Better fitness is one of my goals for the new year, so I was excited to find this yummy recipe in Shape Magazine for low-cal, high protein, whole grain pancakes. I think it’s a great way to use oats from food storage!  No need to grind the oats into flour. Just use a blender or food processor to combine ingredients below.  (I used a Magic   Bullet) Then cook batter like  pancakes for 2 minutes per side.  These are great served with fresh fruit and a drizzle of agave nectar (I like Xagave brand)! They taste a little bit like French toast.

PROTEIN PANCAKES

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup fat-free cottage cheese

1/2 cup egg whites (you could easily use powdered egg whites in this recipe)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Pinch of cinnamon

I had some Granny Smith apples that were slightly past their prime, so I thought it was a perfect excuse to use some of my food storage oats for something other than oatmeal.  I found this simple Oatmeal Apple Crisp recipe and “voila!” the apples were transformed.  I couldn’t snap the picture fast enough before it was being served with scoops of vanilla ice cream.  Since oats will store for 30+ years, in proper conditions, I don’t think we can have too many ways to use them!

I love that this recipe is fast and easy!  The only change I would make next time  is to add chopped pecans to the topping. 

OATMEAL APPLE CRISP

3 C. sliced apples

3 Tbsp. flour

1/4 C. sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon (I think Apple Pie Spice is even better)

1/8 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. water

1/2 C. rolled oats

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 C. butter (I used Smart Balance)

1/3 C. brown sugar

Combine apples, flour, 1/4 cup sugar, cinnamon, 1/8 tsp. salt and water. Place in a greased casserole dish (I doubled the recipe to fill the 9 x 13 pan).

Cut the remaining ingredients together with a pastry blender and sprinkle over the top of the apple mixture in pan. Bake 35 minutes in 375 degree oven.

My satisfying duplicate of Jamba Juice oatmeal.

When we were in Salt Lake City last weekend, we stopped at a Jamba Juice for smoothies.  The smoothies were fruity and delicious, but who would have guessed that their oatmeal would have been what made us repeat customers? They serve tasty, steel-cut oats made with soymilk and topped with your choice of fresh bananas, or a blackberry/blueberry blend.  Then they sprinkle on a brown sugar topping.  I’m telling you, it’s good. I bought the banana variety twice while I was in SLC, and my stomach immediately began yearning for it again when we merged onto the freeway to drive home. 

So, since I don’t have a Jamba Juice nearby (and honestly, eating oatmeal is supposed to save me money), I had to duplicate it at home.   I used Coach’s Oats and I just made them with water since I didn’t have soymilk, then topped with fresh banana slices and brown sugar.  If you want to make this healthier, it’s delicious with the bananas alone or you can drizzle with maple syrup or agave.

Oats are a food storage staple that will store 30+ years and you can use them in breads, cookies and even meatloaf.  I store a lot of them, so I like to find new ways to dress them up.  Try this out and let me know what you think of this simple recipe.

Food storage staples like whole wheat, oats, and molasses never tasted so good!

I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like chocolate chip cookies.  For years, I have baked a family-favorite recipe named after a boy I had one date with.  He prided himself on his chocolate chip cookies and named the recipe after himself.  The cookies are quite good so for nearly 17 years, the name has stuck.  So, I imagine my husband will be delighted that I have finally found a replacement for “Kurt Palmer Chocolate Chip Cookies.”  Sorry, Kurt, but this recipe is my new favorite, and it’s healthier ingredients make it much easier on the waistline for future reunions. I think the recipe is a copycat of Great Harvest Bread Company’s Chocolate Chip cookies, but they seem thicker than the ones sold in my local store so I actually like them better.  The recipe is 100% whole wheat and includes oats for double the whole grains.  I made it with Smart Balance instead of butter to lower fat and it worked like a charm.  I love the little addition of molasses too.  It really adds a nice flavor and I think helps to keep the cookies so chewy.  I also used Guittard Milk Chocolate Chips, which I love because they are so rich and creamy (and my hubby prefers milk chocolate to semi-sweet).  The hearty grains and molasses in the recipe give it the flavor of a special treat you might find in an old-fashioned mercantile.

GREAT HARVEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

2 c. whole wheat flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

2 c. brown sugar, packed

1 c. butter

2 c. rolled oats

2 eggs

2 tbsp. molasses

1 tbsp. milk

2 c. semisweet chocolate chips

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Cream brown sugar and butter until well combined.  Add oats, eggs, molasses, and milk and beat well.  Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture and stir until blended.  Fold in chocolate chips.

Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup (or muffin scoop), scoop dough and drop onto nonstick-sprayed cookie sheets about 3 inches apart. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-13 minutes, until cookies start to brown on the edges.  Cool 2 minutes on the pans and then remove the cookies to a cooling rack.

Makes 24 big cookies

NOTES: This recipe is really versatile.  Use your imagination and any combination of white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, nuts, raisins, chopped dried cherries or craisins to create a new cookie every time. ENJOY!

http://realage.typepad.com/food_bites/2007/08/6-fast-healthy-.html

GRANOLA WHEAT BREAD

3 cups warm water

4 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast

2 cups unsweetened applesauce

1/4 c. brown sugar

3 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened

2 1/4 tsp. salt

1 c. nonfat dry milk powder

 2 1/4 tsp. cinnamon

2 1/4 cups granola without raisins

6 3/4 c. whole wheat flour

3 3/4 c. all-purpose flour

In stand mixer, combine yeast and warm water; allow to foam.  Stir in applesauce, brown sugar, butter, salt, cinnamon, dry milk powder, granola, and about 4 cups of flour.  Mix well.  Continue adding flour until  dough pulls away from the side of the mixing bowl.  Dough should still be somewhat sticky, not dry.  Allow mixer to knead dough for about 8 minutes.  Remove dough from mixer and shape into 4 loaves in bread pans.  Allow loaves to rise and double in size.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

Who knew? It turns out all oats are not created equal.  My husband threw a bag of Coach’s Oats in the cart at Costco, and all I could think about were the multiple #10 cans of oats I already had in my storage room.  As always, he said, “Let’s just try them.”  I’m so glad we did.  I’m eating oatmeal about twice a week for breakfast now.   It’s bliss when I add dried cherries and a little agave to it, and I pat myself on the back for being so healthy.  Coach’s Oats are toasted so they aren’t gummy like regular oatmeal.  I know, that’s hard to imagine, so you’re just going to have to try them.  Then you’ll thank me for recommending them.  Coach’s Oats also makes a Multigrain Pancake mix that, in my opinion, is the healthiest and best tasting pancake mix on the market.  Here’s a link to the Coach’s Oats site and other recipes using their oats.  Enjoy!

http://coachsoats.com/co_recipes.html

HOMEMADE INSTANT OATMEAL PACKETS

 6 C. Quick cooking oats

 8 ziploc baggies

Salt, if desired 

Put the following into each baggie: 1/2 cup regular oats, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.  Store baggies in an airtight container.  (I didn’t do this the last time I made them and the brown sugar turned into rocks in the bags. J)  This makes a larger portion than the store-bought packet. To serve, empty packet into a bowl. Add 1 cup boiling water. Stir and let stand for 2 minutes. Adjust water amount for thicker or thinner oatmeal. Can also be made in the microwave for 90 seconds.

Here are some variations to try:

Sweetened Oatmeal: Add 2 T. sugar

Brown Sugar/Cinnamon Oatmeal: Add 2 T. brown sugar and 1/2 t. cinnamon

Raisins and Brown Sugar: Add 2 T. packed brown sugar and 2 T. raisins.

Apple-Cinnamon Oatmeal: Add 2 T. sugar, 1/2 t. cinnamon, & 4 T. Chopped dried apples (I also like to add chopped nuts to this one)

Fruit and Cream Oatmeal: Add 2 T. non-dairy coffee creamer and 4 T. dried fruit

Health Nut Oatmeal: Add 4 T. any kind of wheat germ