Protein Bars

 There are a lot of different kinds of protein bars at the store, but how many are healthy? 

Makes 12 bars

1/2 cup (170 g) organic maple syrup

1/2 tsp. (2,5 g) Himalayan salt

1/4 tsp. (1,25 g) black pepper

3/4 cup (95 g) organic peanut butter

1 1/4 cups (165 g) organic quick cooked oats

1 1/4 cups (165 g) finely chopped nuts of choice

1/2 cup (65 g) organic pumpkin seeds, unsalted

1. Line a 9" (23 cm) square baking pan with parchment paper.

2. Bring to boil: syrup, salt and pepper over medium-high heat, stir, about 2 minutes.

3. Turn the heat to low, add the peanut butter, stir about a minute.

4. Turn off the heat and add the oats, nuts, and seeds, mix well.

5. Scrape onto the baking pan, press into one layer.

6. Refrigerate at least an hour or overnight.

7. Left the parchment paper to place the mixture on a cutting board.

8. Cut into 12 bars. 

9. They will keep for 2 weeks in the refrigerator. 

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Miso Oatmeal

Oatmeal is de-husked, steamed, and flattened. It could lower the risk of heart disease when combined with a low-fat diet. Many counties have their variations. Here is a Japanese dish, using miso (fermented soybeans). 

味噌オートミール (Japanese)

/miso ōtomīru/

Serves 4

2 Tbs. (30 ml) organic coconut oil

1 1/2 cups (195 g) organic oats

4 organic green onions, thinly sliced

4 cups (960 ml) organic vegetable broth

2 Tbs. (30 g) organic (gluten-free) white miso paste

4 organic cooked eggs

i /long e/

一 /ichi/ 1. In a saucepan, add coconut oil, oats, and half of the green onions.

二 /ni/ 2. Cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes.

三 /san/ 3. Add the broth and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.

四 /shi/ 4. Reduce to medium-low, cover, cook about 10 minutes, until most of the broth has been absorbed.

五 /go/ 5. Stir in the miso.

六 /roku/ 6. Serve with the rest of the green onions on top and a cooked egg in the bowls.

 七 /shichi/ 7. Add a green salad, and it is a Japanese breakfast.

Try:

Pancakes à la Oatmeal: https://veggiefernandezs.blogspot.com/2024/04/pancakes-la-oatmeal.html

Curry Lentil and Rice Oatmeal: https://veggiefernandezs.blogspot.com/2023/08/curry-lentil-and-rice-oatmeal.html

Baked Apple and Nut Oatmeal: https://veggiefernandezs.blogspot.com/2023/01/baked-apple-and-nut-oatmeal.html

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Pancakes à la Oatmeal

It's a nice recipe for pancakes. Next, I will try making waffles with this batter (Add 1 Tbs./15 ml of olive oil and 1 cup/240 ml of apple juice). 

The first recorded mentioned of pancakes dates back to 600 BCE in ancient Greece.

Tallest pancake stack

3 feet, 4 inch (1 m) high with 213 pancakes

Τηγανίτες βρώμης (Greek)

/tiganítes vrómis/

1 cup (130 g) organic rolled oats (gluten-free)

2 organic apples, peeled and grated

2 organic eggs

7 ounces (200 g) organic (dairy-free) yogurt

1 tsp. (5 g) baking powder

pan cakes: olive oil

waffles: olive spray

organic toppings:

• warm maple syrup 
• jams
• (dairy-free) yogurt
• fruits
• powder sugar
• mini chocolate chips
• cinnamon butter
• whipped (dairy-free) cream
• honey
• chocolate sauce or Hazelnut spread
• bourbon caramel sauce
• peanut butter
• lemon juice
• apple cider syrup

ένα / EN-a/ 1. Mix the oats, grated apples, eggs, yogurt, and baking powder.

δύο /THEE-oh/ 2. Heat a little oil in a non-stir frying pan over low heat.

τρία /TREE-a/ 3. Spoon the pancake batter onto the frying pan to form small pancakes.

τέσσερα /TESS-air-uh/ 4. Cook on both sides until they are golden brown and cooked through.

πέντε /PEN-day/ 5. Remove and place on a plate.

έξι /EX-ee/ 6. Serve warm with any type of toppings you like.

Bite of History

• For something different, mix with snow! There are recipe books from the 19th century of chefs adding real snow to give more fluffiness pancakes.
• Potato pancakes are served during Hanukkah.
• The most expensive pancake in the world cost more than $1 350, because it is made with caviar, lobster, and more caviar. 
• The Swedish blodplättar is made with pig blood.
• Narraganset Indians of North America enjoyed nokehick, made from soft batter.
• Pancakes in France are crepes. 
• Chinese pancakes are made of dough rather than batter.
• The Indonesian pancake, serabi, is made from rice flour and coconut milk.
• In Venezuela and Colombia, they are made with corn.
• Russian блинис /blinis/ are made of buckwheat flour and served with sour cream, jam, honey are caviar.

There are more recipes from around the world, as well.

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Homemade Granola

Checking the ingredients of granola, I find that I can make my own, with healthier ingredients.

Another name for granola is muesli.

Makes about 7 cups (910 g)

Preheat the oven to 275F (135C)

Use organic ingredients.

1/4 cup (30 g) each: maple syrup and honey 

2 egg whites (Use the egg yolks in another dish.)

1/3 cup (80 ml) olive oil

1 tsp. (5 ml) vanilla extract

1 tsp (5 g) cinnamon

1/2 tsp. (2,5 g) grated orange zest

4 cups (520 g) old-fashioned rolled oats

2 cups (260 g) mixed chopped dried fruits, seeds, nuts, and/or raisins

1. Mix the honey, maple syrup, egg whites, oil, vanilla, cinnamon, and orange zest in a bowl. 

2. Put a half a cup (65 g) of the mixture into a smaller bowl.

3. Mix the oats into the larger bowl.

3. Add the dried fruit into the smaller bowl.

4. Spray a baking sheet with olive oil or line with parchment paper.

5. Spoon in the mixture from the larger bowl.

6. Bake for 30 minutes.

7. Add the dried fruit mixture. Stir.

8. Bake 15 minutes, then stir the mixture again.

9. Bake 15 minutes more or until golden brown on top. 

10. Let it cool on a wire rack.

11. Store in a jar.

12. Serve for breakfast with (dairy-free) milk or yogurt, or as dessert with yogurt, or on top of ice cream, or...

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GF-DF/Vegan Chocolate Mousse Pie

It is difficult to find dairy-gluten free desserts, so this pie will be a treat, and vegan!

There are two types of crust, baked or no-baked.

Serves 12

Filling sets for 6 hours or up to 2 days

Chill the coconut milk overnight

CRUST: 

1 2/3 cups (215 g) organic old-fashioned rolled oats

1/4 cup (30 g) coconut sugar

1/4 tsp. (1,2 g) sea sat

1/4 cup (60 ml) melted coconut oil

1. Preheat the oven to 350F (175C).

2. In a blender or food processor, first blend the oats, sugar and salt, then the coconut oil. It will be like a cookie dough.

3. In a tart tin, use wet hands or a flat bottom of a glass to press the dough into and up the sides.

4. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until it is dry on top and fragrant.

5. Cool completely before the filling.

NO-BAKE CRUST:    

1 1/2 cups (195 g) organic pitted dates

1 1/2 cups (195 g) organic pecans or skinned orated hazelnuts

little water or almond butter

1. In a flood processor, pulse the dates and nuts. If needed, add a little water or almond butter

2. Press into the pice tin.

3. Chill before the filling.

FILLING: (Refrigerate at least for 6 hours.)

1 pound (455 g) medium-soft or firm organic tofu, drained, room temperature

1 Tbs. (15 g) cocoa powder

2 Tbs. (30 ml) diary-free milk or vegan nondairy milk

1 tsp. (5 ml) vanilla extract

1 tsp. (5 g) organic orange zest or instant coffee (optional)

1 3/4 cups (225 g) melted dark chocolate chips

1. Blend in a food processor all the ingredients except the chocolate chips.

2. When the mixture is at room temperature, add the melted chocolate.

3. Blend again until the mixture is uniformly chocolatey and creamy.

4. Smooth the filling onto the cooled pie crust, piling high.

5. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to 2 days.

6. After 6 hours, cover it.

TOPPINGS: (It can be made up to a week before hand.)

14-ounce (415 ml) can of organic coconut milk, unshaken and chilled overnight

2 Tbs. (30 g) organic maple syrup

1/2 tsp. (2,5 ml) vanilla extract

1. Remove the coconut milk from the refrigerator but do not shake it!

2. Scoop out the hardened coconut milk into a bowl. Leave the coconut water behind (store in a glass jar in the refrigerator for other usages).

3. Hand whip or hand mixer until slightly fluffy.

4. Add the maple syrup and vanilla extra. Do not whip.

5. Store in airtight container in the refrigerator.

BERRIES or FRUITS:

Your choice of organic.

SERVE:

organic, vegan/dairy-free coconut whipped cream

1. Remove the pie from the tin, leave at room temperature for 5-10 minutes.

2. Side and serve chilled with berries and/or fruits topped with whipped cream.

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Baked Apple and Nut Oatmeal

 A good breakfast or snake made of fruit, nuts, and oats hit the spot.

Makes 9 servings

Preheat the oven to 350F (175C)

(dairy-free) organic butter for greasing

3 cups (390 g) organic rolled oats (which are gluten-free)

1/3 cup (95 g) organic brown sugar, packed

2 tsp. (10 g) baking powder

1 tsp. (5 g) cinnamon

1 1/2 cups (360 ml) (dairy-free) milk

2 organic eggs

1/4 cup (30 g) melted, (dairy-free) organic butter

1 tsp. (5 ml) vanilla

1 organic apple, cored, peeled and chopped

1/4 cup (30 g) chopped, organic nuts (pecans, walnuts, or your choice)

optional: sliced apples on the plate

1. Combine the oats, sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon in a bowl.

2. In a different bowl, combine the milk, eggs, melted butter and vanilla.

3. Mix the wet and dry ingredients together.

4. Stir in the chopped apple and nuts.

5. Pour the mixture into the greased baking pan.

6. Cook about 30 minutes.

7. Remove and serve warm.

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Gluten-Free Banana Bread

I buy bananas, and they go bad quickly (or I do not eat them as fast as I should). -Mike 

Preheat the oven to 350F (175C)

1 1/3 cup (320 g) each: organic oat flour and mashed organic bananas

2 organic eggs

1/3 cup (45 g) organic applesauce

2 tsp. (10 ml) organic vanilla

1 cup (130 g) organic rolled oats

3/4 tsp. (12 g) baking powder

1 tsp. (4 g) each: baking soda and cinnamon

1/2 tsp. (2 g) sea salt

1/4 cup (30 g) chopped organic walnuts

1. Mash the bananas in a bowl.

2. Add the rest of the wet ingredients. Mix.

3. Mix in the dry ingredients. 

4. Fold in the walnuts.

5. Bake for 65-75 minutes until the outside is golden and crispy.

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Banana-Berry Pancakes

We usually have a nice Sunday breakfast. Here is an interesting, conversational breakfast.

Serves 4

2 ripe, organic banana

2 organic eggs

1 tsp. (5 ml) vanilla extract

1/2 cup (70 g) quick-cooked organic oats

1/2 cup (50 g) berries (your choice or combination of berries)

Toppings (organic if possible):

• syrup
• tahini
• yogurt
• jam(s)
• chopped nuts
• sliced bananas
• honey
• etc.

1. Mash the bananas into a thick purée.

2. Mix in the eggs and vanilla.

3. Add the oats. Mix.

4. Fold in the berries carefully.

5. Heat the skillet on medium heat.

6. Add a scoop of batter. Cook about 2-3 minutes on both sides.

7. Add your favorite topping(s).

Try "Banana Pancakes with Peels!"

https://veggiefernandezs.blogspot.com/2022/01/banana-pancakes-with-peels.html

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