Chocolate Banana Breakfast/Snack Cookies

For the most part, my kids are very healthy eaters. Lean meats, whole grains, lots of fruits and veggies, and I limit their sweets. Or so I thought.

I recently read an article about how much sugar is in most breakfast cereal and I was shocked! Here I thought I was giving them healthy food for breakfast, when in some cases they were eating the sugar equivalent of Oreo cookies.

I wanted to find something that is nutritious, and easy for them to grab for breakfast on their own. They eat enough fruit during the day, and “it’s too hot to have waffles, mom!” So what’s a mom to do?

I kept running across “healthy” breakfast cookie recipes on Pinterest and thought I’d give one a try. Who wouldn’t want to eat cookies for breakfast? I looked through the different options, customized a recipe with what I knew my kids would like and started experimenting.

After a few trial and error batches that were just okay, I finally hit a winner. The kids loved the cookies and I liked that they were getting a lot less sugar and more protein (5 grams) in their breakfast. They are great for quick snacks, too!

I had some friends over for brunch this weekend and had them try the cookies, asking them to be brutally honest. They loved the Chocolate Banana Breakfast Cookies, too.  “Love how the banana flavor isn’t overpowered by the chocolate!”

Last night after making a couple of small tweaks to the recipe, I made another batch, brought some across the street to my friend and neighbor LeeAnn for a taste test and by the time I got back home all the cookies were gone! I guess that says it all.

In this recipe I replaced the white sugar/honey with Yacon Syrup. If you have never heard of yacon syrup,  it is sourced from naturally grown organic yacon fields in the country of Peru. The syrup is extracted from the yacon roots, then filtered and evaporated in a natural, chemical-free manufacturing process that is similar to making maple syrup.

Yacon syrup has a look and consistency similar to molasses, but it’s not as sweet and contains about a third of the calories. Yacon syrup has shown to be low on the glycemic index scale. This is due to the fact that the sugar contains high levels of oligofructose (inulin), a form of sugar that is not metabolized readily by the human body. For this reason, yacon is ideal for diabetics and acts as a great alternative to conventional low calorie sweeteners, and it’s a powerful antioxidant.

High in prebiotics and probiotics, yacon syrup contains up to 50% of FOS (fructooligosacharides); it has been found that consumption of FOS does not increase blood glucose, and helps boost your body’s metabolism.

Other benefits of Yacon Syrup:

• Lowers blood sugar
• Prevents and controls hyperglycemia
• Increases fiber
• Supports healthy digestion
• Boosts metabolism

Enough with the nutrition lesson… on with the baking!

Chocolate Banana Breakfast Cookies

 

In a large bowl stir together mashed banana, chocolate peanut butter*, yacon syrup and vanilla.

*can be substituted for regular peanut butter, creamy or chunky depending on your preference.

In a separate bowl combine oats, flour, whey protein powder, flaxseed, chia seeds, powdered milk, cinnamon and baking soda.

Mix the oat mixture into the banana mixture until combined.

Add chocolate chips and Craisins.

Allow the batter to sit for a few minutes so that the flavors can combine.

Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, drop mounds of dough 1 inch apart onto parchment paper lined baking sheet (they cook just fine without the parchment, but it makes cleanup so easy).

Flatten each cookie slightly.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the top is glossy and solid to the touch.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Store in an airtight container or Ziplock bag for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months; thaw before serving (about 20 seconds in the microwave).