Banana Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Somethings can’t be reasoned for, parent’s love and care for you is one such thing. Even after spending all these years away from them, I still feel the need for their warmth and love. I would miss my mother bringing hot and comforting bowl of soup when I am down with cold. Those unsaid words of my father, Sonny, I’ll fix you, all expressed by his warm and caring eyes would act like some kind of magic wand which would get you the assurance of security and stability, which no other thing on earth would ever get you.

Whole life changes for you, but this remains constant.  When I am home, me and my father wake up early to catch on with each other over morning chit chat, which usually stretches up to  noon. Meanwhile, he would be ready with his big bowl of fresh fruits and salad. He tries to make up for all the vitamins and minerals in one single meal, which I had lost during two weeks {he’s very well aware of my laziness about peeling and cutting fruits and vegetables, especially when it is for me alone}.

And by the time we finish our course of good healthy salad, mother gets the yummy food ready, which would normally comprise of subji, chapati and and cool glass of buttermilk. That simple and sober taste can’t be replaced by anything. Then a quick afternoon nap, we would be ready to chat over teatime which would again extend in to dinner time. And this repeats for the other day too.

The excitement of meeting them and chatting with them for long hours on weekends keeps me going through two maddening weeks at work.   I was called up on work this Saturday {some urgent client deliverable}, so I baked some cookies on Friday night, boxed them and took them home for my parents, little nieces and nephew. This time I took the recipe from one of the cookbooks which I have on my tiny bookshelf and changed it to have little more healthfulness and wholesomeness. For which I replaced some plain flour with some whole wheat flour and some rolled oats. They came out so delicious they didn’t last long {despite I promised myself one cookie a day, which was obviously not kept…hehe}.

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup mashed ripe banana
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
225 gm semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted

Instructions

1. Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl and keep aside.
2. Put butter and sugars into the bowl of an electric mixer; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy.
3. Reduce speed to low. Add egg and vanilla; mix until combined.
4. Mix in banana. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined.
5. Stir in oats, chocolate chips, and walnuts.
6. Using a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing about 2 inches apart.
7. Bake cookies on 180 degree Celsius preheated oven for 12-13 minutes.
8. Cool on wire rack and store in an airtight container.