Healthier Granola Cookie Recipe for Athletes

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
Athletes are generally careful of what they eat. However, indulging in a whole-foods treat that is packed with protein and energy-sustaining complex carbohydrates is not a bad way to go. After all, even athletes want to have dessert sometimes!

I’ve been working out pretty often and hard lately, but I still like to reward myself with a treat once in a while. I follow a philosophy similar to that New York Times food writer who was recently ordered by his doctor to eat better.

The food critic’s answer to his predicament was to keep to mostly a raw-foods menu for breakfast and lunch, and then indulge a bit at dinner.

Vegan-until-dinnertime seems to work well for me, too.

 

Healthy Desserts and Once-a-Week Cooking

Unless you’re fortunate enough to have a private chef or a stay-at-home spouse, then you probably find that making three freshly prepared, home-cooked meals each day is just not always realistic. On the other hand, eating out all the time is less healthy and satisfying. So what to do?

Many people find the solution is to make a big batch of meals one day of the week, then store them in airtight containers in the refrigerator or freezer, so that they can be easily enjoyed for the remainder of your busy week. This recipe for tasty and satisfying granola cookies is perfect for that. It makes 42 cookies, and is ideal for busy athletes or health-minded eaters!

 
The quality fat that is in this recipe — mostly which comes from the coconut and almond butter — will satisfy your hunger. The complex carbohydrates will sustain your energy and the healthy ingredients will nourish your heart and muscles!

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Granola Cookies

42 cookies is a lot! If it’s just you at home, you might consider halving this recipe.

“…the complex carbohydrates will give you energy
and the healthy ingredients will nourish your heart and muscles!”

Wet ingredients

• 3 free range eggs
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup organic maple syrup (grade B)
• 1/4 cup local honey
• 2 Tablespoons organic butter
• 1 cup of freshly squeezed orange juice (the juice of one, large orange)
• 1/2 teaspoon of Himalayan or Celtic sea salt
• 2 cups raw organic almond butter
• 1 cup canned organic pumpkin

Dry ingredients

• 1 cup kamut flour
• 1 cup brown rice flour
• 1 Tablespoon baking soda
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• assorted favorite spices (see video for mine)

Baking instructions

Blend the wet and the dry ingredients together, then fold in:

• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 2 12-ounce bags of gluten-free granola
• 2/3 cup organic raisins or dried cherries (or mixture of both)

Tips:

• ⊙ bake for a total of 14 minutes at 350 degrees
• ⊙ use an ice-cream scoop to dispense batter onto baking trays
• ⊙ set the timer for 7 minutes, then turn trays, flatten cookies gently, and bake the remaining 7 minutes (see video)
• ⊙ ovens vary dramatically, so keep a close eye; avoid over-baking

I invite you to leave your questions and comments below. It would be great to hear from you!

This recipe has far less sugar and less flour than most cookie recipes, which makes it ideal for athletes or health-conscious eaters. However, if you want a recipe with zero refined sugar and zero flour, then you might instead explore frozen desserts made with your blender.