Walk me into any health food store and the cookie I’m going for is nutty, fruity and filling. I have always loved the combination of juicy raisons in a hearty treat, not only does it satisfy a sweet craving but it’s textured and nutritious. The problem is most of the oatmeal cookies we find in organic stores or typical ‘healthy’ lunch spots such as Pret A Manger or EAT may appear as a good healthy choice when in fact they aren’t all as they seem!
The worst culprit is of course refined sugar but for the treats that don’t even contain that – it doesn’t always mean it’s an all dancing, all singing cookie that will accelerate you to a clean-eating lifestyle! That’s because instead of refined sugar, they use our natural sweeteners like honey or syrups. We all know these are a great substitute and for anyone who has been following my recipes for a while, you will know I use them frequently, and in these cookies too. But there’s a key difference and it’s something to just watch out for … very simply; a treat doesn’t become so guilt-free or healthy when you’re consuming 20 Tbs of honey, albeit natural, in one small cookie!
It’s one of the things I really concentrate on when creating my recipes, it’s very easy to sweeten up deserts and make them taste like the ”˜real thing’ when a years supply of coconut oil and dates are poured into it! It’s not as easy to create something that tastes sweet and delicious but frankly isn’t going to spike your blood sugar, rocket your calorie intake and cause fat increase. It’s all about living guilt-free and you do that by balance. You’ll see in this recipe there is just 1 Tbs of honey used for the whole batch of cookies ”“ your body can absorb and digest that very easily without causing a negative affect. And on top of that, they are absolutely delicious and moreish!
So I introduce to you my nutty oatmeal raison cookies! Four different varieties of nuts go into the cookies giving you a huge array of minerals, vitamins, essential fats and protein that feed your body with everything it loves! The nut content keeps you feeling full and satisfied, steering us away from unhealthy temptation! The combination of the nuttiness with the naturally sweet raisons is just heavenly and make for the perfect little snack on-the-go! They’ll keep in the fridge for about 5 days so feel free to make up a couple batches depending on the occasion. OR if you’re anything like my house, they’ll be out with your partner the next day being handed round the office so make sure you bake extra to hide! Men seem to love a guilt-free snack just as much as the next person.
Hello and welcome! I'm Carly, originally from London but currently enjoying a little adventure in Dubai. A travel and wellness blogger exploring the world one step at a time. Think fabulous food at undiscovered gems, unique destinations, skin care obsessions and so much more. This is my life, I hope you enjoy the ride!
Jem
June 3, 2016Absolutely deliciousss!! Worked wonders, you are an utter baking genius, thankyou so much!!
Side note: I stupidly forgot to peel the apples before i made the sauce, but it actually added a nice texture… :)
Lean Living Girl
June 3, 2016Haha thanks Jem, so glad you liked them! Tempted me into making them again this evening, just so easy to pick up on the go! I shall try skins on apple sauce next time! xxx
Jem
May 31, 2016Hiya, love you’re blog, and these look AMAZING, just wondering if they have a banana-ry taste or if you know of any substitutions for the banana?
Lean Living Girl
June 1, 2016Hey Jem,
Thanks so much, glad you like it! These were made a little while ago so can’t tell you precisely how strong the banana taste was but don’t think it was that potent, the cinnamon and nuts together make quite a strong taste. However you could try a blend of soft dates (soak them first) with some apple sauce and see if that works?
Let me know when you try them! xx
Niamh
January 24, 2016Just made these cookies and are stunning, don’t think they will be lasting long:)X
Lean Living Girl
January 25, 2016Haha no they didn’t for me either! Thanks for comment Niamh and glad you liked them! xx