I have to say no to my children all the time. Some people think this is bad parenting. I’m told that distraction with alternate choices is better. I’m all for giving kids alternatives, but have you ever tried to distract a 2-year-old from the Goldfish crackers he is begging for before dinner?
What alternative choice would work there? The wailing of his despair can be heard around the block.
I remember when I was a kid, I thought, “When I’m an adult I can buy whatever I want at the grocery store, especially candy bars. King-size candy bars.” This was my view of adult privilege.
But, in fact, I say no to myself quite often. When shopping, I do not buy a candy bar, not even a small one. I’m sure this is the definition of being an adult.
What a cruel world. I know exactly how my 2-year-old feels.
Some busy mornings I rush out of the house without breakfast. I think that I don’t have time to make anything, so I’ll just wait until I can get my hands on something healthy. Well, by the time lunch rolls around, and I’ve barely taken a bathroom break, my reserves hit rock bottom.
Inevitably, at the checkout line, I’ll grab a bag of the newest flavor of M&M’s. It’s almost comically predictable.
When I’m smarter, I have something ready to take — like these cookies, an on-the-go breakfast. I’ve toyed with making my own granola bars, but I think a cookie is better. There’s a psychological appeal to eating anything resembling a cookie for breakfast, even if it’s just that it’s circular shaped.
These are dense, like a baked oatmeal. This recipe is a create-your-own-adventure breakfast, where you pick your own mix-ins. Muesli, any kind of granola, raisins, coconut. Even chocolate chips.
I know there are people who like raisins more than chocolate chips. I can’t possibly understand it, but I won’t tell you no.
BREAKFAST COOKIES
By Mariko Jackson
- 2 bananas
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1-1/3 cup oats
- 1 egg
- 1-1/2 cups mix-ins (I used 1 cup nut-based granola, 6 chopped dates, 1/4 cup chocolate chips and 3 tablespoons shredded coconut)
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line sheet pan with baking parchment.
In mixing bowl, mash bananas and stir in peanut butter, oats and egg. Fold in mix-ins and salt.
Drop onto pan using ice-cream scoop and bake 15 minutes or until just golden brown. Cool and serve, or freeze in air-tight container. Makes 7.
>>Note: If your mix-ins are not very sweet you may want to add a couple tablespoons of honey.
Approximate nutritional information, per cookie (not including added honey as indicated in note): 360 calories, 18 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, 25 mg cholesterol, 150 mg sodium, 44 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 18 g sugar, 10 g protein.
Mariko Jackson blogs about family and food at thelittlefoodie.com. Her column runs on the last Wednesday of the month. Nutritional analysis by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S.
