Protein Trail Cookies

Oatmeal Raisin Chocolate Chip Trail Cookies

I've been baking for years. I always loved looking through my mom's cookbook, picking out a recipe and gathering all the ingredients. As I got older and began making healthy substitutions, I stopped following these recipes and started creating my own. I find that most days when I go to create something new, I prefer throwing together whatever I think will taste good and hope for the best. Most of the time this unconventional method yields pretty tasty results!

A few weeks ago some hikers offered us protein cookies mid-trail, and a lightbulb went off. Why had I never made these?! These have good protein, carbs, and a bit of chocolate!

Ingredients:

• 2.5 Cups Rolled Oats
• 1/4 Cup Chocolate Pea Protein Powder
• 1/3 Cup Dairy-Free Chocolate Chips
• 1/3 Cup Raisins
• Cinnamon to taste
• Nutmeg to taste
• 1/2 Tbsp. Baking Soda
• 2 Tbsp. Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
• 1/4 Cup Agave Sweetener
• 1/2 Cup Unsweetened Applesauce
• 1 Ripe Banana Mashed

Method:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit
• Combine dry ingredients: Oats, Pea Protein Powder, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Baking Soda
• Blend Sweetener, Applesauce, Mashed Banana, Almond Milk and mix in with dry ingredients
• Fold in Chocolate Chips and Raisins
• Form into balls and place on lined baking sheet. Bake 11-13 minutes.

On-the-Go Snacks

When you’re on-the-go and living a healthy active lifestyle, having go to favorite snacks are a must. Here are a few of mine that you can almost always find stashed in my purse, car or gym bag!

Some of my favorites!

1.     Fresh and dried fruit: Fresh is always better the number one choice, and usually will be an apple, banana or dates. However, my go-to dried fruit is Trader Joe’s “Just Mango Slices”. I usually bring these on hikes as my own plant based “Jerky”.

2.     Bars: while I’m not proud of it, I don’t make NEARLY as many homemade granola bars as I used to and picking up some bars on-the-go is extremely convenient. 

a.     High Activity: Luna Bars, Lara Bars Clif Bars and Clif Builder Bars. These extra calories, Carbs and Protein are definitely needed.

b.      Low Activity: Lara Bars, Clif Kid’s Bar, Trader Joe’s Just Fruit bars, local natural bars. 

3.     Coconut Water: after a hike, or a long day of being in the sun, I look to Coconut Water (regular, not flavored), to re-hydrate!

4.     GORP : Good ol’ raisins and peanuts, AKA trail mix!

5.     Pretzels/Chex Mix:  definitely not the healthiest option, BUT sometimes after a long day of hiking (and sweating away all your salt) you want something crunchy and salty!

Comment below some of your favorites!