Skinny Chunky Monkey Cookies

I saw these on Facebook a while back when I was trying to detox myself from the holiday sweets.  I had sworn myself to no sweet treats for at least a week, but going cold turkey is tough.  When I saw this ingredient list, I decided that these cookies looked awesome and that I could definitely use them to soothe my cravings.  My kids and I made them together and they loved them.  They happily nicknamed them the "Healthy Cookies" and are thrilled to help make them nearly every time that we have three overripe bananas.  We've made them often enough now that they have earned their own bag in our drawer that we reuse when we make them.  These cookies clearly aren't the same as a sugar-laden oatmeal chocolate cookie, but they are tasty and pretty much guilt-free.  They are great for a snack and before an early morning run, too!

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 ripe bananas
• 2 cups quick oats
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup of unsweetened applesauce (a GoGo Squeeze 3.2 oz pouch works perfectly, too, if that is what you have)
• 1 tsp vanilla

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, mash bananas well.  Add remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.
2. Drop by teaspoonful onto an ungreased cookie sheet.  The cookies will more or less keep their shape, so flatten if desired.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.  Makes about 30.

Difficulty: easy - my kids do most of it

Time: 10 minutes prep, 10-12 minute baking

Source: shared on Facebook; original source unknown (If it is you let us know!)

Berry Breakfast Bake

Breakfast is essential in healthy eating; I strive to eat within the first hour of being up to help me manage my eating throughout the day. Due to crazy schedules, breakfast is often skipped.  This breakfast bake can be made ahead and eaten during the week.  

I loved making this dish Saturday evening.  My family enjoyed a sit down, warm breakfast on Sunday.  The leftovers were great on Monday and Tuesday morning.  This is a great "what do I have sitting around" dish.  I happened to have some Craisins and also fresh cranberries; I added them.  I added the chia seeds to the original recipe; if I'd had any flax seed, I would have added that too.  

My photo doesn't show ripe bananas because I didn't have any.  What I did have was a quart freezer bag of mashed bananas. We buy lots of bananas, but occasionally they ALL hit the overripe state.  We peel and throw them in a bag; they are great for smoothies, banana bread, or casseroles like this.  There is no need to throw away overripe bananas or force feed yourself four in one day anymore. 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (divided)
• 3 T chia seeds
• 1/2 t baking powder
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/4 cup natural maple syrup
• 1 cup almond milk (or skim)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 T unrefined coconut oil (or unsalted butter)
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 3 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced
• 1 cup mixed berries, frozen or fresh (divided)
• 1/2 cup cranberries

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. 
2. Lightly grease a 9 x 11 baking dish
3. In a medium mixing bowl, mix dry ingredients (use half of the walnuts).  In another bowl, combine milk, egg, syrup, vanilla, and coconut oil. 
4. Spread banana slices on bottom of baking dish. Top with half of the berries. Sprinkle dry oat mixture over fruit layer. Pour liquid ingredients evenly over oats. 
5. Sprinkle remaining walnuts and berries on top.   Bake 35-40 minutes or until top is browned and oats have set. Allow to cool. 

DIFFICULTY- medium (it has a lot of ingredients)
TIME: 15 minute prep; 40 minutes baking time
SOURCE:  adapted from Schall Fitness

Fruited Irish Oatmeal (Slow Cooker)

Last year, St. Patrick's Day was on a Saturday, which made for the perfect opportunity to make some Irish-inspired food (and some green milkshakes) for my family.  I came across this recipe using steel-cut oats in the slow cooker - it was perfect!  I hit up the bulk foods section at our local grocery store (huge cost savings, especially on the mango and syrup) and threw it together the night before.  We awoke to a wonderful, hot meal that the kids loved, and you can't go wrong with the health benefits of steel-cut oats, which are rich in B-vitamins, calcium, protein, and fiber.  Plus, we had plenty of leftovers to heat up for breakfast during the week!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups steel cut oats
• 1/4 cup golden raisins
• 1/4 cup dried mango 
• 1/4 cup cranberries
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 cup apple juice
• 1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 5 cups water

Optional toppings:

• milk
• chopped nuts
• maple syrup or brown sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a 3-1/2 or 4-quart slow cooker, combine oats, cranberries, raisins, apricots or mango, cinnamon, and salt.  Add maple syrup, water, and apple juice.
2. Cover slow cooker and cook on low setting for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours.  (I have actually cooked for longer overnight and it was totally fine.)
3. Serve oatmeal with brown sugar or maple syrup, chopped nuts, and milk, if desired. Serves 8-10.

Note: This oatmeal is great reheated or it can be frozen.  (It does make quite a bit.)

Difficulty: very easy

Time: 5 minutes prep, 6 hours in slow cooker

Source: www.betterrecipes.com

Apple Crisp

There isn't much that can beat the smell of an apple crisp baking on a cool fall day... except maybe the taste of that apple crisp when it is still warm from the oven.  I always look forward to this time of the year when apples go on sale and the days get cool enough for me to want to heat the oven to make this delicious recipe.  I have made it for years and most recently made it to take to dinner at a friend's house.  It was a hit, as it always has been.  My kids helped me make it this time but didn't get the opportunity to eat it, so I plan to make another with them very soon.  We love all kinds of apples (as well as their health benefits)! If you want to learn about what the differences are between types of apples and their amazing science-backed heath benefits, here is a great article: http://www.well-beingsecrets.com/apples-health-benefits/

(You will need more apples than I have in this picture.)

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 c old fashioned or quick-cooking oats
• 3 graham crackers, finely crushed
• 1/3 c plus 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/3 c plus 2 Tbsp flour
• 1/4 c walnut pieces
• 1/3 c butter or margarine, melted
• 1 tsp cinnamon, divided
• 6 c apples (~5 med), sliced

DIRECTIONS: 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  In a medium bowl, mix oats, graham cracker crumbs, 1/3 cup of flour, 1/3 cup brown sugar, walnuts, butter, and 1/2 tsp of cinnamon until well blended.  Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 2 Tbsp flour, and remaining 1/2 tsp of cinnamon.  Add sliced apples and toss to coat.
3. Place apples in an 8 inch square baking dish; sprinkle with oat topping.  Bake 35-40 minutes until apples are tender.

Difficulty: relatively easy, but a decent amount of measuring plus the slicing of the apples

Time: ~15 minutes prep, 35-40 minutes baking

Source: Kraftfoods.com