Healthy Cookies

I swear, I do eat things besides cookies and brownies! But the best meals I make are stright out of cookbooks, so I can't really share those recipes. And sweets are more fun to share anyway.

As you can probably tell, I'm finding that oat flour and almond meal make great substitutes in baked goods when I'm trying to avoid wheat. My latest success comes almost straight from a recipe on 101 Cookbooks-- no substitutions required. The original recipe has no sugar and I fully meant to add some honey, but forgot. Thankfully, the cookie is actually sweet enough thanks to the coconut and coconut oil! (Much sweeter than the buckwheat bakes). Next time, I'll add some walnuts as well.

Vegan Gluten-Free Cinnamon Raisin Cookies

3 large, ripe bananas, well mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup coconut oil
2 cups rolled oats
2/3 cup almond meal*
1/3 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup raisins

*again, you can make your own almond meal by pulsing almonds in a food processor until they are the texture of sand-- but don't go too far or you'll end up with almond butter.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl mix the bananas, vanilla, and coconut oil. Set aside.

In another bowl whisk together the oats, almond meal, shredded coconut, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in the raisins. The dough will be a bit looser than normal cookie dough, but don't worry about it. Drop rounded Tablespoons of the dough onto a greased baking sheet. Bake for 12 - 14 minutes.

Makes about 2 dozen small cookies.