they seem made for each other.  I decided to include a spin on 'icing' for this cookie, because I was in the mood for something that was a bit fancier this time around.  Since I was already using almond extract, almond butter was the logical choice.  Besides, I'm a big fan of sweetened almond butter ever since I made ~ Semla.  (the much loved Swedish Almond Cream Pastry Bun ~ check out my easy version of the traditional Semla recipe here)

Having all this fresh seasonal fruit around really makes for some tasty & unusual Breakfast Cookies ~ Enjoy!

Double Apricot Almond Breakfast Cookies ~ with Sweet Almond Butter

makes 16 cookies

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oatmeal ~ uncooked
• 1 ripe banana, mashed with fork until creamy 
  
• 2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2/3 cup pureed apricots (about 4-5 fresh or canned (drained) 
• 1/4 cup dried apricots, chopped (regular or unsulfured)
• 3 Tbsp almonds, or to taste ~ slivers, sliced or chopped (or nut of your choice) 
• 2 Tbsp honey (optional)
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon (or more, to taste) 

Sweet Almond Butter

• 3 Tbsp Almond Butter (or your favorite nut butter)
• 3 Tbsp Greek yogurt, non-fat or low-fat
• 4 packets Equal, or to taste (or your favorite sweetener of choice)
• 12 whole almonds for garnish (optional)

Directions

Preheat heat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix mashed banana, pureed apricot, honey, almond extract & cinnamon into the applesauce ~ until completely combined.

Combine the applesauce mixture with all remaining ingredients & let sit for 10 minutes

Drop cookie dough, by spoonfuls, onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet & flatten cookies into rounds.

Bake cookies approx. 30 minutes, or until golden & done.  While the cookies are baking, mix all of the Sweet Almond Butter ingredients together & store in the fridge until ready to use.

Remove cookies from the oven & let rest on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then move to cooling rack.  Cookies will firm up/sweeten up as they cool.  When cool, serve with the optional Sweet Almond Butter & garnish each cookie with an almond ~ if using.
 
Store completely cooled cookies in a covered container.  Store any remaining Sweet Almond Butter in the fridge.

*  If serving the cookies with the optional ~ Sweet Almond Butter ~ wait until you are ready to serve the cookies before spreading the nut butter on  top.

Carrot Cake Breakfast Cookies with Pineapple Cream Cheese Icing ~ a fun spin on my original Banana Oat Breakfast Cookies

Carrot Cake Breakfast Cookies ~ Here is another spin on my original Banana Oat Breakfast Cookies recipe.  This time I turned the breakfast cookies into a moist, dense, spicy cookie version of carrot cake.   They still have all the healthy goodness of my original breakfast cookie recipe, but also have the additional sweetness of both pureed & shredded carrot, as well as even more spices.  Roy really likes this Carrot Cake Breakfast Cookie version, especially with the 'Pineapple Cream Cheese Icing' that I spread on top of the cooled cookies.  The 'icing' is a healthy spin on the the traditional cream cheese icing that is so often found on carrot cake.  Since my 'icing' is made with Greek yogurt & cream cheese, it's a soft spreadable 'icing' that is perfect when added right before serving.

I think the texture of the cookie is best if you use old fashioned oats & eat the cookies when they are completely cooled, or even when chilled first in the fridge.  Try my Carrot Cake Breakfast Cookies with & without the 'Pineapple Cream Cheese Icing' to see which way you like best.   Enjoy!

The Pineapple Cream Cheese Icing is a soft, spreadable 'icing' that is the perfect way to top your Carrot Cake Breakfast Cookie!

To see the nutritional breakdown of just the breakfast cookies (without the optional 'icing') click ~ HERE.

Carrot Cake Breakfast Cookies with Pineapple Cream Cheese Icing ~ a tasty spin on my original Banana Oat Breakfast Cookies

makes 12 large or 16 regular cookies

• 2 mashed bananas
• 2/3 cup applesauce
• 2/3 cup pureed cooked carrots  ((I nuke my sliced carrots until they're getting soft, then puree them in my small food processor))
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp dark molasses
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 cup ground almond flour
• 1 1/2 cup old fashioned oatmeal ~ uncooked
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

** Optional 'Pineapple Cream Cheese Icing' 

• 1/4 cup plain fat free or low fat Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup fat free or low fat cream cheese
• 1 Tbsp crushed pineapple, drained (or more to taste) *optional
• 3 packets Equal (or your favorite sweetener, to taste)

Preheat heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl mix ~ vanilla extract, molasses & spices into the applesauce & carrot puree. When fully blended stir in the mashed banana & the shredded carrots until well combined.

Stir in the dry ingredients ~ oatmeal, almond flour, raisins & walnuts ~ combine until well blended.  Let mixture sit for 10 minutes.

Drop cookie dough, by spoonfuls, onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet & flatten cookies into rounds.

Bake approx. 35-45 minutes, or until golden & done.  (time depends on how thick the cookies are)

Remove cookies from oven & let them rest on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then move to cooling rack.
 
** for the optional 'Pineapple Cream Cheese Icing' ~ While cookies are baking, place the yogurt & cream cheese in a small food processor & blend until smooth. (or do by hand)  When nice & creamy, stir in the crushed pineapple & sweetener of choice.  Taste & add more sweetener if desired.  Store in fridge until ready to use and/or if you have any leftover.

When cookies are completely cool (or chilled in fridge), serve as is ~ or spread a layer of the 'Pineapple Cream Cheese Icing' on the top of the cookies & then serve.

Store remaining cookies in a covered container.

Peanut Butter Banana Oat Breakfast Cookies with Carob / Chocolate Chips

Peanut Butter Banana Oat Breakfast Cookies ~ These cookies have the great flavor of peanut butter, are power packed because of adding protein powder and are egg & flour free and are sweetened with bananas & applesauce.  If you want to indulge, add some chocolate or carob chips & take the flavor up to the next level!

They go perfect with a cup of coffee...

Peanut Butter Banana Oat Breakfast Cookies with Carob / Chocolate Chips (optional) ~ I've come up with another recipe/spin on my original Breakfast Cookie.   This newly created recipe turned out so good & we ate it so quick ~ it barely lasted two days around here.   This time my recipe includes peanut butter, vanilla protein powder, chopped nuts ~ and a carob / chocolate chip option that is really wonderful.  Hands up if you love the flavor combo of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups ~ pb & c, ROCKS!   Nutella, spread on top of these cookies, is another winner in my book & the boys agree.  Roy told me these cookies really helped to keep the hunger pains away when he had them for a late afternoon snack.  The extra protein from the peanut butter & the vanilla protein powder give them that little extra bit of oomph, to give them even more staying power than the original Breakfast Cookies.  Very cool!

The cookie is soft, thick & chewy (it reminds me of 'Grandma's Cookies' brand) ~ with the great taste of peanut butter & the extra goodness from the vanilla protein powder.  I think the taste & the texture is even better the second day, the flavors seem to develop more as the cookie sits.  If you're a fan of peanut butter cookies, give this new Breakfast Cookie a try. 

I'm really digging eating these different Breakfast Cookies in the mornings...  How about you?   :)

** Updated 7/15/2012 ~ If you are having a hard time finding vanilla protein powder or butter extract, you can make the cookies without them, no need to replace them with anything else.  The texture/flavor will just be a little bit different.

If you don't like or don't/can't eat peanut butter,  you might try using your favorite nut butter instead.   ((or even soy butter for those who want the flavor / taste of peanut butter without actually using a nut butter))  Just change the name of the cookies to match the name of the new nut butter ((or soy butter)) used.  

I worked up the nutritional info for the cookies, over on Calorie Count.com, based on 16 cookies in a batch, like I normally make.  The info is without the optional carob / chocolate chips or butter extract, but I did include the protein powder.  Check out the nutritional info using the link here.

 Cheers!  :)

Peanut Butter Banana Oat Breakfast Cookies ~ with optional carob or chocolate chips

makes 16 regular sized cookies or 12 large sized

To print a copy of the recipe ~ CLICK HERE ~

• 2 ripe bananas, mashed until smooth & creamy
• 1/3 cup peanut butter ~ creamy or chunky 
• 2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder ** (can be made without, cookie will just be lower in protein)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp butter flavor extract ** (optional)
• 1 1/2 cups quick oatmeal  ~ uncooked  (or use old fashioned oats for more oatmeal texture)
• 1/4 cup chopped nuts (peanut, walnut, or your favorite)
• 1/4 cup carob or chocolate chips (**optional)

Preheat heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix mashed banana & peanut butter until completely combined then add in the applesauce, vanilla protein powder & the extract(s) ~ mix again until all are completely combined.

Add in the oatmeal & nuts to the banana mixture & combine.  (** add the optional carob / chocolate chips at this time if you want them mixed throughout)

Let dough rest for 10 minutes.

Drop cookie dough, by spoonfuls, onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet & flatten cookies into circles. (** if you just want the carob / chocolate chips on the top of the cookies, add now)

Bake cookies approx. 20-30 minutes (some like their cookies less cooked, some cooked more - try it both ways to find which works best for your tastes) or until golden brown & done.  Remove from oven & let rest on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then move to cooling rack.  (if you want the traditional fork tong marks on the cookies, use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to score the tops of the cookies while they're still warm)

 
When cookies are completely cool, store in a covered container.  Enjoy!

...or with a cuppa tea.