Tasty Tuesday!

Current Giveaways:

9Lives Prize Pack here
$25 Target Gift Card and a whole bunch of back to school type stuff here
Seventh Generation prize pack filled with cleaning supplies here

***

The wee ones have been eating waffles for breakfast. A lot of waffles. It's their new favorite, but I'd like to incorporate something else into their morning routine. Granted, the waffles are relatively healthy since I'm making them from scratch - and I'm adding protein on the side, too. Nonetheless, I'm ready for a change, even if they aren't.

I do like the idea of a - relatively - quick and easy breakfast to help them get out the door on time. That hasn't been our strong suit yet this year.

I finally stumbled on a new idea, and so I looked around for a recipe for a breakfast cookie that I could go with. Me being me, I didn't find one that I liked, although I did discover some places to start. And so I came up with my own recipe that seems to work with the wee ones.

Breakfast Cookies

Ingredients:
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 ripe medium bananas
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 c coconut flakes
2/3 c whole flax seeds
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 c raisins (and I thought about putting in some chocolate chips, too, but decided these didn't need them - feel free to add them though!)
2 c flour*

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, beat peanut butter and butter for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar and beat until combined. Add the egg, and beat again. Ditto with the vanilla. Break the bananas into pieces as you add them, and beat until they're well combined and broken up. Add the baking soda and salt and mix well.

Add the oats and raisins, and mix until they're combined. Add the flax seeds, coconut, and flour*, and mix slowly until just combined.

Using your 1/4 c dry measure, scoop out dough and drop onto ungreased cookie sheets. I get six per sheet, and that seems to work just right. Use your palm to squish them a little - you want them about three inches around.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 15-17 minutes, or until edges are browned. Let stand 1 minute. Remove and cool on wire racks. Freeze whatever you aren't using the next day - just pop a frozen one into the toaster quickly to heat it up in the morning when you need it.

This made exactly 18 cookies. If I liked peanut butter and tried some of the dough, it probably would have only made 17. Or maybe 16. Lucky wee ones, it made 18.

* I use the peanuts only peanut butter (ok, and half almond butter that's the same deal). This is the kind you need to refrigerate to keep it from separating. Because it's oilier than your traditional Skippy or other products with other additions and additives, I need a full 2 c of flour. If you use a commercial brand peanut butter, start with 1 1/2 c flour and work your way up from there to avoid making them too dry.

Enjoy this and more with Tempt My Tummy Tuesday and Blessed With Grace!