Soaked Baked Oatmeal

This weekend I made a yummy oatmeal breakfast. My father said it tasted like an oatmeal cookie, like I said Yummy! The original recipe came from here. I liked the idea of the baked oatmeal but since reading the book Real Foods by Nina Planck I wanted something without refined sugar and vegetable oil so I tweaked it a bit. Here is my version of soaked baked oatmeal.

Soaked Baked Oatmeal

2 cups oatmeal

1 tbs whole wheat flour
1 cup yogurt
½ cup water

2 eggs
6 tbs maple syrup
1/3 cup melted butter or applesauce
1 ½ tsp vanilla
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1/3 cup milk

add in options

raisins

small pieces of apple

berries

chocolate chips

coconut flakes

Mix the oatmeal, flour, yogurt, and milk in an 8x8 pan. Cover and sit on the counter, allow the oats to soak for 12-24 hours.

Preheat oven o 350º. Mix the eggs and all the rest of the ingredients together in a separate bowl. Add the egg mixture to the soaked oats and mix well. Mix in any optional add ins. Bake for 40 minutes. Serve warm. 

Soaked Waffles

We are embracing the soaking method around here. First after a ton of reading I have found that grains that have been soaked are much easier for our bodies to digest plus we absorb more of the vitamin and minerals our bodies need when we are eating soaked grains. Second it is so nice to already have half the recipe done when I go to make something (especially in the morning). So in continuing to improve our morning breakfast I made soaked waffles. Yum! 

Soaked Waffles

2 cups wheat flour

2 cups buttermilk

2 eggs

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

⅓ cup melted butter

Soak flour in buttermilk for 12 to 24 hours.

Heat waffle maker. Add the rest of the ingredients to the flour mixture and stir till combined. Follow your waffle manufactures directions for cooking the waffles. Soaked waffles may tend to be slightly softer then non soaked. Placing them in a warm oven about 200º while making the rest of the waffles will make them a bit more crunchy.

Any leftovers can be stacked in a freezer container separated by wax paper and frozen for later.
Warm up frozen waffles in a toaster oven or oven set at 350º for 5 min.

*For fluffier waffles separate whites and yolks of the eggs. With an electric mixer in a clean bowl beat the whites till stiff and set aside. Add the yolks with the rest of the ingredients, mix well then fold in the egg whites. 

Some of our favorite waffle toppings include

Fresh or frozen fruit

Chocolate chips

Finely chopped nuts

Syrup
Homemade fruit syrups

Butter

Whip cream

Honey

Cream Cheese

Soaked Porridge

I have been on a mission to revamp our morning eating. Most days we eat a bowl of cereal, milk, and a cup of juice. It is easy and predictable plus it is immediate, my kids have never been ones to wait for food in the morning. Although we always have organic cereal it is not the most nutritious meal and is often times filled with sugar. So now I am starting the process of creating more go to easy breakfasts for our family.
This porridge recipe comes from the book Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon although I adapted it slightly. She has many variations in her book but this is or favorite!


Soaked Porridge
1 cup oats, rolled or cracked (we use a 5 grain cereal)
1 cup warm milk
2 tbsp plain whole milk yogurt
1 cup water
Butter
Milk
honey, maple syrup, or turbino sugar

In a bowl with lid mix the warm water and yogurt then add the oats. Cover and let sit overnight or up to 24 hours.
In a saucepan bring 1 cup of water to a boil with an optional dash of salt. Add the soaked oats, cover and reduce heat to medium low. Let simmer for 3-5 min.
When at desired consistency spoon out into bowls and top with butter, milk, and natural sweetener of your choice.

We have been adding berries, bananas, and or stone fruits to our porridge which makes it even better. Some almond slices or ground flax seeds are delicious as well.

*Afraid of using too much butter and or milk stop listening to the media and start researching for yourself. The right kinds of dairy organic, pasture raised, and full fat is actually incredibly good for you. Start your research with the book Real Food by Nina Planck and find out for yourself.

Nut Butter Drops

We make lots of drops around here. They are perfectly sized for snacks, freeze great, and travel well plus the kids love them. I have made these with almond butter, cashew butter, peanut butter and sunflower butter.

Nut Butter Drops

¼ cup butter 

¾ cup rapadura sugar or brown sugar

½ cup nut butter
2 eggs 
1 tsp vanilla

½ cup unsweetened applesauce

½ cup all purpose flour  

¾ cup whole wheat flour 

2 tsp baking powder  

2 cups rolled oats

Optional Additions

½ cup chocolate chips

½ cup coconut flakes

½ cup dried fruit

Preheat oven 375°. In a large mixing bowl cream butter and sugar with a stand or hand mixer. Add nut butter mix until well blended. Beat in eggs one at a time then add the vanilla and applesauce. Mix together the flours and baking powder in a separate bowl and then slowly add to the butter mixture. Stir in oats and any desired additions. Scoop tablespoon size drops onto baking sheet or stone. Bake at 375° for 10-12 min. until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack, serve slightly warm, store in an airtight container for 3-5 days, or freeze for later use. 

Pancakes

We love pancakes around here. They are an easy morning breakfast and a simple snack but my number one reason for loving pancakes is that it is one of the few meals that my husband can make without any help from me. He is our go to pancake man and it sure is nice to have someone else make a meal every once in a while! While delicious with maple syrup I love to make homemade fruit syrups for our pancakes.

Pancakes
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup oats finely ground
1 tbs brown sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs slightly beaten
2 cups milk
4 tbs applesauce or oil

add in options
1 cup fresh or frozen berries
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1tbs cocoa powder
buttermilk instead of milk

Mix together the flours, oats, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder if using. The dry mixture can be stored in an airtight container until ready to use.
In a separate bowl combine the eggs, milk, and applesauce. Add the egg mixture to the dry mixture and stir to combine. You want the dry mixture to be moist but still slightly lumpy.
Heat a large skillet over med low heat. Lightly grease the skillet with a spray of olive oil. Pour 1 tbs to 1/4 cup batter on to the hot skillet. Optional-sprinkle the berries or chips over the top of the pancake. Cook till the sides look slightly golden and the top is bubbly about 2 min. Flip the pancake and cook for an additional 1-2 min on the other side.

To keep the pancakes warm while I cook the rest I place them in a glass dish in the oven with the temperature set as low as it can be set.

Veggie Bread

I made this last week for our trip to Alabama. We used walnuts and cocoa powder this time and called it chocolate bread! It freezes wonderful and thaws quickly.

Veggie Bread
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup applesauce, oil, or softened butter- any combination will work as well
3 cups shredded veggies such ass zucchini, squash, or carrots
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Optional Additions
1/2 to 1 cup chopped nuts such as walnuts or pecans
1/2 to 1 cup dried fruit such as cranberries, current, or raisins
2 tbs cocoa powder
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Beat together the eggs, sugar, applesauce or oil until well blended add the veggies, and vanilla and mix thoroughly. In a seperate bowl mix together the flours, salt, baking soda, spices, and cocoa powder if using. Slowly add the flour mixture to the veggie mixture one cup at a time until blended. Stir in any nuts, fruits, or chips. Pour into 2 loaf pans or 4 mini loaf pans. Bake at 350º for 50-60 min.

Serving Ideas
For Breakfast or snack make the bread with nuts and chocolate chips. Cut the bread in slices and using peanut butter and sliced bananas make sandwiches.

For dessert make the bread using the cocoa powder and nuts. Cut the bread into slices top each slice with a small amount of homemade whip cream.

Top with cream cheese frosting for a yummy treat!

Egg and Cheese Pitas

I have been working on breakfast around here. We eat mostly cereal and the occasional pancakes but I want more variety. While on vacation I used what we had to make some delicious breakfasts for our family. The first combined a favorite for my kids and left overs from dinner.

Egg and Cheese Pitas
3-4 pita pockets
8 eggs
1 cup cheese
Roasted bell peppers or other cooked veggies

Toast or bake pitas just enough to warm them up. Cut a slit in the top and split the middle of the pockets set aside to fill later. Heat a large skillet over med high heat meanwhile crack eggs and whisk together until blended. Spray oil in pan to coat and add the eggs. Cook and mix till done we like our eggs well done here no slimy mushiness. Remove the eggs from heat add the veggies and cheese and mix well. Fill the pitas with the egg mixture. Add a bit of ketchup if desired.