Real Food Recipe: Healthy Carrot OatmealBites
March 22, 2011 by chiotsrun
Mr Chiots and I transitioned from buying packaged food, we needed an alternative to the granola bar. When we’re out filming, we need to have snacks that give us energy and keep us from getting too hungry. I discovered the recipe for these healthy cookies several years ago and have been making them ever since. These little cookies make wonderful on the go snacks. They’re packed full of all kinds of healthy ingredients and you can be at peace knowing there’s no high fructose corn syrup, soy protein isolate, artificial colors, flavors, partially hydrogenated fats, GMO ingredients or any of that scary stuff.
The term cookie is used loosely here, these are not your typically over the top sweet cookie, they’re actually less sweet than any granola bar I’ve ever eaten. If you’re going to make a batch, make sure you double it, these freeze beautifully so you can keep a bag full in the freezer and grab a few before you run out the door. I amended the original recipe to suit our tastes by adding flaked coconut and some more ginger and cinnamon to add even more healthfulness. The cinnamon helps regulate blood sugar and the ginger is a natural anti-inflammatory.
Carrot Oatmeal Cookies
(adapted from 101 Cookbooks)
1 cup white whole wheat flour (preferably freshly ground)
1 teaspoon baking powder (or 2/3 t. cream of tartar and 1/3 t. baking soda)
scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup shredded coconut (optional)
2/3 cup chopped walnuts (or nuts of choice)
1 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger (optional)
2 teaspoons cinnamon (optional)
1/2 cup real maple syrup, room temperature
1/2 cup unrefined coconut oil, warmed until just melted
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
Preheat oven to 375F degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, oats and cinnamon. Add the nuts and carrots. In a separate smaller bowl use a whisk to combine the maple syrup, coconut oil, and ginger. Add this to the flour mixture and stir until just combined. *quick tip* – if you measure the coconut oil in the measuring cup first you don’t have as much maple syrup stick in the cup, most of it slides right out.
Drop onto prepared baking sheets, one level tablespoonful at a time, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie. I use a small ice cream scoop and press into my hand, these cookies have a tendency to fall apart a bit so they need some care. Bake in the top 1/3 of the oven for 10 – 15 minutes or until the cookies are golden on top and bottom.
Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies.
I play around with the flavors in these every time I make them; sometimes I add raisins and lots of cinnamon, sometimes macadamia nuts, dried pineapple and large coconut flakes. I think some savory ones made with pine nuts and sun dried tomatoes would be heavenly as would a curried one. If you add a lot of extra stuff you may want to add a little more oil and maple syrup. You cold also play around with different oils, some clarified butter in a curried cookie would be great, and maybe olive oil in the tomato pine nut cookie. I’ve never strayed from using coconut oil because I like the flavor it offers and the health benefits as well. I’m guessing you could also use honey or molasses in place of the maple syrup if you’d like, although I’ve never tried to. Since we sugar our maples, I have maple syrup around and use that.
If you’re looking for any more wonderfully healthy cookies check out 101 Cookbooks blog, she has a lot of great choices including these Grown-Up Fig Cookies and these with bananas and chocolate.
Bake up some of these little snacks and tuck them into the pockets of your loved ones when they head out the door, they’ll thank you for it!
What’s your favorite on the go snack?
I can also be found at Chiot’s Run where I blog daily about gardening, cooking, local eating, beekeeping, and all kinds of stuff. You can also find me at Ethel Gloves, Simple, Green, Frugal, Co-op, and you can follow me on Twitter.
