Banana, Oatmeal, Chocolate Chip Cookies (egg free)

or - things I'm really craving right now.  I had this crazy notion that I would cut out carbs this week.  Why?! Why do I do this to myself, knowing it's going to make me a deranged carb-cravin' lunatic?!  I'm not sure either.  I've lost two pounds, it's Day 5, we'll see how long this self-inflicted torture continues. 

In drooling going through my pics, I realized I had never posted these bad boys-

Banana, Oatmeal, Chocolate Chip Cookies. 

yeah, it's a mouthful.  Literally.  This is a hearty, dense, almost-good-for-you cookie. 

Packed with all kinds of yumminess. 

The original version can be found here.

Ingredients adapted from Banana, Oatmeal, Chocolate Chip, Pecan Cookies from For the Love of Cooking

•1 very ripe banana  I buy bananas knowing they all will not get eaten.  I'm pretty sure this is why.

•3/4 white sugar (brown sugar if you have it)  *I used 1/2 cup brown sugar

•1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened  *I used Smart Balance 50/50

•1 large egg  *I used a "flax egg" (2 T. milled flax seed in 3 T. warm water)

•1 tsp vanilla

•1 1/4 cups of whole wheat flour

•2 cups quick cooking oats  *I used 1 cup quick cooking and 1 cup regular

•1 tsp baking soda

•1/2 tsp salt

•3/4 cup milk dark chocolate chips

•3/4 pecan pieces  1/4 cup Heath toffee chips  (I omitted the pecans so my little allergy boy could eat them)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place a silpat mat on a baking sheet.

Combine the banana, sugar, butter, flax egg, and vanilla in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until mixed thoroughly.

Mix the salt, baking soda, flour and oats together. Add the oat mixture, chocolate chips, and pecan toffee pieces to the banana mixture and mix well with a spoon.

Drop cookie dough on the baking sheet covered with a silpat mat 2 inches apart. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on racks then serve (or eat them while they are still super hot and the chocolate is all melty and burns your tongue.  Not that I did that.)  **These cookies do not spread out, so I flatten mine a little before cooking.

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This is a hearty cookie, especially with the addition of the regular oats, which I like.  The toffee chips keep the cookies from being too dry, and the dark chocolate just makes them....mo'betta.  I want some bad. These cookies are definitely a healthier alternative to many other cookie recipes, and you get your chocolate fix.  Along with the health benefits of the oats (whole grain), dark chocolate (antioxidants) and if you use the flax, you get the added bonus of some Omega 3's.  Score.  And all 3 of my kids like them.  Unbelievable!  Since only one of my children will eat a banana, and none of them will eat oatmeal, I don't feel too bad making these cookies every now and again.  Also, to increase the moistness of the cookie, and increase the banana flavor, you could add 2 bananas.  You know me, cooking is all about experiementing! 

Hope everyone is having a good weekend.  We're trying to keep from being blown away.  No, I don't live in the ghetto, no drive-by's going on...but the wind is terrible.  haha.  I'm warped, I realize that.

Interested in some weekend hopping?  Click HERE. I'm also linking up this recipe @ Eat at Home for ingredient spotlight - Bananas