Healthy Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

Happy Sunday, everyone!

I have some good news and bad news.

Studies show that it's better to hear good news first because once we hear bad news, we are less likely to even enjoy the good news! However, if we hear good news first, the bad news seems less bad. Fun fact of the day :)

Good news: I have more on kitchen essentials, and some Healthy Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies today.

Bad news: I will be out of town at a conference all week and will not have time or means to cook/ post. So, I will be back at it in a week!

In the meantime, I would encourage you to:

1. Try any of the current, 11 posted recipes; let me know how it goes!
2. Comment on any new recipes you'd like to see

So far in my "mini series" on plant-based kitchen essentials, we have covered spices and vegetables. Today, we will cover fruit. 

Now, admittedly, I don't usually cook with fruit, but I eat fruit a lot. Fruit is high in fiber, cancer-fighting, rich in Vitamin C, heart-healthy, good for vision, and so much more! Here are the four fruits I always have in my kitchen, and why:

1. Bananas 

Bananas are a unique fruit in the sense that they are easy on the stomach. Should you ever struggle with nausea, heartburn, or an uneasy stomach, bananas are a great way to get your fruit! As an athlete/ fitness instructor, having bananas consistently in my diet has helped to lower my muscle soreness and aches, such as Charlie horses. Not to mention, bananas are highly affordable fresh produce. Now, if you're like me, eating a banana plain is not very appetizing, so here are some of many unique uses and ways to eat banana:

• Use it in pancake mix, cookie dough, banana bread, etc.: it is a natural sweetener, and helps hold together the dry ingredients! It also is a great option for overly ripe bananas.
• Eat it in cereal or oatmeal
• Have it with peanut butter or melted dark chocolate (I like saltines with a layer of PB and a banana slice as a snack!
• Use it in smoothies
• Freeze them to make thick smoothies, AKA, "nice cream"

2. Strawberries

Strawberries are higher than oranges in Vitamin C and are just plain delicious. They also are great in cereal or oatmeal, delicious in smoothies, perfect on salads, and more! Not to mention, they are so sweet, all it takes is a drizzle of dark chocolate, and BAM: dessert. Even though strawberries don't have the longest of shelf life, they are easy to freeze and use later in a smoothie.

3. Blueberries

Blueberries are known as a superfood as they are high in antioxidants. I'm sure you know where I'm going by now, but they are also great in smoothies, salads, or oatmeal, and easy to freeze. Moral of the story: you never need to have fruit go bad because frozen fruit in smoothies is amazing. 

 

4. Apples

Unlike strawberries and blueberries, apples can last quite a long time (best stored at room temperature). They are easy nutrition on-the-go or in a lunch box. They also contain more energy potential than a cup of coffee! I personally love my apples sliced with some all-natural PB. I'm all about that sweet and salty. This is a great snack and a good way to get some protein, and it has been able to curb my sweet tooth.

Now that we're all craving something sweet and healthy, here is the recipe for my Healthy Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies. 

I love making desserts as healthy as possible because then I get to eat more and still feel good afterward! I know I've made the mistake before of eating too much of a rich dessert and feeling bad for hours! However, I ate three, large cookies from this recipe and felt great!

I will note that in using banana as an ingredient, you'll want to enjoy them within 1-2 days after baking. Other than that, let's get to it!

Time: 30 minutes

Serving: A dozen

What you'll need:

1 overripe banana

2 tbsp. peanut oil (vegetable oil also works)

1/4 cup white sugar

1 flax egg (1 tbsp. ground flax + 3 tbsp. warm water), or an egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1/4 cup dark chocolate chunks (I usually throw in more)

What you'll do:

1. Preheat the oven to 350
2. In a bowl, mash the banana as finely as possible with a fork.
3. Add in the egg, peanut oil, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth. 
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, and baking soda. 
5. Bit by bit, add in the dry ingredients, stirring continually. 
6. Once completed and smooth, add in chocolate chips. 
7. Place mixture into fridge for at least 10 minutes
8. Then, use a cookie scoop and place cookies on a pan a couple inches apart. 
9. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes, or until cookies are lightly brown around the edges and a toothpick can go in and out clean. 
10. Enjoy, & stop by next week for a Lebanese Stew and the essential grains to keep around.