Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie

I love sweets and I have to have something sweet to end the day.  Problem is I have baby weight to loose, a bathing suit to squeeze back into and 92 days until we leave for Belize.  I am not certain how I am going to manage my resolutions of starting a recipe blog, lose the baby weight and be f-u-n in 2010 but, I will try.  I can't give up my sweets so moderation will be key and maybe some will be lighter.

These cookies make me feel like they are healthy ... banana and oatmeal is practically diet food.  I wanted a lighter sweet and these fit the bill.  They are only about 100 calories and they are just sweet enough.  I did not taste a ton of banana flavor but, that may change as they sit over night.  The chocolate stole the show.  They are more cake like then cookie and almost taste like a banana bread cookie. 

Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients

• 1/2  cup  mashed ripe banana (about 1 medium)
• 1/2  cup  packed brown sugar
• 1/4  cup  butter, softened
• 1/4  cup  granulated sugar
• 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
• 1  large egg
• 5.6  ounces  all-purpose flour (about 1 1/4 cups)
• 2  cups  old-fashioned oats
• 1  teaspoon  baking soda
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1/2  cup  semisweet chocolate chips
• Cooking spray

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add egg; beat well.
3. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, oats, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add flour mixture to banana mixture in bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips.
4. Drop batter by heaping tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes or until golden. Cool on pans 2 minutes. Remove cookies from pans; cool completely on wire racks.

Yield 20 cookies