Survival cookies - a healthier cookie

I made cookies the other night thinking they were going to be for my slo-pitch team but I gave some to my parents and the rest have found a home in my freezer where I've been eating 2-3 a day.

I won't say these are healthy cookies because really, other than the oats they have little nutritional value but if you're going to make cookies, these are a good option because they have healthier ingredients. I cut the sugar on most recipes unless it's already reasonable. I haven't found that it affects the consistency of the batter/dough yet so I'll just keep doing it. When I tell people that it's half the sugar they often tell me they can't imagine how sweet it would be with the full amount.

With that being said, the original recipe is from one of those old church cook books that Babas and Grandmas would put together for a fundraiser. This particular recipe came from "Canadian Luthern Ladies: Family Favourites Cookbook," on page 167. I have two of these cookbooks and I love the recipes in them. Again, they aren't necessarily healthy or low calorie recipes but everything is modifiable. I use them as guidelines for the most part but this recipe actually had a reasonable amount for sugar so I didn't cut any back but other changes are marked with an asterisk (*).

RECIPE

Mix:

• 1/2 c brown sugar
• 1/2 c white sugar
• 1/2 c melted margarine* (I used coconut oil because I didn't have margarine and they turned out sooooo good, and very coconutty. I highly recommend trying it)

Add:

• 1 beaten egg
• 1 tsp vanilla

Mix well.

Add:

• 1/2 c mashed banana
• 1/2 c chopped nuts* (I used 1/4 c of mixed sunflower and pumpkin seeds)
• 1/2 c coconut
• 1/2 c raisins

Mix well.

Add:

• 1 c flour* (I used whole wheat)
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 c oats and/or granola* (I used 2 cups of quick oats)

Mix and drop onto cookie sheets. I like my cookies uniform so I use a measuring tablespoon and flatten them a bit once on the sheet. Bake at 350F for 12-14 minutes. I like my cookies chewy so I baked mine for 13 but remember that ovens vary.

Nutritional information: