The Simple Things are The Best Things

And really, how does it get better than fresh, warm chocolate chip cookies?

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Jabin likes 'em!

Here is my favourite cookie recipe. I like that most of the sweetness comes from the bananas and the dried fruit (or chocolate chips, if you substitute those instead.) Also, the cinnamon helps to regulate blood sugar to avoid that spike and then crash we normally get from sweets.

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These awesome Chocolate Chip Cookies are full of healthy grains, fats, and have less sugar since they are sweetened with bananas! "Trail Mix In a Lump", as I like to call them!

Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. maple syrup
1 egg
1 c. mashed banana
1 3/4 c. whole wheat flour
1 3/4 c. old-fashioned rolled oats
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 c. chopped nuts (opt.)
1 c. chopped dates or other dried fruit (I usually use either raisins, dried cranberries or chocolate chips, or a mixture of these)

Cream butter and maple syrup together well. You may need to use an electric mixer. Beat in egg. Add banana. Stir remaining ingredients together (except dried fruit) and add in small batches to the moist ingredients. Mix well. Add dried fruit and mix. Drop by spoonfuls (I like using the Pampered Chef Small Scoop) onto greased baking sheet. Bake in 400° oven for 10 to 12 minutes. (A well-seasoned baking stone does not need to be greased, and turns out wonderful evenly-browned cookies without extra aluminum nasties from the pan.) Makes 3 1/2 dozen.

Edit 2010-01-27:

These are a few ways I vary this recipe:

Instead of 1 3/4 c. whole wheat flour, I use 1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour and 1/4 c. bulgur flour. You will need to press your cookies down with a fork before baking if you use bulgur flour in them.

Instead of 1 3/4 c. rolled oats, I use 1 c. rolled oats, 3/4 c. shredded, unsweetened coconut.

If you are out of maple syrup, 3/4 c. of honey or whole or brown sugar will work as a substitute.