Flour & Sugar-free Oatmeal Cookies

It's rare that I have overripe bananas in the house since I usually freeze them for my smoothies. When I do have them, it is a sure sign to make banana bread. Today, it just so happened that I had two perfectly browned bananas sitting on my counter, but was in no mood for banana bread. I decided instead to whip up a batch of healthy oatmeal cookies, and boy are they tasty! 

This recipe is great because it does not require a lot of ingredients, it's quick and easy to make, and it does not have any flour or sugar. While you do not have the same texture you expect in a traditional oatmeal cookie, these definitely satisfy the craving without any of the guilt. Another bonus, they are gluten free, nut free and soy free, so most anyone with food sensitivities or allergies can enjoy them!

Flour & Sugar-free Oatmeal Cookies
(Makes 1 dozen)

• 1 cup rolled oats (gluten free)
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 chia egg (1 T chia seeds + 3 T water)
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• pinch of salt
• Optional add-ins: raisins, dried cranberries, chocolate chips, nuts, coconut, etc. (I added 1/4 cup of dried cranberries that have been sweetened with apple juice + 1/4 cup Lily's chocolate chips sweetened with stevia.)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. As the oven preheats, prepare your chia egg by mixing 1 tablespoon of chia seeds with 3 tablespoons of water, in a small bowl. Let sit in refrigerator for about 10 minutes.
3. In a medium sized bowl, mash your bananas until mostly smooth. Add the additional ingredients to the bananas. Mix until well combined. If you are adding the optional add-ins, add them after required ingredients have been mixed.
4. Scoop cookie mixture by the tablespoon and gently form into a ball. Place each dough ball onto a parchment or silpat lined cookie sheet. Since these cookies do not really rise or spread as they bake, I lightly flattened mine out to ensure they baked evenly. 
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Let cool and enjoy!