HANDS-ON: 5 MIN. // TOTAL: 50 MIN. // MAKES 9
A filling snack that tastes more like a dessert? Yes, please! Pairing brown sugar with ripe banana provides enough sweetness for these to taste like a treat, but keeps added sugars in check, making them a decent-for-you snack option. This is also a great recipe to help get the kids involved in the kitchen.
1/2 cup mashed ripe banana (about 1 small)
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup brown rice flour (about 21/2 ounces)
1/4 cup blanched almond flour (about 7/8 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
11/2 cups uncooked old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup golden raisins or other dried fruit (such as unsweetened cranberries)
1 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2 Place the banana, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla in a large bowl; stir well until creamy and most of the lumps are gone. In a small bowl, whisk together the flours, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Gently fold the flour mixture into the banana mixture until a thick dough forms. Add the oats and raisins and stir to distribute them evenly throughout the dough.
3 Divide the dough into 3-tablespoon portions and roll each portion into a ball. Place on the prepared baking sheet and flatten each ball slightly. Bake until the cookies are beginning to brown on the edges, about 13 minutes. Let cool completely on the baking sheet, about 30 minutes. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
(SERVING SIZE: 1 COOKIE): CALORIES 176; FAT 6G (SAT 1G, UNSAT 4G); PROTEIN 3G; CARB 29G; FIBER 3G; SUGARS 11G (ADDED SUGARS 6G); SODIUM 146MG; CALC 2% DV; POTASSIUM 2% DV
cinnamon
A spice that’s already in many kitchens, cinnamon is full of antioxidants and is being researched as a possible treatment for neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s, bacterial and fungal infections, and fat loss. While there’s little evidence that cinnamon speeds fat loss, there is research suggesting that cinnamon can help lower blood sugar in type 2 diabetics, as well as healthy individuals. Consuming as little as 1/4 teaspoon per day has been shown to have positive results, so sprinkle some on yogurt, stir it into oatmeal, or add it to a smoothie.