Breakfast Nuggets

Ok, so they are called Rise-and-Shine Cookies and are a favorite in my house.  They are intended to be eaten for breakfast, like a granola bar, and are completely delicious and quite healthy.

I don't like calling them cookies though, they are more like a granola bite (it's the rolled or steel cut oats).  First biting into them reminded me of a few years ago.  I had found this pumpkin "cookie" recipe in a Runner's magazine (ya getting the picture here?  Runner's magazine.), but I have a mild obsession with pumpkin so I tried them out.  I loved them, but cookies, they are not.  I took them to my grad school class and my friend asked to try one.  She took a bite, daintily spit it into her napkin, and announced that they tasted "healthy."  I laughed.  Not was she was looking for in a "cookie" apparently.

No gobs of butter, or tons of oil.  They do taste good however, I promise, and are perfection with coffee.



Here's the recipe:

1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup wheat germ

Turn oven on to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, mix flours, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, & nutmeg.

In a large bowl, beat together brown sugar, egg, oil, & vanilla.  Add flour mixture, followed by the oats, and wheat germ.

Spoon onto cookie sheet.  Bake for 8-10 minutes.  Should yield about 12-15 cookies.

(Adapted from AHA Quick and Easy Cookbook)

Now you understand why I have renamed them "Nuggets" or Granola Bites (that sounds better.)

They will keep you coming back for more.