Fully Loaded Breakfast Cookies/Bars

These breakfast cookies loaded with whole-food fiber, protein, beans and dried fruit are a great way to start the day. Beans in cookies might seem a little strange but they have a purpose here. Beans contain good carbohydrates and also add a wonderful creaminess to the batter. Some carbs are satisfying because they digest slowly, which keep you keep fuller longer. Chia seeds are also used in this recipe and are combined with water to form a gelatinous coating which help your body digest them more easily, also you get a nice boost of Omega-3 fatty acids. As you can see the name fully loaded is really taking on a meaning of it’s own.

This is the first time I used beans in a cookie recipe. The beans are pureed with coconut oil and the rest of the wet ingredients are added. Into a separate bowl 3-1/4 cups of oats are divided, 1-1/4 cups are ground in the food processor and the other 2 cups are kept whole and added to the rest of the dry mixture. Both wet and dry mixtures are added together.  Then the dried fruit, pumpkin seeds and cornflakes are added and mixed by hand. The dough is shaped into 10 equal balls and then flatten into pattys and baked for 15 to 18 minutes.

There are so many ways to change up this recipe, you could add any combination of dried fruit, nuts or even chocolate. Have fun with this recipe, we did…….

Recipe is from Sarah Britton’s cookbook, “My New Roots”.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon chia seeds
3 tablespoons water
3-1/4 cups rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 15-ounce can white beans
¼ cup melted coconut oil
¼ cup maple syrup or raw honey (I used maple syrup)
1 organic orange (zest)
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup chopped apricots
¼ cup pumpkin seeds
2 cups organic non-GMO cornflakes

To prepare:

Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare baking sheet with parchment paper or baking siltpat.

Combine chia seeds and water, let set at least 15 minutes to gel. Set aside.

Pulse 1-1/4 cups rolled oats in food processor until coarsely ground. Add to large bowl and add the rest of the oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.

Pulse beans and coconut oil together until creamy. Add the maple syrup, orange zest, chia mixture, applesauce and vanilla, pulse until smooth.

Add both wet and dry mixtures together. Then add apricots, raisins, pumpkin seeds and cornflakes. Stir to combine. Shape into 10 equal shapes and then flatten into patty’s.

Bake 15-18 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool completely. Can keep up to 1 week in a air-tight container. Freeze up to one month.