Morning Cookies

I like to bake; I find it relaxing and stress-relieving. When I wake up on weekends, I'm eager to get out of bed to start in on the baking. I plan what I'll be making a couple days in advance, although my plans continue up to the point I begin, and sometimes change even then. Like this morning, I intended to bake a loaf of bread in between the roasted bananas and the banana mini pies. But then I realized that timing everything would be stressful and I have some bread, so it can wait a day.

But back to last weekend and the morning cookies. I found this recipe two years ago when Eric and I were both working on losing weight. It's been a family favorite ever since. We both love fruit/veggie breads for breakfast, but they are rather high calorie without a lot of good stuff (other than the fruit/veggies and the whole wheat flour I add in). These have more of the good stuff (I think. I'm not a nutritionist) and are more filling. I do not remember where I got the original, and I modified it anyway. They are good any time of day.

Made with pumpkin and I had to get neufchatel at the store the next day, and they were so yummy we finished them off before I made the sandwiches. See, I can't even get the first recipe I post perfect!

Morning Cookies
1/4 c butter
1/2 c brown sugar
1 egg or egg white
3/4 c applesauce (I use my homemade chunky with the peels)
1/2-1 c pumpkin or zucchini (freshly grated, canned, cooked, or rehydrated) OPTIONAL
3/4 c whole wheat flour
1/2 c rolled oats (inc to at least 1 c if using optional veg)
1/3 c wheat germ or bran
1/4 c powdered milk
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c raisins
1/4 c chopped walnuts OPTIONAL
1/2 peanut butter or neufchatel cream cheese

1. Cream butter and sugar. Mix in egg, applesauce, and veg.
2. Add in dry. Mix till just combined. Add more oats if too wet.
3. Stir in raisins and nuts.
4. Drop by rounded tablespoons on greased cookie sheet or Silpat. Make 16-20. Spread dough to about 2" diam. They do not spread at all.
5. Bake 375 10-12 minutes or till set (~15 with veg). Mate similar size/shape cookies.
6. Cool. Spread ~1Tbs PB or CC on 8 cookies. Top with matching cookie.
7. Chill or freeze.

W/o optional veg and 16 cookies: 287 cal each sandwich w/ nuefchatel; 343 w/ PB. 10.7 g protein w/ PB.