Cookies

               Over the past few months that we have been dieting, I've decided the hardest part for me is finding healthy things to bake. I love baking, but what kind of dessert can you bake that is not filled with a ton of sugar, oil, or butter? Alas, I found it! Banana and dark chocolate cookies. They are free from  sugar, eggs, flour, and butter. Crazy, right? I saw the recipe, and felt a bit skeptical that they would actually taste OK. You guys, they are AMAZING. You have no idea. I wanted to post the recipe in hopes that you would want to try them out. 

Healthy Banana and Dark Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients:

3 large and ripe bananas mashed/pureed. (I just used my blender to do this)

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1/4 cup coconut oil, slightly warm

2 cups rolled oats

2/3 cup almond meal

1/3 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

6-7 ounces of dark chocolate chips or dark chocolate bar chopped up.

Directions:

Preheat over to 350 degrees.

1. In a large bowl, combine bananas, vanilla extract, and coconut oil. Set aside for now.

2. In a another bowl, whisk together oats, almond meal, shredded coconut, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder.

3. Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir until well combined.

4. Fold in the chocolate chips/chunks

5. Dollup 2 teaspoons of the dough on to a parchment paper lined cookie sheet one inch apart. 

6. Bake for 12-15 min. (My oven only took about 12 min for the tops of the cookies to brown slighty)

So easy, right? I've made these a few times so far, and they disappear pretty quickly. I think the whole process takes no longer than an hour, so they are perfect for a last minute dessert for a potluck or as a quick treat. Now, there is still sugar from the bananas and chocolate, and fat from the coconut oil, but nowhere near as much as your average cookie. 

Here is the original link where I found the recipe. If you try them out, let me know how it goes! Maybe try them for the 4th of July if you still are in need of some yummy treats :).

xoxoKelsey.