Easter. I enjoy it. I enjoy chocolate so I'd have to. However, I do not enjoy how processed sweets make me feel. Generally they make me overheated, shaky and sweat through my sleep. Not much of a treat is it?

My husband has been enjoying Easter chocolates and its left me, well, a little jealous. I knew that I had to have some kind of dessert this weekend and it HAD to feature chocolate. I also knew that I haven't been feeling great and the last thing I needed was a ton of butter and sugar disguised as something cute and fun. I wanted something relatively good for me, that wouldn't spike my blood sugar and leave me feeling gross. I wanted a pick me up dessert without the crash.

I thought I would just remake my Vegan Chocolate Chip Breakfast Cookies but decided to modify the recipe a bit. I loved the taste of those cookies but wanted something a bit different today.

There is no egg in the batter and therefore no danger in eating them warm. To me, they taste like a soft chocolate chip banana bread cookie. These cookies are great for several reasons. They are vegan, low fat, sugar free (if you leave out the chocolate chips or use chopped sugar-free chocolate), gluten free, full of fruit, protein and fiber. I would gladly eat them as a snack any night of the week, or bake them for a great weekend breakfast -- and they would be a great treat for children.

There is next to no labor in preparing them and they bake in a flash, so they make a great last minute dessert option.  




Makes 20-25 cookies.  
This recipe is: vegan, gluten free, sugar free, low fat, high in fiber, high in protein.

Ingredients:

1. 3-4 frozen bananas
2. 4 tbsp pear butter
3. 1 tsp baking powder
4. 1 tsp organic ground cinnamon
5. 1 tsp baking soda
6. 1 tsp organic apple cider vinger
7. 2.5 heaping tsp 100% organic cocoa powder 
8. 1/3 tsp coarse sea salt
9. 1 capful organic extra virgin olive oil
10. 1 tbsp white chia seeds
11. 1.5 cups quinoa flakes
12. 2/3 cup vegan chocolate chips (I used Enjoy Life Brand) OR 1/2 vegan sugar-free chocolate bar, chopped into small chunks
13. 1 heaping teaspoon pear butter

Preheat oven to 350F.

Blend first 8 ingredients together until smooth. Add olive oil and chia seeds and blend until smooth. Add quinoa flakes and pulse to incorporate, scraping down the sides between pulses. Add chocolate chips and pulse to incorporate. Add 1 tsp pear butter and pulse once to incorporate.

Using a tsp or tablespoon, drop heaping spoonfuls of batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Be sure to space out your drops. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until fragrant and not mushy to the touch and lightly golden brown.

WARNING: These cookies will burn on the bottom if cooked for more than 12 minutes.
GOOD NEWS: They taste great even if they get a little burned!

Enjoy hot from the oven or allow to cool 10 minutes.