Cookie Monday: Chocolate Oat Clusters

Before I ever had kids I wanted to be "that mom", you know, the one who had fresh baked goods and a smiling face ready every day as the kiddos came in from school. Buuuut I am also a firm believer in feeding kids healthy snacks that nourish their little bodies and don't rot their teeth. You see my dilemma? So a compromise was born, most days my kids get fruit, veggies, string cheese, Greek yogurt, whole wheat toast with a little bit of almond/peanut butter on it, etc., etc, for their after school snack.  Mondays, however, are special.  They are devoted to cookies. Or at least they are the weeks I remember to have the right ingredients on hand. We run out of eggs. A lot. Anyway, this week, with my weight-loss goal in mind, I decided to play around and try to make some healthier cookies (is that even possible?).  The result:

Chocolate Oat Clusters

1 cup rolled oats (not instant)
1/2 cup sugar
4 T cocoa powder
pinch salt
2 tsp vanilla
1/8 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/8 cup canola oil
1 egg

combine oats, sugar, cocoa and salt. In a separate bowl whisk together vanilla, applesauce, oil and egg.  Add in oat mixture and stir. Refrigerate for several hours. Divide into 12 equal balls and place on a cookie sheet.  Smash the cookie balls down with a fork.  Bake at 350 for 12 minutes.

(recipe adapted from here)

Man, were these little guys yummy!  They were rich, fudgy and only 82 calories a cookie.  One cookie was more than enough to satisfy my sweet tooth. 

The kids gobbled them right up.

And in Ali's case, even attempted to climb on the counter to snatch up seconds.  What can I say, when chocolate is involved she forgets all her manners.  She gets that from her mama.  

Definitely a cookie we will be making again.