Oatmeal Peanut Energy Bars

March 16, 2014 by Elizabeth 2 Comments

Sweet, peanut buttery, oatmeal goodness, baked into a perfect little bar. Oatmeal Peanut Energy Bars are bursting with nutritious, “good for you ingredients”. What’s not to love about this delicious treat?

Welcome back! I hope you’ve all been having a great weekend! It is finally starting to feel just a touch like spring around here in Michigan. The snow is melting, the sun has been shining, and we’re even starting to see grass in our yard! (Seriously, the ground has been covered with snow for the better part of the last 4 months.)

This little taste of spring is starting to make me realize that baby boy number three is going to be here before we know it! We only have about 2 1/2 months left until he makes his appearance. Thankfully, I’m not totally in the nesting mode yet, but I can feel it slowly creeping in. Lately, I’ve been more in the “cook all the things!” mode, which I guess isn’t all bad. The days that have been too cold to go outside, the boys and I have had numerous cooking lessons. They are getting to be quite the pair of little sous chefs. Sometimes I’ll cook with both of them, sometimes I’ll try to whip something up alone during nap time, and sometimes I will let William skip his quiet time and we’ll cook together. That’s just what happened here.

William and I created this recipe a few weeks ago, before we left for our trip to San Diego. I wanted to come up with a snack that we could all enjoy, that would travel well, and that fell into the “healthy, good for you” category. So, to the kitchen we went. Thankfully, James was napping during our little test kitchen adventure, so William and I could get serious and focus. (William has become a wonderful helper! He is not only great at measuring and gathering ingredients, but most importantly, he’s an honest critic!) I remember him saying to me as we were testing the peanut butter mixture for our first batch, “It needs more sweetness”. We kept taste testing and adding to it, until William and I signed off on the final version. We added everything together and stirred it up. Then we added a few more oats and chopped peanuts until we agreed that the consistency looked (and tasted) just right. We popped them in the oven and waited. Once they were cool enough to handle, the boys and I DOVE in full force! Seriously, I think I ate four or five bars without even thinking, and the boys each devoured three! Thankfully, we managed to save a few for Andrew when he came home. His verdict? He was sold after his first bite, and thought they tasted a bit like a peanut butter brownie! When I told him that these bars were actually HEALTHY, he responded with, “We should make these ALL the time!”.

Trying to take the advice of my husband, I feel like I have been pretty much making these non-stop. I made a double batch for our San Diego trip, and since we’ve gotten back, I have made at least three different (double batches). I just recently made these a few days ago and we had the chance to share them with both sets of Grandparents. They loved them, too! What a fun little (healthy) treat to share with the ones you love.

So, there you have it. Devoured by kids AND adults, and packed with all the right healthy ingredients to give you and your family energy whenever you need that little pick-me-up. These Oatmeal Peanut Energy Bars are sure to be a hit!

Oatmeal Peanut Energy Bars

Prep Time:

Cook Time:

Yield: 24 bars

Oatmeal Peanut Energy Bars

Ingredients

8 medjool dates, pitted
1/4 cup warm water
3/4 cup natural peanut butter
1 large very ripe banana
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 tablespoon agave
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 1/4 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 cup unsalted peanuts, chopped
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Puree dates and 1/4 cup warm water in blender or food processor until mostly smooth. Add peanut butter, banana, water, coconut oil, agave, vanilla, and salt, and process until smooth.
In a large bowl, combine oats, peanuts, and baking powder and stir together.
Pour peanut butter mixture over oat mixture and stir together until oats are well coated.
In a 13 x 9" baking pan, lined with parchment paper (that extends slightly past the sides of the pan) add batter and spread evenly into pan with a rubber spatula. Smoothing and pressing down as you go.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until set. Remove pan from oven and let cool on stove for 15 minutes. Then gently lift bars out of pan using parchment paper and continue cooling on wire rack.
When cool, move bars (using parchment paper) onto cutting board, and using a serrated knife, slice into 24 bars.
Store in an airtight container, lined and layered with parchment paper.

http://elizabethshome.com/oatmeal-peanut-energy-bars/

No Butter, No Flour Oatmeal Pancakes with Warm Apple Compote

March 2, 2014 by Elizabeth 2 Comments

Soft, fluffy, oatmeal pancakes, topped with a mountain of sweetened apples, cinnamon and spices. No Butter, No Flour, Oatmeal Pancakes with Warm Apple Compote are the perfect way to start your morning. Heart-healthy and fabulous, this is one breakfast that’s worth waking up for!

Who doesn’t love cutting into a huge stack of thick, warm pancakes on the weekends? I know I sure do! The texture, the taste, the comfort. All rolled up into a cute little pancake. Pile them high, pour on the syrup, top with a little pat of butter, and all is right with the world. Until that sinking feeling in your stomach reminds you that just maybe you should have gone a little lighter on the syrup, or should have only opted for a shorter stack of pancakes. You know how it is, when you look back and regret indulging in a such a tasty morning breakfast.

Well, here’s one pancake recipe that you can feel good about piling high! Grab your plate and stack them up! These No Butter, No Flour, Oatmeal Pancakes with Warm Apple Compote will give you all you need to start your weekend, or your weekday, off on the right foot! They are filled with everything good that your body needs to fuel your morning.

The other night, Andrew and I were talking about our old stomping ground, Atlanta, Georgia. During our conversation, one of our favorite breakfast spots, The Flying Biscuit Cafe, popped into our heads. We sure have a lot of fond memories of that place! I remember going there for dinner one night while I was pregnant with William, and I ordered their amazing Organic Oatmeal Pancakes. Yum! There was also the time that we took my parents there when they were visiting. We had to wait outside for a table for over an hour! (The place is just that good!) As we were waiting, at least we were able to enjoy the lovely weather (that’s one thing that Atlanta has over Michigan for sure!). Great conversation, a beautiful morning, and all of the friendly people passing by. However, we will never forget the one man that was walking by, and decided to loudly comment on my dad’s burnt-orange colored sweater vest. From all the way across the street, he looked at my dad, and shouted, “That’s FABOO!”, and kept on walking. After the man walked away, the four of us were just about doubled over laughing. How funny?!!! Now, whenever we think of The Flying Biscuit, or my dad’s orange vest, we can’t help but think, “It’s FABOO!”.

With a little inspiration from our friends down south, here it is! My totally “faboo” recipe for No Butter, No Flour, Oatmeal Pancakes with Warm Apple Compote.

No Butter, No Flour Oatmeal Pancakes with Warm Apple Compote

Yield: 20-22 pancakes

Ingredients

Oatmeal Pancakes:

2 cups old-fashioned oats
2 cups skim milk
4 egg whites (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon agave
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup oat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Warm Apple Compote:

3 large, sweet apples (gala or fuji) peeled and diced
2 medjool dates, pitted and minced
1 1/4 cups water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 dashes salt
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Instructions

In a medium, microwave safe bowl, stir together the oats and milk. Microwave for 2 to 3 minutes, until oats are slightly softened. Set aside to cool.
In a large mixing bowl, add egg whites and whisk. Then add the yogurt, lemon juice, oil, agave, and vanilla and stir together.
In a small mixing bowl, add oat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt, and stir together.
Add the oatmeal mixture to the wet ingredients and whisk together. Then add the dry ingredients to the oat mixture and stir together using a rubber spatula, until just combined. Allow batter to sit for about 30 minutes to thicken.
While batter is sitting, you can make the compote: In a small sauce pan, combine apples, dates, water, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Turn heat to medium, and stir together. Allow mixture to come to a small boil, then turn heat to medium-low. Continue to simmer, stirring often, for about 30 minutes more, until apples are very soft, and the liquid has reduced greatly and looks thick and syrupy. Turn off heat and stir in 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and keep warm.
Lightly coat a non-stick griddle pan or frying pan with cooking spray, and pre-heat over a medium-low burner. Gently give batter one last stir after it has been sitting.
Once griddle is hot, ladle a little less than a 1/4 cup (about 3 tablespoons) of batter for each pancake, onto pan and cook pancakes on one side until small bubbles start to appear, about 3-4 minutes. Gently flip pancakes over and cook until golden brown, about 2-3 more minutes. Serve warm and top with apple compote.

http://elizabethshome.com/butter-flour-oatmeal-pancakes-warm-apple-compote/

Flourless Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

December 29, 2013 by Elizabeth Leave a Comment

A “healthy” cookie, without flour or butter? Why, yes! Thanks for asking! Look no further, this is YOUR cookie. These are seriously good! And even a bit good for you, too.

When my mom started on the gluten-free diet recently, I knew I wanted to come up with some kind of cookie that she could still enjoy. After all, my mom and I would definitely agree that dessert is one of the major food groups 😉 So when my parents invited us to a picnic with some of their friends during the summer, I immediately got to work creating a fabulous cookie that she could still enjoy.

After testing and tweaking this recipe at least 5 times, I am confident to say that I have created a pretty darn perfect, healthier cookie. My mom loved them! (and since the picnic has requested at least a few batches of these over the last few months) A few of her other friends, and our neighbor who has also gone gluten-free, were raving about them as well. And don’t let me forget my parent’s sweet friend and neighbor who is allergic to butter, and hasn’t had a cookie in a long time. Guess what? She LOVED these too! 🙂

This is such a great recipe to make. Totally quick and easy to throw together, and requiring only a few ingredients. I bet you already have most of these in your kitchen, with the possible exception of the skippy peanut butter. If you don’t have it, make sure to add it to your grocery list, because it really does make the difference in how these turn out. I promise! (I have tried this recipe using regular natural peanut butter, and the batter turned out too sticky and grainy. And when baked, they were still good, but just lacking a little something.) I think the addition of the palm oil in the skippy natural peanut butter is what helps to make the batter silky smooth, and the cookies simply irresistible.

Adding the oats…. and beating the eggs.

I love that these cookies can be easily mixed by hand. No need to drag out the mixer this time. Just grab your whisk and a little elbow grease 🙂 And smell that peanut butter! YUM!!!

Okay, so when it all comes together, it will look like this. Oh my! I mean, doesn’t the batter just look like something you should take a spoon to? Look at that! Well, if you must try a little, go ahead. (I won’t tell :))

I prefer to use a cookie scoop so that my cookies are all the same size. If you don’t have one you can always use a teaspoon.

A little scoop of heaven 🙂

Flourless Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prep Time:

Cook Time:

Flourless Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups light-brown sugar packed
2 cups peanut butter (Skippy Natural Creamy)
3 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Stir together oats, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
Beat eggs in a large bowl by hand with a metal whisk, then add sugar and whisk again. Add peanut butter and vanilla and mix until smooth.
Add oat mixture to wet ingredients and stir together until combined, using a rubber spatula or large metal spoon, then stir in chocolate chips.
Working with about 2 teaspoons of batter at a time, (or using a 2 teaspoon cookie scoop), shape cookies into balls and place about 2 inches apart on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 7-9 minutes, until set and slightly browned. Do not over bake.
Cool for 5 minutes on baking sheet and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

http://elizabethshome.com/oatmeal-peanut-butter-chocolate-chip-cookies-no-flour-no-butter/