Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

As I drove home from my WW meeting tonight, I relived the past week (and holiday) trying to figure out how I managed to lose again this week without a stitch of exercise, albeit the loss was only .2. In my conversation with myself, we discussed how I went into the holiday with the premise that I was going to eat whatever I wanted, but that I would just stop when I was full... which is just what I did. I even had my dad's spaghetti on Friday, leftover pumpkin pie for breakfast on Saturday (along with Culver's and Starbucks -- we were in Grand Forks), and peach cobbler for Sunday evening dessert. And that's when it dawned on me. "Whatever I want" today is very different from "whatever I want" a year ago. It's all about making choices.

Tonight at our WW "year-end meeting" (there's new WW stuff beginning next week--great time to join if you're interested), we were asked to talk about why we chose WW. As the question was posed to each person around the room, I found myself nodding in agreement with every statement. Because I need the accountability. Because people here understand what it's like. Because it works. And it really does.

I'm not trying to sound like run-of-the-mill nutritionists, but there really are ways of making healthier choices/options to some of our favorite "naughty" foods (except for my step-mom's peach cobbler -- which is completely sinful but worth every stinkin' calorie). Today's recipe is one of those options.

Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/4 c. butter, softened

1/4 c. sugar (or 1/8 c. Splenda for Baking)

1/2 c. brown sugar, packed

1/2 c. banana, mashed (1 medium)

1 t. vanilla

1 egg

1 1/4 c. flour

2 c. old fashioned oats

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

5 1/2 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine banana, both sugars, butter, and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Add egg; beat well. Add flour, oats, soda, and salt; beat until blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop batter by tablespoons two inches apart onto baking sheets sprayed with Pam. Bake 9-11 minutes or until golden. Cool on pans for two minutes; transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Yield: 4 dozen cookies (1)