oats – Oven Love

Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal with Cream Cheese Topping (Gluten-Free, Refined Sugar Free, Dairy-Free Option)

Natalie — Fri, 07 Feb 2014 19:11:36 +0000

I have had this idea in my head for so long. Carrot cake baked oatmeal… carrot cake baked oatmeal.. I just couldn’t shake it! I typically make this simple baked oatmeal and we just switch up our toppings, but it was high time I got to experimenting with the recipe.

Before we move on, can we just say “Hello, gorgeous!” to that pour shot up there? I actually had a spare minute to get out my tripod, only to realize it wasn’t really working properly.. but somehow I got a pour shot in the midst of it all. I’m a happy food blogger today!

Food blogging is a funny thing. There’s so much that goes into each post that you guys don’t see! I’d invite you to come hang out with me here for a day to see what goes on, but I never actually know what day I’ll be working on “blog stuff.”

Take this oatmeal for instance.

The idea popped into my head months ago. I wrote it down while I was brainstorming blog ideas back in January. I finally got around to making it earlier this week. I waited until mid-day to make it so that I’d be able to photograph it in the afternoon light.. so we didn’t actually eat it for breakfast that day. I waited until the little one took her nap and the big one started his quiet time to start shooting.

I pulled our coffee table over by the window with the best light, grabbed all the toppings and tiny dishes and utensils and set up my shot. I fumbled with the tripod for a while, gave up, got my shots. I hooked up the camera to download and ate one of the servings of oatmeal from the shot. Then I started to clean up.. and ate the other one, ha! (Because, you know, one for me and one for baby. Totally logical.) I looked through the pictures quickly, then I didn’t actually get around to editing them or writing this post until a few days later. Now here we are!

Sometimes the process isn’t drawn out like that, but there’s usually something around here that gets in the way of productivity. Usually my own laziness.. or lack of natural light.

Anyways, loves, this oatmeal is top notch. I’m so happy to share it with you, even if it took months for me to do it.

It’s not complicated to replicate that classic carrot cake taste. The big players are (of course) carrots, cinnamon, nutmeg if you’re feeling funky, raisins, walnuts and coconut, if you’re into it. I will say right now that I am not into pineapple in my carrot cake.. I think adding pineapple makes it more like hummingbird cake (which is also delicious, but is not carrot cake).

But let’s not forget the most important part- the cream cheese. Oh, you have got to have the cream cheese. The cream cheese makes it perfect. (Unless you are dairy-free, but you can top it with this delicious cashew cream instead!) I didn’t want to slather it with frosting (I mean, I did.. but it IS supposed to be breakfast, people), so I spun up an easy cream cheese topping in the blender and it was the best idea EVER, no joke.

You guys, this cream cheese topping.. it just kills it. The picture below explains perfectly. On the left side, you’ll see an appropriate amount of the cream cheese drizzle and toppings. On the right, the obscene amount I drowned my portion with after I took a bite. Then I took another bite and thought, “WHAT THE WHAT?! This stuff is insane!”

Maybe I’m over-reacting about oatmeal? But really, I’m obsessed. Don’t wait too long to try this one!

P.S. You can make right away, the night before, or days ahead. You can also cut into squares and freeze for later!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal with Cream Cheese Topping

Author: Oven Love

Recipe type: Breakfast, Brunch

Serves: 9

Ingredients

2 eggs, room temperature
¼ cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
¼ cup melted coconut oil or grass-fed butter
½ cup applesauce (you can substitute carrot puree for extra carrot flavor)
2 medium carrots, grated (you can add more if you like)
1¼ cup milk, dairy or non-dairy
3 cups oats, gluten-free if necessary
½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
¼ cup raisins
¼ cup shredded coconut
For the cream cheese topping: 4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
¼ cup milk, room temperature (you may need a little more if you want the sauce thinner)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1-2 tablespoons raw honey or maple syrup
extras for serving- walnuts, raisins, shredded coconut or coconut chips, maple syrup

Instructions

Coat an 8×8 or 2 quart baking dish with butter or coconut oil.
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, maple syrup, baking powder, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, melted butter/coconut oil, applesauce and milk. Fold the oats, carrots nuts, raisins and coconut and combine well. Transfer the oat mixture into the baking dish and spread evenly around.
To bake right away: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Let oat mixture sit and soak for 20-30 minutes at room temperature while the oven is preheating. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until oatmeal is set and edges are brown.
To bake later in the day or the next morning: Cover your dish tightly with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic directly on top of the oat mixture. Refrigerate overnight. In the morning, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Unwrap oatmeal and place in oven. Bake for 30 minutes or until oatmeal is set and edges are brown.
To make the cream cheese topping, combine the cream cheese, milk, honey and vanilla in a blender. Blend until smooth and creamy.
Serve hot with: cream cheese topping, maple syrup, raisins, walnuts and coconut.

Overnight Oatmeal: 5 Ways

Natalie — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 11:35:08 +0000

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?

Banana No-Bake Cookies (No Refined Sugar)

Natalie — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 17:30:00 +0000

I’ve got another sugarless baking experiment for you today, imaginary internet pal!

I know you’ve been there- middle of the afternoon, no snacks handy, craving hits.. and you think to yourself, “how can I make myself a treat before the kids wake up??”

I immediately thought of no-bake cookies (and also thought I was some kind of genius for coming up with that.. DUH, Natalie.). The banana takes the place of refined sugar in this recipe. If you’re not into the whole sweeten-stuff-with-bananas thing, this recipe isn’t for you. The banana isn’t overpowering, but you can taste it in there.

I was a fan, husband was a fan, toddler was a fan. They tasted plenty sweet to us without the sugar, but that could be because we aren’t eating any real sugar and our taste buds have changed. I had a little cookie-fruit-pizza-bite-thingy yesterday morning at MOPS (you’ve been on Pinterest, you know what I’m talking about) and it tasted SO SWEET. A month ago, I would have downed a handful of them and started looking for something else. Hooray for detoxing!

If you’re looking for a quick and refined-sugar free cookie, give this one a try. But it’s okay if you don’t- I know my girl Marianne will (this post is really just for her anyways). Better get crackin’- nap time is almost over..

Banana No-Bake Cookies (No Refined Sugar)

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

60 mins

Total time

1 hour 5 mins

adapted from Back to Her Roots

Author: Oven Love

Ingredients

1 medium banana, cut into chunks
½ cup chocolate chips/chunks
3 tablespoons nut butter (I used PB)
1 tablespoon chia seeds
3 tablespoons milk
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 to 1½ cups rolled oats (gluten-free if necessary)

Instructions

In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine banana chunks, chocolate chips, nut butter, chia seeds, milk and salt. Heat for 2-3 minutes or until just beginning to bubble.
Using a fork, mash the bananas in chocolate mixture until smooth. Bring mixture to a boil and boil for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat, add in vanilla.
Stir in 1 cup oats until well-coated. If the mixture seems a bit runny, add up to ½ cup more oats until the mixture is scoop-able.
Spoon rounded tablespoonfuls onto waxed paper and let cool in the fridge or freezer until firm. Enjoy the cookies right away or keep refrigerated.

Sunflower Sesame Granola Bars

Natalie — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 18:35:00 +0000

That old Quaker and his granola bars got nothin’ on these.

For. Reals!

Sunflower and sesame might sound like a crazy combination of flavors, but I swear.. these bars are addicting! I came across a very forgiving formula for chewy granola bars and proceeded to raid my fridge and cabinets for ingredients straight away. (I had no plan, as usual.)

I’m glad to say these are a huge improvement on my last granola bar effort. They only have natural sweeteners (honey and barley malt syrup) and they actually stay together, instead of crumbling the minute you remove them from the fridge.

I wasn’t sure the miniature food critic in the house would like the flavor combo, but he gobbled them up every day of the week. I cut them up into tiny squares for him so he could grab and go and he was all over that- kid doesn’t slow down for anything (but the iPad.. umm, quit it with all the new kid-luring technology, Apple!).

These would be a solid post-workout snack, too- when cut up, they actually remind me of those little marathon squares they sell in the bulk food section at Whole Foods.

These bars have a kind of roasty/toasty taste to them and aren’t sickly sweet. If you’re into that, just use chocolate instead of dried fruit- that’ll give you a proper sugar rush. I prefer the little pops of sweetness from the dates and figs. (Who knew about dried figs and didn’t tell me?? They are so good! My childhood self would be stunned at the thought- remind me to tell you my Fig Newton story another time.)

Blogging has turned me into a crazy, dried fig-loving, granola bar mastermind.

Who knows what will come out of the oven next.

Homemade Fig Newtons, I’m coming for you!

Sunflower Sesame Granola Bars

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

60 mins

Total time

1 hour 20 mins

based on a basic granola bar formula from Good Life Eats (by way of Brown Eyed Baker)

Author: Oven Love

Ingredients

⅓ cup honey
¼ cup barley malt syrup (gives it a ‘toastier’ flavor, but more honey is a fine substitute)
¾ cup sunflower seed butter
¼ cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon sea salt
⅔ cup almonds, chopped
3 tablespoons sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2½ cups old-fashioned or thick-cut rolled oats
⅓ cup dried pitted dates, diced
⅓ cup dried figs, diced with stems removed
⅓ cup raisins

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Prepare an 8×8 pan with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together honey, barley malt syrup, sunflower seed butter, tahini paste, cinnamon and sea salt until combined. Fold in chopped nuts and oats, followed by the dried fruit until all is well combined.
Spread the mixture into the pan with a spatula or your fingers. Make sure it press it firmly into the pan so the bars don’t crumble after they are baked.
Bake at 325 for 25 minutes or until the edges begin to brown. Remove from the oven and let cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes. When the pan is cool to the touch, move to the freezer or refrigerator for 1 hour, or until firm. Cut into bars with a very sharp knife (I cut 16 bars). Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Frozen Banana Pops on MPMK

Natalie — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 17:18:00 +0000

Come on over to MPMK today for some fun frozen treats!

Some of them are even healthy enough to eat for breakfast.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Chia Bites

Natalie — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:51:00 +0000

If you spend any time on these vast internets searching for recipes (which you probably do since you’re reading this blog), you may have noticed the trend in bite-sized snacks. There are the sweeter types like cake balls/cake pops and cookie dough balls as well as healthier versions like raw energy balls. I’ve been wanting to create my own version for quite a while, and I finally got around to experimenting.

My version has the typical granola bar-type ingredients- oats, peanut butter, honey and chocolate chips- but also includes something a little different.

Have you heard of chia seeds?

I know you’ve at least heard of Chia Pets, so let’s start there. Yes, chia seeds are the same seeds that sprout like magic on those crazy old planters. But what you might not know is that they are the latest trendy ingredient in the health food world. The seeds are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, full of fiber and contain a variety of essential minerals. They are comparable to flax or sesame seeds and are especially popular in the world of gluten-free baking (you can make a slurry of chia seeds and water that acts as an egg replacer).

The folks at Bob’s Red Mill just started carrying chia seeds and were kind enough to send me some to experiment with. I tried two variations of these energy bites- the recipe you see here and a second version using dates and coconut as the base (similar to a Larabar). The coconut version did not set up as well as I’d hoped and didn’t taste nearly as delicious as these bites do. I really love the way this recipe turned out.

I hope you’ll give these little bites a try. They have just the right amount of sweetness to be considered a treat and enough healthy ingredients to make you feel good about eating them. I would especially recommend them for pregnant, nursing or just plain busy mamas- they give you a great boost of energy and will satisfy your hunger on the craziest of days. Enjoy!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Chia Bites

Prep time

1 hour

Cook time

1 min

Total time

1 hour 1 min

Author: Oven Love

Recipe type: Snack

Serves: 48

Ingredients

4 cups rolled oats (gluten-free if necessary)
1 cup honey
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup chocolate chips
¼ cup Bob’s Red Mill Chia Seeds

Instructions

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Let chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or more. Remove them from the fridge, use a small cookie scoop to create uniform portions and roll into balls. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Makes about 4 dozen bites.

Make Ahead Baked Oatmeal

Natalie — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:35:00 +0000

Baked oatmeal is a great way to start your morning.

I just ate this beautiful breakfast and the day is already off to a great start. Growing up in Central PA, baked oatmeal was always one of my favorite treats to have when we went out for breakfast. Every little diner and family restaurant has their own version, usually rotating with different types of fruit each day. I’ve been thinking about baked oatmeal a lot lately during these cooler months in Georgia and finally got around to making it for my MOPS group yesterday. I was glad to have made a giant batch so there was a piece or two left to photograph and share with you.

If you’ve never had baked oatmeal, you might describe this as oatmeal breakfast casserole or something similar. Not only is baked oatmeal delicious, relatively healthy and easy to customize, this recipe gets extra points for being flexible. You can make right away if you’re having a craving or you can put it together the night before for company or to have a weeks’ worth of easy family breakfasts on hand.

Back home, baked oatmeal is usually served hot with milk or cream, brown sugar and some type of fruit (usually sliced bananas or raisins at my favorite spots). I like to serve mine with milk, berries and the occasional drizzle of maple syrup. It’s also tasty in cold squares cut from the fridge.

This recipe is a basic starting point- get as creative as you want with it! I am already dreaming up seasonal variations with different fruit purees and chopped fruits. I think you’ll enjoy starting your days of with full, happy tummies.

*Note- I do think this recipe would freeze well fully baked, but I haven’t tested it personally. I will report back when I do.

Make Ahead Baked Oatmeal

Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

1 hour

adapted from Simple Bites- http://www.simplebites.net/eat-well-spend-less-back-to-school-breakfast-recipe-baked-oatmeal/?doing_wp_cron=1326939454

Author: Oven Love

Recipe type: Breakfast

Serves: 8

Ingredients

2 large eggs
¼ cup maple syrup, honey or agave nectar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup salted butter or coconut oil, melted
½ cup applesauce or other fruit puree (I’m thinking about trying pumpkin, pear, and others)
1 small apple, finely grated
1¼ cups milk (non-dairy, if necessary)
3 cups old-fashioned oats (gluten-free, if necessary)
¼-1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
¼-1/2 cup dried fruit or chopped fresh fruit (optional)
cream, half-and-half or milk, for serving
chopped fresh fruit, for serving
brown sugar or maple syrup, for serving

Instructions

Coat an 8×8 or 2 quart baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
In a large bowl, whisk together all ingredients, except the oats and nuts/fruit (if using). Fold in oats and nuts/fruit (if using) and combine well. Transfer the oat mixture into the baking dish and spread evenly around.
To bake right away: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Let oat mixture sit and soak for 20-30 minutes at room temperature while the oven is preheating. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until oatmeal is set and edges are brown.
To bake later in the day or the next morning: Cover your dish tightly with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic directly on top of the oat mixture. Refrigerate overnight. In the morning, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Unwrap oatmeal and place in oven. Bake for 30 minutes or until oatmeal is set and edges are brown.
Serve hot with: cream, half-and-half or milk; fresh chopped fruit; and brown sugar or maple syrup.

Maple Syrup Scones

Natalie — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 13:58:00 +0000

I have two sweet treats to end up our month of brunching- Maple Sugar Scones today and Cinnamon Sugar Baked Doughnuts tomorrow. Perfect brunch fare, and both inspired by Heidi at 101 Cookbooks. She and I are totally on the same wavelength!

I’ve made maple pecan scones before, which were great, but I was looking for something a little healthier this time. The original scones were made with white flour, white sugar and maple extract. These are made with whole wheat pastry flour and pure maple syrup as the only sweetener.

Honestly, I didn’t miss the white flour or the white sugar. I loved the taste of the real maple sugar and the crunch of that natural turbinado sugar on top. These are perfect with a little sweet cream butter spread on top while they’re still warm. These would work for a nice ladies’ lunch, snack or tea time, too. Yum, yum, yum.

These went very quickly in our house. If you have more than two people, I would suggest doubling the recipe. You can also make an extra batch, shape them, freeze them (before you add the egg wash and sugar) and then pop them in the oven straight from the freezer if you really want scones in a hurry.

So good!

Maple Syrup Scones

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

35 mins

only slightly adapted from 101 Cookbooks- http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/maple-syrup-scones-recipe.html

Author: Oven Love

Recipe type: Breakfast

Serves: 9

Ingredients

¼ cup real, good quality maple syrup
6 tablespoons milk or cream (I used half milk and half cream)
2¼ cups whole wheat pastry flour (sub all-purpose or half white/half wheat if you can’t find it)
½ cup rolled oats
1½ tablespoons baking powder
½ teaspoon fine grain salt
11 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes
1 egg, lightly beaten
large-grain sugar (for example: turbinado) for sprinkling

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400F degrees, rack in the top ⅓. Line one baking sheet with parchment paper.
Whisk together the maple syrup and milk in a small cup, and set aside. Combine the flour, oats, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Using a food processor, cut the butter into the flour mixture, pulsing until it resembles little pebbles in a beach of sandy flour (about 20 quick pulses). You can also cut the butter into the flour using a knife and fork, or smushing it through your thumb and fingertips. Now add the maple syrup milk. Pulse (or mix) until the dough just comes together – don’t over mix. If the batter is too dry add more cream a bit at a time -you want it to hold together w/o being crumbly.
Turn out onto a floured surface, kneed once or twice, just enough to bring the dough together. Now arrange the dough into a 1-inch thick rectangle. Trim the edges and slice the dough into nine equal-sized squares. Arrange the scones next to one another on the prepared baking sheet – ¼-inch distance between each of them. Brush generously with the egg wash and sprinkle with the large-grain sugar. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden along the bottom and tops.

Fruit and Nut Granola

Natalie — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 14:56:00 +0000

This post is long overdue.

I am a granola person. It’s just how I roll. Not only that, but I’m a picky granola person. I like my granola just so. And maybe that’s why I’ve waited so long to make it for myself. I wouldn’t want to force down a batch of bad granola.. yuck.

This granola is my jam!

I’ll eat granola in just about any way- alone, with milk, with yogurt, in a banana wrap (we’ve discussed these, no?), in a cupcake (comment if you want me to post that recipe!), whatevs. I love it. My baby is super jealous of my granola-eating because it’s one of the things he just can’t have yet- it’s full of deliciously nutty nuts, chewy (chokeable) fruit and crunchy oats. Certainly not baby-friendly, but definitely mommy-friendly.

I like this particular recipe for its heathfulness. It uses applesauce and honey for sweetness and is just swimming with flax seeds, nuts and fruit. I can’t wait to make another batch and try out other flavor combinations. I’m thinking chocolate coconut.. or something with macadamia nut.. yum.

If you make your own granola, does that officially make you ‘Granola?’

I think it probably does.

I’m unofficially crunchy, officially granola.

Officially.

Fruit and Nut Granola

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

50 mins

Total time

1 hour

adapted Chocolate and Carrots (http://chocolateandcarrots.com/2011/01/homemade-granola) and Gourmande in the Kitchen (http://gourmandeinthekitchen.com/?p=953)

Author: Oven Love

Recipe type: Breakfast

Serves: 8

Ingredients

2½ cups old-fashioned oats
2½ cups quick cooking oats
1½ cups puffed rice cereal (wheat works, too)
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup natural unsweetened apple sauce (I made my own here by simmering a peeled, chopped apple in an inch of water until soft, draining the apples and then pureeing until smooth)
½ cup honey
½ cup light brown sugar or maple syrup
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2½ cups chopped raw mixed nuts (by “mixed,” I just mean a variety. I used a mix of cashews, almonds, pecans and walnuts)
½ cup flaxseeds (this is a lot of flaxseeds! if you’re not used to them, reduce by half or more)
2 cups dried fruit (I used a mix of black raisins, golden raisins and dried cranberries)

Instructions

Place two oven racks on the top and bottom ⅓ of the oven.
Preheat the oven to 300°.
Set aside two baking sheets with sides lined with a silpat liner, parchment paper or aluminum foil.
In a large bowl, combine both oats, puffed wheat, cinnamon and salt.
In a separate bowl, combine the apple sauce, honey, brown sugar or maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla extract.
Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
Pour the granola on the baking sheets, splitting evenly between the two baking sheets.
With your hand, squeeze or pinch the oats together into small/medium clumps leaving space on the baking sheet between the clumps.
Place the baking sheets in the oven for 20 minutes (one on the top, one on the bottom).
While that is in the oven, chop your nuts and combine them in a bowl and set aside.
With a large spatula flip over the granola and add the nuts to the baking sheet.
Bake for another 20-30 minutes, until completely dry and golden brown. (The dry part is important! You don’t want soggy granola- it won’t store well or last long.)
Let the granola cool completely on the baking sheets.
Once cool, add in the dried fruit.
Store in airtight containers (I recommend glass, like large mason jars) and enjoy.