Alright quarantine. This week I'm taking you on in an epic battle of the bulge. You and I have been craving things we've never craved. We sit a lot more. And we eat more. And you've ruined my exercise routine!
So this week, I'm taking you on and going back to basics with (mostly) clean eating and higher protein options. Yeah too many carbs. Carbs get scared.
I know I'm not alone in this. Many of us are kind of at a point that we are so over this. I talked to a family member who expressed she felt the same way. She is done sitting around, eating cheap sugary foods and feeling gross sitting around all the time. But she also just had her job furloughed too so money will be tight for her. She asked how she could accomplish her goals but also stay on the tight budget that she needed to.
I came up with a suggestion: eat more cookies.
She called me a few names.
But then I told her no, seriously!
- These cookies have the same base but then you add in different ingredients you have on hand to make them different.
- Watch sale ads, etc (this week a 2 pack of fresh raspberries was only $1.98!) and use those to make different variations.
- Buy the other ingredients in bulk--a bag of coconut costs $5-7 but buying just the ½ cup you need to go along with the raspberries I made these cookies with cost $1.25!
- Protein powder: This is definetely the most expensive part of the recipe. When money is tighter I'll buy the smaller packets, or buy just what I need in the bulk section.
I hope those tips help! Really these are simple and easy cookies that you can use whatever leftover fruit or ingredients you have around the house.
High Protein Breakfast Cookies + Add In Options
PART 1: COOKIE BASE (Use the base for any protein cookie version you make)
2 ½ cups rolled oats (can substitute gluten free rolled oats)*
½ cup protein powder (we recommend using unflavored)
¼ cup flour (can use gluten free flour)
¼ cup cane or coconut sugar (can substitute Swerve)
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ cup milk (can substitute non dairy)
¼ cup maple syrup, agave syrup or honey
1 egg (can substitute flax egg)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2. PART 2: HEALTHY MIXINS (Optional! Throw in one of these optional healthy mixins if you would like to. Can be added to any base for any cookie).
1-2 tablespoon hemp hearts
1-2 tablespoon chia seeds
1-2 tablespoon flax
1-2 tablespoon brewers yeast
3. PART 3: CUSTOMIZED COOKIE (Add these to the base of your cookie to customize the taste and flavor of your protein cookie).
Raspberry Coconut: ½ cup fresh or frozen raspberries, ¼ cup shredded coconut and 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Chocolate Chip: ½ cup dairy or non dairy chocolate chips
Lemon Blueberry: 1 ½ teaspoon lemon zest (apx zest of one lemon) plus ½ cup fresh or frozen blueberries and ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Carrot Cake: 1 cup shredded carrots, 2 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ cup raisins or pineapple bits (raisins and pineapple optional)
White Chocolate Cherry: ½ cup white chocolate chips, ½ cup dried cherries, ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Cherry Limeade: ½ cup white chocolate chips, zest of one lime, ½ cup dried cherries
Chocolate Butter: ½ cup peanut, almond, or other nut butter and ¼ cup cocoa powder
Banana Bread: 1 mashed banana, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ cup walnuts (nuts optional)
Nutella: ½ cup Nutella
Hawaiian: 2 cups mixed dried fruit (mango bits, pineapple bits, dried apricot, dried coconut bits), ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Lemon Poppyseed: 1 teaspoon lemon zest (zest of one lemon), 2 teaspoon poppyseeds, 2 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Zucchini Bread: 2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 cup grated zucchini, ½ cup nuts or chocolate chips
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip: 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon, ¾ cup pumpkin puree, ½ cup chocolate chips
Apple Cinnamon: 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 cup grated or finely diced apples
Gingersnap: Replace maple syrup with molasses. Add ¼-1/2 cup finely diced candied ginger to taste and 1 teaspoon cinnamon
PART 4: MAKE THE COOKIES
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper.
In a bowl, stir together the base of the cookie until smooth. Add in a mix in (part 2) if desired. Fold in part 3 into your cookie base until well incorporated. If mixture is too crumbly, stir in 1-2 tablespoon water.
Drop approximately ¼ cup of batter onto the cookie sheet per cookie, leaving some space in between cookies. Press down lightly on the dough to flatten slightly.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool for several minutes on cookie sheet before moving to cooling rack to finish cooling completely.
Makes 12 cookies. 1 cookie=1 serving
*You can substitute instant oats but rolled oats are most preferred for this recipe.
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