I have been trying to make sure I get some sort of daily exercise. Mostly it involves the gym in our complex, but it is a) quite dull, and b) a total waste of living in California!

When I can get out with my hiking group it is pretty great, but I can’t always have use of the car (and most of the hikes are not public transport accessible). So far we have taken our bikes out a couple of times (the Guadalupe River Trail runs right behind our apartment complex), but today I decided to do a little longer ride, right up to the Alviso Marina County Park, and the trails around the Alviso Slough.

Pretty nice day for it!

Exercise and enjoying the outdoors taken care of, I felt in the mood for baking, and thought I would make it a little more healthy!

Banana, Coconut, and Oat Cookie Recipe – adapted from Biscuit by Miranda Gore Browne (Omega Cookies Recipe)

Ingredients

100ml olive oil

150g light soft brown sugar

80g honey

125g banana, mashed -approx 1 banana NB. I used one from the freezer, but had another couple so used them up by making these beauties again.

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

160g plain flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp allspice

225g oats

200g shredded coconut

Method

Preheat the oven to 350F/180C/Gas mark 4, and line two trays with baking paper.

Mix together the oil, sugar, honey, and mashed banana. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix together to combine.

Fold in all the other ingredients and stir well to make a sticky dough.

Form walnut sized balls and place them on the prepared trays, spacing at least 3 cm apart (they shouldn’t spread that much).

Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until just golden and starting to caramelise around the edges.

Leave the cool on the paper for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to complete cooling.