On weekends my husband likes to cook family breakfast. Our boys' constant request is pancakes, which we're ok with- it's their weekend treat. But now that I'm not working and they're eating every breakfast at home, I can't in good dietitian conscience give them pancakes (with syrup...and sprinkles...) evvvvvvery morning.
They would gripe about a bowl of oatmeal or Cheerios.
I'm definitely not taking the time to make eggs.
What's a mom/dietitian to do?
Enter breakfast cookies.
I mean, not cookies in the Cookie-Crisp sense. Packed with whole grains and heart healthy fats, just in cookie form.
When I set out to make these I was afraid of creating tasteless hockey pucks. Happily these are neither- soft insides loaded with tender coconut plus crunchy bits of almond. These would make excellent packable snacks too. Let's check it out-
Breakfast Cookies- makes two dozen cookies 1/2 cup coconut oil, room temperature 1/3 cup vegetable oil 1/2 cup agave nectar 2 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 cup whole wheat flour 1/2 cup ground flaxseeds 1 cup oat or wheat bran 1/2 cup dry quick cooking oats 1 scoop unflavored or vanilla protein powder 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 cup shredded coconut flakes 1/2 cup sliced almonds #BreakfastCookies
Here's a quick "why" about the ingredients I chose. Coconut oil is somewhat controversial in nutrition land. It's a saturated fat, which current research supports limited intake. Buuuut it's also a good source of medium chain triglycerides (or MCTs) which some research shows is beneficial. I lump it in the I'm-not-gonna-eat-this-stuff-by-the-gallon-but-bits-here-and-there-are-fine. I have a lot of foods in that category you may have noticed.
Agave nectar- I picked this rather than basic sugar because I HAD IT ON HAND. Really that's it for my logic. Agave, while trendy, is not lower calorie than sugar. One thing it does have going for it is it's lower glycemic index. This means it doesn't raise your blood sugar as quickly as regular sugar. It's not a health food- it's just an alternative to traditional sugar.
Protein powder- I dumped this in because I was curious. BiPro is my jam. Unflavored FOREVA. It doesn't make these a high protein snack, but it does help to round out the nutrient balance (fats : carbs : protein). At least with my BiPro, you cannot taste it at all. It's seriously the best.
Directions
In a large bowl, combine oils, agave, eggs, and vanilla until well blended. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add to wet ingredients until blended, but try to not overmix.
Form into 1 1/2" balls and place on a Silpat or parchment paper. Bake at 350 for 11-13 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.
Per cookie: 150 calories, 12 grams carbohydrate, 11 grams fat, 4 grams protein.
It's no Cookie Crisp, yet we all have our hands on these in the morning. Mom and dietitian approved!