Good morning! Join me at Modern Parents Messy Kids today with five ways to make overnight oats: traditional soaking, grab-and-go baked oatmeal, DIY oatmeal packets, crockpot oats and refrigerator oats. There’s certainly something for everyone (unless you are grain-free or you don’t like oats.. then you’re out of luck.) What’s your favorite way to eat oatmeal?

As you probably know, I’ve been working on healing some stomach problems (are you tired of hearing about it yet? haha). The first time I read about the healing power of bone broth was through the Weston A. Price Foundation. It made a lot of sense to me- finally I understood why homemade chicken soup was said to be such a good remedy! Then I did more research and found the GAPS diet, which is big on bone broth and affirmed everything else I had read. I won’t go into detail about all of the benefits here (check out the links at the end of the post), but I did want to explain my broth routine and what I’ve learned along the way.

When I drink broth:

• With most meals, to help with digestion.
• In the morning before breakfast (if I’m not ready to eat yet).
• When I go out and I’m not sure if there will be any food that I can eat, but don’t have time to pack food.
• When I have stomach pain.

Really, I could drink it anytime. I usually sip it from a mug like I would drink tea. I drink it plain, with sea salt, or sometimes I stir in a spoonful of coconut oil or grass-fed butter (sounds weird, but it tastes really good and helps keep me feeling full. Just stir it around with a spoon as you’re drinking it so your lips don’t get oily!)

How I make broth:

• For chicken: I typically cook a whole chicken (roast or boil), pick off most of the meat and then put the bones and skin in the crockpot. I cover the bones with filtered water and cook on low for a day or two. Sometimes I add salt, sometimes I forget. Sometimes I add peppercorns or a few bay leaves or vegetable peelings, but usually I keep it simple. Sometimes I add a tablespoon of raw apple cider vinegar, as well (to help get even more nutrients out of the bones). Don’t be alarmed if the vinegar makes the broth a bit cloudy.
• For beef: I usually get beef bones that are meant specifically for broth/soup, so I’ll just throw them in the slow cooker or a pot, remove any meat and add it to a soup (since it’s not a a lot of meat) and then return the bones and continue cooking the broth.
• For fish: I can’t get sustainable whole fish around here, so I haven’t done this myself, but if I did, I would stick the bones and the head in a pot/crock pot with the same method. (I don’t think I would really drink this one on it’s own- probably just use it for soups).

My Broth Tips:

• I never throw away bones- I store them in the freezer along with vegetable clippings (onions, carrot and celery) if I’m not making broth right away or if I only have a few bones.
• Try to include some skin (for the fat) and the joints of the animal if you can- the joints help to create gelatin (especially wing tips/knuckle bones, etc).
• Don’t be afraid if your broth looks like jelly after it cools down. That’s a good thing! Gelatin is very nourishing and it will return to liquid state when you heat it.
• You can roast the bones before you use them for stock if you want deeper flavor or a darker broth.
• Store broth in the refrigerator (it will keep for a few weeks) or freezer. I like to use glass jars.
• Reheat broth on the stove so you don’t kill the nutrients (as opposed to the microwave). It’s a pain when you’re in a hurry, but I do it in a small saucepan or in a tea kettle.
• There will be a layer of fat at the top of your broth (see above)- this is a good thing! It is full of good nutrition, don’t throw it away! It will melt down into the broth when you heat it up.
• Be careful not to burn your mouth on hot broth. Broth smells so good cooking in my house and I like to scoop cups of it right out of the slow cooker, but it is REALLY HOT. Wait for fresh broth to cool down a bit.

Anyone else out there drinking broth? I can’t be the only one! Are you intimidated by the process! Please feel free to comment with your questions and I’ll gladly answer. If you’re interested in learning more about bone broth, here are some links I’ve found helpful:

Bone Broth: 12 Days of Gelatin

Perpetual Soup: The Easiest Bone Broth You’ll Make

Traditional Foods 101: Bone broth, Broth and Stocks

How to Make Health Boosting Bone Broth

Top 5 Reasons Bone Broth is The Bomb

The Wonders of Gelatin and How to Get More in Your Stock

Raise your hand if you ate pudding cups when you were a kid. (Hand raised.)

Raise your hand if you ate pudding cups when you were in college. (Hand raised- no shame.)

Raise your hand if you still eat pudding cups as an adult? (I wish. Where do I find refined-sugar free, corn syrup-free, soy-free, dairy-free pudding cups?)

No pudding cups for me. So sad.

Unless.. (quick Google/Pinterest search..) chocolate avocado pudding?

My thorough internet research tells me that there’s a let’s-make-dessert-out-of-avocados-and-see-what-happens trend happening and among those desserts is chocolate avocado pudding. Sounds weird. Really, weird. Especially if you’re used to seeing avocado do it’s normal, savory, guac-related thing.

Luckily, I have already warmed up to avocado and chocolate as a pair (remember my Avocado Banana Bread with chocolate chips?). ‘Cause when your belly says “Chocolate Pudding, NOW” at 10PM, you have to (put aside your fears that it will taste like chocolate guacamole and) listen.

The recipe takes less than 10 minutes to prepare and doesn’t need any time chilling, unless you want to. You can eat it straight out of the bowl, you can top it with coconut whip, coconut chips, fresh fruit, nuts- just do what your belly tells you to do.

My belly told me not to share, so if yours says that, too, it’s completely normal.

So long, pudding cups. You’ve been replaced!

5.0 from 2 reviews

Quick Chocolate Avocado Pudding with Coconut Topping

 

Print

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

10 mins

 

Grain-free, Gluten-free, Nut-free, Egg-Free, Paleo, Dairy-Free.

Author: Oven Love

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 1 ripe avocado (should be soft to the touch so that it will blend easily)
• ⅓- 1/2 cup good quality cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2-4 tablespoons maple syrup or honey (or a few drops of liquid stevia)
• 2-4 tablespoons coconut milk or other milk of choice (cow’s, almond, etc)
• whipped coconut cream, yogurt or whipped cream, for serving
• shredded coconut, coconut chips, nuts or fresh fruit, for serving

Instructions

1. Scoop the flesh of the avocado into a food processor or blender. Process until smooth.
2. Add ⅓ cup cocoa powder, vanilla, 2 tablespoons of your sweetener and 2 tablespoons of your milk. Process until ingredients are fully mixed. If it’s too runny, add some more cocoa powder. If it’s too thick, add more milk.
3. Taste it- if it’s too sweet, add some more cocoa powder. If it’s too bitter, add some more of your sweetener.
4. Serve immediately with your desired toppings or store in the refrigerator.

3.1.09

Let me take you back for a second- imagine it’s Halloween in the early 90s. I’m probably dressed as a black cat (it was my thing). I come home with a pillowcase full of candy and start my sorting ritual with my mom. I would hoard the peanut butter cups and Hershey bars, and I would hand over the Mounds and Almond Joys directly to my mom. Who would want to eat something horrible like coconut?? Not early 90s me, that’s for sure. Wouldn’t get near the stuff.

But now.. coconut and I are BFFs. I couldn’t make it through the day without some coconut oil, coconut butter, coconut chips, you name it. And add some chocolate? I am puddy in your hands.

If you love Mounds or Almond Joy, you’ll be on board with these. Would you be surprised if I said next time I’m going to top them with crumbled bacon? (If you’re surprised, this must be your first time here- so welcome! We eat a lot of chocolate and bacon here.)

Dark Chocolate Coconut Bites

 

Print

Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

35 mins

 

slightly adapted from Tasty Yummies- http://tasty-yummies.com/2012/03/05/dark-chocolate-coconut-treats-vegan-gluten-free-refined-sugar-free/

Author: Oven Love

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 16

Ingredients

• 1¼ cup shredded (desiccated) coconut
• ¼ cup melted coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 ounces dark chocolate
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• thick cut coconut, almonds or pecans for garnish

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, mix coconut, coconut oil, honey or maple syrup and vanilla extract. Press into mini muffin tins (should make 12-16 bites). Let cool in the freezer for 30 minutes.
2. While the coconut cools, melt the dark chocolate and coconut oil. Spoon the chocolate into the molds over top of the coconut mixture. Top with the coconut or nuts and freeze again until firm. Keep frozen. When you’re ready to eat, let cool for a few minutes and then enjoy.

3.1.09

Kölsch (4% ABV)
via Brooklyn Brew Shop‘s Beer Making Book

60 Minute Mash at 152 degrees(all grains should be milled)

• 2 quarts water, plus one gallon for sparging
• 1.5 pounds German Pilsner malt
• 0.25 pound Munich malt
• 0.2 pound Pale Wheat malt

60 Minute Boil

• 0.3 ounce Hallertau hops, divided into thirds
• 0.1 ounce Tettnanger hops

Ferment

•  1/2 packet German ale yeast, such as White Labs German Ale
• 3 tablespoons honey, for bottling

Mash:
In a medium stockpot, heat the 2 quarts water over high heat to 160 degrees F. Add all the malts and stir gently. The temperature should reduce to 150 F within one minute. Turn off the heat. Steep the grains for 60 minutes between 144 and 152 F. Every 10 minutes, stir and take the temperature. If the grains get too cold, turn on the heat to high while stirring until the temperature rises to that range, then turn off the heat. With 10 minutes left, in a second medium stockpot heat the 1 gallon water to 170 F. After the grains have steeped for 60 minutes, raise the heat of the grains-and-water mixture to high and stir until the temperature reaches 170 F. Turn off the heat.

Sparge:
Place a fine mesh strainer over a pot, and pour the grains into the strainer, reserving the liquid. Pour the 1 gallon of 170 F water over the grains. Recirculate the collected liquid through the grains once.

Boil:
Return the pot with the liquid to the stove on high heat and bring to a boil. When it starts to foam, reduce the heat to a slow rolling boil and add one third of the Hallertau hops. Add a third of the Hallertau hops after 15 minutes, another third after 40 minutes and the Tettnanger hops after 58 minutes. Prepare an ice bath by stopping the sink and filling it with 5 inches of water and ice. At the 60-minute mark, turn off the heat. Place the pot in the ice bath and cool to 70 F, about 30 minutes.

Ferment:
Using a sanitized funnel and strainer, pour the liquid into a sanitized fermenter. Add any water needed to fill the jug to the 1-gallon mark. Add the yeast, sanitize your hands, cover the mouth of the jug with one hand, and shake to distribute evenly. ttanch a sanitized stopper and tubing to the fermenter and insert the other end of the tubing into a small bowl of sanitzing solution. Place the fermenter in a storage area that is 54F, such as a mini fridge or cellar. The solution will begin to bubble as the yeast activates, pushing gas through the tube. Wat 2-3 days untl the bubbling has slowed, then replace the tubing system with an airlock. Wait 3 weeks, then siphon the beer into a second sanitized fermenter (or into a sanitized pot, then back into the cleaned fermenter). Store for 3 weeks at 35F to 40 F (your regular refrigerator should work). fter 6 weeks total, bottle, using the honey. Store the bottles in your refrigerator, unless you decide to drink it all right away.

1. Trying to eat whole foods as much as possible.
2. Trying not to eat sugar or drink juice. Eating honey/maple syrup in moderation.
3. Eating plenty of fruit. I couldn’t hack it without fruit (and a little bit of dark chocolate).
4. Not drinking any Pineapple Orange Juliuses. Boo!

 

Print

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

10 mins

 

Ingredients

• 6 ounces pineapple orange juice concentrate (you can make the rest of the can into juice or save for later)
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon orange extract (optional)
• 2 tablespoons honey (use a light-colored honey if possible)

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients in your blender. Add ice to fill and blend until frothy. Serve immediately and enjoy!

3.1.09