Peachy Overnight Oats (vegan and gluten-free)

Recipe from Caitlin Shoemaker of From My Bowl
Tested (and adapted a bit) in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes 3 servings

When it’s just too hot to cook and the peaches are especially lovely and perfectly ripe, make this easy and luscious breakfast to cool you off.

2 ripe peaches, pitted and chopped into bite-sized pieces, divided
2 cups non-dairy milk (I used soy milk.) 
1 Tablespoon grade A maple syrup, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon cinnamon 
Pinch of flakey sea salt
1½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats, gluten-free, if necessary
½ cup quick cooking oats
2 Tablespoons chia seeds
¼ cup non-dairy yogurt (I used Cocojune coconut yogurt.)

Instructions
Prep: Quarter one peach and finely dice the other. Add the quartered peach to a high-speed blender along with the milk, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Blend on high for 45-60 seconds, until the peaches are finely blended into the milk.
Mix: Add the oats, chia seeds, and yogurt to a large bowl. Pour the peach milk into the bowl, then stir until everything is combined. Let sit for at least 5 minutes, to allow the oats and chia seeds to absorb some of the liquid. 
Store: transfer the oats to 2-3 jars or other containers.  Add the diced peaches on top of each jar of oats.  Cover and store in the fridge for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. 
In the morning, remove the top from the jar and stir in the peaches. Add more milk to the mix if you like it more loose. 
These will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Lime and Mint Overnight Oats

Recipe from Julia Maiten

Adapted and tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes 2 servings

What a refreshing, summery breakfast this makes!  One of my absolute favorite overnight oats recipes comes from Julia Maiten.  It’s Orange Spiced Overnight Oats.  I make it all the time.  This is basically the same recipe, but instead of oranges and the spices, this one uses fresh lime juice and zest plus the addition of fresh mint. You can top this one off with your favorite fruits and berries.  I had some ripe plums ready to go plus some grapes.  This was a delicious breakfast.

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats

½ cup quick cooking oats

2 Tablespoons chia seeds

Zest from 1 lime

Juice from 1 lime

1½ cups soy milk

½ cup thick soy yogurt (I used Cocojune Coconut Yogurt, but I also like Homemade Instant Pot Cashew Yogurt.)

pinch of salt 

2-3 Tablespoons maple syrup 

Put all the ingredients in a large bowl and stir well.  Chill in the fridge overnight.  In the morning, scoop out a portion and add the toppings.

Optional Toppings: fresh mint, blueberries, flakey salt

Other Toppings: tahini, grapes and fresh mint

Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal (Vegan, gluten-free, nut free option)

Recipe from fitgreenmind (Instagram) 

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes 6 generous servings

This scrumptious breakfast can be made in a jiffy using only the baking dish, so easy clean-up. Using spotty bananas will make the baked oatmeal especially sweet.  Serve this with a dollop of vegan yogurt and some fresh seasonal fruit for a lovely, tasty breakfast.

2 large ripe bananas, mash (The spottier the bananas, the sweeter the final result.)
1 1/3 cup (330ml) plant milk (I used unsweetened soy milk to bump up the protein.)
1/4 cup (60g) nut or seed butter (I used almond butter.)
4 Tablespoon maple syrup (You can also use agave syrup.)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups (200g) old fashioned oatmeal (To make this gluten free, use gluten free oats.)
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ -1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
Optional: ½ banana, sliced for decoration

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Use a baking dish.  (I used a 1½ quart 8” X 10” Corningware baking dish.) With a fork, mash the two large very ripe bananas right in the dish.  Stir in the nut/seed butter, the maple syrup, and the vanilla until well combined.  Slowly add the plant milk.  Stir until well combined.  
Add the oats, baking powder and the chocolate chips and stir well until everything is well incorporated. Decorate with some banana slices, if using.
Bake at 200C/400F for 30-35min and let it cool a few minutes before serving or storing.  Store in the refrigerator or the freezer.  

Chickpea Energy Bites (vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, refined sugar-free)

 

Recipe from Nutrition by Michaela 

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes about 25 bites

These little treats are very simple to make and they taste quite good.  They’re fancy looking enough to serve at a party or to give as a little gift.  You will need a food processor to prepare these.  It also helps to have an ice cream scoop for forming uniform balls, but it’s not necessary.

1 cup fresh dates, pitted

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats

½ - ¾ cup shredded coconut

4 Tablespoons cocoa powder

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 pinches sea salt

3 Tablespoons (or more) brewed coffee

200 grams melted dark chocolate (I added 1 teaspoon coconut oil to the chocolate and used a double boiler for melting.)

Sea flakes, for decorating (optional)

Shredded coconut, for decorating (optional)

Soak the pitted dates in boiling hot water for at least 10 minutes. This will soften them up and make them easy to process.

Add the chickpeas, rolled oats, shredded coconut, raw cacao powder, brewed coffee, sea salt and cinnamon (optional) to a food processor.

Drain the water from the dates and rinse them a little bit in cold water.

Add the dates to the food processor.

Process all the ingredients into a dough. Scrape the sides of the processor bowl with a spatula to make sure all ingredients are evenly distributed throughout the dough.  If the dough doesn’t come together in a ball, add more coffee a tablespoon at a time until the dough comes together.

Place a piece of parchment paper on a plate or cutting board. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop the dough onto the parchment lined platter. With damp hands, roll into balls and place them back onto the parchment paper. Let sit in the fridge for 15 minutes or more.

Meanwhile, melt the dark chocolate, preferably over a water bath (microwave is also fine). Dip the bites into the melted chocolate and place them back on the parchment paper. 

Optional: Sprinkle sea salt or shredded coconut on top before the chocolate hardens.

Place the bites back into the fridge until the chocolate hardens fully before serving.

Store in the fridge for up to 3-4 days, or for longer in the freezer (just make sure to take them out of the freezer to thaw to room temperature about 30 minutes or so before eating.)

Buckwheat & Oats Pancakes (Vegan)

Here you see a double batch, 
I freeze them separated by parchment squares. 
Then, come breakfast time, I pop a couple in the toaster.

Recipe from East Meets Kitchen
Husband-Tested in Alice´s Kitchen
Makes about 8 (4-inch) pancakes

I’ve been on the lookout for a more healthful pancake that tastes great too and this one fits the bill. When I do food prep, I make batches of the dry ingredients and store the dry mix in the fridge.  Then, on another prep day, I add the wet ingredients and make an entire batch of pancakes.  I store the pancakes in the fridge (or the freezer) separating them with parchment paper.  Then, when hunger strikes, I reheat them in the microwave or the toaster.  Because of the dates, the pancakes are already sweet and so there’s no need to drown the pancakes in syrup.  When served up with adzuki beans and fresh fruit (bananas, berries, apples, pears are good choices) they make a very filling breakfast.

½ cup buckwheat groats, ground (You can also use buckwheat flour.)
½ cup oatmeal, ground (You can also use oat flour.)
2 Tablespoons flaxseeds, ground into a meal
2 teaspoons baking powder 
6 soft pitted dates
1 Tablespoon black sesame seeds (optional)
1 cup soymilk 
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Using a high speed blender, blend the groats and oatmeal into a flour. Add the flax meal, the baking powder and the dates.  Blend until the dates are completely ground into the dry mixture.  Set aside.
Add 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar to 1 cup milk to make “buttermilk.” Set aside for 10 minutes to allow it to curdle.  Add the vanilla extract to the “buttermilk.”
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.  Add the black sesame seeds, if using.  Stir well.  Allow the batter to sit about 10 minutes to thicken before cooking.  Heat a skillet/griddle.  Spray it with a bit of oil.  Add about 1/3 cup batter to the pan.  When the bottom of the pancake browns to your liking, flip the pancake to cook the other side.
Serve with maple syrup, adzuki beans and fresh seasonal fruit or even nut/seed butter, if desired. 

Nutritional Information: (2 pancakes) 195 calories; 4.5 g total fat; 0.7 g saturated fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 38 mg sodium; 33.6 g carbohydrates; 5.2 g fiber; 11 g sugars; 6.6 g protein; 163 mg calcium; 3 mg iron; 573 mg potassium

No-Knead Multigrain Whole Wheat Bread

Behold!  This is one scrumptious loaf of goodness.

Here's what a slice of this
yummy bread looks like.

Recipe from Artisan Bread with Steve 
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes 1 Loaf

I’m thinking this is my favorite no-knead bread.  Because it’s no-knead, it’s a cinch to make.  Though this bread is VERY easy to make, you must plan to begin the day before serving.

16 oz. cool water
1 ½ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon yeast (Instant Yeast or Active Dry Yeast)
1 Tablespoon sesame seeds (I use a mix of sesame seeds and black sesame seeds.)
1 Tablespoon flax meal (or flax seeds)
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups bread flour
1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
½ cup old fashioned oats (I’ve also made this using quick-cooking oats.)
¼ cup old fashioned oats for the second rise
1 Tablespoon sesame seeds (optional for second rise)

Place the water, salt, yeast, sesame seeds, flax meal into a large bowl and give it a quick stir.  Add the 2 cups bread flour, the 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour and then the ½ cup oats on top of the flour.  Stir until the dough forms a shaggy ball scraping the sides of the bowl as you stir.  Stir until the flour is absorbed and scraping the sides of the bowl as you stir.
Cover with plastic wrap (I like to use a shower cap for this.) and allow to sit on the counter for 8-24 hours. (I think it’s best to allow the dough to sit for the full 24 hours.)
Remove the plastic wrap.  Spray an 8 ½” X 4 ½” loaf pan*** with cooking spray.  
Stir the dough to deflate.  Scrape the sides of the bowl clean.  Sprinkle the dough the ¼ cup old fashioned oats and the sesame seeds, if using. Stir so that the dough ball is covered with the extra oats and sesame seeds. Roll the dough into the loaf pan.  
Cover with another loaf pan turned upside down onto the loaf pan with the dough.  Use binder clips to clip the loaf pans together creating a “poor man’s Dutch oven.”  
Allow the dough to rise again for 30-60 minutes.  (If your home is cool, like it might be in the winter, it may take a full 60 minutes for it to rise.  If your home is warm, like it might be in summer, the dough may only take 30 minutes or so.)
As the dough is rising, move the oven rack to the lower third of the oven.  Preheat the oven to 400F.  
Bake for 40 minutes with the top on and 3-15 minutes with the top off to finish (browning) the crust.  
The bread is done when the internal temperature is 190F.  Remove the bread from the pan onto a cooling rack.  Cool completely before slicing.  (If you slice it too soon, the bread will be gummy and doughy inside.)

***Because I was baking more than one loaf of bread, I placed the dough into an 8” diameter springform pan.  Then, I covered it with an upside down 8” cake pan for the “poor man’s Dutch oven.”  I didn’t use any clips.  I just rested the upside down cake pan on top. The loaf turned out beautifully and it was round!

No-Knead Honey (or Maple) Oatmeal Bread

Recipe from Artisan Bread with Steve 
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes 1 Loaf

This bread is just fantastic.  It not only tastes great, but it has a nice chew, perfect for a sandwich or to serve along side a hot bowl of soup or stew.  It is the easiest bread in the world to make, so it's ideal for beginner bakers.  

16 oz. cool water

1 ½ teaspoons salt

¼ teaspoon yeast (Instant Yeast or Active Dry Yeast)

1 Tablespoon honey or maple syrup (Using maple syrup will make this loaf vegan.)

3 ½ cups bread flour

1 cup Old fashioned oats 

¼ cup old fashioned oats for the second rise

3 Tablespoons bread flour for the second rise

Place all ingredients in a large bowl except the additional ¼ cup oats.  Stir until the flour is absorbed and scraping the sides of the bowl as you stir.

Cover with plastic wrap (I like to use a shower cap for this.) and allow to sit on the counter for 8-24 hours. (I think it’s best for flavor to allow the dough to sit for the 24 hours.)

Remove the plastic wrap.  Spray an 8 ½” X 4 ½”loaf pan*** with cooking spray.  

Stir the dough to deflate.  Scrape the sides of the bowl clean.  Sprinkle the dough the ¼ cup old fashioned oats. Stir so that the dough ball is covered with the extra oats. Sprinkle the dough with the 3 Tablespoons of bread flour and stir until the sides of the bowl are clean.  Dump the dough into the loaf pan.  

Cover with another loaf pan turned upside down onto the loaf pan with the dough.  Use binder clips to clip the loaf pans together creating a “poor man’s Dutch oven.”  

Allow the dough to rise again for 30-60 minutes.  As the dough is rising, move the oven rack to the lower third of the oven.  Preheat the oven to 400F.  

Bake for 35-40 minutes with the top on and 3-15 minutes with the top off to finish (browning) the crust.  

The bread is done when the internal temperature is 190F.  Remove the bread from the pan onto a cooling rack.  Cool completely before slicing.  (If you slice it too soon, the bread will be doughy inside.)

***Because I was baking more than one loaf of bread, I placed the dough into an 8” diameter springform pan.  Then, I covered it with an upside down 8” cake pan for the “poor man’s Dutch oven.”  I didn’t use any clips.  I just rested the upside down cake pan on top. The loaf turned out beautifully and it was round!

Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal with High Protein Icing (Vegan)

 

Recipe from That Vegan Babe

Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen

Makes 4 very generous servings or 6 reasonable servings :-)

I do love a good baked oatmeal for breakfast.  It always goes down perfectly with a cup of coffee or hot tea.  This Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal one did not disappoint.  Usually I zap my baked oatmeal in the microwave and eat it hot, but THIS one tastes pretty darn great cold, right out of the fridge.  

Baked Oatmeal

(Dry Ingredients)

2 cups old fashioned rolled oats

2 Tablespoons chia seeds

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup chopped walnuts (Pecans or pumpkin seeds would be a nice substitute.)

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Pinch of sea salt or kosher salt

(Wet Ingredients)

2 cups plant milk (I used homemade cashew milk, but any will work.)

1/4 cup almond butter (I used sunflower seed butter because that's what's in my fridge.)

2 Tablespoons maple syrup

2 teaspoon vanilla

1 large carrot, grated

High Protein Icing

300 g silken tofu

2 1/2 scoops vegan vanilla protein powder

1/2 cup water

Preheat the oven to 400F. Line an 8" X 8" baking dish (or 7" X 10") with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.  Then add the wet ingredients.  Mix well.  Pour into the baking dish. Bake for 35-40 minutes.  Cool on a baking rack before icing. 

Meanwhile, add the icing ingredients to a blender.  Blend until smooth.  Use water as needed to thin or protein powder to thicken.  (It does thicken a bit in the fridge.)

If serving all at once, say for a family or party breakfast, spread or drizzle the icing over the cooled baked oatmeal.  If having it one piece at a time, I suggest keeping the icing in a mason jar with a lid in the fridge.  Drizzle over each piece as needed.  

The baked oatmeal will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.  

Nutritional Info:  (1 of 4 servings) 463 calories; 8.6 g fiber; 433 mg sodium; 459 mg calcium; 19.8 g fat; 2.4 g sat. fat; 43 g carbohydrates; 10.7 mg iron; 29 g protein; 16.9 g sugars; 496 mg potassium; 1.3 mg vitamin C; 3596 IU vitamin A

Plant Based Magic Cookie Bars (Vegan)

Recipe from The Whole Food Plant Based Cooking Show

Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen

Makes 8 Generous Servings OR 16 Perfect Treats

These scrumptious treats will be perfect for the lunchbox or a picnic. They are quite easy to make using a high speed blender and would be a great snack to make on your food prep day.  I love that they are sweetened with dates.  

Crust

1 cup (120g) almond flour

1 cup (80g) gluten-free rolled oats, ground into a flour

1/2 cup (112g) pitted dates

1 teaspoon Braggs liquid aminos (This may sound like a strange addition, but you won't taste it at all.  You can substitute sea salt for the liquid aminos, if you wish.)

Filling

1/3 cup (26g) gluten-free rolled oats

1/3 cup (75g) pitted dates

1 cup (236ml) water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Toppings

1/2 cup (47g) shredded unsweetened coconut

1/2 cup (85g) vegan chocolate chips

1 cup (150g) chopped pecans 

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease or line a 9" X 9" (or 8" X 8") baking pan with parchment paper.  

Blend crust ingredients in a blender or food processor until mixture almost sticks together when pressed together. 

Press crust firmly into the bottom of the greased or parchment-lined baking pan.

Blend the filling ingredients in the same blender until dates are completely pulverized.

Pour filling over the crust. (The filling will be thin or watery.  It's okay.  It will turn out in the end.)

Sprinkle the toppings one at a time over the filling and lightly press the toppings down with a fork so that a little of the filling comes through.

Bake for 35 minutes.  Cool completely before serving.  Cut into 8 bars or 16 small squares.  Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Nutritional Information: (1 of 16 servings) 171 calories; 10.9 g fat (1.8 g sat. fat); 0 mg cholesterol; 22 mg sodium; 17.4 g carbohydrates; 3.5 g fiber; 9.4 g sugars; 3.8 g protein; 28 mg calcium/2%; 1 mg iron/8%; 117 mg potassium/2%

Lemon Blueberry Baked Oats (Vegan)

Here's my breakfast: 
Lemon Blueberry Baked Oats
 served with a Honeycrisp Apple
sprinkled with Cinnamon & Freshly Grated Nutmeg

Recipe from The Conscientious Eater

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes 1 serving

This was a very nice breakfast change for me.  I loved the lemony blueberry combo in these oats.  I like to prepare my breakfast in advance, so here’s how I did these.  I measured out the dry ingredients and all the wet ingredients except the lemon zest/juice and berries.  I stored the dry and wet ingredients separately in the fridge overnight.  In the morning, while the oven preheated, I put on my coffee, zested and juiced the lemon and stirred everything together. By the time my coffee had percolated and I had sliced an apple to go on the side, the oats were ready to go. This delicious breakfast lasted me all morning.

¼ cup non-dairy yogurt 

3 Tablespoons non-dairy milk 

1 Tablespoon maple syrup 

1 Tablespoon lemon juice 

½ teaspoon lemon zest 

½ teaspoon vanilla 

½ cup oats (I used old fashioned rolled oats.)

½ teaspoon baking powder 

Pinch of salt 

1 teaspoon poppy seeds (optional)

Handful of fresh OR frozen blueberries (about ¼ cup)

Spray a 2-cup oven safe dish with oil OR line the dish with parchment paper.  Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl.  Pour the batter into a greased ramekin and bake at 350F for about 25 minutes. (The time in the oven will depend upon your oven and/or how you like your baked oats.  If you like them more moist, check on the oats at the 20 minute mark.  If you like them on the dryer side, allow them to bake at 25 minutes or even a few minutes more.  You can always add milk to the oats once they come out of the oven if they are too dry for you.) 

x

Breakfast Birchler (Vegan)

Make your hectic mornings a lot less chaotic
by preparing this scrumptious, filling breakfast
before you go to sleep. First, make the Birchler Mix. 
Store the mix in an airtight container
on your counter or in your pantry.

Then measure out some and add the Birchler Soak ingredients. 
Here you see the Birchler Mix, yogurt, mashed banana,
and plant milk.

Stir up the ingredients.

Cover the prepared Birchler and pop it in the fridge.

Wake up refreshed knowing that breakfast
is just a spoon away!

Recipe from Good Eatings

Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen

Makes 8 servings

Birchler is an overnight oat breakfast.  This recipe is a winner!  It turns out very creamy and filling.  I like to keep my Birchler Mix on the counter in a pretty jar.  Then, the night before a busy day, I just measure out some of the mix and add a few ingredients to a bowl for an overnight soak in the fridge. In the morning, I've got a GREAT breakfast ready to go.

Birchler Mix:

1/2 cup buckwheat groats

3/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats

1/2 cup coconut flakes

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup chia seeds

1/4 cup hemp hearts

1/3 - 1/2 cup dried fruit (raisins, dried cranberries, dried cherries, dried blueberries, dried apricots, etc...)

Place the Birchler Mix ingredients in a bowl and mix well.  Transfer the mix to an airtight container.  

Birchler Soak (per serving):

3/4 cup of the Birchler Mix

1/2 cup plant milk (oat milk, almond milk, cashew milk, soy milk, etc...)

1/4 cup plant yogurt (oat yogurt, soy yogurt, etc...)

1/2 banana, mashed (optional)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla (optional)

The night before, mix the Birchler Soak ingredients in your breakfast bowl.  Cover and chill in the fridge overnight.  

Toppings: (optional)

Fresh fruit (apple, pear, banana, 

Fresh or frozen berries

Granola

More plant milk

Extra dollop of plant yogurt

1 Tablespoon nut or seed butter

In the morning, stir the birchler.  Leave your birchler plain or add any of the toppings you desire. Enjoy!

Chocolate Cherry Overnight Oats

Recipe from Whole Food Momma

Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen

Makes 1 serving

This yummy breakfast is right up my alley.  Using a really ripe banana (lots of black spots on the peel) sweetens the oats.  Do yourself a favor and make a quadruple batch so that your breakfast will be set for four days!  

1/2 banana, mashed

1/2 cup old-fashions rolled oats

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 Tablespoon flax meal or chia seeds (I used flax meal.)

1 Tablespoon cocoa powder

1/2 cup plant milk (I used unsweetened almond milk.)

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup frozen cherries

Add the mashed banana, the oats, cinnamon, flax meal, cocoa powder, plant milk and water to a 2 cup mason jar.  Put the lid on the jar and give the jar a really good shake.  Remove the lid and add frozen cherries.  Place the lid back on the jar and give it another shake.  Store in the fridge over night.  Enjoy cold in the morning (like I do) or put the contents in a microwave safe container and warm it up.

Nutritional Information per Serving: 313 calories; 8.2 g fat (1.2 sat. fat); 0 mg cholesterol; 101 mg sodium; 57.1 g carbohydrates; 11.6 g fiber; 14.7 sugars; 9.8 g protein; 1 mcg vitamin D; 215 mg calcium; 4 mg iron; 692 mg potassium

Lemon Poppy Seed Granola

 

Recipe from Simply Delicious Vegan by Caitlin Shoemaker

Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen

Makes 6 cups granola 

If you wish to prepare a nutritious, delicious snack while making your house smell amazing, this granola is the ticket.  I would highly recommend making a double batch.  It's so dang good and too easy to make not to!  When I first read the recipe, I was a bit afraid it would taste too lemony, but it smells and tastes like the best lemon poppy seed cake, but in granola form.  This granola would be a fabulous homemade gift for your favorite people.

If you get a chance, be sure to check out Caitlin Shoemaker's new cookbook, her YouTube channel and her website. (Link is above.) It's a great place to find vegan and gluten free recipes.  

1/3 cup real maple syrup

1/3 cup cashew butter*

Juice and grated zest of 1 small lemon (1-2 Tablespoons)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt or kosher salt

3 cups old fashioned rolled oats

3/4 cup raw cashew pieces*

3/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

2 Tablespoons poppy seeds

Preheat the oven to 325F.  Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.  
Whisk the maple syrup, cashew butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla, and salt together in a large bowl.  Add the oats, cashews, coconut, and poppy seeds.  Stir until everything is well coated.  Use a spatula to spread the granola mixture evenly onto the prepared baking sheet.  Bake on the bottom rack of the oven for 20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and use a spatula to flip the granola;  it will break apart, but just try to make sure most pieces get turned over.  Return to the oven and bake for another 5-10 minutes, checking to make sure it doesn't burn. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.  It will crisp up as it cools.  Serve as desired.  Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month. If you have the space, storing it in the fridge will make it even crunchier.

*To make this nut free, replace the cashew butter with tahini (sesame seed paste) and the cashews with pumpkin seeds or extra coconut. 

Nutritional Information (from Recipe Calorie and Nutritional Calculator) 1/3 cup serving is: 163 calories; 8.3 g fat; 2.7 saturated fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 69 mg sodium; 19 g carbohydrates; 2.5 g fiber; 4.5 g sugars; 4.4 g protein; 28 mg calcium; 3 mg iron; 95 mg potassium

Almond, Prune and Apricot Breakfast Bars (Gluten-Free)

Recipe from The Bojon Gourmet adapted from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook

Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen

Makes 12 bars

While these were named breakfast bars, I think they make a much better snack or lunchbox addition or even a lovely gift for a favorite friend.  We loved everything about these bars.  The texture is tender and chewy with a bit of crunch.  The sweetness is the right amount, due to the dried fruit and the bit of honey.  And there's a little kiss of almond and orange.   

1/2 teaspoon zest 

3 Tablespoons fresh orange juice

1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped

1/2 cup prunes, chopped

2/3 cup sliced almonds, plus a few extra for the top

1 1/2 cups quick oats

2 Tablespoons ground flax seed 

2 Tablespoons oat flour

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 ground cinnamon

1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons almond butter

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup honey (One of the original recipe reviewers replaced the honey with maple syrup, which would make these vegan.)

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat the oven to 325F.  Line the bottom and sides of an 8" X 8" square baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.

Place the chopped dried fruit in a heat proof bowl.  Put the orange juice in a small saucepan and bring to a bare simmer over a medium flame.  Pour the hot orange juice over the dried prunes and dried apricots, stirring a bit.  Set this aside.

Spread the sliced almonds on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until fragrant, about 5 minutes.  Put the sliced almonds in a large bowl along with the oats, ground flax, the oat flour, salt and cinnamon.

In another bowl, put the orange zest, add the almond butter, olive oil, honey and almond extract and whisk to combine.

Add the almond butter mixture and the dried fruit mixture to the oat mixture and stir until well combined.

Scrape the mixture into the lined baking pan.  Use moistened fingers to press it firmly and evenly into the pan.  Sprinkle with the extra almond slices and press them in a bit.

Bake until the top is golden, about 25-30 minutes.  Place the pan on a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before removing with the parchment paper "handles" to a cutting board.  Use a sharp large chef's knife to cut the bar into 12 pieces.

The bars will keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Nutritional Information: (1 of 12 bars) 222 calories; 25 g carbohydrates; 5 g protein; 13 g fat; 1 g saturated fat; 99 mg sodium; 274 mg potassium; 4 g fiber; 12 g sugars; 255 IU vitamin A; 1.7 mg vitamin C; 54 mg calcium; 1.4 mg iron

Kitchen Sink Whole-Grain Cookies

Recipe from http://lifemadesimplebakes.com

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes 20 (3-inch diameter) cookies

These cookies are just scrumptious.  These were originally called breakfast cookies, but I think of them more of a treat to be enjoyed with a hot cup of coffee or tea. When I first made them, I used the exact measurements for the sugar and maple syrup.  We thought they were plenty sweet and next time, I will use less of each. They would be a great addition to any picnic basket or lunchbox.  Because there are quite a few ingredients, I would suggest making a few batches of the dry ingredients and then storing two batches in jars or bags in the fridge.  Then, when you are ready for a little pick-me-up, just add the “wet” ingredients and bake.

1 cup walnuts

1½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats

¼ cup steel cut oats (or ¼ cup more old-fashioned rolled oats.)

1/3 cup whole-wheat flour

½ cup ground flax seed meal

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ cup almond butter or peanut butter

1/3 cup liquid coconut oil*

¼ cup (or less) coconut sugar* or brown sugar

¼ cup (or less) maple syrup or agave

2 large eggs, room temperature

1½ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup dried raisins or cherries or currants

¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut

½ cup chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts or almonds) and/or bittersweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat and then set aside.  Pulse the walnuts in a food processor until a coarse meal or flor forms; transfer to a large bowl.  Add the oats, whole-wheat flour, flax meal, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.  Whisk to combine.  Add the almond butter, coconut oil, sugar, maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla extract.  Using a large spatula, mix until a sticky dough forms.  Fold in the dried fruit, coconut and nuts or chocolate chips.  Allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes.  Scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Lightly press the dough down to flatten a bit (about 3 inches in diameter.) They won’t spread out much at all during baking.  Bake for 7-9 minutes or until the edges become lightly golden brown in color.  Remove from oven and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

*Notes:  If using coconut sugar, allow it to dissolve, in the warm coconut oil for 5 minutes before proceeding with the remaining steps.

Nutritional Information:

(I used the CalorieKing app) 1 of 20 cookies = 248 calories/ 3.5 grams fiber; 1 of 24 = 206 calories/4.2 grams fiber