Maple Oatey Bites

I have been cooking a LOT this week. I get home from work or school around 7 or 8 and, although I'm exhausted, I find myself either dreaming about food in the car ride home, specific dishes I want to actualize, or when I get home, my brain shuts off, and my legs walk me into the pantry. Once there, my arms pull things off the shelves, and I end up with something like I did tonight. It's that no-control kind of cooking I wrote of once before. I mindlessly end up putting things together. Even baking, from scratch, recipe-less all the way.

This is my most recent. If you like maple, chocolate, oats, and tart dried fruit, all in one bite-sized cookie, give these bad boys a shot. Since I made them from scratch, though, they do need a little help from you in the shaping process. If you decide not to roll the dough into a log and refrigerate for an hour before slicing and baking, make sure you flatten the dough from small balls into flat discs before baking, or they will stay pretty round once out of the oven. Tasty, but round.

Maple Oat Bites

1/3 c vegetable oil
1/3 c brown sugar
1 egg
scant 1/4 c maple syrup
1 c whole wheat flour
1 c oats
1 t salt
1/8 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1/2 c dried cherries
1/3 c sunflower seeds
1/3 c chocolate chips (bittersweet are the best)

In a bowl (or electric mixer), beat oil, sugar, egg, maple syrup, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients, next, and mix. Finally, add the cherries, seeds, and chocolate chips. Once thoroughly combined, dough will come together pretty well. Roll into 2 logs and refrigerate for an hour, then slice and bake at 350 for 10-12 min. Cool on a rack. Or eat hot!