Remember those chocolate, peanut butter, and oatmeal no-bake cookies when you were a kid? They were easy to make and oh-so-tasty to eat. And I don’t think we ever thought about the calories in them.
I found several versions of the no-bake cookies online. Most called for ½ cup butter, 2 cups sugar, ½ cup milk, ¼ cup cocoa powder, ½ cup peanut butter, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and 3 cups quick-cooking oats. Not all the ingredients are “bad,” but added together, they make 230 calories a serving, if you can stop at two cookies (and who can stop at just two?). You’ll also get 14 milligrams of cholesterol. Who needs that, these days?
I have found a couple different versions of another no-bake cookie. These cookies don’t even need to be cooked at all, making them ideal for kids to make and for summertime, when no one wants to cook, anyway. They leave a lot of room for substitution, so you can add your favorite ingredients. And if you stop at just two cookies (as if!), you add only 162 calories to your daily intake (though this number will change, depending on what ingredients you actually use). You’ll also get about 5 grams of protein and no cholesterol.
Here is the basic recipe:
Ingredients:
½ cup old fashioned rolled oats
¼ cup soy protein (any brand, any flavor – it will determine the flavor of the cookie)
2 tablespoons hulled hemp seeds (I find these at Whole Foods) (Chia seeds or any other seeds work well, also)
½ cup slivered almonds (any nut can be used)
½ cup chocolate chips (though any flavor chip can be used or use dried fruit)
2 tablespoons honey
1 cup natural peanut butter (or any natural nut butter)
Directions:
In a large bowl, mix everything together. It’s easier to mix if you use your hands. Shape into about 36 balls. Store in the refrigerator for about a week.
Makes 36 cookies.
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