Apple Cherry Oatmeal Breakfast Bake

Summertime offers the opportunity to enjoy fresh fruits and veggies not in season at other times.  Cherries are one of my favorite fruits, and they are packed with phytonutrients.  My sister-in-law makes a similar dish which inspired the one I made this morning....

Ingredients:

3 cups organic rolled oats

2 red apples (washed and diced - not peeled)

1 cup fresh cherries chopped

1 tsp cinnamon

4 cups filtered water

I simply placed the oats into a 2 quart square baking dish (that had a lid).  I poured the water over it, added the cherries and apples, and sprinkled the cinnamon over the top.  I covered it with the lid and baked it at 350 for 45 minutes.

When I served it, I poured almond milk and a little bit of honey over the top.  It only took 30 minutes for me to turn around and see the pan completely empty.  We all enjoyed it and will definitely be making this one of our breakfast summertime staples.  

After tasting the dish, I thought about using peaches as the fruit and doubling the amount (probably 4-5 cups) to make a healthier cobbler. I would add some raw sugar to the oats.

Homemade Granola

Ingredients:

7 cups of whole oats

1 cup flax seed meal

1 cup almonds

1 cup walnuts

1 cup pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup sesame seeds

1 1/2 cups honey

1/2 cup melted coconut oil

2 cups dried fruit (I used cranberries this time.)

1 tsp cinnamon (optional)

Put almonds, walnuts, and pumpkin seeds in the food processor and pulse until they are chopped to the consistency that you like.  (You can use whatever nuts you like best or whatever you have on hand at the time!) Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl and stir well.

Combine honey and coconut oil in a pan.  Heat on the stove until coconut oil is melted, and it is combined with the honey.  Pour the mixture over the dry ingredients and combine until the mixture is coated.  You may need to use your hands to combine it well.

Spread it evenly in a baking pan.  Bake on 325 for 15 minutes.  Then stir it well on the pan.  Continue to bake for 5 minutes at a time and stir well until granola is dry and slightly toasted.  Be sure to watch it well as it can easily get too brown.  Store in an airtight container.  This recipe will easily freeze for use whenever you are ready!

Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients:
4 cups freshly ground flour
1/2 cup ground flax seeds
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp Celtic sea salt
2 1/2 cups almond milk
1/2 cup coconut or canola oil
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 - 1 cup raw sugar or honey
2 eggs or egg substitute
1 1/2 cup blueberries

Combine dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients. Stir just until all ingredients are well combined. (When using coconut oil, melt in a pan, then add with the wet ingredients.) If you do not have flax seeds or flax seed meal on hand, substitute it with 1/2 cup flour.  Bake at 350 for approximately 15 minutes.  This recipe will make 24 regular muffins.  Take them to a brunch, to your new neighbors, to a mom who has just given birth, etc!  They will freeze well.

1/4 cup of blueberries have 15 grams of fiber and are loaded with antioxidants!  The whole grains from the flour and flax have fiber as well!

Healthy Homemade Granola

Ingredients:
6 cups whole rolled oats
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup ground flax seeds
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup raw honey
1/3 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup water
1 T. vanilla
1 cup "add ins" such as dried fruit, carob chips, etc.

Combine all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl (except for add ins). In a pot combine honey, oil, and water. Heat on low until mixed together.




Pour liquid mixture over dry mixture. Stir until dry mixture is wet.


Pour mixture onto 2 baking sheets and spread evenly on pans. Bake at 350 until oats are crunchy. Stir mixture every 10-15 minutes.  Remove from the oven when crisp and pour into an airtight container.  Add additional items to suit your taste.  I added dried cranberries this time.  Leave the lid off and continue to stir every 15 minutes until granola is cool.  Cover with the lid and store!

Whole Grain Biscuits

This morning we had biscuits with Jim Mogridge's Mom's homemade blackberry jelly. YUM!

Ingredients:
5 cups freshly ground hard red wheat
2 T baking powder
1 t. salt
2 cups almond milk
1/2 cup canola oil
3 t. Xanthan Gum

Mix dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Combine almond milk and oil in an enclosed container and shake. Pour liquid mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir just until combined. Fold onto a floured surface and roll to a 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with a round glass or cookie cutter.

Place biscuits (touching each other) on a greased pan or on a pan lined with baking paper. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. Makes about 2 dozen 2 1/2 inch biscuits.

*Xanthan gum is made from the outer layer of a tiny inactive bacterium called xanthomonas campestris. It is a great all purpose thickener. It holds small particles of food together. It is an ideal substitute for gluten.

Whole grain flour has a much lower content of gluten. It actually contains all the nutrient rich parts of the grain whereas white flour is basically the gluten left after the "good stuff" is sifted out.

PS- White flour (and white sugar) depresses the immune system.  It actually sends out a trigger that your body has something in it that needs to be fought.  I cannot stress enough to make the things you eat with white flour an occasional treat (and one your REALLY enjoy) and not a daily or weekly occurrence.  70% of your immune system is locate in your "gut", so you want the things you eat to promote life and health in your body and not trigger your immune system to fight.  When this happens your body has less energy to fight the real invaders that come.

Basic Muffin Recipe

Ingredients:
2 cups almond milk
2 1/2 cups freshly ground soft white wheat grain
1/2 cup flax seed meal
1/2 cup oatmeal
1 tsp. baking soda
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 cup sucanat
2-3 mashed ripe bananas
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Place all dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl and stir well. Add the milk, nuts, and bananas. Stir just until moistened.

**You can add dried fruit, fresh blueberries, or even carob chips! We have served them with homemade chocolate icing as dessert. Get creative and come up with your own combination!

Pour into a muffin tin that has been well greased with oil. I use safflower which is a high heat oil. Makes about 18 muffins.

Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes.

This recipe has no oil, eggs, or dairy. I keep boxed almond milk in the cabinet to always have on hand. This recipe works great for days when we are low on refrigerated items. You can freeze your bananas that are turning brown, and you will always have them on hand. Just put them in the fridge to thaw over night. These muffins freeze well.

Thanks Anna Kathryn for asking for this recipe!

Local Summer Breakfast Burrito!

I opened the refrigerator this morning to make breakfast and decided to just take what I had leftover and make a burrito.  Many of the veggies came from our local Farmer's Market in Oxford, MS.

Summer Breakfast Burrito
1/4 cup local white onions
1/4 cup corn from the Farmer's Market
1/4 cup local tomatoes
1/2 cup spaghetti squash from my neighbor's garden
1 small clove of local garlic minced
1/4 cup local farmer's cheese
Dash of pepper
2 local eggs

I sauteed the vegetables & garlic until tender and most of the juice had evaporated.  Then I added the eggs and scrambled them together with the veggies.  At the end I sprinkled the cheese on top after I had turned the stove off.  Finally, I put it inside the whole grain tortillas.  It made enough for 2 servings.

I served it with local peaches and blueberries I got yesterday at Cherry Creek Orchards in Pontotoc, MS. They were a hit, and I was able to just use the leftovers of what I had in the refrigerator.  There are LOTS of great combinations you can use and stick in a tortilla.  Try your hand at finding your favorite combinations!