Breakfast Cookie

I spent a good part of my late high school/early college years dieting.  Not only do I enjoy eating, but I tend to have an issue with emotional eating, although it's certainly gotten better these past few years.  On top of that, I've always struggled with my body image.  Put those two factors together in a teenage girl and she's bound to diet.  So I know what it's like to feel restricted.  Most sweets, like cookies and ice cream, were just off-limits at some point or another.  Unfortunately, depriving yourself makes you more prone to binge later, which is why the vicious cycle of 'dieting' just kept continuing.

Imagine how sweet life got when I started eating real foods, and I realized that you don't have to count calories or deprive yourself.  Now, as opposed to banning sweets, I make (most of) my desserts from scratch, and am able to eat desserts regularly without feeling an ounce of guilt.  As Michael Pollen wrote (to paraphrase), you can eat whatever treat you want as long as you make it from scratch [with real ingredients!].

Despite my new lifestyle and new mindset, it still feels sneaky to have a cookie for breakfast.  That's why they're so fun!  But these cookies contain no added sugar and are loaded with goodness.  Nut or seed butter (assuming it's all natural, with just nuts/seeds and salt - no added sugars or oils) are loaded with healthy fats which are important for your body to digest fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin A, D, E, & K, plus are full of protein.  Bananas are full of potassium and fiber, regulate your blood sugar, aid in digestion, and can help fight depression.  On top of being packed with fiber, flax seeds are full of omega-3 fatty acids which most Americans don't get nearly enough of.  Depending on the add-ins you choose, you're just adding another layer of nutrition with dried fruit or nuts.

 

 Breakfast Cookie

 Recipe adapted from The Detoxinista

 

1/2 cup nut or seed butter (I used combination of natural PB, tahini, and almond butter, but I wouldn't use more than 2-3Tb tahini or it won't be sweet enough)

1 very ripe banana, mashed (~1/2 cup)

3 Tbsp ground flax seed

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp cinnamon

pinch of salt

1/4 cup add-ins (I used raisins, but try craisins, walnuts, pecans, or even chocolate chips)

 

Preheat oven to 350F.  Mix all ingredients together.  Let mixture sit for 10 minutes so the flax seed can bind the batter. I've even mixed it up the night before, then threw it in the fridge so I could bake them fresh the next morning.

 

Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, drop cookies onto greased cookie sheet or parchment paper.  Bake for 10 minutes at 350F.  Let the cookies cool for several minutes on cookie sheet before transferring to cooling rack.  Or do as Charlotte did, and eat them straight from the tray. 

 

Makes 1 dozen cookies.  Lasts for a few days in a sealed container on the counter or the fridge.  They also store nicely in the freezer.  If you don't eat them all first :)

Super moist and delicious.  I honestly had to portion half the batch away because I was looking for an excuse not to make breakfast tomorrow too.  But then I snuck 1 out of the bag while Charlotte wasn't looking.  Opps! Guess I'll have to have one of my sesame seed bars from the freezer to make up for the lost cookie.  It was worth it though.  Make a batch today. On second thought, just double the batch.  You can thank me later :)