By Merissa Chong
With my little one turning 10 months old, I’m starting to see the makings of a greedy and curious eater. I can’t help but feel like I am always being watched when my baby sits with us during meal times and stares at our food with his longing eyes. This is in spite of having a full feed of solids or milk, so I tend to reach out for conveniently packed snacks like rice crackers or fruit-flavoured puffs to satiate his hunger. I have tried to give him healthier alternatives such as bite-sized fruits or vegetables, but my baby just doesn’t take to them. He has probably gotten too used to them in pureed form or disguised in cereal and porridge. But having seen him take one too many puffs from the bottle, I decided to make my own, knowing that the snacks he so often consumes are natural and free of preservatives as well as artificial flavouring. Research led me to an easy two-ingredient recipe that can yield a considerable batch of banana oatmeal cookies to last three days or till they get gobbled up by my cookie monster.
BANANA OATMEAL COOKIES
For approximately 21 pieces
3 Small Ripe Bananas
5 tbs Rolled Oats
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
Grind oats in a food processor until smooth. Small bits of oats are fine if baby is used to chewing food with some texture.
Place oats in a bowl and mix with mashed bananas until it forms a mushy dough.
Line a tray with a baking sheet and spoon half a tablespoon of dough onto the sheet, forming a cookie with an approximate 3cm diameter.
Bake for 12-15 minutes or until cookies are set.
Remove from oven and let the cookies cool.
Store cookies in an air tight container.
Merissa Chong is a mother of one to a delightful little boy.
