Andrew is on a fast (not for the faint of heart, but if you want a better understanding as to why he is doing it, check out this documentary), which means I should be happy eating all my delectable dishes with leftovers to spare. But sadly I am not. I am actually lost. The fridge looks like it is going on a fast since I have not purchased anything with a clear goal as to how I will use it. For dinner the last two nights I have baked a sweet potato and then added some odd toppings (garlic sauce with tomatoes the first night and yesterday some broccoli, leek, onion and olives concoction). The truth is, cooking for myself is just not that much fun, and I don't feel like eating the same thing for four days. Instead, I am picking random items from the fridge and putting it together hoping it doesn't taste too weird. A part of me feels I am missing out on making some dishes Andrew might not normally eat, yet I can fully enjoy. But then, I also feel guilty that what if I make a great dish, Andrew will be heart broken (obviously I am being dramatic...if we flipped the script though, then yes I would be heartbroken). So, in the spirit of being a great partner, I am trying to keep everything toned down in the kitchen so Andrew doesn't feel like he is missing out on anything, and so I don't make it any harder than I am sure this fast is (when he asks how my dinner is, I tell him "gross". Aren't I the best. Well, except for the cookies I made yesterday that made the house smell yummy. I was busy licking the spoon and Andrew just stared....not at me though... the peanut butter, his one true love.

So the cookies. They technically shouldn't be called cookies, because typically cookies imply a treat, that you shouldn't have too much of at a given time. These cookies? Pile them on your plate. We even give them to Wyatt. They are my go to when we are heading out for a walk or a trip in town where I know we might be late on eating lunch. SIDE NOTE: I know Wyatt can't tell time, so he really wouldn't know if he is missing a meal or late to eating, but I assume he's like his mom (me) and just knows when it is lunch time. And I don't want a HANGRY child.

Potential Hangry Child? Not with these bad boy cookies around.

So, I found this recipe on (you guessed it), Minimalist Baker a month or so ago. I was looking for cookies for Andrew and I since we had a sweet tooth craving and these hit the spot (especially with the ingredients being basically what we eat everyday anyway and they were on hand). The best part was when I realized these are perfect for Wyatt. They are so easy to make, include everything Wyatt can eat with no processed extras, and delicious baked or raw. The first time I made them I was spoon feeding the mixture pre-baked to Wyatt and he gave me an odd face and turned towards the living room, but a few seconds later he was back for more. He loves testing stuff. If I put something I am making on my finger, he is always willing to try what it is. Well since I know you want some super healthy, good for you cookies of your own, enjoy the recipe below.

KID FRIENDLY DELICIOUS NOTHING BAD IN IT AT ALL (unless you add the chocolate chips), COOKIES

INGREDIENTS

1 Cup of Almond Meal (I put chopped almonds in a food processor, but whole almonds work, just pulse them first because otherwise it sounds like you are going to break the blender. If allergic I would imagine you can use walnuts or pecans as well)
1 Cup of soaked Dates (This will be 10-12 dates. Just remove the pits and put the dates in a bowl of filtered water to soak for 10 minutes)
1 Banana
2 Tablespoons of Peanut Butter (or another nut butter of your choosing)
1 Cup of Rolled Oats (NOT STEAL CUT)
Chocolate Chips or Peanut Butter Chips (Minimalist Baker has a recipe on how to make your own peanut butter chips, but I have yet to try them)

INSTRUCTIONS

Soak your dates.
Set the oven to 350. Get your cookie sheet and parchment paper out.
In a blender throw in your almonds and blend. Maybe a minute. The more grounded up, the softer the cookie. Put the almond meal into a small bowl.
Next put in your peanut butter, banana and dates in. Blend for 1-2 minutes. The longer the better to break down the dates. It will sound loud.
Add your almond meal back to the blender and the oats. Blend. Again, the longer you blend the softer the cookie (since it will be less chunky).
Now, you can add your peanut butter and/or chocolate chips, or just leave them out. For Wyatt I leave them out.
Put cookies on your parchment paper. These don't grow, so you don't need to leave space (I always remember this after I have spaced them as if they will grow and then start filling in the spaces). Put in the oven for 14 minutes and they should be good to go. For Wyatt I make the cookies pretty small so he can easily handle them. Ideally he would bite them, but usually he just shoves the entire thing in his mouth, so I end up riping them into even smaller pieces.