Melanie Jewell MCN, RDN, LD
Who wants cookies for breakfast? Almond flour, banana, flax, and unsweetened coconut make these a healthy on-the-go treat to accompany that morning latte. In addition to whole grains, nut flours can also be used for baking up nutritious creations, and almond flour has become my go-to choice for muffins and cookies.
Tree nuts such as almonds have cholesterol-lowering properties and may even reduce the risk of heart disease. They provide heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, fiber, and protein, and are an excellent source of vitamin E and magnesium. And with just 4 grams of sugar, these cookies are a delicious way to enjoy the health benefits of almonds (even for breakfast!).
Banana-Nut Breakfast Cookies (makes 12 good-sized cookies)
1 very ripe, medium banana
1 egg
2-3 tbsp pure maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup ground flax meal
1 1/2 cups almond flour
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
Preheat oven to 350°F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. In the bowl of a food processor, add banana, egg, maple syrup, and vanilla. Blend until well combined. Add dry ingredients through almond flour and pulse until combined. Remove blade and stir in shredded coconut. Roll into 12 balls and flatten slightly on the cookie sheet. Bake 12-14 minutes. Your kitchen is going to smell so good!
Nutrition info per cookie: 140 calories, 10 g fat (2.6 saturated, 4.7 monounsaturated, 2.2 polyunsaturated), 83 mg sodium, 9 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 4 g sugar, 4 g protein.
Bio: Melanie Jewell is a registered dietitian nutritionist at RESTORE Center for Integrative Medicine, where she provides medical nutrition therapy to patients with chronic disease in the clinic’s lifestyle change program. Melanie loves to play in the kitchen and captures her creations on RESTORE’s nutrition blog at https://therestorecenter.com/ and Facebook page @RestoreCenterNutrition
