Summer Baked Oatmeal (gluten & dairy free)

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We just finished a family bike ride to the lake and I am exhausted.  Hauling kids and beach supplies in a bike trailer has to be a pretty great workout.  We made it to the Lake early this morning for a quick dip.  The water was cold and the sun stayed behind clouds but we have a family motto about jumping in the lake: “It’s always worth it.”  That jump in, even once, is a quick reset for my body.  It’s one of my favorite parts about living on Lake Superior.

We were all starving when we got home.  Thankfully, I was prepared and had a new baked oatmeal recipe ready on the counter! Something I’m really focusing on with recipes these days is making them budget-friendly.  I had a revelation recently.  My kids are getting older and eating more food BUT my income is not increasing along with this.  It seems unfair. :) Thankfully, I love to be creative in the kitchen so I’ll consider this my next challenge.  My kids love oatmeal and would probably eat it for every meal.  Sadly, I don’t agree, so I wanted to make something a little more interesting. Most baked oatmeal recipes are packed with sugar. My goal was to make one with good ingredients that, selfishly, I would also enjoy eating.  This recipe totally nailed it.  The fruit in it makes it taste really fresh.  You could easily mix up the fruit you use, any kind of berry would work.  I’m loving all the summer fruit that’s on sale right now so I wanted to use that up.  We ate this plain, but you could also pour a little cream or milk over the top for something different!


Summer Baked Oatmeal

9 servings

Ingredients:

1 can coconut milk

1/4 c maple syrup plus 2 T

2 eggs

1 t vanilla

1/2 t salt

2 c oats

1 T chia seeds

1 c almond flour

1/2 t baking powder

1/2 c blueberries

1 nectarine, chopped into 1/2” pieces

Directions:

  1. Heat oven to 375 F

  2. In a large bowl, mix the coconut milk, syrup, and vanilla.

  3. Add the eggs and whisk well to combine.

  4. Stir together the dry ingredients (salt, oats, chia seeds, almond flour, baking bowder) in another bowl and pour into the wet ingredients

  5. Stir to combine

  6. Add the blueberries and nectarines and stir to combine

  7. Pour into a greased 9x9” pan

  8. Bake for 45 min, or until knife inserted comes out clean

  9. Remove from oven and drizzle 2 T maple syrup on top

  10. Let cool slightly before serving

  11. Serve as is or pour on a little milk or cream






Chocolate Almond Granola

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I’m still here!  I do still cook, I promise.  I just haven’t been documenting things the same way these days!  When life is busy, prioritizing is a must.  I have been learning the art of “yes” and “no.”  Some things in life are an absolute “yes”: faith, family, relationships, rest.  And some less obvious things more personal to me: music, dinner with friends, dates with my husband.  I have been learning what things I have to prioritize in life in order to stay healthy and whole.  Consequently, this means saying “no” to quite a few things as well.  One of those things is time on my computer.  I have to be on a computer a lot at work.  Once I’m home, it’s just not healthy for me to be interacting with a screen again.  I have to be really careful with my phone too.  I really love documenting my life with food, but it has been on hold for awhile.  I’m hoping to start incorporating it more again, especially as things slow down this summer.  As you may know, I really love the challenge of making food for my family that is healthy, delicious, and affordable.  The latter is getting more challenging all the time.  Right now, I am responsible for a lot of meals every day: breakfast for 3 kids & 2 adults, packed lunches for those same 5 people, separate extra snacks for 2 kids, after school snacks, and dinner for the same 5.  It’s taken me quite some time to get into a good routine with all this.  But I am discovering better ways to stay on top of things and am coming up with some delicious recipes to help out.

This recipe came from spring break.  It was a cold spring break here in Duluth.  I was fine with it.  One of the great thing about kids is they want to go outside no matter what.  So, despite the frigid days, we spent time on the beach, biking, and fishing.  I also made this delicious chocolate granola.  It could be dessert or breakfast.  It’s chocolatey enough to leave the kids with leftover chocolate milk in their cereal bowls, which is the sign of a good chocolate cereal.

Chocolate Almond Granola

30 min


Ingredients:

3 c regular rolled oats

1 c almonds, chopped

1/3 c cocoa powder

4 T butter

1/3 c maple syrup

2 t vanilla 

1/4 t salt


Directions:

  1. Heat oven to 375 F

  2. Stir oats, almonds, cocoa powder, and salt together in a large bowl

  3. Melt butter in small bowl and stir in the maple syrup and vanilla

  4. Pour the butter combo over the oats and stir well until everything is evenly coated

  5. Lightly grease a 9x13 pan 

  6. Pour the granola into the pan and press it evenly into it.

  7. Bake for 22 minutes

  8. Remove the pan from the oven and let the granola cool in the pan completely before removing. After this, you’ll be able to break it up into bigger chunks if you desire!

Toasted Walnut Shortbread Cookies (Paleo)

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Apparently I’m really into making desserts these days.  Can you blame me, though?  Tis the season for piles of sugary treats everywhere you go.  I always hang on to Christmas as long as possible.  I consider the entire week after to be fair game for celebration.  I’ve also never been a huge New Year’s Eve person, so that’s not really on my mind.  I’d rather focus on extended Christmas.  We’re still watching Christmas movies, my last present for B came today (I ordered it late, my fault), and we’re still eating the remainder of our Christmas leftovers.  My mom is the queen of hostessing.  This Christmas was probably the best yet.  Farm fresh eggs, ham, smoked salmon, caramel rolls, multiple soups, steak, bread, veggies, treats, and oh so much more.  I keep thinking about that day and wishing I could go back, primarily so I can keep eating.  (and hanging out with loved ones, of course).  Thankfully, my mom sent leftovers home with everyone, so my fridge has been full this week.  In a few days we’ll go back to reality.  Not to be fun spoilers, but B and I are likely going to do a January Whole30.  We’re both thinking a reset would be nice.  I’m trying to gather up motivation in the next few days.  I’ll keep you posted if/when we get started!  There’s time to make these cookies before then…

Toasted Walnut Shortbread Cookies (Paleo)

Makes about 15 cookies

Ingredients:

1 c walnuts

3/4 c butter

1/4 c honey

1/2 t vanilla

14 t cinnamon

Pinch nutmeg

Pinch salt

3 c almond flour

1/2 c chocolate chips

1/2 T butter

3 T water

coarse sea salt for topping

Directions:

  1. Chop the walnuts into small pieces and spread them evenly on a cookie sheet.  Roast at 350 F for 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes.  Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

  2. Soften butter and place in medium bowl.  Add the honey and vanilla and whisk together.

  3. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and stir well to combine.

  4. Add the almond flour and fold into everything until fully combined.

  5. Place a large sheet of parchment paper on the counter and set the ball of dough in the middle.  Use your hands to elongate the dough as much as you can.  Wrap the parchment paper around the dough and continue to shape the dough into a long round “log” about 2-2 1’2 inches across. 

  6. Refrigerate the wrapped dough for at least 2 hours.  Ideally, leave it overnight.

  7. Heat the oven to 350 F

  8. Remove the dough from the refrigeration, take off the parchment paper, and slice the dough into about 15 cookies.

  9. Place the cookies on a greased cookie sheet and bake for about 15 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and cookies look set.

  10. Let cool slightly on the pan, then remove to cool fully on a cookie sheet.

  11. Once cookies are fully cool, place chocolate chips, butter, and water in a small, microwave safe bowl.  Microwave for 20-30 seconds and stir immediately.  Even if all the chips aren’t melted, stir for a minute to let any additional chips melt.  Continue to microwave in 8 second increments if chips aren’t fully melted.  (they can burn easily, so be careful). Add additional water, if needed.

  12. Use a fork to drizzle the chocolate over the cookies.  Sprinkle lightly with coarse sea salt. Let cool before serving.