No-Bake High Energy Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

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Finally, at long last, Spring has sprung in New England. Every day the sun is up earlier and earlier, shining through our uncurtained bedroom windows, and into my eyes. ‘Tis good, for I really need to be getting my hiney out of bed earlier from now on…

Why, you ask? Because Spring brings not just early morning birdsong, golden forsythia, and the aromatic smell of cedar mulch, but also 6-days-a-week sports, most involving at least 2 kids with often overlapping practices and games. I spend more time in my mini-van than I do on my poor, neglected couch. Cooking an actual weeknight meal is a distant memory. We’ve got two kids on four different teams, with another being shuttled to gymnastics and karate throughout the week. At any moment during the week, I might forget who exactly I’m cheering for — the Dragons, Angels, Blue Jays, or Cyclones — but cheer I do!

[Sidebar:  Do you cheer at Little League games? Out loud, for all to hear? This seems to be a dying practice at our Little League park. One of my favorite 1st graders asked me, “Why do you keep screaming?” I replied, “I’m not screaming. I’m cheering on our team!” To which she gave me a look that said, “Lady, you crazy.”  That’s when I noticed that none of the adults were cheering either. And, in my delirium, I got to feeling like they were looking strangely at me every time I let loose with a “Great swing!” “Way to hustle!” or the ever-appropriate “Good eye!” Am I imagining things?]

It is times like this when the whole Juggling With Julia act really comes in to play. There are a LOT of balls in the air – with maddening responsibilities written on them like Sleep, Eat, and Personal Hygiene. Definitely need to keep those balls in the air 😉 Also don’t forget the ones that say School Responsibilities, My Means to a Paycheck, and Anything Else I Was Dumb Enough to Say Yes To. And we all need Downtime every day, even just 15 minutes.

I am not Superwoman. I refuse to do it all, look good doing it, and keep a sparkling clean house as well. Besides, I would never put that kind of pressure on my friends 🙂 So, I voluntarily put some balls down. Bye-bye “Vacuum,” see-ya “Laundry”, catch ya later “Junk Counter” and nice to know ya “Kitchen Floor.” Unfortunately, the acts of cooking and baking take a hit as well. For suppers, we subsist mainly on leftovers from the weekend, plus super-easy suppers like frittatas, salads, sandwiches, and tons of cut up fruit and raw veggies.

Baking just isn’t happening at all. I don’t have time to allow an oven to preheat, much less wait for something to finish baking! Even the time it takes to write this means something else isn’t gettin’ done (in this case, Sleep 🙂 )

Five paragraphs later, we’ve finally arrived at my point: when things are nuts, but you want to make some kind of a homemade treat, no-bake cookies are a great option. With all 5 of us on the run hither and thither, having some high-energy, protein packed, wholesome snacks on hand are a must. These fit the bill perfectly – and are fresher, tastier, and less expensive than any popular snack  you might pick up at the store. Eat ’em for breakfast, grab one after your workout, or toss ’em in your bag as you head out the door for yet another evening of sports.

This particularly cookie recipe I love because, while they are cookie-shaped and have the #1 cookie ingredient (chocolate chips), they are a dense and chewy and more like an energy bar. They pack protein and fiber thanks to peanut butter and oats, and plenty of flavor thanks to the banana, cocoa powder and syrup. Eating the “raw” batter is completely acceptable. Bonus points. And you’ll want to do that, to be sure it’s the right level of sweetness for you. Add a touch more syrup. Add a little more PB. Whatever you like. The chocolate chip topper is optional, of course, but really are chocolate chips ever optional?

Best of all, they take just 20 minutes to put together, and will last for up to a week in your fridge.

What are you waiting for?

No-Bake High Energy Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction
Makes about 20 cookies

Prep Time: 20 minutes     Bake Time: Zero

1/2 cup natural creamy peanut butter (stirred well so it’s no oily)
1 small very ripe banana, mashed (about 1/3 cup)
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup non-fat milk
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

In a medium bowl, mix the peanut butter and banana together until well combined. Add the maple syrup, cocoa powder, milk, oats, and salt and stir well. The mixture will be thick and fudgy. Taste the “batter” to check for level of sweetness. Add more peanut butter or syrup depending on taste. Form into cookie shapes, using about 2 tablespoons per cookie. Place on a cookie sheet coated with parchment, wax paper, or a silicone mat. Press a few mini chocolate chips into the tops of each one. You can enjoy them immediately. Keep refrigerated for up to one week.