#2,718: Banana Oat Bars

These banana oat bars (picture above isn't cut yet) are so, so, so easy, and my kids and I ate the entire pan one day for breakfast (we cut the above picture (8x8 pan) into 12 squares).  These bars are so moist and had the perfect amount of peanut butter and banana...it wasn't overpowering at all.  I made these the night before and just left them to cool on the stove until breakfast.  The kids were super excited when they came down to see it on the table.  We will definitely be making/eating these again next week!   

3 small ripe bananas

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup peanut butter

2-4 Tbsp maple syrup

1 egg

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup chocolate chips

Mash bananas in a bowl.  Add oats, peanut butter, maple syrup and egg and mix well.  Add remaining ingredients and stir until combined.

Grease an 8x8 or 9x9 pan with non-stick spray or line with parchment paper.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake at 375 for 20 minutes. Let cool, cut and serve.

#2,817: Loaded Tater Tot Bites

We enjoyed these so much I think I've probably made them four times.  We've eaten them as a side dish at dinner, as an after school snack, and for breakfast.  They freeze well too so you can make a whole bunch ahead of time and just reheat in the microwave! 

32 oz Tater Tots frozen

1 1/2 c. Cheddar Cheese shredded

This is a mini tart shaper

1 lb Bacon cooked and diced
about 1/2 package of fresh chives, finely chopped

Note: You can use any ingredients you like on your loaded baked potato. These are just suggestions!

Preheat oven to 425°F.  Grease a mini muffin pan and place five tater tots in each cup. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Remove the muffin pan from the oven and use a mini tart shaper (or a small glass or even a spoon) to press the tater tots down into each cup. This will create a tater tot cup.

Fill the tater tots with the cheese,bacon, and chives (or your desired loaded potato ingredients).

Place the tater tots back in the oven and cook for another 15 - 20 minutes until the tater tots become golden brown.  If they don't want to come out of the muffin cup pretty easily (you might need to use a butter knife to loosen the edges), then it's probably not done yet. 

Remove from the oven and let the tots cool for at least 5 minutes.

Let cool completely if you want to freeze them to eat later.  To reheat, place frozen tater tot cups on a microwave safe plate and reheat for 30-60 seconds. 

#2.815: Homemade Organic Gummy Bear Fruit Snacks

 

The first time I made these, they were easy, but the worst part was straining the seeds out of the fresh strawberry puree.  My kids liked them, but I felt like it was too much work for the amount I got out of it.  Then I figured I'd take a shortcut step and find organic fruit purees to use in place of the fresh strawberries.  Plus, the original recipe I tried was orange-strawberry, and although I liked the taste of them when done, I didn't love the smell they were giving off when cooking.  So I went to Target in search of organic baby food pouches I could use in place for the puree (PLUS I was hoping to sneak in a veggie too!).  I found several different kids so I've made this recipe multiple times.  These are definitely a personal preference kind of recipe....we all like different ones the best!  I got the super cute gummy bear mold for about $6 at Walmart.  Personally, you probably should get 2 because you can make a batch quicker (you get 45 gummy bears per mold).  But each mold only has to be in the freezer for 15 minutes before they set so I just used one mold and kept dumping and refilling it.  You can freeze these to eat later, but you have to let them thaw in the fridge before eating.  (PS...keep these refrigerated). 

Here is the link to the original recipe for the strawberry-orange flavored ones. 
Below is the recipe for using the organic fruit pouches.  

1/2 cup fruit puree (from baby food/toddler pouches)

1/2 cup juice (apple, orange, cranberry, etc.)

2 tbsp honey

3 tbsp gelatin

Combine puree and choice of juice in a saucepan. Heat on low until the liquid is almost simmering. Remove from heat. Let cool for a few minutes and then add honey to the mixture. 
In a small bowl add gelatin.  Add the slightly cooled puree stirring constantly until the gelatin is dissolved.

Use a dropper to fill the silicon Gummy Bear molds OR pour the gelatin liquid into the molds using a spatula to smooth it out and push all the puree into the mold. Place in the freezer for 15-20 minutes or until the gummies are firm.

#2,814: Classic Beef Chili

One thing my mom is known for is her chili recipe.  It's loaded with beans and is just the right amount of spicy.  This is NOT my mom's recipe, so I'm sure my sister is totally going to hate this.  However, being one who likes to try new recipes, I figured I'd give this one a try.  I have to admit, I really do like this chili.  I love that it has two different kinds of beans.  I especially love it served over elbow noodles, with some melted cheddar cheese, and some oyster crackers like my mom always served hers.  As with most chili's this is definitely better the longer it sits and you let the flavors meld.  You kind of get a little bit of the beer flavor in this, but it's super mild.  If you don't want to add beer, just use more chicken broth.  

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped yellow onion
8 garlic cloves, minced
3 pounds ground chuck
1 (6-oz.) can tomato paste
1/3 cup chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 (15-oz.) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-oz.) can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (28-oz.) can crushed tomatoes
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 (12-oz.) bottle beer

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Add onions and garlic, and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add ground chuck, and cook, stirring until beef crumbles and is no longer pink, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain beef mixture well, and return to Dutch oven.

Add tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, thyme, and oregano, and cook, stirring often, 2 minutes.

Increase heat to high. Stir in beans, tomatoes, chicken broth, and beer, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.

#2,813: Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies

Breakfast is the one meal I really struggle to eat sometimes because I don't sit down and eat.  I'm always either eating on the go, or while doing something else (lately it's usually cooking!), so anything that is pre-made for me and quick is what I'll gravitate towards.  I found a recipe for healthy breakfast cookie...all you had to say way "cookie" and my ears would perk up.  Adding the word pumpkin in there makes me listen even harder.  I've got to say, these are a bit strange but I like them.  I'd like them more if they were loaded with chocolate chunks and peanut butter, but I suppose that wouldn't be the same.  I still did like these though, and they are making an easy breakfast for me!  My kids wouldn't even try them, but I really didn't expect them to.  

1/4 cup coconut oil melted

1/4 cup honey

1 cup rolled old-fashioned oats

1 cup quick cooking oats

2/3 cup dried cranberries unsweetened

2/3 cup pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup ground flaxseed

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

2 eggs beaten

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet.

In a small bowl warm coconut oil and honey (either microwave, inside preheating oven or on the stove top).

In a large bowl combine both kinds of oats, cranberries, pumpkin seeds, ground flax, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Add pumpkin puree, eggs and warmed coconut oil and honey. Stir until fully combined.

Drop about 1/8 cup sized scoops of the mixture onto a cookie sheet and flatten (cookies won't spread while baking). Bake for about 15-20 minutes until edges are lightly browned.

Let cookies cool on baking sheet before moving to an airtight storage container.

#2,811: (GF) Beef and Corn Noodle Bake

This recipe had the one ingredient in it that my boys (big boy and little boy) do not particularly enjoy...corn (although they hate peas way more).  I however, could eat corn probably every day and not get tired of it.  Even as I look at the photo above, I can barely see the corn and I used way less in the recipe because I knew they'd complain.  But the little one (6 yrs) saw one piece on his plate and immediately scowled.  The big one (41 yrs) managed to pick every little kernel out.  I swear if he just would have eaten it all mixed up he wouldn't have even tasted it.

Regardless  the girls and I loved this dish and were happy to go back for seconds (one of us may have gone back for thirds, but I won't rat anyone out!).  I made these with gluten free noodles and no one in the group could tell the difference.  I also wanted to give them more veggies (heck I was pushing my luck with the corn anyways!), so I added half a can of petite diced tomatoes, and then pureed the second half and threw that in there as well.  Mmmm....I might have to make this again this week!

2 pounds ground beef (I only used 1 lb. 2 lb seemed like a lot!) 

1 cup chopped onion

12 oz. can kernel corn, drained

20 – 24 oz. tomato soup – this can be creamy tomato soup that is gluten free or gluten free condensed tomato soup (I used a 14 oz can and then added another can of water)

1 Tbsp. ketchup

salt and pepper to taste

2 cups cooked gluten free noodles (I used Tinkyada shells)

1 1/4 cups grated cheddar cheese
I also added: minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and dried basil.  

  

Brown the ground beef until no longer pink, adding the onion about halfway through cooking time. Put cooked meat mixture, corn, soup, ketchup, and seasoning in a bowl and mix.

Cook noodles (al dente). Drain. Mix into the other ingredients. Pour casserole into a baking dish and sprinkle cheese on top. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes, covered. Uncover for the last 10 minutes of cooking.  

#2,810: Thai Chicken Salad

We have a disagreement at school during lunch about which is better canned shredded chicken or fresh shredded chicken.  I am the minority of that vote who greatly prefer canned chicken over fresh chicken.  So in the recipe photo above (which I was making just for myself, I used canned chicken.  The salad was delicious and I decided to make it again for some friends, but this time I figured I'd actually cook and shred fresh chicken and add that into the salad.  Although I will deny saying this to my friends, the fresh shredded chicken was actually quite good!  The dressing in this salad is tangy, a bit sweet, and yet a tiny bit spicy.  I like it.  (In my head I said that last sentence with a weird, definitive accent, so please try to read it that way! 🤣).  I strongly recommend this salad...it was THAT good.  

2 chicken breasts, cooked & shredded

2 cups red cabbage, chopped

1 bell pepper, diced

1/2 cup peanuts, roasted & unsalted

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

1/4 cup green onion, chopped

1 cup Greek yogurt, plain

2 tbsp maple syrup

3 tbsp rice vinegar

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Instructions

In a large bowl, add all ingredients listed in the order above and mix with spatula until well combined.

Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

#2,808: (GF) Sausage and Cheese Hash Brown Cups

I have enjoyed eating these super simple gluten free sausage, egg, and cheese hash brown cups, that I've literally eaten them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (meals on different days, but still all 3 meal times).  These are great to make ahead of time and freeze.  Then to reheat and have a quick meal, just pop them in the microwave for about a minute and they reheat really well.  My kids actually like these too...but the more cheese I put in it, the more they seem to like it.  LOL 

4 Cups Shredded Hash Browns, thawed

4 Tbsp. Butter, melted

1/2 tsp seasoned salt

1/2 tsp Pepper

8 Eggs
1/2 cup milk

1 ½ Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese

1 Cup Sausage, cooked and crumbled

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  In a large bowl combine the shredded hash browns, butter, salt and pepper.  Spray your muffin tin VERY well with cooking spray and fill the cups about 3/4 of the way full with the hash browns.  I sued my fingers to mold them to the muffin cups.  It’s okay if they stick out a bit.  Try to make the sides all the same thickness so they will cook evenly.  You’ll also want to make sure there’s plenty of hash browns at the bottom of the muffin cups.

Bake 20-25 minutes, or until they are starting to brown. Let cool slightly.

Reduce oven to 350 degrees.  Take half of the shredded cheese and sprikle it in the bottom of the hash brown cups.  Repeat with half of the sausage crumble.  Whisk the eggs together and fill the cups until almost full.  Top with the second half of the cheese and sausage.

Bake until the eggs are set which takes about 20 – 25 minutes.  

#2,799: Gluten Free Home Made Ramen Noodle Cups

Ramen noodles may be so bad for you, but they are a guilty pleasure of mine!  I am not a fan though of the ramen noodle cups (eck!) which are just loaded with sodium and weird spices.  So when I found a healthier version with real veggies I knew I wanted to give this a try.  I've been eating gluten free ramen noodles lately (I like the millet and brown rice ones from Lutus foods...I get it off Thrive) so this was even a little more exciting.  

The first time I made these I didn't pre-cook the carrots and I really regretted that.  Have you ever choked on a shred of carrot?  No?  It hurts. The second time I made these I sauteed them in a little olive oil until they softened up and I also chopped the spinach a little finer, and I LOVED this more.  I have eaten this both with shredded chicken and cooked chicken sausage (you can see it in the photo above) and I like it both ways.  I also added some edamame after I took this picture...that was a good idea!  

This is made with homemade bouillon seasoning and it is quite good in my opinion.   The recipe makes a ton though so you might want to halve it! 

This makes a super easy, make ahead lunch!  Just add some hot water, let it sit for a few minutes, and you are ready to eat! 

This is for FOUR ramen cups

Bouillon Powder

1/2 cup (40 g) nutritional yeast flakes*

2 tablespoons kosher salt

2 tablespoons onion flakes (can substitute 1 tablespoon onion powder)

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

3/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried sage

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon wasabi powder (if you can’t find it, leave it out)*

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

1 tablespoon coconut palm sugar (can substitute regular granulated sugar)

Instant Soup

4 “nests” gluten free ramen or rice noodles

2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves (I like mine chopped a bit)

3/4 cup shredded carrots (from about 2 medium carrots) (I used grated carrots and sauteed them to soften a bit)

1 cup cubed extra-firm tofu or diced cooked chicken

2 tablespoons gluten free miso paste (I omitted)

4 teaspoons gluten free soy sauce

1/4 cup Bouillon Powder

1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped fresh scallion greens

1 cup edamame

First, make the bouillon powder. Place all of the bouillon ingredients in a medium-size bowl and mix to combine well. Place in a resealable glass container (a small mason jar works great), and set aside.

Next, cook the noodles one nest at a time according to the package directions or by boiling them in about a quart of water until they separate and begin to soften.  Do not cook them all the way.  Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking, and set them aside briefly.

To assemble the instant soups, set out four heat-safe jars that can accommodate about 20 fluid ounces in volume. 

In each jar, layer the ingredients in the following order: 

1/2 cup spinach leaves 

1/4 cup shredded carrots
1/4 cup edamame
1/2 cup tofu or chicken
1/2 tablespoon miso paste
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 nest of softened noodles
1 tablespoon bouillon powder and, finally,
scallion greens to taste (at least 2 tablespoons).

Cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

When ready to serve, fill each container with boiling water (leaving a small space to permit covering the container) and cover tightly. Allow the container to steep for 2 minutes. Open, stir gently and enjoy.

#2,793: Almond flour chocolate chip cookies

I don't know if you all enjoy the taste of almond flour as much as I do, but I might get a little too excited when I see it used in a recipe.  So since I happened to have some on hand (I usually do!), I figured I'd give these almond flour chocolate chip cookies a try.  I'm a fan of raw cookie dough, and this cookie dough was no exception (I know...you aren't supposed to eat raw cookie dough!!).  These are quite good...they are NOT as good however when you forget they are in the oven until you smell them burning and are shocked to see you never took the last batch out!  I might have almost cried (and then got Young Living Purification Oil going in my diffuser to get that burned smell out of my house).  

Although mine look NOTHING like the original posters recipe, I'll still make (and eat) them again.  

1 + 1/4 cups almond flour

1/2 cup ground flaxseed meal

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 egg

1/4 cup avocado oil (or baking oil of choice)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

In a medium bowl, combine almond flour, flaxseed meal, baking powder, salt and brown sugar. Mix until ingredients are well combined.

In a separate medium bowl, combine egg, oil and vanilla. Whisk until well combined.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, gently folding all the ingredients together until well combined.

Fold in mini chocolate chips.

Cover dough and place in fridge for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or reusable silicone mat.

Using your hands, roll about 1-inch dough balls and place on baking sheet. The cookies will not spread, so they do not need much space between them.

Gently press each dough ball to slightly flatten it (do not flatten all the way, just a little).

Bake for 7-9 minutes until tops begin to brown and dough is set.

Allow cookies to cool for 2-3 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a cooking rack to cool completely.

#2,792: Potsticker Meatballs

This is the brand I used for the sauce. 
A little goes a LONG way.

I randomly decided to make this recipe because I had some ground pork on hand, and I am so glad I did!  Not only was this an easy recipe to throw together, but it makes a really quick lunch or dinner. I felt like these meatballs needed some sort of sauce though to make them even better, so I tried to make some pot sticker sauce to go with it, and it was good, but it wasn't thick enough for my liking.  Then I found some general tso gluten free sauce from Thrive and YES it made these so much better...and spicier.  If you do add the sauce, you just need a little bit!! 
Anyhow, back to the meatballs.  The original recipe said to pan fry and then put in the oven.  That was one step too many for me, so I just baked all of mine.  Although the flavor was great, these didn't brown up as much as I had hoped so don't expect super dark colored meatballs (again, another reason why the addition of the sauce is even better!).

1 pound ground pork

2 small carrots, grated

3 medium green onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup of fresh chopped cilantro, chopped

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons coconut aminos

1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger root

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Pinch red pepper flakes

1/4 cup almond flour

1 egg, beaten

3 tablespoons coconut oil (I omitted since I baked mine)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a medium bowl, mix together all the ingredients except for the coconut oil. Scoop out a little of the mixture at a time to roll into medium sized meat balls. Lay the meat balls out on a clean sheet pan.

(I skipped this step) In a large skillet, heat the coconut oil over medium-high heat. Brown the meat balls in batches on all sides. Remove the browned meatballs with a slotted spoon and place back on the sheet pan.

Once all the meatballs have been browned place the sheet pan in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through (I baked mine for about 20 minutes). Remove from the oven and toss with a little general tso sauce if desired. 

#2,791: Vegetarian Pumpkin Squash Chili

If you saw my post yesterday, you saw that I've been making cinnamon sugar pumpkin bread.  Well when you have leftover pumpkin puree you've got to use it up some how, so you make pumpkin chili with it!  (OR you just use it as an excuse to try another new recipe!).  At first, I was going to leave out the adobo sauce because I'm not a huge fan of it, but I was also leaving out the bourbon so I had to add one or the other.  It definitely needed it to enhance the flavor.  I was a fan of this chili!  It was even better with sour cream and green onion added to it, but still good without it.

This recipe is healthy, filling, and comforting...what else can you ask for this time of year?!

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil

1 medium onion, minced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 red pepper, diced

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon sea salt

½ cup bourbon (I omitted)

1 - 14-ounce can of pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie mix)

1 - 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes

1 - 19-ounce can of kidney beans

1 19 ounce can of navy beans 

1 small butternut squash, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 tablespoon chipotle peppers pureed with adobo sauce

2 cups of corn, cut from 2 cobs or frozen

Optional garnishes: grated white cheddar, green onions, chili powder

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute until it is soft and brown, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper and continue to cook until the red pepper is soft, about 5 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin and sea salt and let it cook for 1 minute more.

Add the bourbon and bring the pot to a boil. Add the canned pumpkin, crushed tomatoes, kidney beans, navy beans, butternut squash, pureed chipotle peppers and 2 cups of water and stir the pot well. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil then reduce the heat and let the chili simmer for 30 minutes, or until the butternut squash is tender. Add the corn to the pot and let it cook for 5 minutes. Season to taste with sea salt.

Serve the pumpkin chili with the cheddar, green onions, and chili powder, if using.

#2,789: Chocolate Fig Energy Bites

What do you do when you have dried figs sitting in your pantry for a few weeks and want to find a recipe to use them up...you do a google and pinterest search and find healthy energy balls to make with them! Energy balls are eaten often in this house but I didn't think my kids would go for these (I was right).  Although I liked these, the texture is a bit soft.  I liked these (it's got chocolate chips in them, how could I not like them?!), but I prefer oatmeal and peanut butter energy balls much more.  

1 c dried figs

½ c + 2 tbsp water

1 c old-fashioned oats 

1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I used ground oats instead)

¼ c unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tbsp miniature chocolate chips

Add the figs and water to a large microwave-safe bowl, and microwave on HIGH for 1 minute. Let the mixture cool for 5 minutes before adding the hydrated figs and leftover water to a food processor. Pulse until smooth. Let the mixture cool completely to room temperature. (Place in the refrigerator to speed up the process.)

Add the oats, protein powder, and cocoa powder to a medium bowl, and stir until thoroughly combined. Mix in the fig paste until fully incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Lay a sheet of wax paper on a large plate. Shape the chocolate mixture into 32 balls, placing each on the wax paper after rolling.

#2,787: Shepard's Pie

Do you know how hard it is to take a picture of Shepard's pie?!  Okay, maybe I just am that bad at taking pictures but nothing I took did this recipe justice!  So...there's just no photo.  I loved this recipe, but the boys in this house were not as big of fans because it had peas in it (gasp!).  Which is funny because peas were not in the original recipe, but I thought it needed it.  

Although you could totally make any homemade or store bought mashed potatoes with this recipe, I used steam and mash potatoes from Ore Ida which was super easy to make and you just add milk, butter, and seasoning to it.  So simple.  I also used gluten free flour to keep this a gluten free recipe, but you could obviously use all-purpose flour in place as well.  

1 lb. ground lean turkey (I used ground beef)

3 carrots, washed and chopped

3 celery stalks, washed and sliced
I also added about 1/3 c of frozen peas

1/2 sweet onion, chopped

1 Tbsp. gluten-free all purpose flour

2 Tbsp. tomato paste

1 tsp fresh thyme

1 tsp fresh sage

1 cup chicken broth

Steam n’ Mash Russet Potatoes by Ore Ida

salt and pepper to taste

rice milk (I used skim)

Cook the ground turkey and onion in a large pan over medium heat with 1 Tbsp oil for approx 5 minutes.  Add the carrots and celery and continue cooking until the meat is no longer pink and cooked through.  

Meanwhile, microwave the Steam n’ Mash potatoes for 10 minutes, following direction on the bag and adding butter, milk, salt and pepper after potatoes are cooked.  

When the meat and veggie mixture if done cooking, add the tomato paste, flour, and spices mixing well.  Slowly add the broth while constantly stirring.  Simmer 3-5 minute to thicken.

Empty the turkey and veggie mixture into a casserole dish and top with the prepared mashed potatoes.

Broil for 10-15 minutes, watching carefully so that it doesn’t burn.

If you are making this ahead of time and cooking later, bake COVERED at 375 degrees for 20 minutes, then uncover and continue cooking until heated through (5-10 minutes more if it's not already done).  Broil the last minute or so to brown the potatoes if desired.  

#2,784: Gluten Free Black Bean Cookies

These cookies were really easy to make, but they are quite different. I loved the concept of being made with black beans and sneaking in some healthier ingredients for my kids, but I'll be honest, I didn't love these....however my kids did.  I was super shocked!  Personally, I think this recipe needed more sugar, but if my kids are fans, I'll take it! 

1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 egg (50 g, weighed out of shell) at room temperature, beaten

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled briefly

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (30 g) unsweetened cocoa powder

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper and set it aside.

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, place the black beans, butter and egg and pulse until mostly smooth. Add the vanilla, sugar, baking soda, salt and melted chocolate, and pulse again until smooth. The cookie dough at this point should be the consistency of hummus. Add the cocoa powder and pulse until the mixture is well-combined. The consistency should be more like fudge. Add most of the chocolate chips (about 3 ounces) and mix by hand until the chips are evenly distributed throughout the cookie dough.

Using a spring-loaded cookie scoop or two spoons, scoop portions of the dough about 2 tablespoons each and place about 2 inches apart from one another on the prepared baking sheet. Using the back of a moistened spoon, spread each portion of cookie dough into a round about 1/2-inch thick. Sprinkle the top of each piece of dough with a few more chocolate chips. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator to chill for about 10 minutes or until mostly firm to the touch.

Place the baking sheet in the center of the preheated oven and bake until the cookies have taken on a crackled appearance and are mostly firm to the touch, about 18 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on the baking sheet. They’ll be quite fragile when they’re warm.

#2,782: Peanut Butter Baked Oatmeal Bars

The picture of this does not do this recipe justice.  I first gave my kids a piece after dinner to see if they liked it...they all asked for a second piece.  They also ate it for breakfast the next day and then asked me to make it again.  Uh, sure! It is SO simple to throw together and if you don't have oat flour, just throw some old fashioned oat in your food processor and pulse it a little.  It's also a great way to use up those over-ripe bananas too! The original recipe says to pour more peanut butter over the top, but I didn't do that...and my kids didn't seem to care! 

1 ½ cups quick cooking oats

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp sea salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 overripe bananas mashed

¼ cup creamy peanut butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

¼ cup pure maple syrup (I used honey)

1 large egg lightly beaten
¾ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (I used skim milk)

Mini Chocolate chips (about 1/3 cup)

Topping:
¼ cup creamy peanut butter melted ( I omitted)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x9” square baking pan and set aside.

In a small bowl mix together the quick cooking oats, baking powder, sea salt and ground cinnamon. Set aside.

In a large bowl mix mashed banana and peanut butter together until combined.  Add in the vanilla extract, maple syrup (I used honey) and egg. Mix until combined.  Add the almond milk and mini chocolate chips, and stir until batter is mixed.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix thoroughly.  Pour the mixture into a lightly greased 8x8 cake/baking pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Or until the top slightly springs back when touched and the edges are just barely brown!

I skipped this step: Melt the extra peanut butter and drizzle on top.

Cut into squares and store in refrigerator.  Reheat in microwave or enjoy cold!