Choconanas ( Vegan Chocolate-banana cookies)

This Diwali, I wanted to make something that my kids would eat. My kids are very picky! They don't like anything too sweet, nothing with too much texture..so on  and so forth... the list goes on! In fact, I can never tell what they will eat! 

 Whoever came up with this original recipe has to be applauded.When I first came across the recipe here, I was dubious, then decided to try them. I made a small batch. I was a little apprehensive as to the outcome and taste as I made it but was surprisingly pleased and amazed with the outcome. My "tasters" ( 4 little kids from ages 8 to 2) all approved of it. Hence, I figure it is good. I loved the ease of making it. It is made of whole wheat flour, is eggless, butter less and has bananas in it. It has a little something for everyone. For kids it has the temptation of chocolates while they also get the wholesomeness of the wheat flour and the bananas. For people with nut-allergies, it is completely nut- free. For the health-conscious & calorie-conscious it is butter-less and It is a great treat for vegetarians and vegans! Hmm the only thing left is to try and make it gluten-free. I have to soon try my hand at that!

I am bringing this for Angie for her birthday gala at Fiesta Friday!  Suzanne @apuginthekitchen & Sue @Birgerbird are helping with the party to celebrate Angie's birthday.

Servings: ( makes 32 small-sized cookies)

Ingredients:

Wheat flour: 1 cup+ 2 tbsp
Baking powder: 1 tsp
Salt: 1/8 tsp
Cocoa powder: 1/2 cup
Sugar: 3/4 cup
Powdered sugar: 1 cup
Oil: 1/4 cup. I used olive oil, any cooking oil can be used.
Mashed Bananas :1/2 cup
Vanilla essence: 1 tsp

Method:

In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt.Mix well.

In another bowl, mix together the mashed bananas, cocoa powder, oil an vanilla essence. Use a whisk or electric mixer to mix. Mix until smooth. Do not overmix.

Now slowly add the flour into the wet mixture little by little and mix with a spoon until well blended. Do not overmix!

Cover the dough with a cling film and freeze the batter in the freezer for at least an hour. I froze mine overnight. Freezing makes it easier to handle the dough.

Preheat the oven to 350 deg F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and keep aside.

Grease your hand with a little oil and using a melon baller or a spoon, take little dough at a time and make small balls. Line it up on the parchment paper.

Roll the balls in the bowl containing the powdered sugar, one at a time until coated thoroughly.

Line it up again on the parchment paper with 2 inch space in between.

Place it on the middle rack of the oven and bake it for 15 minutes at 350 deg F.

The cookies will crack. You can insert a toothpick in the center of the cookie to check for doneness. If it comes out clean, then the cookie is done.

Let it cool on a cooling sheet for 15 mins.

Store them in an airtight container once cooled.

Enjoy!

Cooking made easy:

The type and color of the pan used significantly affects how much the cookie/ cake  browns in a given baking time. Light pans turn-out cookies and cakes that are lighter whereas dark pans tend to brown them faster and more. Depending on the type of pan being used and the desired amount of browning that is required for that particular recipe, modify your baking time. 

Tip for healthy living:

Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water daily, unless you have a medical condition and your doctor has advised you to limit the water intake.
Drinking water has several benefits. It keeps you hydrated and feeling fresh. It improves the quality of your skin making it soft, pliable and wrinkle-free. It not only makes you feel less hungry, it also helps prevent constipation and bloating. Water naturally detoxifies the body. Sometimes when you feel hungry, you could actually be just thirsty!

Food for thought:

Absences are good influence in love and keep it bright and delicate. Robert Louis Stevenson