Porridge Oat Protein Bites -or- My Kid Refuses To Eat Breakfast So I Turned It Into Cookies
Our little munchkin has been on a bit of a breakfast strike lately. He might eat it eventually, but most of the time his breakfast is still uneaten at lunch time. Cornflakes, toast, scrambled eggs & sausage..even pancakes!  Now that he's going to nursery 3 mornings a week, I've been waking up stupid-early to try to entice him and fill that little tummy. All for naught. These breakfast cookies are a desperate attempt to nourish his little body (and brain) without the daily struggle. Now, he's never been a porridge eater, but raisins are practically a food group at this house. The golden linseeds bring protein, fiber, and Omega 3's and the banana & maple syrup give just the right amount of moisture and sweetness. Feel free to adjust that sweetness to suit your family. Also, feel free to bake these a teeny bit longer than the recommended time if you (like my dad) like the taste of slightly-scorched oatmeal raisin cookies. Like most of what I bake, they're perfect with a cuppa (or some cold milk).
Servings: 18 yield(s)
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 12 mins
Total Time: 22 mins
Ingredients
  • large banana (or 2 small) (the browner the better)
  • 130 g peanut butter (crunchy or smooth..or use almond or sunflower butter)
  • 120 g maple syrup (or honey or agave syrup)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 80 g porridge oats (In this US this are "quick-cook")
  • 30 g plain flour (We use gluten-free. Regular or even Whole Wheat would work.)
  • 28 g golden linseeds, ground (Also called Flax Seeds)
  • 32 g powdered milk (or protein powder)
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda ((baking soda))
  • 110 g add-ins (dried fruit/nuts (rough chopped) or chocolate chips)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F and line your baking sheet with baking parchment.
  2. In a large bowl, mash the bananas and then mix in peanut butter, honey/syrup, and vanilla. Small lumps are okay, big lumps make for an uneven bake.
  3. In a small bowl, combine the oats, flour, ground linseeds, powdered milk , cinnamon, and bicarbonate of soda.
  4. Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet, mixing until you don’t see any dry spots. Gently fold in your add-ins.
  5. Using a cookie scoop or 2 small spoons, drop rounded tablespoons of dough about 6cm apart on lined baking sheet. Then, with a wetted fingertip, flatten each dough mound until about 1.5cm tall.
  6. Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Bites will keep in an airtight container for about 3 days or freeze well for up to two months. Feel free to make these a little larger, just bake them a bit longer.