Variations on a Theme: Carrot Oat Cookies

Now, hear me out, everyone, before you get all "I can't BELIEVE she's posting that hippie BS right before Thanksgiving" on me.

I like my butter and stuffing (mmm, stuffing) and pie as much as the next girl, but there are tons of recipes out there for all of that stuff. Right around Thanksgiving, my life starts getting busy. Like, "Wow, it's already 5pm and I haven't eaten today" busy. These cookies are perfect to pack up and tuck away in your purse for when you're on the subway platform and are struck with a case of the ohmygoodnessineedtoeatNOWs. I can be a picky eater, especially when I've reached the point of extreme hunger (weird, I know), so finding something out and about that suits my fancy can sometimes be difficult.
These are vegan with no processed sugar, and are made with whole grains. Plus, they're super yummy, so it's a good bet that one of these will be just right for a snack on the go. Jordy loves it when I pack these, not because he likes to eat them (which he does), but because it guarantees that I won't turn into the hunger-induced monster who I've been known to become when I've waited a little too long to eat. I adapted this recipe from 101 Cookbooks, and these have been in heavy rotation with multiple variations ever since. Here are my two favorites. I've also been known to make these with sweet potato (be sure to mush out some of the moisture and use a little less sweetener).

Carrot Spice Cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup whole grain pastry flour
1 cup oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (if you have a fresh coconut laying around, you can shred it with your handy microplane grater)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup shredded zucchini
1/2 cup agave nectar
scant 1/2 cup olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
zest from 1/2 lemon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line two baking sheets with silpats or parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix the flour, oats, baking powder, coconut, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and then stir in the carrots and zucchini.  In a smaller bowl, whisk together the agave nectar, olive oil, and lemon zest and juice.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and stir until mixed.
Drop the batter by rounded teaspoonfulls onto your baking sheet, and bake in the top 1/2 of the oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the tops and bottoms are golden brown. 

Carrot Coconut Cookies
Ingredients
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 cup rolled oats
2/3 cup shredded coconut
1 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup agave nectar, room temperature
1/2 cup unrefined (fragrant) coconut oil, warmed until just melted
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line two baking sheets with silpats or parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix the flour, oats, baking powder, and coconut, and then stir in the carrots.  In a smaller bowl, whisk together the agave nectar and coconut oil.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and stir until mixed.
Drop the batter by rounded teaspoonfulls onto your baking sheet, and bake in the top 1/2 of the oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the tops and bottoms are golden brown.  

Have a lovely Thursday, everyone! Be sure to sign up for our Spread the Cheer gift exchange (time's running out!), and keep sending in your Thanksgiving slideshows!