Most people are not mind readers, so if you have a wish for the perfect Mother’s Day, you may need to drop a few hints. I used to dream of a day where I could relax in my bed for a few extra minutes, maybe with the newspaper and a fresh cup of tea. Then off to a rare workout or walk along the beach. I would wish for a little extra time to do my hair before having a yummy and healthful brunch with my favorite people in the world, my husband and my kiddos. Ha! Sometimes we moms keep doing for others and feel guilty about taking time for ourselves. You know what? We run around at 90 miles an hour every day of the year, it’s OK to have one day where you get put on a pedestal and your loved ones spend the day worshipping you.
But I’ll admit, I’ve never been very good at asking for things. Year after year, we would go out with my husband’s family for brunch to a crowded restaurant or hotel. The men spent a lot of money for average food and lots of noise and this wasn’t dreamy to me. Then two years ago my good friend Melissa told me that her Mother’s Day is spent at the home of her in-law’s and all the guys get together in the kitchen to make lunch for the ladies. LIGHT BULB! So last April, I made a few subtle suggestions and guess what? My husband can take a hint! He organized the troops to cook the loveliest lunch at our home. Never mind that the kitchen looked like something exploded in there, I didn’t have to lift a finger and my hair looked great.
This year we’re doing the same thing and I am totally excited. If this sounds good to you, but there isn’t enough advance warning for your family to mobilize, you can at least make a few suggestions for breakfast in bed…like these breakfast cookies! You can whip them together the day before and suggest that they be delivered bedside on a silver platter with a coffee or tea and some fresh fruit. A little bud vase with a beautiful flower would be nice too, but maybe we shouldn’t push it. These “cookies” are like having your oatmeal and toppings in a tasty and neat little package, and it kind of feels like you’re eating a cookie. Splurge! But look at the ingredients — totally clean and won’t offset that workout you’re going to get in!
If breakfast cookies aren’t your thing (really?), here are a few other ideas to give your family a little help:
- Yogurt and Granola Parfait (make the granola during the week);
- Spinach and Feta Strata (assemble the casserole the night before and have them pop it in the oven in the morning);
- Pancakes or waffles (make the batter the night before); pick your pleasure: whole wheat buttermilk, pumpkin, or oatmeal;
- Overnight steel cut oatmeal (just reheat in the morning;)
- Muesli (make the night before and serve with fresh fruit.)
Happy Mother’s Day to all you beautiful women. I wish I could jump through the computer to give you a big hug. The world is a better place for all you do.
Breakfast Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
- ¼ cup almond meal or sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- ½ cup chopped nuts, I used walnuts and almonds, but pecans are great, too
- 1 cup unsulphured dried fruit, chopped (I used dried dates and blueberries)
- 3 ripe bananas or 1 cup of unsweetened applesauce
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine rolled oats, coconut, almond meal, cinnamon and salt. Add the nuts and dried fruit combine with the mixture, breaking up the dried fruit so it doesn’t clump together (I use my hands to mix this.)
- In a medium bowl, mash the bananas and stir in the oil and vanilla.
- Add wet mixture to dry mixture and stir to combine.
- Take scoops of the batter either with a 1/3 cup or ¼ cup measuring cup and drop the batter onto the prepared baking sheets. Flatten with your hand to about ¾-inch thick. Bake for a about 20 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Store in the fridge after a few days or wrap and freeze.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
I was lazy and didn’t want to chop nuts. So. I used chunky peanut butter. And since we didn’t have ripe bananas, I used two individual cups of applesauce which is shy of a cup so I added 2 T maple syrup. I added a little inulin powder for fiber and I used raisins so I didn’t have to chop anything and OMG – amazing!!!! Thank you and no thank you as I am staring at them trying not to inhale them!!! 😉
I might have to try this!
These are awesome! Best breakfast cookies I’ve ever attempted. I used dried apricots and pecans and a few dark chocolate chips and just finished 5 with my 2 yr old 🙂 Thank you!
So glad to hear that! You can’t go wrong with dried apricots, pecans and dark chocolate! 🙂
LOL. I remember the last mother’s day celebration when my husband decided to surprise me on his own and prepare breakfast for me. I woke to a sweet aroma of my favorite breakfast and I ate to my heart’s content. But trust me, a trip to the kitchen later made me want to rewind the day, I couldn’t recognize the copper square pan he used and I noticed that the trash was smelling like burnt food. Hehehe. It wasn’t funny but I loved that he tried.
Looks delish! I don’t have almond flour. Could I just use AP flour or whole wheat?
I’m sure that would work!
Any suggestions on how I can adjust the recipe so that it’ll still work without bananas or applesauce? Thanks!
I would suggest something like mashed sweet potato or pumpkin puree, but you’ll need to add something to boost the sweetness a little since they’re not as sweet as banana and applesauce. I haven’t tried it this way, so I’m not sure how it will turn out, but I think it should work. Let me know!
Thanks so much for your prompt reply, I’ll give this a try and let you know. I’ve already tried many of your recipes and they are delicious! Esp with my dietary restrictions, I’m now enjoying getting back to baking and having some healthy treats. Keep up the wonderful work that you do…I’m so happy to have found your site. 🙂
Hi Pamela,
Based on things I have in my pantry right now, I was wondering if the following substitutions would work:
– Can I use flaxseed meal or almond flour instead of almond meal?
– Can I use shredded unsweetened coconut instead of flaked coconut?
Hi CG — Almond flour will definitely work. I imagine flax meal will work, too. Shredded coconut has less texture and might get “lost” in the cookie, but it will still work and that’s not necessarily a negative. You can really play with this recipe!
Thanks! I was just concerned that they might not hold together. Can’t wait to try them!
On a separate note, tried the zucchini, almond butter cake this past weekend. It was awesome! Came out more like brownies but the best brownies ever! I’m totally loving your recipes!
Yes, I agree — somewhere between a cake and brownie, but not quite brownie status!
So I finally tried these. Unfortunately, they turned out nothing like the pictures here 🙁 I wouldn’t recommend the substitutions I mentioned above.
Oh, shoot! Really? Was it the flax meal? So sorry!
I guess it was both – flax meal and shredded coconut. They combined too well and made the entire mixture like a dough – as opposed to the chunky appearance in your pics
Made these with my 3 year old and we LOVE them! They are even delicious straight from the freezer when you feel like a cookie!
Good to know they’re even delish out of the freezer! Thanks! 🙂
Hi Pamela,
First I must say that I love your website and it honestly is my ‘go to’ when trying to find a healthy and delicious recipe! Next for my question: I would love to make these for my 1 year old because they are free of wheat and egg, both of which he is allergic to, but he is also allergic to coconut! Will they still work if I sub almond meal or more nuts/seeds for the shredded coconut and butter for the oil? Thank you so much for all you do!
Thank you so much, Cassie! Yes, just sub butter for coconut oil and more nuts and seeds for the coconut. Should work out just fine!
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