Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Feeling a little chocolate craving coming on? I have one at least once a day.  But everybody who knows me knows I love a healthy cookie recipe.  This time I came up with this recipe all on my own.   I added a little of this and a little of that and a yummy healthy cookie recipe was invented.  The kids and the hubs all gave it a thumbs up.

2 Cups Almond Flour
1 Cup Oats
2 Chia/Flax eggs (2 T chia/flax mixed with 6 T warm water)
1 t vanilla
1 t cinnamon
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
1 T cocoa powder
1/2 agave
2 T honey
1 cup chocolate chips (ok, so these are not that healthy but they make healthy cookies taste great)

My friend gave me a bag of chia and flax that she blended in her blendtec and that's what I used for my chia/flax eggs.  I am sure that if you had just chia or just flax, it would also work.

So the first thing you do is mix the "eggs" with the agave and honey.  Next you add your almond flour, oats, vanilla, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder.  Throw in the chocolate chips and stir.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and drop spoonfuls of dough.  Cook at 375 for 13 minutes.  Makes 12 cookies.

Oatmeal Cookies

I love cookies.  I love cookies even more if they are a little healthier than your traditional cookie.  My kids needed something for their lunches, so I made these last night.  I took a basic oatmeal cookie recipe and changed the ingredients to healthier options.  I love the result. Give them a try!

1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
1/2 t salt
1 t baking soda
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 T honey
3 cups oatmeal
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup agave
2 T flaxseed mixed in 6 T water (or 2 eggs)
1 t vanilla
1 t cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins

Mix ingredients together. Put tablespoon size balls onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 11 minutes. Try not to eat all the cookie dough like I did.

Homemade chewy granola bars

So today is Martin Luther King Jr. day and the kids are home from school.  It's cold and cloudy and none of us really felt like doing much today.  My 9 yr. old daughter helped set up the blog, which she is really excited about and then she couldn't wait to invent a good recipe to post.  Since we are trying not to eat processed foods here is our homemade chewy granola bar recipe.  The kids were super excited to help pour and stir the mixture together.  Each child added an ingredient of his/her choice and the result was a delicious chewy granola bar, way better than the store bought kind.

Homemade Chewy Granola Bars

1 cup oatmeal

1/2 cup peanut butter (or other nut butter)

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup coconut flakes

1/2 cup ground flaxseed

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips/pb chips

3/4 cup raisins

1 tsp vanilla

Mix all ingredients until well combined then press down into an 8x8 pan and cook at 350 for 15 minutes.  Then cut and enjoy.  These were fun to make.  You can add and/or deduct anything to customize this recipe to your liking.  I think next time I will double the recipe because we don't have any bars left for tomorrow.