Date Cookies

Anybody who knows me knows I have a thing for cookies. Whether they have browned butter, oats, chocolate chips, peanut butter, nuts, mashed banana- doesn't matter - I like them all. But lately, I'm making a major conscious effort to stop with the brown butter chocolate chip cookies I love and focus on healthier treats with less refined sugar. Truth is, I don't want to be that dietitian that doesn't walk the walk.

 On that note, it's always good to have an arsenal of healthy treat recipes up your sleeve- you never know what you will have on hand and you never know when your sweet tooth will strike! Let's hope it strikes in moderation :)

 I've fallen in love with these cookies - they have a yummy vanilla cookie taste with just enough texture to keep me interested. They are awesome fresh from the oven but what's crazier- they are friggin delish frozen! So far, they have a 1:4 kid approval rating in my house, but don't let that stop you from making them.

 They may not be picky-kid approved (is there a cookie with nuts that is??), but they are absolutely yummy and pack some good nutrition- like nuts, fruit, and coconut oil. These are totally a good choice for when you need a cookie but don't want to sacrifice your clean eating.

Mission Healthy and Clean Cookie: Acccomplished 

Date Cookies 

Ingredients:

1.5 cups almond flour

1/4 cup Gluten-free flour blend

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

3 Tbsp melted coconut oil

1/2 of a ripe banana, mashed

3 Tbsp honey or agave

1 egg (or flax egg made with 1 Tbsp ground flax + 3 Tbsp water)

1 Tbsp vanilla extract 

1/4 cup slivered almonds or chopped pecans

1/3 cup dates, chopped (into a mush)

Method:

Preheat oven to 350.

Stir the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl. In a small separate bowl, mix the mashed banana, melted coconut oil, honey, egg, and vanilla. Add to the dry ingredients.

 Finish by stirring in the almonds and dates. Mix until combined.

Portion into 14 cookies and bake for about 12 minutes. Freeze what you don't want - trust me :)