sweet success

i don't have a sweet tooth.

i most definitely have sweet teeth.

there is not a day that goes by that i don't indulge myself 

with some sort of sweet, little treat.

if we are being honest, i've never met a sugar that i did not like. 

that being said, i still try to live a healthy life. 

i try to eat more veg & drink more green tea.

 eat organic and local goods. cut out most of the processed foods. 

i stay away from the white foods and try to fill my plate with color. 

life is prettier with color, anyways

so, in my pursuit to eating healthier. and yes, even skipping an occasional dessert...

you can imagine my joy when i found this little recipe.

i went bananas. 

this little gem of a treat has no sugar.

check, check. is this thing on? did you hear me?

yep, i said no sugar!

zip.

zero.

ziltch.

nor are these babies sweetened with honey, agave, stevia, truvia, or any other -vias.

the sweetness comes from our au natural bee-nana

i am certain you are already doubting the deliciousness of my treat,

but just trust me on this one. 

they.are.surprisingly.yummy.

you'll want to find three large, very ripe bananas.

i buy conventional- not organic.

since you do not eat the peel, you are a-ok.

visit your local health food store to find the 

almond meal & unsweetened coconut.

i find that Bob's Red Mill is the best out there.

just be sure that you store them in the fridge or freezer to lengthen the shelf life.

the recipe calls for any old chocolate chip. i debated using semi-sweet tollhouse chips, but decided to be extremely healthy and use the Enjoy Life semi-sweet mini chips. Not only are the mini-chips adorably tiny, but they are also nut free, dairy free, and soy free. 

oh, and they taste wonderful. 

you would never know the difference. 

but your bod will surely thank you.

this was my first time baking with coconut oil. and i love it. 

i used organic coconut oil. 

you will want to heat the oil for a few seconds so that it is no longer in a solid form. 

the cinnamon adds a nice extra kick to these babies, 

so i might add a little extra next time.

i always use pure vanilla extract. 

you can find great vanilla and Home Goods and the Maxx...

so keep your eyes peeled next time you are there.

don't they just look delicious?!

i was surprised to find that the cookies look exactly the same when you take them out of the oven as they did when you put them in. so do not be alarmed when you bake them.

right when i took the treats out of the oven i was desperate to have a taste tester. 

i am bias. remember, i have never met a sweet that i did not like. 

so, naturally, i love, love, love them. 

but i needed an audience. an honest audience. 

6 thumbs up. technically, that would be 12 thumbs up. 

my lovie was judge #1.

sweet success.

i dashed over to mom and dads. after one bite mom was dying for the recipe. 

{dad's vote doesn't count}

i knew the final test would be from my health-nut bestie, leslie.

i dropped a little goodie bag off on her porch and waited with great anticipation.

5 stars from the Burket household. 

both little hands and big hands loved the 

sugar-free, dairy-free, nut-free, soy-free treat.

this will definitely be a staple in my collection of recipes. 

i can't wait to try out other additions. take out the chocolate and add raisins

for a great morning snack. all variations of dried fruits would be yummy, too.

between you and me, friend...

i have already eaten 7.

 Banana, Oat, and Chocolate Cookies

3 large, ripe bananas. mashed.

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup coconut oil

2 cups old fashioned oats

2/3 cup almond meal

1/3 cup finely shaved coconut, unsweetened

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

6 ounces chocolate chips

mix the mashed bananas, vanilla, and coconut oil.

in a separate bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients.

add the dry mixture to the banana mixture.

fold in the chocolate chips

spoon into balls

(i use an ice cream scooper)

place on parchment lined cookie sheet

bake at 350 for 13-15 minutes

voila!

i found this recipe from a great little blog, 101 cookbook.
i am so excited to try many more of her healthy recipes.

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