PEANUT BUTTER, OATMEAL, AND CHOCOLATE CHIP PROTEIN COOKIES

Baking is not my strength.  Baking without any flour, eggs, dairy and processed sugars is even more challenging! I was determined to make some cookies that both tasted good and had a nice texture, without those traditional staples.  After 3 tries, I finally nailed it! They tasted great all the way, but the texture was either too mushy or too dense. We ate them regardless because they were still tasty, but I am now very proud to post these pretty healthy protein cookies.

If you want a really healthy version, I would replace the peanut butter with almond butter and/or the chocolate chips with pure cacao nibs. Those are two very reasonable substitutions. I have been craving chocolate throughout my pregnancy so I went with the chips as they are larger, and a bit more satisfying. The amount of chocolate I have gone through while bearing my child is pretty remarkable. It's not quite the unusual craving, like I hear that some pregnant women have.  It's just a really accentuated love of chocolate!

Anyway, I am on to my 5th cookie already... Somebody stop me!

PEANUT BUTTER, OATMEAL, AND CHOCOLATE CHIP PROTEIN COOKIES

Ingredients:

• 4 ripe bananas
• 2 cups peanut butter (unsweetened, natural, and smooth)
• 1/3 cup of vanilla flavor protein powder (I used garden of life)
• 1/4 cup of coconut nectar (or liquid sweetener of your choice)
• 1/4 cup of baking powder
• 1 flax egg (1 tablespoon of ground flax seeds, mixed with 3 tablespoons of water) 
• 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
• 3 cups of gluten free old fashioned oats
• 1 cup of chocolate chips (vegan, non dairy, and non-gmo)

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F
2. In a large mixing bowl, place the bananas, and mash them with a fork or a potato masher.
3. Add the peanut butter, the protein powder, the coconut nectar, the baking powder, the flax egg, and the salt. Mix well until smooth.
4. Add the old fashioned oats and chocolate chips.  Combine until a thick cookie dough is formed.
5. Roll about 2 tablespoons at the time of the cookie dough into balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  Leave about 1 inch of space in between each cookies.
6. Pat down on the cookie balls with the palm of your hands to give them their shape. They should be about 1/2 inch thick.
7. Bake for 20 minutes.
8. Remove from the oven and let them cool at least 10 minutes.

Enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container.

This will make about 30 cookies.