The Buckeye Five: Healthy Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Cookies

I consider myself a somewhat healthy eater. I'm big on whole grains and fruits and veggies and making sure my kids get theirs and keeping the soda/sugary drink intake to a minimum. But when it comes to baked goods, I subscribe to what you might call...

The Paula Deen Philosophy

in the kitchen. Paula's been in the news a little more often lately ever since her diabetes diagnosis and I've heard about her weight lose since she's begun to watch what she's eating. The way I see it, moderation is the key. I just wouldn't be enjoying life if I didn't bake and eat cookies and other delicious yummies. I enjoy making it and I enjoy eating it too. Would I like to weigh 10 pounds lighter (or even just 5!)? Of course I would! But I don't want it bad enough to give up the cookies.

Here's a cookie you can have and feel a lot less guilty about. I stumbled across the recipe by accident, as I was certainly not seeking out blogs featuring vegan recipes. I really don't even know how it happened. It was just one of those, click here and then click there and then before you know it, you are 5 blogs removed from the one you were originally reading. It's a sickness really.

Who does not like the combination of peanut butter and bananas, or peanut butter and chocolate or bananas and chocolate?! How about having all three together with the wholesomeness of oats and just a hint of sweet compliments of pure maple syrup. No strange ingredients either that will have you trucking off to Whole Foods or Trader Joe's and then never using said ingredient ever again.

These are yummy - plain and simple. I'm not about to say they are my new favorite cookie. I will say, though, that I plan on holding onto this recipe. I'll definitely make them again.

Healthy Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Cookies
Here's What You Need:

3 ripe bananas, mashed

1 tablespoon vanilla

1/2-1 cup natural chunky peanut butter

4 tablespoons maple syrup

2 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Here's What You Do:

Combine the mashed bananas, vanilla, peanut butter (I used 3/4 cup, creamy) and maple syrup. No offense ladies, by Aunt Jemima and Mrs. Butterworth, you are not invited to this party. We need the real thing for this recipe. Sorry!

The batter will be very runny at this point. Combine the oats, flour, baking powder and salt and then add to the banana batter. Mix until completely combined and then fold in the chocolate chips.

Truth? I used 3/4 cup chocolate chips. I just could not reconcile making a batch of cookies using only 1/2 cup chocolate chips. I just needed to up my antioxidant level in this recipe.

Really!

I don't buy the industrialize sized bag of chocolate chips for nothing!
Hello, Chipotle cup! Thank you for joining me at lunch today!

Drop onto either a greased or parchment paper covered cookie sheet and back for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. This recipe makes about 24 cookies depending on how big your globs are.