June 28, 2015

Spinach + Oat Breakfast Cookies


Learning to like vegetables is one of the jobs of childhood, like learning to read, or getting dirty fingernails in summer. It's a big project, and the work belongs to the kids; I tell myself this on days when Darwin ignores the veggies on his plate.

While I understand the temptation to "sneak" veggies into things like pizza sauce or mac-and-cheese, deceiving kids about what's in their food shelters them from the pleasant surprise of liking something new or challenging. We should always be frank about what's in our recipes.

That's why I love spinach. Spinach, with its verdant hue, shouts out: "I'm here!" It greens-up pancakes, smoothies, pastas, and quiches, but the flavor is ever-mild. And in baking, spinach is the new zucchini, a moist-making boon.

There's a modest portion of the leafy green in these delicious breakfast cookies, just enough to liven up their color and texture, and inspire confidence in your veggie-eaters-in-training. Like all our everyday treats, these cookies are sweetened entirely with fruit.

"They're green," Darwin says. "What makes them green?"

"There's spinach inside."

"They taste just like regular cookies."

Bingo.


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Spinach + Oat Breakfast Cookies
Makes 12 cookies

1.75 cups rolled oats
1 egg, whisked
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1 packed cup fresh spinach
1/4 cup virgin coconut oil
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 and line a light aluminum baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine mashed bananas, egg, oil, and vanilla.

Use a food processor to finely process the spinach leaves. Add them to the mixing bowl.

Stir in oats and raisins.

Use a spoon to portion out cookie-shaped dollops onto the baking sheet. You'll have enough batter to make 12-13 cookies.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the cookies are toasty and firm. Cool slightly, and they'll firm up even more. Serve warm and refrigerate leftovers.

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