Aunty's Healthy cookies

--This recipe post was written by my sister-in-law, Audrey. After sending us an Easter package with these amazing cookies, I asked her if I could post the cookie recipe on this blog. Cookies are more delicious when they are made with so much love, as you can read below...

My Aunt Ty is an amazing woman. I admire her so much. I look up to her as a role model of what a great woman is. When I became an Aunt on March 30, 2009, it was one of the proudest moments of my life. Evan is my dear nephew and I cherish him. Now I have another nephew, Soleil Butler, born April 1, 2010. It has been such an honor to know these amazing boys. I love watching their development and feel pride in each of their accomplishments.

In Hawaii it is a term of great respect and endearment to call your elders "Aunty" and "Uncle". I always felt proud when a child in Hawaii called me Aunty, so that is the name I chose for myself in relation to my nephews. I like to be "Aunty Audrey".

A few weeks ago I went to my Uncle Don and Aunt Luanne's house for a potluck family dinner. I brought a Banana Cream Pie. When we started on the dessert, Aunt Ty brought out the most amazing healthy cookies - everyone was in awe and wanted the recipe! Later, when we were exchanging emails about the details, I noticed she signed her name "AunTy", short for Aunt Ty. Since I am aunty, and she is AunTy, I like to call these "Aunty's healthy cookies".

There is no sugar, butter, or flour. We like to think of them as protein bars. They are great to take with you camping. This recipe is the result of some experimenting, and it is flexible so you can be creative. We have some chocolate protein powder we are planning to to try sometime. Thank you Kendra and thank you Aunt Ty for being such inspiring, amazing women who I can look up to and learn from.

Aunty's Healthy Cookies

1/2 cup organic soy milk
3/4 cup organic agave nectar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1 cup organic peanut butter
1/3 cup (heaping) wheat germ
3 cups oatmeal
1/4 cup ground organic flax (optional)
1/2 cup chopped dates (optional)
2/3 cup sunflower seeds (optional)

Directions

1. Heat milk, sugar, and cocoa powder over high heat until boiling, stirring constantly.

2. Take off heat and stir in vanilla and peanut butter; stir until peanut butter has melted completely

3. Stir in wheat germ, oatmeal, and other optional ingredients.

4. Drop by large spoonfuls onto wax paper, form into cookies by hand, or eat immediately :)

5. This recipe is flexible - have fun with it! If you don't have wheat germ or flax seed, just use more oatmeal. The recipe above should work out just perfectly and does most of the time, but if your cookies come out crumbly, use less oatmeal next time. If they never set, use more oatmeal next time. [From Kendra: I used almond butter instead of peanut butter, and it was delicious.]