Yummy, Fruit-Sweetened Peanut Butter Bean Cookies

I love feeding my toddler healthy "gookies" (good+cookies) and healthy muffins for breakfast.  They are so convenient and less messy than other options.  I love that these fruit sweetened cookies are so full of healthy fats, omega 3s, fiber, antioxidants, and protein!  Decided to try using beans this time around and I'm really happy with them.  These would make killer chocolate chip cookies, if I ever get around to making fruit-sweetened chocolate chips (if I do, I'll post my recipe here).

Yummy, Fruit-Sweetened Peanut Butter Bean Cookies

Ingredients:

15.5 oz can no sodium chickpeas well drained and rinsed (or other kind of cooked beans)
1 cup applesauce (can use 4 ripe bananas instead, probably, but I have not tried this yet)
1 cup natural peanut butter with no sugar added (or nut butter of choice)
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup flaxmeal (for that added omega 3 and fiber!)
1/2-1 cup add-ins-- dried fruit, oatmeal, nuts, unsweetened shredded coconut (pictured cookies were made with coconut), or sugar-free chocolate chips (obviously can use regular, but won't be added sugar free).

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Blend chickpeas and applesauce in food processor or good blender (I had to use a tamper to fully blend) until smooth.
3. Transfer to a bowl and add the rest of the ingredients.  Mix very well.
4. Scoop by tablespoons full onto cookie sheets with parchment paper (makes about 30 cookies).
5. Flatten/ shape cookies with either a wet fork or bottom of a glass or wet hands.
4. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes.  Let cool and enjoy.  Store in fridge.


*Variations:  for chocolate cookies can use black beans instead of chickpeas and add 1/4 cup cocoa powder. Yum!

Nutrition Facts Per Cookie  (without add-ins or substitutions):