Banana Oatmeal Cookies

Happy Monday!
I didn’t run yesterday. I realized the night before that I hadn’t taken a day off in over a week, and decided that my legs could use a rest. But my internal alarm woke me early anyway and I found myself bursting with energy, so I got an early start on my to-do list.
By noon I had made almond butter, finished three loads of laundry, brewed a new batch of kombucha, prepped produce for dinner and the week ahead, made a new batch of foaming hand soap, and tested a new banana oatmeal cookie recipe.
Whew!
The day wasn’t all work and no play, though. I also enjoyed a few hours of quality 1:1 time with my boys – a long walk on the beach, a few games of cards, and a competitive game of nerf basketball – and then capped the day off with our family dinner, time at the beach together, and date night with my husband.
I’m not always able to pull it off, but I love setting aside an hour or two on Sunday to prepare for the week ahead. It always leaves me feeling more organized, which sets the stage for a successful and productive week. As my clients will confirm, I’m a firm believer in having a refrigerator stocked with produce that is prepped and ready to go. It’s the easiest way to ensure you can throw together balanced and nutritious meals, even when life gets hectic.
But back to that recipe I mentioned …
These banana oatmeal cookies are as nutritious as they are delicious, and were a huge hit with my guys. They were inspired by the Banana Bread Muffin Toppers at Running on Veggies. We’ll be packing them in lunch boxes all week, and snacking on them after our workouts. I’ll likely make a double batch next time, as they’re perfect to keep on hand in the freezer.
Give them a try, and let me know what you think in the comments below. I hope you love them as much as we do!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
- 3 tablespoons filtered water
- 3 cups gluten-free rolled oats (divided)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 ripe bananas
- 1/2 cup almond butter
- 1/2 cup Medjool dates, pitted
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup raw walnuts
- 2 tablespoons dark chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together the flaxseed and water. Set aside for 5 minutes to thicken.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine 1 1/2 cups oats, baking powder and cinnamon in a food processor and process until the mixture becomes flour-like in texture.
- Add bananas, almond butter, dates, vanilla and flaxseed mixture and process until combined.
- Add remaining 1 1/2 cup oats and walnuts and pulse until evenly coated, being careful not to overmix.
- Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto prepared cookie sheet, spacing cookies one inch apart. Gently press a few chocolate chips into the top of each cookie, if desired.
- Bake for 20 minutes, until edges are golden brown.
- Allow cookies to rest on cookie sheet for 1 minute before transferring them to a cooling rack.
- Store cookies in an airtight container. I like to keep the cookies in the freezer, but they will keep for several days on the counter if you prefer.