Healthy Cookie Bites

BIG NEWS! I taught my first step class yesterday. What! I hate step. I've taken maybe two or three classes in my entire 30 years, so I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. The usual teacher needed a substitute, and since all of the participants are in my Monday/Friday classes, I figured I couldn't go wrong. And I don't think I did, although I will admit that it wasn't non-stop stepping action from start to finish. I inserted jump squats, squat pulses, running, jacks and some mat work, too. Anything to keep our heart rates up. Don't get me wrong—we surely used the steps, and we ultimately got our heart rates to a good calorie-burnin' place, but I won't be callin' myself a step queen anytime soon.

I will, however, be indulging my sweet tooth with the following.

Because we all know that I have THE WORST sweet tooth. Seriously, it's out of control. I'd bake myself out of house and home if I could. I really would! But I can't. All that sugar, all those refined carbs in the form of cookies and cupcakes and ice cream—not good. Although it IS allowed in moderation, but this sweet tooth struggles with moderation. That's why I'm constantly searching for dessert recipes that call for the healthiest of ingredients. So when Angela of Oh She Glows posted a recipe for Healthy Cookie Bites, I promptly printed it. And I finally made them this past weekend.

I did, however, tweak her recipe just a bit. This girl right here isn't the biggest fan of coconut, and I honestly didn't have any on hand, so I substituted ground flaxseed which worked out quite nicely (and added a few omegas to the mix). My version:

Tara's Take on Healthy Cookie Bites
Ingredients:
2 medium, ripe bananas
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp coconut (or olive) oil
1 cup oats
1/3 cup peanut flour
3 tbsp ground flaxseed
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips

Note that peanut flour can be made by finely chopping a batch of dry roasted peanuts in your favorite food processor. (Feel free to substitute another nut! Almonds, perhaps? Pecans?) You can also purchase a bag at Trader Joe's, which is what I had on hand!

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F. Mash the bananas in a large bowl, then add the vanilla and oil. Combine oats through powder in a second bowl. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mix thoroughly before adding the chocolate chips. Once all ingredients are combined, form into bite-sized balls and place an inch or two apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for about 12 minutes, then scoop them onto a cooling rack until they've dropped in temperature. Serve warm, serve cool...serve with milk or pop one in your mouth on your way to the gym. (Step class, perhaps?) However you eat them, they'll be delicious in your belly.

Question: How do you control your sweet tooth? And what's the one thing you will always indulge in, no matter what?

REMINDER! Don't forget to enter my PRO OATS giveaway! You just might be one of four to win a free bag of PRO OATS. (Contest ends at midnight EST on Friday, January 28, 2011).