Banana Oatmeal Cookies

Banana Oatmeal Cookies are the kind cookies that makes digging through old cookbooks rewarding.

Canola oil spray
3/4 cup unbleached flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1 cup quick-cooking oats (not instant)
1/3 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 large egg white
3 Tbsp. butter (preferably unsalted), cut in 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1 small banana, cut in 1-inch pieces
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Set baking racks in top and lower thirds of the oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat 2 baking pans or cookie sheets with oil spray.

Whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and allspice in a mixing bowl. Mix in oats, raisins and nuts.

In a blender on medium speed, mix egg white, butter and sugar until smooth. Blend in banana and vanilla until mixture is smooth. Pour banana mixture into bowl with dry ingredients, mixing with spatula until well combined. Batter will be fairly stiff.

Drop batter by walnut-size spoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets, spacing cookies at least 2 inches apart. Flatten them slightly with the back of a wet spoon, wetting spoon frequently between cookies, to make 2-inch cookies.

Bake 10 minutes. Switch position of pans in oven. Bake an additional 5 to 8 minutes or until cookies are golden brown and almost firm in the center when pressed with a finger. Transfer cookies to a baking rack and cool. Stored in airtight container, these cookies keep up to 1 week.

Makes 2 dozen cookies. Per cookie: 76 calories, 3 g. total fat (1 g. saturated fat), 13 g. carbohydrate, 1 g. protein, <1 g. dietary fiber, 42 mg. sodium.