Did anyone else gain weight over the summer? After struggling to drop 10 pounds, I finally did it right in time for summer! And then proceeded to eat all kinds of garbage with my family on vacation, and gain most of it back! Oh well. I think I’ve cracked the code on my personal ‘not too difficult, doesn’t require too much deprivation, or exercise’ weight loss equation. At least for now. The code keeps changing on me as I get older.

Thankfully, and unfortunately, summer is over at our house. The kids go back to school this week, and I’m actually looking forward to it. The school year, aside from being tortuous with early wakeups, does provide a very nice schedule for my life. And I’m a girl that likes a schedule! I can finally get back to my regular dog walks, exercise classes and eating habits.

Sometimes I think you actually need to feel so gross by eating takeout and travel food, that you are literally clambering to get back to clean eating. That is where I think my whole family is. My husband, who has additionally been traveling for work this summer, asked me to make a stir fry for dinner so that he could have lots of veggies. And then he thanked me profusely throughout dinner for making a healthy meal for us.

So after all that talk, why am I making Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies? Because I love dessert, and I’m not going to give it up. Ever. Period. But I want to show that yes, I am back to wanting to drop a few pounds, but that I can still keep cookies in my weight loss plan. Balance is good.

And that is what these cookies are about. On the side of health, lets start with the fact that they are called Oatmeal cookies for a reason. Yes, there’s lots of Oatmeal which is a fabulous gluten free, heart healthy grain.  But these cookies get a protein boost from the addition of chickpeas and their bean liquid, which are both high in protein. I also use whole wheat pastry flour, whole cane sugar and maple syrup, and for moistness I use a mix of applesauce and coconut oil.

On the treat side…the do still have sugar…and they are still most definitely cookies.

They are customizable in that you can either go the chocolate chip route, or the raisin route. And of course the nuts are a total choice as well. I’m going raisins with no nuts as I’m trying to be healthier, and no nuts because my children like to steal my joy.

High Protein Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:

1/3 cup chicpeas

1/2 cup maple syrup

2 Tablespoons applesauce

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tsp salt

2 cups oats

2/3 cup raisins

2 Tablespoon Aquafaba (liquid in the can of chicpeas)

2 Tablespoons refined coconut oil, melted but room temp

1/2 cup whole cane sugar

1/3 cup raisins

OR

1/3 cups mini choc chips

1/3 cup toasted walnuts

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a pan with a silpat or parchment paper.

In a blender, add chicpeas, maple syrup, applesauce and vanilla. Blend until smooth. Set aside.

In a bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt and sugar. Whisk to blend. Add oats and raisins. Stir to blend again.

In the bowl of a stand mixer add the aquafaba and coconut oil.  Mix on low with a wire attachment until blended.

Change to the paddle attachment, and on low, add the mixture from the blender, mixing until incorporated well.

By cupfuls add the oatmeal mixture just until blended.

The dough will be sticky.

Coat your hands in oil, and taking 2 Tablespoons of cookie dough at a time, roll each into a ball, and flatten into a cookie shape before placing on a prepared sheet, about 2 inches apart.

Cook for 8 minutes. Take out of the oven and cool for one minute on the sheet, before removing to cool completely on a rack. The cookies may appear soft, but the bottoms will be lightly browned when they are ready

Cool completely and enjoy!

*Ok, so full disclosure..I ended up making 2 batches. One with chocolate chips and walnuts, and one with raisins…I’m just going to keep a reasonable serving out, then pop them in the freezer and take out as many as I want…or need at a a time!