lindsay's homemade oatmeal.

I've been meaning to blog about this recipe for months now, but the problem is that every time I make it, it's just slightly different. Kind of hard to write down a recipe that's always changing and all in my head...but here we go! I've been making a version of this homemade oatmeal for the last year now. Every Sunday night I will make a large pot of it and eat it for breakfast the next week. Wow...that just made me sound really boring! I do mix it up every once in a while...have some eggs, cereal...avocado on toast (for those of you who know my obsession with avocado)...but really, this is a staple at our house. 

The great thing about this recipe is how versatile it is. Really...the ingredients listed below are but mere suggestions. Feel free to add whatever "add-ins" you like from coconut, to dried fruit, to fresh fruit...even chocolate chips! Although I personally don't think I could stomach chocolate chips first thing in the morning...but to each their own. This recipe can be made and eaten immediately or reheated whenever you like. I generally keep it in a container in the fridge and scoop a bowlful for myself for breakfast. A splash of milk or water and a couple of minutes in the microwave and presto...instant oatmeal! 

One thing to keep in mind, this isn't your typical Quaker Instant Oatmeal, so don't expect it to taste like it. For starters, it's actually good for you! Depending on what you have on hand in your cupboards (and what your diet may be lacking) the sky's the limit! If you're looking to add a little fibre to your diet, some fresh fruit or a couple tablespoons of oat bran would be great. Adding a couple tablespoons of ground flax seed is a great source of antioxidants and Omega-3's. If you're trying to cut back on sugar, skip the brown sugar and maple syrup (although I must say it won't taste nearly as good!). Steel-cut oats are a slightly tougher, chewier oat and because they take longer for your body to digest, they keep you feeling fuller longer. Sorry for the spiel on nutrition, but eating this oatmeal for breakfast every morning just makes me feel slightly less guilty when a baguette and cheese becomes my dinner.

Oh...one last suggestion...buy your ingredients at a bulk store! Some grocery stores will package some of these ingredients in fancy containers with fancy labels and claim they are shipped from Ireland, but by buying everything at a bulk store, this recipe should cost you mere pennies!

Lindsay's Homemade Oatmeal

- (4) cups of water

- (1) cup of steel-cut oats

- (1) pinch of salt

- (1/4) tsp. cinnamon

- (1) cup of large flake oats (quick oats will work too)

- (1/2) cup of raisins, or any other dried or fresh fruit

- (1/8) cup of flax seeds, coconut, slivered almonds, etc. (optional)

- (2) tbsp. ground flax, oat bran, etc. (optional)

- (1) cup of milk 

- (2-3) tbsp. pure maple syrup, honey, agave, etc. (depending on how sweet you like it)

- (2-3) tbsp. brown sugar or another sweetener (again...depending on how sweet you like it)

To start, add 4 cups of water to a large pan along with 1 cup of steel-cut oats. Add a pinch of salt and cinnamon and bring to a boil over medium/high heat. 

Once the oats come to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Make sure you keep an eye on your oatmeal at this point, stirring occasionally and watching that it doesn't boil over. You will notice that a good portion of the liquid will evaporate, but while there is still a fair amount of liquid left in the pot, add in the large flake oats, the raisins (or whatever dried fruit you may be using), the flax seeds, and the ground flax seed. Stir to combine.

Just a side note that your body has a tough time processing flax seeds properly and you don't always get all the nutritional benefits from whole flax seeds. This is why ground flax seeds and flax seed oil are far more beneficial nutritionally, but I just like to add them for some texture.

 Stir in one cup of milk. This will give your oatmeal a creamy texture. Add in maple syrup and brown sugar (or whatever sweeteners you may or may not be using). Cook on low heat for another 10 minutes or so...again, stirring occasionally. You will start to see your oatmeal become a thick, creamy ooey gooey masterpiece!

And there you have it! Homemade oatmeal! Remove from heat and either serve immediately or let it cool and store in an air-tight container in the fridge.

 

homemade granola bars.

Soy lethicin, polyglycerol polyricinoleate, hydrogenated modified palm oil, sorbitol...BHT. Just a few of the ingredients in the Quaker granola bar I was eating just the other day. While my general opinion is "if you can't read it...you probably shouldn't eat it", it's almost impossible to avoid some of the additives and preservatives they put in food products these days. While it's very important to be aware of what you're eating and putting into your body, I believe it's all in moderation. There's no sense in worrying about the miniscule amounts of sorbitol in your granola bar...I'm pretty sure no one ever died from eating a Peanut Butter Dipps bar.

My moto...do what you can. Avoiding pre-packaged foods as much as possible is a good place to start. When you make things from scratch, you can control what goes into the food you're eating. Case in point...these delicious homemade granola bars! Quick, easy and...legible! This recipe is really just a mere suggestion. There's so many things you can do with this recipe...so many variations and flavours. Mixing in cocconut, pistashios, raisins, maple syrup...trying out different cereals...adding in butterscotch chips...peanut butter...anything goes! (within reason off course).


Homemade Granola Bars

- (1/2) cup of whole nuts - almonds, peanuts, walnuts, etc.
- (1/2) cups of chocolate chips or dried fruit, coarsely chopped (cranberries, cherries...)
- (1) cup of oatmeal of high fibre cereal (like Kashi GoLean)
- (1) cup of puffed rice cereal
- (1) tbsp butter
- (1/4) cup of brown sugar
- (1/3) cup of honey
- (1) tbsp vanilla extract
- (2) tbsp of wheat bran (optional)
- (1) pinch of salt


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare an 8x8-inch pan with oil, butter or non-stick cooking spray.

Arrange the nuts on a sheet pan and toast for 10 minutes or until fragrant. Allow them to cool and then give them a rough chop.

Combine the chopped nuts, chocolate or fruit, and cereals in a heat-proof bowl. Use your fingers to separate the fruit if it clumps together. Note that adding the chocolate chips at this point will cause them to melt completely and give your bars an overall chocolatey consistency. If you'd prefer to have the chips mantain their structure, you can try to add them right before baking, after the sugar mixture has been added and had a chance to slightly cool. They may still melt slightly throughout the bars.

Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F. Combine butter, brown sugar, and honey in a medium sauce pan and stir to moisten the brown sugar. Set over medium heat and bring to a boil, swirling the pan once or twice to make sure all the ingredients combine.

As soon as the sugar mixture comes to a full boil and the sugar is completely dissolved, remove from heat. This should take about 5 minutes.
Off the heat, stir in the vanilla, wheat bran (if you're adding it), and salt. Be careful because the sugar will bubble up. Immediately pour sugar syrup over the cereal mixture and use a heat-proof spatula to stir everything together. Make sure the nuts, chocolate or fruits, and cereals are evenly coated. Pour the cereal mixture into the pan and use the spatula or wet fingers to press the mixture into the pan as firmly as possible.

Bake 20 minutes for chewier bars or up to 30 minutes for crispier bars. Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan. Cut into approximately 8 to 10 bars, depending on the size your prefer, with a sharp knife.

 
I wrapped up all the bars individually in plastic wrap so they're good to go for a quick snack. The bars will keep for several weeks in an airtight container, or you can also freeze them and take them out as you need them.

Enjoy!

Lindsay