Cookies for breakfast??

I am trying to get my weekly healthy recipe thing started up again, so I am kicking it off this week with a recipe that is the perfect way to start your day. It’s high protein, high fibre, and super high taste. There are loads of vitamins and minerals, and the taste? It is variable depending on the combination of ingredients that you use, but always incredible. The best part is that these mean that you can feed your family (*cough*yourkids*cough*) cookies for breakfast, and it is basically the equivalent of sending them off with a bowl and a half of oatmeal, topped with nuts, seeds, fruit, and deliciousness.

Like I just mentioned, the ingredients listed here are more suggestions than they are hard-and-fast requirements. If you don’t have walnuts, add in macadamia nuts instead (just watch your portion sizes!). If you don’t have steel cut oats or rolled oats, but you do have something like amaranth (an ancient grain with a slightly sweet, nutty taste that works well in place of oatmeal. In addition to being gluten-free, amaranth is a good source of several key nutrients, including protein, fiber, iron and manganese) or millet (this grain is naturally gluten-free and rich in vitamins and minerals such as phosphorus, magnesium and folate), you can still whip these up easily. Add something sweet if you like (dark chocolate shavings or toasted coconut are nice) or something savory (candied spicy almonds? Yes please!). Be flexible and creative. There are no wrong answers or combinations here. Just stick to the goal of low sugar/sweeteners, high protein, high fibre.

Best of luck creating something amazing with these! My plan is to try using different veggies as the base, so maybe next week will bring something else to the table…?

Cinnamon Sweet Potato Breakfast Cookies:

* 1 cup mashed sweet potato (cooked, cooled)

* 1 cup rolled oats

* ½ cup steel cut oats

* ½ cup almond flour (if you don’t have almond flour, you can use all-purpose flour here, but in that case I would also add about ¼ cup crushed almonds)

* 1 tsp. cinnamon

* 1½ tsp. pure vanilla extract

* Pinch of coarse sea salt

* ½ cup assorted nuts, chopped (I use a blend a walnuts, almonds and cashews)

* ¼ cup assorted seeds (I use a blend of chia seeds, hemp seeds and sesame seeds)

* Something sweet (dark chocolate shavings or toasted coconut are nice)

* Something savory (candied spicy almonds are my personal recommendation)

* 1 to 2 tbsp. maple syrup or raw honey (for extra sweetness. This is sort of optional, but I add it all the time because it’s so yummy)

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper

2. Mix the mashed sweet potato, oats, almond flour, cinnamon, vanilla (if using), salt, and sweetener in a bowl until well-combined. Scoop out spoonfuls and flatten them slightly on the baking sheet.

4. Sprinkle generously with coarse sea salt and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are set and bottoms are lightly golden

5. Cool for 5 minutes before serving

There is nothing better than eating homemade cookies for breakfast... unless, of course, they have been jam-packed with nutrients and flavour! Healthy eating wins every time.