Only Oatmeal (Raisin) Protein muffins

This is another of my experiments. The family is complaining there is nothing for breakfast. Well, I researched oatmeal protein muffins and developed this. Should have 7-8 grams protein per muffin, low fat, about 150 calories. I haven't finished baking them yet but they smell delightful.

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare muffin pans for about two dozen muffins.

In a small bowl, combine about 1 cup grape nuts and one-half cup skim milk. Stir and set aside.

In a large bowl mix:

- 1 cup homemade unsweetened applesauce, now I used pear sauce because that's what I had

- 3 eggs

- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

- 1 tablespoon honey

- 1 tablespoon blackstrap molasses 

- 5 cups old fashioned oats

- at least 1 tablespoon cinnamon 

- 1 tablespoon baking powder

- 3 scoops protein powder (I used vanilla whey)

- 3 cups skim milk

- 1 cup raisins (I don't pack them as raisins are super dense in sugar)

- add the grape nuts

- mix and add 1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt

Bake about 30 minutes for small muffins, 40 for large

The flavor is more plain than I expected and the mouth feel is a tad chewy. Not bad but the kid may require jelly on them.

Dark chocolate chip pancakes

We've low on groceries, so my meal plans for this week need to be creative. I whipped up these incredible pancakes for lunch. They are dairy-free, and the eggs came from a local farm.

Mix until moistened and fry 'em up:
- 2 eggs, whisked
- 1 1/4 cup unbleached white flour
- 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/4 cup old fashioned oats
- 3/4 cup vanilla almond milk
- 1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk
- 1/4 cup Bolthouse farms berry smoothie
- 2 tablespoons agave nectar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground sea salt
- 3/4 cup sliced almonds
- 1 cup Ghiradelli dark chocolate chips, 60% bittersweet

STRAWBERRY SAUCE
Boil:
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups frozen strawberries
- 1/4 cup strawberry preserves
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon marmalade

Super Fruity Granola

I'm a total fan of Deirdre Imus' granola recipe in the Imus Ranch Cookbook. I am a huge fan of the cookbook even though I'm not a fan of her husband. Don, is it?

She runs a charity letting kids with cancer work her ranch, and this is the food they serve there. She considers her recipes vegan even though she uses honey and eggs-- the eggs she gets from her own chickens.

Today's granola had the following:

- about three cups old fashioned oat meal
- 1/2 cup cinnamon almonds
- 1/2 cup unsalted cashews
- a handful of slivered almonds
- about 2.5 cups dried strawberries, craisins, raisins, golden raisins, and dried blueberries
- cinnamon
- less than 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ginger

For the dressing:
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1/4 cup blackstrap molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix. Preheat oven to 300. Spread across large cookie sheet. Cook about 45 minutes, turning every 10-15 minutes and mixing with the turner.

I served some to my daughter this morning with a graham cracker and vanilla yogurt parfait.

Blueberry Muffin Better Oats

A couple days ago we tried Better Oats maple and brown sugar-- but I was disappointed that I didn't notice it had sucralose. Today we're trying the "Blueberry Muffin" variety, which does NOT have artificial sweeteners.

Even made with water, it's got a rich flavor. I like it. And when we had it the other morning, it kept me full almost until lunch. No small feat.

Better Oats Instant Oatmeal

I'm not a big believer in instant oatmeal, preferring to make my own oats or cream of wheat and flavor them at my own discretion.

After my first bout of dental surgery, I thought instant oatmeal might be a nice change from the pudding and yogurt and other assorted mush I've been eating.

But reviewing the instant oatmeal, none of them packed any real nutrition (even Target's Archer Farm varieties) so it seemed pointless to buy them.

And then I found "Better Oats." Reasonably priced, with vitamins and minerals and an ingredient list I can read. I grabbed maple and brown sugar and blueberry muffin.

We tried the maple this morning. We followed the directions and used water instead of our usual milk or soy milk. It tasted fine, but I was very disappointed to see it had sucralose in it. Why does our society have to add artificial sweetener to everything? I won't buy this flavor again.

Another day we'll try the blueberry, which does not have any surprising ingredients. Well, except for flax seed.

Pumpkin oatmeal

Based on:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/pumpkin-oatmeal/

Looking for an evening snack that had more nutritional value and less required chewing than Christmas cookies, I made pumpkin oatmeal. Leftovers for breakfast!

I don't measure when I cook so measurements are approximate and based, for herbs and spices, on smell. Adjust to your liking.

Ingredients
- 1.5 cuts old fashioned oatmeal
- not quite 3 cups unsweetened soy milk
- 16 ounces pumpkin
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 3 tablespoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger

In medium saucepan, combine milk and spices and bring to boil over medium heat.

Add oats. Cook five minutes.

Add pumpkin. Cook until hot.