School-Friendly Oatmeal Cookies

[admin]

It's almost time for the kids to go back to school, and with it comes the task of filling lunch boxes with healthy, kid-friendly, peanut-free snacks.  Here is one recipe - but make sure you hide some to pack in their lunchbags, as they may not last!

Ingredients

1/2 cup (4 oz) unsalted butter
1/2 cup (4 oz) sugar
1/2 cup (4 oz) brown sugar, firmly packed
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp (5ml) vanilla essence/ extract
3/4 cup (4 oz) plain, all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda/ bicarbonate of soda
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups (4 1/2 oz) old fashioned rolled oats
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup raisins/ sultanas
1/3 cup dried apricots, chopped
1/3 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened

Directions

1. In a saucepan over low heat, melt butter.
2. Remove from heat, and beat in all of the sugar.
3. Blend in the vanilla and egg.
4. In another bowl, sift the flour, salt, cinnamon and baking soda.
5. Stir into the egg mixture.
6. Add the rolled oats and the coconut & dried fruit
7. Refrigerate for about an hour
8. Grease 2 baking sheets and preheat oven to 350F or 180C
9. Scoop rounds of the batter (about 1 tbsp each) onto the baking sheets, spaced about 2" (2.5cm) apart, flattening them slightly.
10. Bake until golden brown - about 12-15 minutes.
11. Move to a wire rack and allow to cool.
12. Enjoy!

[coolchef]

Tried these - mmmmm!  Coconut was a nice touch!

I sometimes grind up some flax seeds or add sunflower seeds and the like when making oatmeal cookies, or chop up some prunes, dried apples etc.  Good with all kinds of nuts, but most schools are nut-free, so the dried fruit is the way to go, I guess.

[admin]

Here is another recipe that has been kid-tested and is gluten free and can also be casein free.  Thanks, Sarah, for sharing the recipe with me!

Preheat oven to 350 F or 180 C

DRY INGREDIENTS
2 1/4 cups quick cooking oats
2 cups spelt flour
1 cup raw sunflower seeds
3/4 cup raw pepitas
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup flax seeds
1/2 cup cane sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 tbsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg (optional)
2 1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 3/4 cup (bag) dark chocolate chips (or substitute for dried fruit)
1 1/4 cup raisins/ sultanas
 
 
WET INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup blackstrap molasses
1 egg
3/4 cup grapeseed oil or veggie oil
1 cup organic milk or soy milk
 
Mix both wet and dry ingredients in their respective bowls.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture.
Mix well.
Drop well rounded spoonfuls of the mixture onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake until golden brown for approximately 13 minutes (or slightly longer if you like them more crisp).
Remove to a wire rack to cool.