Last year around this time, I was feeling very weird about my very first “back-to-school” season that I wouldn’t actually be going back to school. From preschool to college, I’d been in school from age 2 to 22! What was September without a new book bag and reading list?!

The first days are always so much fun. I’d put a little extra effort into picking out my outfit and my hair, show up to class a couple minutes early, scope out who to sit with. Because of my cross country and track schedules, I always had 8:00am classes. Easy breakfasts are a must; ain’t nobody got time for a perfectly-staged homemade acai bowl before class, no matter what Instagram says.

This breakfast recipe is perfect for meal prepping on the weekends because it’s basically just baking a couple batches of cookies. That never feels like a chore, and it makes your kitchen smell really good. Plus it makes plenty to share a couple if you’re trying to win over some new friends this semester. Win win. :)

I’ve seen Breakfast Cookies on Pinterest, which are basically homemade granola cookies similar to a Clif Bar or Larabar but with a few questionable ingredients. Shortening, white sugar, and canola oil aren’t exactly a nutritious way to start the day. My idea of a healthy breakfast cookie includes: little to no refined sugar, clean ingredients, some fiber and healthy fats. Also – must go well with coffee :)

So I decided to “healthify” the recipe, as I always tend to do….

These cookies are a peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cranberry nut cookie all rolled in the one. They’re sweetened with banana, natural applesauce, stevia and bit of coconut sugar. Their base is a hearty mixture of powdered peanut butter (PBFit), rolled oats, coconut flour, baking powder and cinnamon. I added in an egg and some vanilla, mixed with my trail mix toppings. One little disclaimer: they don’t rise or flatten in the oven. The shape you place them on the pan is the shape you are stuck with. They are DENSE little things!

PBFit Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

Makes 18 small cookies

• 1 cup PBFit (a powdered peanut butter) mixed with 2/3 cup water
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 2/3 cup coconut flour
• 1/3 cup coconut palm sugar
• 2 tbs. stevia
• 1 tbs. baking powder
• 1 tbs. cinnamon
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 ripe banana, mashed
• 1 egg
• 1 tbs. vanilla
• Optional Mix-ins: almonds, dried cranberries, dried cherries, mini chocolate chips, pecan pieces, sunflower seeds, pepitas, etc.

1.) Mix together the dry ingredients: PBFit, oats, coconut flour, sugar, baking powder and cinnamon.

2.) In a separate bowl, mix together the banana, applesauce, egg, vanilla, and stevia.

3.) Stir the dry mix into the wet mix; add the mix-ins.

4.) Form the dough into 1 1/2″ balls, and press down to flatten slightly since they will not change shape in the oven.

5.) Bake at 350 degrees for 13 minutes, until the bottoms are a golden brown.

Peanut butter, oats, banana, chocolate, nuts….what more could you possibly need?! Using a powdered peanut butter cuts out about 85% of the fat content, but still adds that yummy nutty flavor and texture. Using a banana and applesauce is also a cleaner way to sweeten recipes without going straight to refined white sugar; they include some fiber which helps balance blood sugar and prevent spikes and drops.

These were fun little dense nutrient-packed bites, and I loved how “autumny” they turned out.

This morning, my dad needed a ride to the airport before the sun rose. We drove together listening to country music, and when I dropped him off I had an awkward amount of time to kill. Too little to go all the way back home, but too much to go straight to work. I had curled my hair, so obviously I wasn’t going to work out in the meantime. When he left, he handed me “coffee money” to go sit somewhere and have a cup of coffee in a coffee shop, which is precisely where I am blogging to you from right now. :)

Since the food menu here is limited to brownies, donuts, and a triple chocolate chunk cookie, I’m glad I brought my own little snack. We have some major fires going on up here which is making the whole town smell like a campfire. It’s not the best running conditions, but it does remind me of camping which makes me sad that summer is ending.

The traffic is getting busier as more people start heading to work and kids walk to school, so I better wrap this up :)

Let me know if you try this recipe, and what your favorite mix-ins are! Or tell me what your favorite school-morning recipe is/was. Happy Tuesday!