Healthy and Delicious Breakfast Cookies

Yikes it has been awhile! My apologies! Two kids sure keeps a girl busy! This recipe is great for all you busy moms out there, but also great for anyone who wants a good on-the-go breakfast.
Many mornings I make a pot of oatmeal for breakfast, and usually add raisins, hemp hearts, a couple dates (for sweetness), and sometimes nuts or other dried fruit. There are many times though, when I just don't have the time, or motivation, (especially if both of my kids are in less that happy moods!), or I just want something different. So, I came up with this recipe for oatmeal in cookie form, but healthy! An oatmeal cookie is no new thang, but with these, there is no refined sugar, no egg, no butter, and they are pumped full of healthy ingredients. Make a batch or 2, keep extras in the freezer, and you are set! Fast, delicious, and nutritious. Great for kids or adults.What more could you ask for?

You will need:

1.5 medium bananas, mashed (approx 3/4 cup)
2 Tbsp coconut oil
2 medjool dates, pitted
1/4 cup hot water
1 Tbsp ground chia seeds
3 Tbsp warm water
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup hemp hearts
1/4 cup raisins
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1.5 cups quick oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp xanthan gum (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly grease a cookie sheet, use a silpat mat, or line with parchment paper.
Add the pitted dates to the 1/4 cup of hot water and let soak for a minute, and then puree using a magic bullet or something similar. You can do it by hand too, just make sure that it is a nice paste when you are done.
Add the 1 Tbsp ground chia to the 3 Tbsp warm water and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the bananas, coconut oil, vanilla, date puree, and chia/water mixture.
In a separate bowl, combine the coconut, hemp hearts, raisins, walnuts, oats, flour, baking soda and salt.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and combine thoroughly.
Form into balls (about 1.5 inches in diameter), and place on cookie sheet.
Lightly flatten with a fork.
Bake for approximately 15 minutes. This will produce a cookie that is soft on the inside. If you prefer a harder cookie, add 2 or 3 minutes on to the baking time.
Makes about 20 cookies (mine only made 16 because my 2 yr old couldn't wait, so he ate a little bowl of the batter for breakfast! haha).