PYO Meal Series: Blueberry Breakfast Cookies
Today we are bringing you our fourth Pick Your Own (PYO) recipe and third one featuring blueberries. Yes, blueberries again… we couldn’t resist, when the bushes look this beautiful!
Thames River Melons Blueberry Bushes in the Height of Summer!
These cookies are a perfect on-the-go breakfast for those hectic weekday mornings, or just as delicious enjoyed on the porch, sipping tea or coffee. Not only are they delicious and convenient,but they are packed full of nutritional benefits, too! A serving of 2 cookies provides 8.5 grams of protein and 4.6 grams of fibre for 2 cookies. Flavourful and filling? A winning combination! Check out the nutritional density section of this blog post for more information.
In addition, there is a convenience and meal prep benefit to this recipe as well. You do not have to bake them all at once! The dough may be rolled into the shape of a log, wrapped in plastic, and placed in the freezer. To bake, remove dough from the freezer the night before and place in the fridge to dethaw. You may cut the log into rounds and place on a baking sheet (similar to oatmeal or chocolate chip cookie dough). This would be a perfect item to prep for busy weekday mornings, or to give to a friend in need of a helping hand. Lastly, keep us in mind when sourcing your eggs, as we have fresh eggs for purchase in the farm shop.
Please tag us on Instagram (@thamesrivermelons) if you try this recipe!
Ingredients Ready to go!
Recipe
Makes two dozen (24 cookies)
Ingredients
1 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 Thames River Melons eggs
2 tsp of vanilla
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups quick oats
⅓ cup oat bran
2 tsp of cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp fine salt
½ cup dark chocolate chips
1 and ½ cups Thames River Melons blueberries
1 cup walnuts, chopped
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the butter and brown sugar for a minute or two, until pale and light. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla. The end product will be light and fluffy.
3. In another bowl, stir together the flour, quick oats, oat bran, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Slowly or little by little, add the dry ingredients to the wet butter mixture. Once combined, fold in chocolate, nuts (and/or seeds) and blueberries.
4. Drop large spoonfuls or scoops (aim for about ⅓ cup each) onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Flatten each cookie a bit with dampened fingers or a fork into patties about 1/2 -inch thick.
5. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until set and pale golden around the edges but still soft in the middle. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Cost
PYO blueberries are $4.25/lb and this recipe calls for approximately ½ lb and a dozen eggs are $6.00.
In total, the cost of the PYO blueberries is $2 and 2 farm fresh eggs is $1.
Nutritional Density
Breakfast cookies are typically larger, lower in sugar, and higher in protein and fibre compared to a typical cookie. These ones are filled with high-fibre oats, oat bran, and whole wheat flour and contain nuts, and fruit (dried, fresh, or frozen). Seeds may also be included. They are commonly consumed as a quick and easy breakfast snack.
These particular creations highlight the in-season blueberries and contain a reasonable amount of protein and fibre considering they are a cookie!
*Please note, the nutrients per ingredient are based on 1 cup. In some cases, the recipe calls for less than 1 cup or 2 cups. Refer to the ingredient list to find out exactly how the protein and fibre amounts were calculated.
Storage
These cookies will keep for 4-5 days on the counter, stored in an airtight container. If there are any left over after this, you can freeze them!
Modifications
This recipe may be modified to suit your needs.
You may use frozen berries instead of fresh.
You may use all-purpose flour instead of whole wheat, or half all-purpose and half whole wheat (but this will significantly decrease the nutrient content, making them a less desirable breakfast option).
As far as sweetener, you may use any of the options suggested in the recipe, or if you are trying to reduce your sugar intake you may use none at all, as the blueberries provide sweetness.
You may also omit the chocolate chips completely, and replace with more nuts or seeds.
You may use a different nut (or sub for a seed, in case of allergies) - examples include chopped almonds, pumpkin seeds.
Recipe inspired by and modified by dietetic interns Lise Wolyniuk and Lexie Nobbs, from Cookies I have loved, by Julie Van Rosendaal, photographed by dietetic interns Lexie Nobbs and Lise Wolyniuk, and reviewed by Alex Chesney, RD
Reference:
Health Canada. (2023). Canadian Nutrient File. Government of Canada. Retrieved July 27, 2024, from https://food-nutrition.canada.ca/cnf-fce/newSearch.