Localicious: Breakfast Cookies

One of my absolute favorite baby, toddler and family cookbooks is Nourished Beginnings by Renee Kohley. She has created brilliantly simple whole food recipes that work well with busy schedules and hungry families. As we travel through this new year with resolutions and intentions set to make our lives a little better, be sure to include Renee’s Ultimate Breakfast Cookie recipe below.

Breakfast cookies are a healthy make-ahead meal that can be frozen for quick grab-and-go nutrition. They work perfectly for breakfast once warmed or thawed the night before. However, their best quality is reserved for the place they take in a lunchbox. On the busy days when everyone is rushing to get out the door and lunch is looking measly, breakfast cookies can be pulled from the freezer and popped into lunch boxes to be thawed just in time to eat.

These cookies come out chewy and filling. They also provide a great balance of fuel, providing carbohydrate and nutrient dense protein and fats.  A balance of carbohydrates, protein, and fats makes for a complete meal and helps to balance blood sugars for longer satiety. They can also be adapted for those who suffer from food allergies.

For the local aspect in these winter months when Northern California fruits and veggies are sparse, look for Bob’s Red Mill aluminum-free baking powder. Bob’s Red Mill (http://www.bobsredmill.com) was started in Shasta County and while their products are available in nearly every grocery store you can still pop into Moore’s Flour Mill in Redding to purchase directly.

The recipe below is very adaptable. You can see Renee’s notes in the ingredient list offering many swaps for items you might have on hand. I swapped the white rice flour for sprouted spelt flour and the almonds for pecans because that is what I had on hand and the cookies turned out great. These bake like a cookie but since they are quite filling and aren’t loaded with added sugars I wasn’t tempted to eat the whole batch. They are perfectly satisfying. Try them out and proceed into the new year with one more trick up your sleeve to healthily fueling yourself and your family. 

The Ultimate Breakfast Cookie

Makes 6 – 8 large cookies.

•  2-3 bananas mashed or 1 cup applesauce
• ¼ cup coconut flour
• ¼ cup tapioca flour
•  ¼ cup white rice flour (If you are grain free, use ¼ cup blanched almond flour or another ¼ cup tapioca flour)
• ½ cup peanut butter (or almond butter or sun butter)
• ½ cup almonds, crushed (or another nut. If you are nut-free, use sunflower seeds)
• • ¾ cup shredded coconut
• • ½ cup dried fruit (raisins, dried cranberries or other dried fruit – whatever you have!)
• • 2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
• • 1 tablespoon cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, add all ingredients. Combine with a spatula.

Roll into balls and flatten into discs onto baking sheet. (These cookies don’t flatten out in the oven, so make them about the size you want.) Bake 15 minutes.

(http://www.raisinggenerationnourished.com)

Localicious is a monthly column celebrating food in the North State. If you would like to suggest a food-related business or organization, email us at  localicious@northstateparent.com.