Oat Cakes and QuiltCon

Armed and ready for our first road trip, my mom had these delicious oat cakes ready to go.

Last week my mom, her friend Jenni, Harper, and I went to the 2015 QuiltCon in Austin, Texas. QuiltCon is the international show and conference of the Modern Quilt Guild. Basically there were lots of modern quilts, which was cool to see.

One quilt was even made out of Goodwill clothes. Care to guess how much they were asking for it? $12,000!!!! Talk about pure profit for that quilter!

Below are just a few of my favorites from the show. More info about QuiltCon HERE.

goodwill quilt — The Goodwill quilt. It was made out of clothes all purchased from Goodwill. The asking price was $12,000!

I recently got interested in quilting and am in the process of making Harper a baby quilt, so I thought it would be fun to tag along with my mom and Jenni. I’m still a rookie, but hope to be making lots of quilts soon!

Mom and Jenni take their quilt show road trips very seriously, especially when it comes to nice hotels. Every year when they go to the quilt show, they stay at the Four Seasons. Usually the quilt show is in Houston.

Harper was excited and said, “I don’t always spend the night in hotels, but when I do I make sure it’s really fancy!” lol. We ended up staying at The Four Seasons Austin, which was a really good decision. Not only does the hotel back up to miles of hiking trails along Lady Bird Lake, it was also just one block away from the Austin Convention Center which is where QuiltCon was. That was a life saver for me as it allowed me to go back to the hotel every 3 hours to feed Harper or let her take a nap.

four seasons — Mommy said no jumping on the bed!

Want to know the best part of the trip?? The food! Austin is is known for their outstanding restaurants and dining, and while we didn’t eat out, The Four Seasons had some amazing cuisine.

For dinner we dinned at Trio Restaurant. Unfortunately I didn’t get a picture, but I ordered the Purple Potato Gnocchi with caramelized broccoli, broccoli puree, manchego cheese. My mom got the Jumbo Lump Crab Cake with pickled peach, spicy mayo and house mustard atop salad greens. Jenni got the stuffed pork chop. To finish it off, we all ordered room service: cheesecake in a jar topped with fresh berries! All extremely delicious!

The next morning lived up and perhaps surpassed dinner’s menu. Harper was slow to rise, so I ordered the Bircher Swiss Muesli via room service. It was the best swiss oatmeal I’ve ever had! It had vanilla yogurt, oats, raisins, diced green apples, and grapes. Yum!

Mom and Jenni ate downstairs at Trio Restaurant again. Mom ordered the Egg White Frittata with spinach, goat cheese, and oven-dried tomatoes, while Jenni got the Trio of Pancakes: banana-blueberry, gingerbread, and oatmeal pecan.

Four Seasons Bircher Muesli — Four Seasons Austin Bircher Muesli

As I sit here drooling about the food I’m writing about, lets talk about these oat cakes. The best way I can describe them is as a cross between a muffin and scone. You cook the oat cakes in a muffin pan, but unlike a light and fluffy muffin, they are dense and thick like a scone.

Oats, whole wheat pastry flour, pure maple syrup, golden flaxseeds, and coconut oil make up the wholesome ingredients included, which make these great to snack on.

These oat cakes are nothing like anything you’ve ever had, but if you’re like me, you’ll love them! At first you may think you overcooked them because they are pretty dense… a lot like a hockey puck, lol. Don’t worry, they are just loaded with oats and made to taste this way. I seriously could eat one of these instead of a chocolate chip cookie every day.

Enjoy!

oat cakes

Oat Cakes

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 25 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Serves: 12

Adapted From: “Super Natural Every Day: Well-Loved Recipes from My Natural Foods Kitchen” by Heidi Swanson

Ingredients

3 cups / 10.5 oz / 300 g rolled oats
2 cups / 8 oz / 225 g whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 tsp. aluminum-free baking powder
2 tsp. fine-grain sea salt
1/4 cup/ 1.5 oz / 45 g golden flaxseeds
3/4 cup / 3 oz / 85 g chopped walnuts or pecans, lightly toasted
1/3 cup / 2.5 oz / 70 g extra-virgin coconut oil
1/3 cup / 3 oz / 85 g unsalted butter
3/4 cup / 180 ml maple syrup
2 large eggs

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F with a rack in the top third of the oven. Butter a standard 12-cup muffin pan. (You can also use a 24-cup mini muffin pan. Just shorten the bake time by 10 minutes).
Combine the oats, flour, baking powder, salt, flaxseeds, and walnuts in a large mixing bowl.
In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine the coconut oil, butter, and maple syrup, and slowly melt together. Stir just until the butter melts and sugar has dissolved, but don’t let the mixture get too hot. You don’t want it to cook the eggs on contact in the next step.
Pour the coconut oil mixture over the oat mixture. Stir a bit with a fork, add the eggs, and stir again until everything comes together into a wet dough. Spoon the dough into the muffin cups filling them completely.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the edges of each oat cake are deeply golden. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for a couple minutes. Then, run a knife around the edges of the cakes and tip them out onto a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

No Bake Lactation Bites

no bake lactation bites

Just like I said with my milk makin’ cookies recipe, you don’t have to be the mother of a newborn to enjoy these. Those lactation cookies and these no bake snack bites just have wholesome ingredients which promote lactation. Trust me, these won’t turn you into a milk producing cow! lol.

There’s actually a special word for these kinds of foods and it’s called galactagogues. “Galacta-what?” Galactagogues are substances that naturally promote breast milk production. They generally include herbs or foods that increase a mother’s supply. While you can take them as supplements or teas, you can also consume them as delicious cookies or snack bites!

So, what foods are considered to be galactagogues?

*whole grains, especially oats/oatmeal
dark leafy greens (kale, spinach, broccoli)
fennel
garlic
chickpeas
*nuts and seeds, especially almonds
ginger
papaya
spices like cumin seeds, anise seeds, fennel seeds, and turmeric
*brewer’s yeast

The foods listed above with an asterisk * are included in these yummy snack bites.

I actually have an almost identical snack bite recipe from a few years back, but they don’t have brewer’s yeast and there’s a little less honey. I like this recipe better. The extra bit of honey make the bites easy to roll into balls, and add a natural sweetness without refined sugar.

Enjoy!

no bake lactation bites

No Bake Lactation Bites

Prep time: 10 mins

Total time: 10 mins

Serves: 24

Ingredients

1 cup oats
1 cup coconut
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup golden ground flaxseed
1 Tbsp. brewer’s yeast
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Instructions

Mix all ingredients together and roll into 1 inch balls.
Store in the refrigerator.

Oatmeal Muffins

Wholesome. Chewy. Delicious. If you like oatmeal, you should love these muffins!

They really do taste like a bowl of oatmeal in muffin form. Filled with dried apricots, craisins and/or dates will add a nice bit of sweetness, but if you’re like Matt you might just want to eat them plain – sans the dried fruit.

Fun story: The first time I made these for Matt, he didn’t like them.

He took one bite and made a funny face and said “What’s in these?” I told him the ingredients and said they were “healthy” muffins, not the fat-filled, overly sugary cakey muffins you would normally expect.

He took another bite and LOVE them. I figured he would. Matt loves just about anything with oats in them!

I don’t want you to get discouraged… these muffins are really really good. However, you know that feeling you get when you bite into something expecting one thing and it’s actually something else? It throws you off!

Case in point… I love Perrier. One time I picked up a glass of water, thinking it was plain ole tap water. After taking a sip I discovered it was Perrier. I wasn’t expecting the fizziness from the sparkling water and it took me for surprise, in a bad way. The same thing happened with Matt and these muffins.

Enjoy your Saturday. Whip up a batch of these oatmeal muffins and let me know what you think!

Oatmeal Muffins
INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup uncooked regular oats
1/2 cup chopped dates (I used chopped dried apricots and dried cranberries)
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup milk
3 tbsp butter, melted
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Oats, optional

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly grease or line a muffin pan with paper-lined muffin cups.
2. Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl; make a well in the center of the mixture.
3. Stir together milk, butter, and egg; add to dry ingredients. Stir just until moistened.
4. Spoon batter into muffin pans, filling two-thirds full. Sprinkle with oats, if desired.
5. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from pans immediately.

Yield: 8 muffins
Recipe from: Southern Living Comfort Food: A Delicious Trip Down Memory Lane

Banana Oatmeal Bites

Bananas. Walnuts. Oats. Yep, that’s right; only three ingredients!

I love snack food. Probably my biggest weakness is snacking, almost to the point of ruining my dinner. You don’t have to feel bad about snacking on these banana oatmeal bites, though… they are super healthy.

Whipping up a batch of these healthy snack bites is quick and easy too. One bowl, one spoon, and one baking sheet is all you need.

Potassium from the bananas, healthy whole grains from the oats, protein and healthy fat from the nuts. What else could you ask for in a healthy snack bite!

Roll them into balls and place on a cookie sheet. The only hard part is waiting 10-15 minutes for them to bake. I’m getting hungry already!

Combination between a cookie, snack bite and banana bread. Soft, chewy, perfection! Thanks to Gina @ Skinnytaste for this recipe. I am seriously going to make these again.

Did I mention drizzling these with a touch of honey? Sooo good. Enjoy!

Banana Oatmeal Bites

INGREDIENTS
2 medium ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup uncooked quick oats
1/4 cup crushed walnuts or pecans

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. (I used a convection oven and thus set the temperature to 325 degrees F). Spray a non-stick cookie sheet with cooking spray or use a Silpat.
2. Combine the mashed bananas and oats in a bowl. Fold in the walnuts and place a tablespoons of each on the cookie sheet.
3. Bake for 12-15 minutes. (I baked the cookies for 10 minutes in the convection oven).

Yield: 12-16 cookies
Source: Gina at Skinnytaste

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Coconut Cookies

Perfect for any time of the year, the oatmeal in these cookies yield a tender bite and the coconut lends a a wonderful chewy texture.

My mom, sister and I made these cookies two weeks ago. As chocolate chip cookie fans, we’re always in the mood to try new cookie recipes, and this one from The SoNo Baking Company Cookbook did not disappoint. While yielding 2 dozen cookies, we managed to have leftovers, so I took some to my coworkers the next day.

I must tell you, my coworkers are “smart cookies”. The previous week I made Neiman Marcus chocolate chip cookies and portioned one cookie per person. Well, somehow I either mis-counted or someone ate two cookies, because one guy didn’t get his. I felt sorry for him and made him a half-dozen the next day. Well, the other coworkers learned from that, and when I brought these chocolate chip oatmeal cookies in, they all waited until the afternoon to eat their cookie. Why??? They were in hopes someone would eat the cookie meant for them, and then I would make another half-dozen. Clever!!!

Now for the specifics. Here are a few baking tips:

For crisper cookies, bake longer.
When adding mix-in elements like oats, chocolate chips, nuts or coconut to the dough, be sure to fold them in gently with a rubber spatula, rather than with a standing mixer.
- The force of the mixer can break these ingredients into smaller pieces, thus changing the overall desired texture of the cookie.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Coconut Cookies
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tsp. coarse salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
12 ounces best-quality semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats (not instant)

Directions
1. Set the oven in the middle position. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick silicone baking mats; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda; set aside.
3. In a bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and salt on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl halfway through. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.
4. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients, beating until the flour is absorbed. Gently fold in the chocolate chips and shredded coconut with a rubber scraper. Gently fold in the oats.
5. Use a 1/4 cup (2 inch wide) ice cream scoop to scoop out the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, placing the scoops about 2 inches apart.
6. Bake one sheet at a time, rotating the sheet about two-thirds of the way through the baking time, until the cookies are set and browned on the edges but still very soft in the center, 15-18 minutes.
7. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Use a spatula to transfer the cookies to the rack and let cool completely.

Yield: 18 large cookies
Recipe from: The SoNo Baking Company Cookbook

Banana Protein Pancakes

Here’s another healthy breakfast recipe that you must try. Again, they are from Peanut Butter Fingers blog, and they’re a big-time winner! These pancakes are nearly identical to the healthy protein pancakes I’ve made before. The only difference…. these have a mashed banana, which I am a huge fan of!

As far as nutrition, this recipe is just about as healthy as you can get! Great for diabetics, like my uncle Bobby, these have no added sugar. Rolled oats provide for a source of whole grains, egg whites are 0g of fat & 17 calories each, cottage cheese packs 15g of protein per 1/2 cup serving, and the banana is your source of fruit!

I like to top these pancakes with 2 teaspoons of pure maple syrup, which from my calculations, is only 35 calories. Finish them off with a handful of raspberries, and you’ve got a colorful, delicious and extremely healthy breakfast.

Enjoy!

Blend all ingredients in blender until batter is smooth.

Pour batter into warm pan and cook for 3 minutes, or until edges start to harden.

Flip and cook for 2 more minutes.

Serve, warm.

Drizzle with 2 teaspoons of maple syrup and a handful of raspberries.

Banana Protein Pancakes

Ingredients

1 cup old fashioned oats

1 small banana, mashed

1/2 cup cottage cheese

2 egg whites

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Directions

1. Spray pan with cooking spray and heat to medium heat.

2. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and blend with an immersion blender (or blend in a food processor) until batter is thick, relatively smooth and all ingredients are fully mixed.

3. Pour batter onto warm pan to form six medium-sized pancakes.

4. Allow to cook until edges start to harden, about 3 minutes. Flip pancakes and cook for approximately 2 more minutes.

5. Top with 2 teaspoons of pure maple syrup and a handful of raspberries and enjoy.

Yield: 1-2 servings, depending on how much you eat!

Recipe from: Peanut Butter Fingers

Homemade Granola Bars

Earlier this week, my sister made these healthy homemade granola bars for her and her fiancé. I have not had the chance to bake these bars yet, but I have full intentions of doing so this weekend.

My sister said these granola bars were delicious. The rolled oats, whole wheat flour, and wheat germ make them healthy, while the brown sugar, honey, and chocolate & peanut butter chips make them sweet. What an excellent snack I look forward to eating soon!

Homemade Granola Bars

Ingredients

2 cups rolled oats

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup chocolate chips (can substitute dried fruits for the chocolate and peanut butter chips)

1/2 cup peanut butter chips

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup wheat germ

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup canola oil

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.

2. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix together the wet ingredients. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and mix well (it’s easiest to just use your hands). Pat the mixture out into the foil-lined pan.

3. Bake for about 15-20 minutes if you want chewy granola bars or for 20-25 minutes for crunchy granola bars. When the edges start to brown, remove from the oven and let cool for a couple of minutes. Use a pizza roller to slice bars. Finish cooling completely before removing from the pan or they will break apart.

Recipe from Buns in My Oven

No-Bake Energy Bites

I love Pinterest, and recently discovered a recipe for these no-bake energy bites that I just had to try! Loaded with protein (from the peanut butter), Omega-3 fatty acids (from the ground flaxseed), whole grains (from the oats), and energy & immunity boosting benefits (from honey), these no-bake energy bites are the perfect “pick-me-up” afternoon snack!

I am a huge fan of granola bars as snacks, but with all the processed ingredients, preservatives, and sugar, they probably aren’t as healthy as they seem! They good thing about these energy bites is that they are all-natural, contain ingredients you should have in your pantry, and can be customized to your liking. If you want to leave out the chocolate chips, substitute dried fruit instead. If you like almond butter, substitute it for peanut butter. Want more of a “crunch”? Add pecans, almonds, or walnuts.

Let me know your thoughts. Enjoy!

This recipe is so easy, so I only have a few pictures! Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl until thoroughly incorporated. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Roll into balls and eat!

No-Bake Energy Bites
Ingredients
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup peanut butter (or other nut butter)
1/3 cup honey
1 cup coconut flakes
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (I used half butterscotch chips and half white chocolate chips)
1 tsp vanilla

Directions
1. Mix everything above in a medium bowl until thoroughly incorporated. Let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour.
2. Once chilled, roll into balls and enjoy! Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Yield: 18-20 bites
Recipe from: Smashed Peas & Carrots

Healthy Protein Pancakes

My sister found an amazing recipe for pancakes in a recent women’s fitness magazine, and you would never know that they were considered healthy! With only five low-fat ingredients, these pancakes provide a punch of protein from the cottage cheese and egg whites. Cottage cheese contains 12 grams of protein from a 3.5-ounce single serving, and 1 egg white contains 3.6 grams of protein…wow! In addition, the old-fashioned oats take the place of enriched flour, and the ground cinnamon adds a sweetness and delicious flavoring to these great pancakes.

Trust me, it won’t taste like you’re eating healthy, but your body will truly appreciate it. These pancakes are so good that my mom said she will make them for my dad next time we eat breakfast. “He’ll never know the difference….they taste just like a regular pancake mix,” she quotes.

Enjoy!

Healthy Protein Pancakes

Ingredients

1/3 cup oats

1/3 cup cottage cheese

1/3 cup egg whites

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Directions

1. Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.

2. Spray griddle pan with nonstick cooking spray.

3. Pour batter onto hot griddle. Flip when bubbles start to form. Pancakes should be golden brown.

Yield: 4 medium-sized pancakes

Peanut Butter Oat Chippers

Here’s another cookie recipe we stumbled across called Peanut Butter Oat Chippers. As you know, my family and I LOVE cookies, and we LOVE trying new cookie recipes. If you like peanut butter and chocolate, these “golf ball” sized cookies will be a wonderful treat for you to try. My sister and I both made these this week. She gave hers to the Oklahoma State cross country team after their race, and they devoured them. I took mine to work and they had “disappeared” by 11:00 am!

This recipe comes from Linda J. Amendt’s “400 Sensational Cookies” cookbook. Enjoy!!

Cream together butter, peanut butter, and sugars, until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Then beat in vanilla.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

On low speed, gradually beat in the flour mixture.

Gradually stir in oats.

By hand, fold in chocolate and peanut butter chips.

Using a cookie scoop, drop tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 12 minutes, or until edges start to turn lightly golden. Slide parchment paper on cooling rack to cool. After 5 minutes, transfer cookies from parchment paper to cooing rack and cool completely.

Serve with a glass of cold milk.

Peanut Butter Oat Chippers
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup chunky peanut butter
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
1 1/2 cups chopped semisweet chocolate or semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups peanut butter chips

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt until well combined. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Scrape down sides of bowl. On low speed or using wooden spoon, gradually add flour mixture, beating until just blended. Gradually stir in oats. By hand, fold in chocolate and peanut butter chips.
4. Using a cookie scoop or spoons, drop tablespoonfuls (15 mL) of dough about 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. Bake one sheet at a time in preheated oven for 12 minutes or until edges start to turn lightly golden.
5. Immediately slide parchment paper onto a wire cooling rack. Cool cookies for 5 minutes, then transfer from parchment paper to cooking rack and cool completely.

Makes about 5 dozen cookies