Everyone knows the first meal of the day is the most important, especially for children. Unfortunately, this is usually also the most rushed time of the day. The breakfast bars sold in stores usually are laden with salt, sugar, and other additives.
The following is an adaptation of a handed-down version. Although this recipe takes some time to make (use the food processor for chopping and shredding), it freezes well and makes 10 servings. Full of oats, fruit and carrots, it is the ideal choice for those needing to add fiber to the diet (and today who doesn’t?).
Pumpkin Cookie Ingredients
Change the ingredients to suit individual tastes, i.e. additional spices or try substituting other fruits for apples, i.e. pears.
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1 ½ cups whole-wheat four
- 3 tbsp. ground flaxseed or flaxseed meal
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. ginger
- ¼ tsp. cloves
- 1 tbsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- ¾ tsp. salt
- 2 cups canned pumpkin
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup milk
- 1/3 cup molasses
- 2 tbsp. melted margarine
- ½ tsp. vanilla
- 1 apple, peeled and shredded or chopped
- 1 c shredded carrots
- ½ cup raisins
- ½ c walnuts or pecans
- Cooking spray or parchment paper
Pumpkin Cookie Directions
Preheat oven to 400°. Lightly spray or oil a large baking sheet, or line with parchment paper. Because these cookies are large, two pans may be necessary.
- In large bowl, combine oats, flour, flaxseed, spices, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In separate bowl, stir together pumpkin, egg, milk, molasses, margarine, and vanilla. Stir wet ingredients into flour mixture and mix well. Fold in apple, carrot, raisins and nuts.
- Drop dough from scoop or large spoon onto prepared sheet (about 2/3 cup each for a total of 10). Dampen fingers with water and shape into cookie (about 4-4 ½” round) or bar (they should be about ¾” thick)
- Bake 25-30 minutes or until tops spring back when touched. Cool completely before eating or wrapping to store in refrigerator.
Nutrition Information Per Cookie*
- Calories 272.2
- Total Fat 9.7 g
- Saturated 1.5 g
- Polyunsaturated 6.0 g
- Monounsaturated 2.4 g
- Sodium 500.8 mg
- Total Carbohydrate 52.3
- Dietary Fiber 9.2 g
- Sugars 8.5 g
*Nutrition figures taken from Sparkpeople
Advantages to Homemade Foods
These are obvious to most everyone today as the population is becoming more health-conscience, whether due to individual medical advice or simply to feel better. Sodium and sugar are rampant in processed purchased foods, neither of which is desirable. Also included are various chemicals and dyes. Try making real foods at home and be healthier, as well as saving money.
Peggy Williams - After 20 years in the workplace, I returned to school recently and graduated in May '08 with a Bachelors degree in Dietetics and ...
