Looking for an easy and nutritious breakfast cookie or snack? Try out these easy gluten-free oat and banana peanut butter cookies. They are gluten-free and vegan. Very versatile. Feel free to add your favourite dried fruit, nuts and seeds.

Gluten-Free Vegan Banana Oat Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients

• 3 large bananas, mashed
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 2 gluten free oats
• 1 Tablespoon chia seeds, optional
• 1 Tablespoon ground flax seeds, optional
• 1 Tablespoon hemp seeds, optional
• 1/2 cup of raisons or chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips,melted for decorating
• spray oil for baking pan

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.
2. Line baking tray with parchment paper or foil and spray with spray oil.
3. In a large bowl mash the peeled bananas, mix in the peanut butter or nut butter of your choice until will combined. I just use a fork and spoon.
4. Add the rest of your ingredients, except the last 1/2 cup of chocolate chips that will be used for decoration after the cookies are baked. Mix well.
5. Make into small 1 inch balls and flatten slightly. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 Farenheit.
6. Remove from oven and cool.
7. Melt your chocolate chips and spread on top of the cooled cookies.

I like to use Gluten-Free Only Oats in my recipes. They are Purity Protocol oats meaning that they are grown and harvested in a way that is safe for celiacs to consume. The process to be allowed to use 'Purity Protocol' on a companies packaging is quite arduous. They are also 100% pure Canadian oats. Check out their website to learn more about them. Only Oats are also certified by the Canadian Celiac Association. For more information on the Canadian Celiac Association's statement regarding oats and purity protocol here is a link to their article.

If you are a celiac then only use certified gluten-free oats. Regular oats will have cross-contamination with wheat or barley. Certified gluten-free and purity protocol oats are safe for celiacs. Farmers need to have a time period of 3 years of no gluten containing crops on the field that the oats are grown on. Here is a detailed article regarding what the Purity Protocol is if you are interested.

These above ingredients are optional. If you use them then remove an equal amount of the oats. I like to add them to boost the nutritional value and fibre of the cookies.

The Fresh Hemp Foods Hemp Hearts are certified by the Canadian Celiac Association as gluten-free. You can check out their website at https://manitobaharvest.ca/. They are a Canadian company using Manitoba hemp. Hemp seeds and hearts are a good source of fibre. I put them in my baking, smoothies and sprinkle on my salads. As always eat in moderation.

I always try to have Fee-Fi-Fo (CanMar) ground flax seeds in my pantry. The company sells their products under the brand name Fee Fi Fo Flax, Flax for Nutrition and CanMar. At the time of this blog the CanMar company had been acquired by Hokanson Capital Inc. They are good for you and this brand is certified gluten-free by the Canadian Celiac Association. For more information about the company and their product here is a link to their website https://canmarfoods.com/consumer-products/our-flax-products/. They also have gluten-free hemp products and gluten-free flax oil and flour. The milled golden roasted flax has a slight nutty flavour. It is also a great source of fibre and omega 3. I sprinkle it on yogurt and use it in my baking. As always eat in moderation.

I like Prana's products. Most of their products are also certified gluten-free. As always companies change, so do read the ingredient labels. I love using Prana Chia Seeds in my cooking. Here is a link to their website to find out more about them https://pranafoods.ca/. Prana is also a Canadian company. As with the above two optional additions, chia seeds are a great source of fibre and are said to improve your heart and intestinal health. I love using them on salads, in baking and as desserts for example chia puddings.

Above are the backs of the packages for those who are interested in the ingredients. I always store my gluten-free nuts, seeds and flours in airtight ziplock bags in the freezer. They last longer and keeps any critters away.

I sometimes add nuts such as walnuts. I do my best to look for certified gluten-free nuts such as Elan's. I try to buy only certified gluten-free nuts as I always worry that there could be a high risk of contamination. That said in Canada our labelling laws state that if any gluten BROW (Barley, Rye, Oat, Wheat) ingredients are present in the product they must be indicated on the label. How do you feel about nuts that aren't certified gluten-free? Check out Elan's website for all the other gluten-free products they carry. I usually buy them from Superstore or Safeway.

In a large bowl add your mashed bananas and peanut butter.

Mix the bananas and peanut butter until well combined.

Measure out all your dried ingredients. I also love to add raisons for their sweetness and chew.

Here is what the mixture should look like when all combined. If you find yours is too dry add some more peanut butter and if to wet add more oats.

Here is what they should look like on your baking tray. I make small balls and then flatten them a bit. They don't spread much when baking. Feel free to add your favourite nuts and seeds and dried fruit.

Do you have a favourite breakfast/trail cookie?

Note: These are my personal experiences and opinions. Always seek out a medical opinion for medical concerns. Not sponsored. If sponsored I will always say so at the top of the post.