Tag: oatmeal

Peanut Butter-Oatmeal Bites

March 31, 2016 / Jenny / 15 Comments

These little cookies hit the spot if you are looking for something sweet, yet full of protein and nutrition. Peanut butter and oats give the cookies lots of nutrients, taste, and texture, and they are easy to eat as a satisfying snack or dessert. These peanut butter-oatmeal bites are going so quickly around here, next time I make them I’m going to double the recipe!

With my kids’ spring sports schedules starting, I am once again looking for snacks that taste good, can be eaten quickly, and that also have nutrients to give my active kids good energy. I am very happy with this recipe, which I adapted from one in my Dr. Cookie Cookbook by Marvin Wayne and Stephen Yarnall. There’s just enough sweetness from the brown sugar to make the cookies taste like a treat, but enough substance to make them more than just sweet. If you are looking for an easy, protein-rich cookie, this is a great recipe to try.

It is the very last day of March today, and I must say I am really looking forward to April! Although it’s still chilly here, it’s such a great time to be outside, with the fresh wind, green grass, and trees and bushes budding. The spring peepers have been peeping really loudly at night, and I love to sleep with the window cracked open so I can listen to those frogs all night long. There is a feeling of new life and excitement in the air–I can sense it just from watching the birds in the sky.

Yesterday evening, I picked our first herb of the season–chives to chop and put on top of our macaroni and cheese. I had forgotten how convenient and fresh it is to walk outside and snip some herbs to add to our dinner. Soon there will be more and more things growing and blossoming, and more and more recipes to make! In the meantime, these little peanut butter-oatmeal bites are tiding me over very nicely.

I hope you all have a great weekend! I’m going to take a plate of these cookies over to Angie’s Fiesta Friday #113, co-hosted by two bloggers whose blogs I really admire: Sonal @ Simplyvegetarian777 and Laurie @ ten.times.tea.

Peanut Butter-Oatmeal Bites

Servings: about 24 cookies, depending on size
Time: about 40 minutes
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Ingredients:

1 large egg
2/3 cup of packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup of natural peanut butter, creamy or crunchy
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 cup of unbleached, all-purpose flour
1/2 cup of old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large mixing bowl, vigorously stir the egg, brown sugar, butter, peanut butter, and vanilla until well combined. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, oats, and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to to wet ingredients, and stir until well combined.

Drop the batter by rounded teaspoonfuls onto a baking sheet, about 12 cookies per baking sheet. Bake in your 350-degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until cookies are golden. Cool the cookies on a wire rack. Repeat until all the cookies are baked. Enjoy!

This recipe is adapted from the Dr. Cookie Cookbook by Marvin A. Wayne and Stephen R. Yarnall.

Oatmeal Gingerbread

November 12, 2015 / Jenny / 16 Comments

Ginger, molasses, cinnamon, and cloves give this bread a deep, rich, classic gingerbread flavor. The addition of whirred oats to the flour increases the nutritional benefits, as well as making each slice hearty and substantial. Serve it with your favorite hot drink, and possibly some whipped cream or vanilla ice cream , and it is the perfect snack or dessert. (It works for breakfast too!)

Below, I am sharing another recipe based on one I found in Susan Wittig Albert’s fascinating book, “China Bayles’ Book of Days: 365 Celebrations of the Mystery, Myth, and Magic of Herbs from the World of Pecan Springs.” The recipe is for a form of traditional Scottish oatmeal gingerbread. I substitute blackstrap molasses for the treacle and bake it in a standard-sized loaf pan instead of a 7-inch square baking pan, but other than that, I stick pretty close to the recipe in the book. And my gingerbread has come out delicious every time. I love the fact that this gingerbread tastes sweet and full of richly spiced flavor, yet has good nutrition in it too. The molasses and oats contribute all kinds of good things, including iron, magnesium, manganese, not to mention fiber and protein from the oats. When I cut a slice of this bread, it is dense and substantial. I feel like I am doing something good for both my taste buds and my body. And my soul too, because gingerbread is a delicious solution (however temporary) to a soul’s longing for comfort. The smell of gingerbread baking is the iconic cozy smell, and it brings back all kinds of memories for me, of wandering through my mother’s kitchen after spending time outside in the cold.

This is the perfect time of year to make gingerbread. (Actually, any time between now and spring is a good time.) When the wind is gusting right through our coats and the leaves are swirling around, we need something warm and comforting. As I am writing this post, the wind is blowing so hard that it is rattling the windows and making the house creak. We lose electricity quite frequently out here where I live, among so many trees, so I am hoping to get this post done before we lose power. And hopefully, we won’t lose power. All this dramatic weather is enough to make one feel kind of moody, wistful, nostalgic, and excited, all at the same time. It’s a good time to indulge in the more complicated aspects of our personalities. Maybe that’s why the multi-layered spicy taste of the gingerbread is so appealing.

There is something cleansing about going out in the crazy, windy weather, especially if there is something warm waiting on the other side of the door. This quote by L.M. Montgomery, author of the Anne of Green Gables series (one of my favorite sets of books when I was a girl), says it perfectly: “It was November–the month of crimson sunsets, parting birds, deep, sad hymns of the sea, passionate wind-songs in the pines. Anne roamed through the pineland alleys in the park and, as she said, let that great sweeping wind blow the fogs out of her soul.”

I hope you all have a great weekend, and that the wind blows the fogs out of your souls as well. And that you have a hot drink and a warm piece of gingerbread waiting when you come in! This recipe will be shared at Angie’s festive Fiesta Friday, co-hosted this week by Judi@Cooking With Aunt Juju and Stef@The Kiwi Fruit.

Oatmeal Gingerbread

Servings: 8-12 pieces
Time: about 20 minutes for preparation and about 45 minutes for baking
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Ingredients:

1/2 cup of unsalted butter
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
2 tablespoons of molasses (I prefer blackstrap molasses)
1 and 1/2 cups of flour
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 cup of whirred oats (make this by whirring 1/2 cup of uncooked, old fashioned rolled oats in your blender)
1/2 cup of packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon of powdered ginger
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of ground cloves
3 tablespoons of milk
1 large egg, beaten

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a standard-sized loaf pan with butter. (You can also use a 7 inch square baking pan). In a medium saucepan, heat the butter, granulated sugar, and molasses over medium to low heat until the butter is just melted. Stir to combine.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and baking soda. Add the whirred oats, brown sugar, and spices. Stir to combine. Add the melted butter mixture and the milk, then stir in the beaten egg. Stir until all combined. Pour into the greased pan and bake for about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, and then cool completely on a wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream if desired. Enjoy!

Chocolate and Chia Oatmeal Cookies

October 16, 2015 / Jenny / 13 Comments

These cookies are moist, rich in flavor, and full of good things like oats, chia seeds, chocolate chips, cinnamon and vanilla. They somehow bridge that gap between healthy and luxurious, and they always disappear quickly at my house.

The weather has definitely turned in the past few days, and it feels more and more like fall and less and less like a lingering summer. The blustery wind is blowing leaves off the trees, and the trees themselves are becoming so colorful, seemingly overnight. The sunsets have been stunning and dramatic lately, and they are occurring earlier and earlier. Now I get to watch the sunsets as I am walking with my soccer-mom walking buddies, and our kids end up practicing soccer in the twilight, not stopping until dark. Last night’s sky was especially dramatic, with windswept clouds turning from gray to dark orange, making the colorful leaves look even more vibrant in the glowing light. There is something cozy about spending time with friends outside in the dark, while our kids run and chase and laugh.

Chilly days and nights call for jackets, hats, gloves, and cookies! This cookie recipe is a favorite of mine, because the cookies turn out so delicious, and there are some healthy ingredients in there too. It is based on a recipe I found on the inside of the lid to my Quaker oats container, though I have made a few changes, including adding chia seeds and chocolate chips. I have noticed an improvement in the taste and texture of my baked goods since I have been using butter from grass-fed cows (I have mentioned this before), and the nutritional value of such butter is improved. The oat and whole wheat flour provide fiber, vitamins and minerals, while the chia seeds contain vitamins and minerals, protein, antioxidants, and Omega-3 (good) fatty acids.

Just like with everyone, there is a lot going on right now, a lot of balls in the air, so to speak, and sometimes I find myself worrying about things I cannot control. Although I know I am not supposed to do that, sometimes I do it before I realize I am doing it. That’s when it’s important to be aware of my thoughts, take a step back, and get some perspective. We all have different ways of gaining perspective. For me it helps to go outside and exercise, bake, talk to a trusted person, or read. And this dramatic weather is really something that can make a person feel emotional. It is sometimes essential to just drop everything and get out into the gorgeous autumn and be in the present moment. There is nothing like the present moment to give a person some healthy perspective. I always turn to one of my favorite poems at this time of year to put this feeling into words, and I know I shared this excerpt last year in October. But I will share it once again, because I love it so much, and it is so fitting right now. It is the third stanza of “A Vagabond Song” by Bliss Carman: “There is something in October sets the gypsy blood astir;/We must rise and follow her,/ when from every hill of flame/ she calls and calls each vagabond by name.” I hope you have a wonderful weekend, and that you get a chance to get out and experience the beauty of October, along with the comforts of warm cookies and a cup of your favorite drink.I am sharing this recipe over at Angie’s Fiesta Friday, co-hosted this week by Effie at Food Daydreaming and Lindy at Lindy Mechefske.

Oatmeal Cookies With Chocolate and Chia

Servings: about 4 dozen cookies
Time: approximately 20 minutes preparation, about 40 minutes for baking
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Ingredients:

1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) plus 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup of brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1/2 cup of whole wheat flour
1 cup of unbleached all-purpose flour (you can also use whole wheat pastry flour if you prefer)
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt (optional)
1 tablespoon of chia seeds
3 cups of old fashioned rolled oats, uncooked
1/2 cup of chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large mixing bowl, mix (I like to mix them by hand, but you can use an electric mixer if you like) the butter and the sugars until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs and vanilla and stir vigorously, until well-combined.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the flours, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and chia seeds.

Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the butter mixture. Stir until well-combined. Then stir in the oats. Mix again until the oats are incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips, until well-combined.

Drop the dough by rounded spoonfuls onto baking sheets. Bake in your 350-degree oven for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Let them cool 1-2 minutes on the baking sheet before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, store them tightly covered. Enjoy!