SUGARLESS, EGGLESS, FLOURLESS, OTHER BAD STUFF-LESS COOKIES

I know that bloggers nowadays use enhanced lighting and tripods and Photoshop to make everything look magazine-worthy or pin-worthy or whatever... but because I was not hosting a party or a distinguished guest, and because I had to quickly throw them together when Johnnie was momentarily preoccupied with sneaking licks of play-dough when I wasn't looking, you're going to get un-retouched iPhone photos. It-Real Keeper of the Year, over here. (Side note: does it make anyone else feel depressed to think of setting a party-worthy table just to take photos for a blog post, without actually having a party?)

Anyway, these cookies. I have no idea where this recipe came from, but my mother-in-law sent it to me and I give them two enthusiastic thumbs up. I've made them twice, once without chocolate chips so Johnnie could eat them, and once with a TON of chocolate chips (see photo above) so Ez and I could hoard them all for ourselves. Meeting Street cookies they are not, but pretty delicious and almost entirely guilt-free they are. Even my parents, a carpenter we hired for a structural project and some Bible study friends who sampled them agreed.

(Disclaimer: I like healthy things. I also like unhealthy things, but I try to eat as much good stuff as possible. These cookies are kind of like an ode to this effort, or the official spokescookie, if you will.)

Ado over. It's recipe time:

Sugarless, Eggless, Flourless Banana Cookies

3 ripe mashed bananas
1/3 cup apple sauce
2 cups quick oats
1/2 cup almond milk (in a pinch I used skim milk and added 1 tsp almond flavoring)
1/2 cup raisins (I added 1 cup)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon

Mix all ingredients together; form into large (1") balls or use medium cookie scoop and place on greased cookie sheet. (I used parchment paper.) Since they do not spread at all, flatten them before baking.

Bake at 350° for 15 min.

Refrigeration recommended.

OPTIONAL:
Instead of raisins, add one bag of Dark Choc. chips and 1/2 C. sliced almonds. You could also easily substitute other add-ins like Craisins, different nuts, sunflower seeds, other dried fruit, etc. In my favorite version, I used chocolate chips, dried currants and sliced almonds.

UPDATE (8/6/13): I made a batch a few days ago, and as Johnnie gobbled one down I asked her, "Is it good?" Yes. "Does it taste like a banana?" Nooooo! "What's it taste like?" A cookie! There you have it. Personal testimony from a toddler.