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BANANA PROTEIN "COOKIES"

Because it is already sweet, bananas are my go to fruit in baking. Using overripe bananas results in little to no amount of sugar to be added. Lately, this has kind of been a priority for me as I am trying to reduce our intake of sugar but unwilling to forget sweet treats. Also, bananas replace butter in this recipe. One step towards eating healthy!

The texture of these "cookies" is not chewy like your traditional cookies but more on the side of muffins. I wanted something smaller than muffins for a quick bite and hence these cookies. It is quite easy to whip up a batch but you need a little patience as the batter is thin and needs to rest in the refrigerator for a bit.
Healthy snack/dessert does not have to be expensive. The protein in these banana protein cookies does not come from additional protein powder. Instead, it uses peanut butter and oats to provide protein. I also love how this recipe entirely replaces all purpose flour with oat flour. Bananas and oat flour go well together and with the addition of peanut butter, this recipe needs no sugar. Yes you read that right. There is no added sugar at all! This is my solution to curb my late-night sweet tooth. Tasty, healthy, budget friendly - it ticks all boxes for me!

You get enough sweetness from bananas, peanut butter and a few optional mix-ins like chocolate chips or raisins.You can add any number of mix-ins of your choice. I have added dark chocolate chips and pepitas (pumpkin seeds) but you can opt for dry fruits too. This is the perfect opportunity to use up all the left over dry fruits.

Ingredients:

  • Oats - 3/4 cup
  • Ripe bananas - 2, mashed
  • Peanut butter - 1/2 cup
  • Eggs - 2
  • Vanilla extract - 1 teaspoon
  • Cocoa powder - 2 Tablespoons
  • Baking soda - 1 teaspoon
  • Dark chocolate chips - 1/4 cup (or, add as much as you like😉)- Optional
  • Pepitas (pumpkin seeds) - 2 Tablespoons - Optional

Instructions:

  1. Blend the oats in a blender to a fine powder. Keep aside.
  2. In a large bowl, add the mashed bananas and peanut butter and whisk until combined and smooth.
  3. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix well.
  4. Next, add the oat flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda. Fold to combine.
  5. Finally, add the chocolate chips and pepitas and fold. The batter will be thin. Cover the bowl with a plastic-wrap or a tight lid and place it in the refrigerator to set for about 5 hours or overnight. 
  6. Preheat your oven to 190 degree Celsius. Line a baking sheet pan with baking paper and place spoon-full of batter onto the pan next to each other. You can flatten the batter so that it is round. These cookies don't expand as much as a regular cookie while baking. You can place your batter pretty close-by.
  7. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool your cookies on the pan for five minutes before removing them. 

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