Recipe of the Week: Peanut Butter Banana Oat Breakfast Cookies with Chocolate Chips

I found this recipe on Pinterest, but you can find the original on Watching What I Eat.  I made these healthy breakfast cookies for Quentin.  They don't have any flour in them, so it has a different texture, very dense.  They taste pretty good and Quentin really liked the idea of eating cookies for breakfast.

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe bananas, mashed until smooth & creamy
• 1/3 cup peanut butter ~ creamy or chunky 
• 2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder ** (can be made without, I didn't use this)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp butter flavor extract ** (optional - I didn't use this)
• 1 1/2 cups quick oatmeal  ~ uncooked  (or use old fashioned oats for more oatmeal texture)
• 1/4 cup chopped nuts (peanut, walnut, or your favorite - since they were for Q I didn't add these)
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips (**optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, mix mashed banana & peanut butter until completely combined then add in the applesauce, vanilla protein powder & the extract(s) ~ mix again until all are completely combined. 
3. Add in the oatmeal & nuts to the banana mixture & combine.  (** add the optional chocolate chips at this time if you want them mixed throughout)
4. Let dough rest for 10 minutes.
5. Drop cookie dough, by spoonfuls, onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet & flatten cookies into circles. (** if you just want the chocolate chips on the top of the cookies, add now)
6. Bake cookies approx. 20-30 minutes (some like their cookies less cooked, some cooked more - try it both ways to find which works best for your tastes) or until golden brown & done. Remove from oven & let rest on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then move to cooling rack. 
7. When cookies are completely cool, store in a covered container. Enjoy!