Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Belly Broom Breakfast Cookies


When I grew up, cookies were something you ate for dessert.  Or maybe for a snack, but mother always said we shouldn't eat between meals.  Then I met my husband.  I was so surprised to discover that his family ate cookies for breakfast!  Ever since, breakfast cookies have been a hit with me!  While our children were growing up, I discovered it was a great way to fill them with lots of nutrition.  All under the guise of "cookie".



My mother-in-law would fill her breakfast cookies with nuts, coconut, seeds, raisins, dates, and grains.  She was a great baker, so her cookies were never dry or boring.  They were moist, flavorful, and tasty.  But, most of her cookie recipes were ones she baked "by feel" and she didn't write down the recipe.


Recently I felt the need to figure out how to make a breakfast [lunch, snack, dinner, midnight snack] cookies that were gluten-free, sugar-free, low in cholesterol, highly nutritious, AND tasty!  Fortunately Brent is willing to try all my experiments in the kitchen.


Each batch has been a little different than the one before.  Suggestions along the way were welcome.  Little by little a recipe was developed that we liked.



They are not elegant, but breakfast cookies shouldn't be elegant!  Breakfast cookies should be hardy, crammed with nutrition, and tasty!  There's nothing delicate about a breakfast cookie!


They are delicious right out of the oven, but when stored in a covered container [like this one] they become even better!  They become more flavorful and moist as time goes on.  We've named these cookies "Belly Broom Cookies" --- a name our kids give to any yummy, fiber-filled breakfast cookies --- thus named because they keep the colon working efficiently!  Here's the recipe --- which I hope you enjoy:


Belly Broom Breakfast Cookies

1 cup ground flax seeds
1 1/4 cup gluten free oats
1 cup gluten free flour blend (like Bob's Red Mill)
4 packets NuNaturals stevia (any brand, but that's my favorite)
1/2 teaspoon Real Salt
1 Tbsp. baking powder (generous)
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2/3 cup almond milk (or your choice)
1/2 cup olive oil (or grapeseed oil)
1 Tbsp. vanilla
2 cups dates, divided in 1/2
1 cup water

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut, optional
1/2 cup walnuts, optional
1/2 cup raisins, optional

Mix try ingredients together. Form a well in the center of the bowl and set aside.

In a saucepan, mix 1 cup pitted dates with 1 cup of water. Bring to a simmer and cook until dates soften.

Mix cooked date mixture and liquid ingredients together. Then, pour all at once into well in dry ingredients. Stir until mixed.

Add additional dates (1 cup, chopped) and other ingredients of choice (raisins, coconut, walnuts, etc.).

Place on a baking sheet using cookie scoop. Bake for 12 minutes at 350 degrees or until done.
 
These are dense but good. Store in a sealed container and they soften up to be even better the next day.

*The flour option you choose will very how the cookies turn out, but all are good.  Choose from oat flour, quinoa flour, sweet rice flour, brown rice flour, all-purpose flour, whole wheat pastry flour, etc.

8 comments:

  1. Love the name! My grands won't eat my chocolate chip cookies because they prefer their mama's "special" cookies made with all sorts of things to do the trick of belly brooming.

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  2. Yum! I won't be able to find all these ingredients but can probably substitute something else. I've seen many breakfast cookie recipes out there but haven't tried any yet. I can definitely eat cookies for breakfast! :) Hope you are having a great day.

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  3. I've never made breakfast cookies! Sounds like a great idea to me. I was trying to figure out what the name meant. Very clever children you have!

    Blessings, Debbie

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  4. What a great idea, LaDonna! I'm going to give these a try with my little guy, who doesn't always want breakfast these days. I'm hoping they'll entice him enough to try eating other things early in the day, too. :)

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  5. LOVE the name and the cookies look great.

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  6. I could go for Belly Broom Cookies for breakfast. Yummm!

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  7. I would go for these anytime which is why I am in my 12th week or rejoining the YMCA. The last 2 years of baking and 20 pounds later! So far I haven't lost a POUND but am firming up for sure. This is harder this time as I am 62. I would bake everyday if I were a homemaker! Love it! Thanks for a great recipe!

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  8. Thank you for sharing this recipe! It is full of ingredients that we like to use. Thank you for doing all the experimenting for me. We might make some today.

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