Hi friends! Let’s talk about a few things. Are you ready for a midweek chat? Consider this a check-in / overshare / banana bread cookie recipe. This is what friends do.
It’s February which means that last month (which feels like a lifetime ago) I did that thing so many of us do – I made a New Year’s resolution (though I prefer to call them intentions) to myself to survive another pandemic year if not become a marginally better versions of myself in the process. You too?
My intentions this year have been these:
• I intend to feel as strong and healthy going into my 40th (literally WHAT!?) birthday as possible. We’re talking body, brain, and heart strong and no one is in charge of that but me.
• I intend to teach myself how to enjoy swimming and running and otherwise train my mind and body for a triathlon.
• I intend to stay curious about my life, all the newness I can add to it, the growth I can experience, and all the joy I can squeeze out of it. It’s an everyday choice.
One month and eleven days into the new year and here’s the real question: how’s it all going? WELL…
Before I answer this question let me tell you: I tend to be a person who is reeeaaaalllyy hard on myself. The ol’ inner monologue can be a bit of a bully. I have to remind myself to be generous before answering.
How am I doing? Most superficially I ate too many potato chips and didn’t drink nearly enough water today, but I’d like to remind myself that there’s more to the story.
How am I doing?
I’m staying motivated to move my body. What’s worked for me the last month or so is Nike Run Club and Nike Training Club. I noticed that I’m a person who needs a lot of verbal encouragement to work out and let me tell you – Coach Bennet in the Nike Run Club app has done the impossible and turned me into a runner. I actually look forward to crossing another starting line aka just stepping outside my front door to jog my slow slow mile.
I’m practicing my swimming which means I drag my butt out of the house at 7:30pm when the pool will be empty at the gym down the street so I can work through the drills in Total Immersion Swimming. There are times when it’s so frustrating that I don’t think I’ll ever figure it out. Have I cried in my car about it? Yes absolutely. There are also fleeting moments where things feels almost like swimming and those are the moments I hold on to.
There are times when I talk myself out of swimming and opt for watching television in bed, but there are more nights that I remind myself that no one can do this for me. It’s me @ me in this life lesson and I’m trying to stay curious about how I can rewrite this swimming story for myself.
Does it suck sometimes? Yes. And yet I’m still just out here trying.
Lastly friends, I’m really trying to get a handle on the pain I have associated with my endometriosis which was diagnosised 2018. Yay, finally, it only took 10 years to figure out! These bodies are wild. I’ve been on a specific-to-me anti-inflammatory diet under the supervision of a functional nutritionist for the last three months and I miiiiight be seeing progress. I’ve done a lot of research for myself about endometriosis, had one laparoscopic surgery, and am currently exploring how I can live with this disease.
I know I know… we haven’t talked about this whole diet thing mostly because it’s all been so weirdly specific to my body (I’m sensitive to things like sunflower seeds and olive oil WHO KNEW!?). I also just needed space to simply see if I would feel a change with a shift in diet. I think the answer is yes but I’m still on the road.
BUT!
The want to share the banana bread cookies that I’ve kept in my fridge the last few weeks. It’s a little treat sweetened mostly with bananas and a hint of monkfruit sugar. They’re packed with almond flour and flax, crunchy walnuts, and chocolate (my favorite being the unsweetened chocolate chips from Trader Joe’s). When stored in the refrigerator and enjoyed cold, they taste JUST like sneaking a perfect little slice of banana bread from the fridge right before bed. I’ll leave the recipe for you below and continue to share recipes I love on my tuned-up alternative diet. Just be patient with me.
That’s my half of our check-in, friends. How are you!? (You don’t have to tell me but definitely tell yourself.)
I just wanted to give you a quick glimpse of my small world. I wanted to give you a peek into my efforts in case you needed a little encouragement yourselves. Encouragement to put your feet on the ground in the morning. Encouragement to prep your kids for another day of distance learning… whatever it may be. We’re still well within an insane time and I feel like the only rule is to do our best to take care of ourselves. I respect that that surely looks different for all of us. Some days are harder to motivate than others but we’ve got a whole year to make progress and a ton of small (tiny, even) victories to celebrate along the way.
I’m rooting for you. I’m rooting for us. Now cookies.
Print
The Almond Flour Banana Bread Cookies I Always Have In The Fridge
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 16 minutes
- Total Time: 36 minutes
- Yield: about 18 cookies 1x
Description
Gluten, dairy, and refined sugar free snacking cookies. Sweetened with banana, studded with dark chocolate and walnuts, they’re a perfect little banana bread bite!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup (145 grams) almond flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons flax seed meal (optional)
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup, honey, or monk fruit sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cup (about 375 grams) lightly mashed banana
- 2/3 cup (about 100 grams) coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)
- 2/3 cup (about 108 grams) chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
- Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven o 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly spray the paper with nonstick cooking spray (or spread very lightly with coconut oil, whatever you prefer).
- In a medium bowl whisk together almond flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and flax seed meal (if using).
- In a small bowl or a large liquid measuring cup whisk together egg, maple (or your chosen sweetener) vanilla, and mashed banana.
- Add the wet ingredients all at once to the dry and stir until well combined. Stir in the walnuts and chocolate, if using.
- Spoon cookie batter by the two tablespoonful onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 16-20 minutes (longer than traditional cookies because there’s so much moisture), until lightly puffed and golden brown. Keep an eye on them past 16 minutes of baking.
- Allow to rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining batter.
- Enjoy cookies warm and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a week or so. These cookies are actually super delicious cold from the fridge.
Julia
Hi beautiful Joy. I have read your blog off and on for many years. I am so appreciative of being able to come onto your site and look for a little encouragement or inspiration or humor (not to mention so many tasty recipes, which I have gotten compliments on over the years!). THANK YOU for what you are contributing to the world–your art, your insights, your food, your down-to-earth wisdom–and for making yourself vulnerable to others in what you share. Your contributions are important to me, and obviously many others as well. You are a beautiful soul!
Jim
Hi. I am doing keto and don’t want to use bananas. I use banana extract instead. Any idea what will happen to the dough without the bananas?
joythebaker
Bananas are the main ingredient in this recipe and this recipe just won’t be the same without them.
Sarah
Hello!
Fellow endometriosis suffer-er here and symptoms-for-ten-years-before-I-was-diagnosed gal.
Also, I have lots of me-specific foods that make it worse. It’s a terrible disease and I wish you the best figuring out how to best take care of yourself. xoxoxox
joythebaker
I’m rooting for you too, sister!
Ginny
Best wishes to you both! And sympathies on the dietary restrictions. I can’t have gluten, citrus, tomato, or cinnamon.
Tori
These look great! Can’t wait to try them. Approximately how many bananas do you need to get 1 1/4 cup mashed?
April
Hi Tori, I used 3 bananas on the smaller side.
★★★★★
Kelly
These are delicious! They come together quickly using ingredients I always have on hand. The cookies are wonderful straight from the oven but are a different type of delicious eaten from the fridge (though they barely lasted long enough to make it to the fridge!). Thank you, Joy!
★★★★★
samantha campanini
Today I figured out that 30 are gonna come soon (well a couple years) and I’ve started my list of things to do (like the Friends episode!) and oh my gosh, I’m feeling anxious!!
A
Super super super yum! Thank you so so very much for for sharing! I too have been working with a functional nutritionist since October. Apparently tomatoes and almonds and cashews are not good for me (I was a sad sad person when I learned these things) BUT sometimes a girl has to live (the holidays were R-O-U-G-H without baking my favs), so I have added a little bit of almond flour back into my life (it’s better than AP flour, right?) and am a happier person (and still feeling good). These cookies will stay on my list of healthy snacks as I continue to navigate and find balance on this journey. Thanks for sharing, and please don’t hesitate to share other winning recipes you have discovered. I really appreciate your honesty and am so glad you are seeing some wins. I will say this…the plantar fasciitis I have struggled with for the past five years has gotten 95 percent better, and I quickly dropped 30 lbs. There is something to be said about knowing what foods are right for you, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss butter on occasion. BUT thank you for helping me to miss it less with this yummy recipe. XOXO!
★★★★★
Stacy N Robinson
Despite exercising regularly and eating a pretty dang healthy diet, I had my blood sugar levels tested when two members of my immediate family were diagnosed with type two diabetes in the last year… turns out my levels were horrifyingly close to pre-diabetic. Damn you, genetics!
Anyway, I’m making some adjustments to my diet as far as refined sugar levels go.. This fits in perfectly and they were amazing. Can’t wait to have these for an afternoon snack during the week. Do you think quinoa flour would work? I have some on hand…
★★★★★
Lynne
Just made these and they’re great. Just wondering if you have the nutritional numbers on this recipe?
Jenni
Joy, your vulnerability in sharing parts of your life with us are cherished, especially in these times where we’re looking for the humanity around us. “You don’t have to be great at something to do it” is something I’m working on. I have some autoimmune diseases that popped up in my late 20’s. and It’s been a journey sifting through what advice to take and what to trash. I love cooking and wasn’t prepared to give up things that I didn’t need to. A lot of blood tests and diet tweaking later and I’ve got something that makes my body and my heart feel good. Sending intentions of health and happiness your way! Sunflowers are the poor man’s pepita anyway.
Larry Dutra
These make good training snacks for any of the triathlon sports. Next time I make them I am going to try adding 1/2 cup of rolled oats.
joythebaker
Sounds great!
Evelyn Panfili
Made these cookies! Delish! Great with coffee in the morning!
Dottie
Joy, Thank you so much for sharing how things are going for you. These are tough times and honest talk is really helpful. Good luck with your swimming. You are amazing to stick with it and your goal of a triathlon is admirable (remarkable, in fact).
I hope that you are able to get your pain under control. Everything is difficult when you are dealing with pain. I’m wishing you the very best in finding relief.
The cookies look wonderful. I love banana bread and walnuts. These are on my list of things to make.
Walking has been my thing during this pandemic and it keeps me sane. In New England winter, I sometimes don’t want to head out. However, every time that I do, about halfway through the walk, I am so glad that I did it. It was 8 miles today! Snow is coming tonight, so I might not walk. But, there will be shoveling!
Be well. Run on! Swim on!
Danielle Dillon
I had some very sad bananas that were dying to be used for something and these cookies were perfect. Lightly sweet with the warm spices coming right through. So so so good! Thanks for sharing this recipe AND glimpses in to your life. You are a blessing Joy!
★★★★★
deb becker
My name is Deb
I applaud all the women here who are reaching for their health naturally. Last year I was diagnosed with breast cancer possibly associated with my MTHFR mutation and my body is inability to get rid of estrogen. Needless to say that was a wake up call. I am happy to announce I’m cured however my journey has just begun. As I educate myself on my own health I have this sadness around how horribly we are manipulating our food streams creating health issues. Keep up the good work all of you and keep sending me yummy recipes like these
★★★★★