Whole grain Peanut Butter Oat Cookies

Here's a no-brainer cookie to try out ASAP. Naturally sweetened, full of whole grains, healthy fat and protein. Need I say more? Well, one more important thing I suppose, they're delicious! The most important point in my book. While I love eating healthy and feeling good about my food choices, if they don't taste good I'm not interested. They have to be both. Have no fear, these cookies definitely are. I love me a hearty, filling cookie. I'm also addicted to peanut butter, and go through a Costco sized package of rolled oats on my own very quickly. These two ingredients are the star of this recipe. Add a little apple, a little banana, and a little honey and you're golden. Give it a shot and tell me if you agree! 

These cookies don't have an egg or gluten which always makes me a little nervous when waiting to see how well they will stick together. These cookies pass the test with flying colors. They are nice and sturdy, not all crumbly and delicate. The peanut butter and the sweeteners help with this. You can go ahead and add in any number of mix-ins to suit your taste preferences. Obviously chocolate will be the best choice (😊) put choose your own adventure!

Whole Grain Peanut Butter Oat Cookies
From Delectably Mine
Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (128 grams) natural peanut butter
• 1/2 medium banana (about 55-60 grams), mashed
• 1/4 cup (70 grams) applesauce
• 1/4 cup (80 grams) honey
• 2 cups (160 grams) old fashioned oats
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Optional add ins: chopped nuts, dried fruit, chocolate

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together the peanut butter, mashed banana, applesauce, and honey until smooth and well combined. Add the oats, chia seeds and salt and mix. When mostly combined, add and additional add-ins that you desire and continue to mix until a uniform dough forms. It will be soft and sticky. 

Using a cookie scoop, or a pair of spoons, transfer dough to cookie sheet to form 10-12 cookies. Flatten the tops of the cookies with a few wet fingers if desired (the cookies will not really spread much with baking). 

Bake shaped cookies for 20-25 minutes, until edges are just slightly firm to the touch. Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet for a few minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Yields: 10 cookies

Protein Breakfast Cookies with Oats and Chocolate

I'm a big fan of breakfast cookies. They are so fun, and delicious. I love being able to eat a cookie at any time of day or night. I've seen various cookie and bar recipes that incorporate some beans or legumes for a healthy protein boost and have been wanting to try it. I finally did with these cookies. They start out seemingly like a pretty typical oat cookies, but then there's a little surprise; 1/2 cup cooked white beans! It's a nice little way to add some nutrition to your breakfast, but still make it feel like a treat. 

Once these cookies bake up, it really is hard to tell that there are beans mixed in. They do taste a little different than a "normal" cookie, but not at all in a bad way. They are delicious, and are a feel-good way to start the day. Enjoy!

After I made these cookies I had a sneaking suspicion that I may have accidentally doubled the coconut oil... Oh well! I couldn't remember for sure how much I put in but it may have been 1/4 cup instead of the 2 tablespoons I call for. I'm going to have to try them again and find out. What a problem!

Protein Breakfast Cookies with Oats and Chocolate
Adapted from Foolproof Living
Ingredients

• 1 1/2 teaspoon chia seeds
• 1 1/2 tablespoons water
• 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (70 grams) old fashioned oats
• 3/4 cup (60 grams) oat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 can (120 grams) white beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons (56 grams) coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons (56 grams) maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons (42 grams) Greek yogurt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 Degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set it aside. Mix chia seeds and water in a small bowl and let it sit on the counter for 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, process 1 1/2 cups of the rolled oats in a food processor until it turns into flour. Transfer it to a large mixing bowl. Stir in the rest of the rolled oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

Place the white beans and coconut oil into the bowl of the food processor and process until creamy. Add in the chia seeds (with water), maple syrup, orange zest, applesauce, and vanilla extract. Pulse until everything is combined and it is smooth mixture.

Pour the white bean mixture over the rolled oats mixture. Add in the chocolate. Stir to combine. 

Shape the dough into 12 equal balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 16-20 minutes, flipping the sheet halfway through the baking process.

Buckwheat Oat Breakfast Bites

Breakfast bites; little mounds of oat-y goodness, something fun and different to dig into for breakfast, or snack in the afternoon. Full of whole grains, healthy fats, and unrefined sugar. Win - win - win! And chocolate, don't forget the chocolate on top. You can put the chocolate inside them if that's more your style, I just love how a little drizzle on top finishes them off. 

These are a wiz to throw together, everything into the food processor and you're set, in just a minute or two you have your cookie dough, ready for the cookie scoop and into the oven. I've made other variations on these cookies before, but for this version I went with one of my favorite combinations, tahini and honey. I added a little buckwheat flour for it's lovely hint of bitterness, and a little cinnamon to round it all out. Drizzle with chocolate once cool and breakfast is served!

Buckwheat Oat Breakfast Bites
Adapted from The Clever Carrot
Ingredients

• 2 cups (160 grams) old fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup (60 grams) buckwheat flour
• 1/2 cup (60 grams) whole wheat flour
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup (64 grams) tahini, or your favorite nut butter
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 6 tbs honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• Chocolate, for drizzling (optional)

Directions
Preheat your oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. 

Add the oats, white whole wheat flour, and baking soda to a food processor. Run the machine until the oats look like 'flour.' It's okay to have a few big pieces in the mix.

Add the egg, tahini, coconut oil, honey and vanilla extract. Pulse until the mixture until it looks like cookie dough and holds together when pinched between 2 fingers.

Using a cookie scoop to portion the cookies onto your lined baking sheets. Bake for about 12-13 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool on the tray for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.