Ode to Oatmeal! Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Protein Cookies!

I've lost 50 pounds and maintained it now for 3 years thanks in large part to MFP and this wonderful community. People often ask what I did to lose weight and keep it off and I tell them I eat oatmeal almost every day. The looks on their faces...they are willing to make some sacrifices to lose weight, but they are not going to eat oatmeal.

Oatmeal has a PR problem. I certainly do not eat the mushy stuff our mothers and grandmothers put before us on a cold winter day that made us wonder what we'd done to lose the pancakes. But I love these oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and eat them for breakfast frequently. Each one has about 5 grams of protein and the complex carbs (fiber) keeps me full until lunch.

Adapted from a recipe that I found on MFP awhile ago. As someone who doesn't cook too much, I thought I'd use photos to anchor the steps in the recipe.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Protein Cookies

Step 1: Get a very ripe banana. The banana no one will eat? That's the one. Mash it up! (You can also freeze bananas for later)



Step 2: To the mashed banana add 3/4 of a scoop of vanilla protein powder (I use Designer Whey French vanilla protein powder, but any good quality protein powder will work.) Really stir this mixture until it is very liquidy.





Step 3: Add 1 cup old fashioned oats. You may have to adjust the amount slightly based on the size of the banana.



Step 4: Now add 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips and 1/4 cup chopped salted almonds. You can change this up and add whatever mix-ins you'd like. Just keep it to about 1/2 a cup total. I've used craisins, raisins, and coconut before, but the best reviews have been for the chocolate chips/salted almonds combo. Stir well.





Step 5: Drop spoonfuls of the mixture on a well-greased cookie sheet or better yet, parchment paper. Press each cookie down as you would if you were making peanut butter cookies. I usually make 9 or 10 cookies per batch.



A close-up:



Step 6: Bake for 10-12 minutes at 325 to 350 F. Sorry I can't be more precise, but my oven temperature seems to vary. I always check on them at 10 minutes and take them out when they are just slightly brown on the edges.

Immediately remove them from the pan and cool on a wire rack. Store in an air-tight container.

The cookies!



Hope you enjoy these!


Nutrition Info (per cookie)

Calories: 109

% Daily Value

Total Fat 5 g 7 %
Saturated Fat 1 g 7 %
Monounsaturated Fat 0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 9 mg 3 %
Sodium 18 mg 1 %
Potassium 63 mg 2 %
Total Carbohydrate 14 g 5 %
Dietary Fiber 2 g 8 %
Sugars 5 g
Protein 5 g 9 %
Vitamin A 0 %
Vitamin C 2 %
Calcium 5 %
Iron 4 %