Cookies and a Knit-a-long!!

Chocolate Pecan Oaties

Inspired by Isa's  jumbo oatmeal cookies from her new book Isa Does It, this is my kind of cookie. Healthy enough to not feel bad about, but still decadent enough to share with people who aren't so in to that "healthy" thing. Oats and coconut provide the texture, pecans add a buttery decadence and mini chocolate chips and chopped dark chocolate take them over the top!
(oh yeah, and they are whole wheat and vegan if you are into that kind of thing...)

//Ingredients//
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. ground flaxseed
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped 70% dark chocolate

//Method//
Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Grease two cookie sheets and set aside.

Combine the oil, applesauce, vanilla, sugars, and flaxseed in a mixing bowl and whisk together until well incorporated. Add the flour, soda, salt and spices and mix until almost combined. Add the remaining ingredients, and mix until just well distributed.

I used a size 30 cookie scoop, which I would say is about the size of 2 tablespoons. This got me about 14 cookies. Bake for 6 minutes and rotate the cookies and move them from the top rack to the bottom (or visa versa). Bake for 5 more minutes. The cookies should be just golden on the edges. Adjust your baking time if necessary (if your cookies are a different size or your oven runs hot or cool.) Let cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheets and then transfer to cooling racks.

Eat them. They are delightful with a cup of tea.

In other news, the ladies of Journey have just announced a knit-a-long for their book! I already have Onward and Climb on the needles so I will just put them on hold until the knit-a-long starts! (Giving me ample time to focus on finishing that baby blanket.) I would love to also get started on Swift! Leaving me just the two sweaters on the book to dive into. I think I will put those on hold until I don't have a giant belly anymore. 

(Does anyone else out there find it totally challenging to write without emoticons?! What is happening in todays world?! How will you know when I am joking? Will you pick up on the sarcasm? Will you truly know that I am smiling as I write? Winking?)