Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

3 cups oatmeal

2 eggs

¾ cup sugarless applesauce

¾ cup plain yogurt

½ cup sugarless peanut butter

½ cup clover honey

1 tsp. vanilla

½ cup chopped walnuts

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

3 tsp. cinnamon

1 grated orange peel

¾ cup brown rice flour

1 cup (or more) dark chocolate chips

(Optional: some dried apricots for topping)

Don’t turn the oven on yet. First wash the orange and dry it. Then put the oatmeal into a mixing bowl. Add the wet ingredients (eggs, applesauce, yogurt, peanut butter, honey, vanilla). Mix and let it soak while you prepare the rest. Put the walnuts into a sealable plastic baggie and shut it tight. With the peanut butter jar roll the walnuts to crush them, turning the baggie over often. Use just gentle pressure. When crushed finely, dump them into the bowl. Now grate the orange peel directly into the bowl. This takes the most time and muscle. Add the small dry ingredients (baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon), and mix. Now you can preheat the oven to 350°. Mix in the rice flour and chocolate chips. Put tin foil over two baking sheets. Lightly oil. Also lightly oil a spoon. With a non-oiled spoon scoop out some batter, and with the oiled spoon, scrape it off onto the cookie sheet. Place them in rows 4 by 5 (total 20 cookies) on each cookie sheet. Optional: thinly slice dried apricots and lightly smash a couple pieces onto each cookie. Bake at 350° for 13 minutes. While the first sheet bakes, clean up your mess. Put the skinless orange into the empty walnut baggie, and use it for lunch tomorrow. While the second sheet bakes, eat the first batch. Take the second batch to Monday night football. The guys will think they are real cookies.

From allen2004c@cox.net