oats – Page 6 – The Pajama Chef

Applesauce Muffins

February 25, 2013September 15, 2014 Sarah

Sometimes simple recipes, though delicious, get overshadowed by fancy recipes or decadent recipes. Know what I mean? This is a bad habit that I have… talking up the really yummy and impressive stuff… that then pushes the simple recipes to the back burner, where they sit and sit and sit. And then I don’t blog about them, for months and months. Like these Applesauce Muffins that I made…. last summer.

Sure, we ate them up in a matter of days. I don’t even think they saw the freezer. For all the muffins I make, that’s saying something. Usually at least one or two gets frozen for lunches or snacks. But no, these muffins, in all their plain glory, were enjoyed in record time. I just didn’t bother to blog about them for months. Sad day. But they are here now!

No idea why that was, as they are utterly delicious. Each bite is nutty and soft, sweet with hints of applesauce and rich brown sugar. Chewy from the oats and healthy from the whole wheat flour. Satisfying as breakfast with a bit of butter and jam, and savory enough to serve with soup at dinner. Pretty versatile and excellent anytime. One of my favorite parts? They’re made with pantry ingredients, so I can make them anytime. Another favorite part? The topping! Who doesn’t love a muffin with a little streusel topping. Yum! Don’t neglect them as I have! They are great! Enjoy! 🙂

Applesauce Muffins

Servings: 12 muffins
Time: 30 minutes
Print

from fearless homemaker

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour, sifted
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 cups unsweetened [natural] applesauce
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 egg white

for topping

1/4 cup quick-cooking oats
1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter, melted and cooled

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line muffin tin with paper liners or spray with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, stir together oats, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In a small bowl, whisk together applesauce, oil, and egg. Fold wet ingredients into dry, then spoon into muffin cups.

Prepare the topping by stirring together oats, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Drizzle in melted butter then divide evenly on top of batter.

Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Breakfast, Granola, Recipes

Peanut Butter Pretzel Granola Bars

February 22, 2013February 25, 2013 Sarah

So, I used to post once a month on a blog called Today’s Housewife. Last fall, the group decided together to stop posting due the busyness of life and families and such. Though sad, I enjoyed being part of the group. As of early January, the blog was officially taken down. But I don’t want to lose my recipes, so periodically I will be reposting them on here. Enjoy!

from April 12, 2012… these still get alot of traffic from my blog, even though the link is broken! and I figured it was high time to have the recipe here too!

I love granola bars. Love them for a snack after a workout, love them as a sweet treat in my brown bag [well, pink and black insulated tote] lunch, love them any time… day or night. But you know what I don’t love? I don’t love that my favorite varieties are sold for at least $1 a piece, and that the cheap kinds taste like cardboard and still run $3 for 8-10. $3 for a mediocre processed, packaged snack that contains tons of chemicals and/or preservatives? No thanks, I’ll make my own.

I’ve had a few successes in the homemade granola bar department… Chewy Granola Bars–your classic character with dried fruit, nuts, and chocolate chips as mix-ins. Or perhaps, Fruit and Nut Granola Bars are more your thing–they’re a little softer with more variety inside. Lastly, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Energy Bars–a crispy granola bar with a fall-flavored twist.

These Peanut Butter Pretzel Granola Bars are different. They’re more substantial. Flavorful and filling, but not heavy and dense. Sweet and salty. Pretty much unbelievable, til you try them. And you should, because they’re made up of mostly pantry ingredients, and take virtually no time to whip up. I promise they’ll make your lunchtime and snacktime fabulous!

Peanut Butter Pretzel Granola Bars [adjusted from How Sweet Eats]

click to print

Ingredients:

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup puffed rice cereal
1 cup crushed salted pretzels
1/4 cup ground flaxseed or wheat germ
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup chopped dry roasted or honey roasted peanuts
2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon honey
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
1/3 cup coconut flakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together dry ingredients: oats, cereal, pretzels, flax/wheat germ, brown sugar, flour, and peanuts. Then, add peanut butter and mix with a spoon or your hands to create a rough “dough.” This should take about 5 minutes.

In a smaller bowl, combine butter, vanilla, and honey. Pour into peanut butter dough and stir to combine completely. Fold in chocolate chips and coconut flakes.

Press dough into prepared pan, then bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. But don’t forget the golden rule of granola–it always hardens as it cools, so don’t overcook it! Let pan cool completely before cutting, refrigerating for an added chill if necessary. I let my granola bars cool overnight before cutting just to be safe.

Time: 40 minutes. [15 minutes active].

Yield: 18 servings.

Linked with: Weekend Potluck.

Recipes, Sides, Vegetables

Streuseled Cran-Apple Sweet Potato Casserole

December 10, 2012December 14, 2015 Sarah

Christmas is coming, faster than we know. And I didn’t want to let the season go by without sharing this awesome roasted sweet potato dish. Even though it’s a sweet potato casserole, it bears little resemblance to the typical marshmallow-y sugar concoctions that are ever so traditional.

I made this recipe for my family Thanksgiving dinner. I love roasted sweet potatoes as a side dish or light meal any time of year, so I thought that they would be the perfect basis for a new sort of sweet potato casserole! To make them a little more special than normal, I roasted the sweet potatoes in a lovely spiced maple syrup sauce. After they were nice and roasted, I added in some crisp apples and tart cranberries. A sweet oat streusel topped off the dish, and boy was it good! Even Ben, who usually passes on sweet potato casseroles, went back for seconds. That’s a success if I do say so myself!

Plus, as with all good Thanksgiving or Christmas special side dishes, most of this can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until it is ready to be baked and served. It is absolutely delicious and would be a great addition to your Christmas table! I would love to make it again soon. Enjoy! 🙂

Streuseled Cran-Apple Sweet Potato Casserole [adapted from Cooking Light]
click to print

Ingredients:

2 large sweet potatoes, cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks–about 6 cups, [peeled or unpeeled, your choice]
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon maple syrup, divided
1 3/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, divided
1/2 of a large granny smith apple, diced
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup half and half [I used fat free]
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place diced sweet potatoes on a large baking sheet, sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Whisk together olive oil, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, and 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, then pour over sweet potatoes. Using your hands, coat sweet potatoes with olive oil mixture. Roast for 25-35 minutes, turning occasionally, or until fork-tender.

After sweet potatoes are done, transfer to a 10 inch round casserole dish [a 9×9 square dish should work too]. Mix in apples and cranberries.

Next, whisk together half and half, the egg, 1/4 cup maple syrup, and 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice. Pour over sweet potato mixture, then bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

***Casserole can be made ahead up until this point and refrigerated until ready to serve.

Meanwhile, prepare the streusel. Stir together oats, brown sugar, flour, and pumpkin pie spice. Add melted butter and toss to form coarse crumbs.

Before serving, sprinkle streusel topping over sweet potatoes. Return to oven and bake at 375 for 10 minutes or until topping is browned.

Time: 75 minutes [15 minutes active]

Yield: 4-6 servings.

Cookies, Desserts, Recipes

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

November 26, 2012November 26, 2012 Sarah

I know Thanksgiving has come and gone, and I hope yours was nice… but I hope you aren’t sick of pumpkin yet, because these cookies are fabulous and I just had to share them, Christmas season or not!! I’m normally not an oatmeal cookie kinda girl–give me a chocolate chip or peanut butter cookie any day, but oatmeal? Meh. Aren’t they usually the weird leftover cookies abandoned at pitchins and other events? I think it’s usually cause they contain gross raisins and are slightly salty. Raisins are only good on their own, not in baked goods. But I digress. I shouldn’t use ‘gross’ anywhere near this post, because these Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies are anything but!!Despite my apathy towards classic oatmeal cookies, when I saw this recipe last month, I was intrigued. Pumpkin? Chocolate chips? Dried cranberries? All in one cookie, that wasn’t a soft cakey cookie?? Umm, how could I say no? Especially when they bore a slight resemblance to my favorite camp breakfast? Count me in! These Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies are seriously a dream come true. Each cookie contains the perfect flavors of fall that I l-o-v-e [in case you were unaware]: pumpkin, spice, chocolate, and cranberries… all in a guilt free breakfast-resembling package. I mean, am I right??

They are hearty, chewy, and incredibly easy to make–they just take half an hour and you probably have all the ingredients available at home anyways. I know I do, practically all the time. You best believe that these will be popping up in my kitchen year-round from now on. They are that good!

The fact that there’s no oil or butter in them is only a bonus… because I’m certain that eating 5 of them at once sort of negates the health benefits. But we can pretend, right?

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies [adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction and Love From the Oven]
click to print

Ingredients:

1 cup pumpkin puree
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
3 cups old-fashioned oats
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, whisk together pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla. In a larger bowl, stir together flour, oats, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, and pumpkin pie spice. Fold wet ingredients into the dry until just moistened–dough will be thick, but not un-stirrable. Stir in chocolate chips and cranberries.

Drop by spoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto cookie sheets, slightly flattening because dough does not spread much while baking. Bake for 13-14 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let cool on baking sheet for about 3 minutes, then remove promptly to cooling rack to cool completely.

Time: 30 minutes.

Yield: 3 dozen cookies.

Breakfast, Granola, Recipes

No Bake Tropical Energy Bites

October 10, 2012 Sarah

So, as you guys know, I’ve been furiously writing away on my thesis for the past few weeks. I worked on it before, but I took a break from my campus jobs to really focus. That helped… but you wanna know what really helped? These awesome, tropical little bites of energy! Enjoying a treat full of coconut, apricot, mango, and white chocolate makes the tedious just a lil bit better!

So many good things could be said about these little treats. I think the most important thing about them [besides their fun flavors!] is that they are little! I’ve always loved cute little things like these pumpkin chocolate chip muffins [sorry about the photo, I reallllllllly need to update the pic of these muffins for the blog] or way back in the day [circa 5th grade], those mini poptarts. Anyone remember them? My favorite flavor was grape or wildberry or something like that… they were so small you couldn’t put them in the toaster, and I used to beg my mom to let me eat them on the way to the bus stop. No idea why, but she never liked the idea because then it meant I couldn’t brush my teeth after eating. I thought that was the dumbestexcuseeverughmomnooooooo! Now, I wouldn’t really dream of eating poptarts, especially not on the way to the bus stop, because I’m obsessed with brushing my teeth. Go figure.

Well, these energy bites are most assuredly not mini poptarts, but they are just as tasty [if not more so!!]. These energy bites are sweet, filling, and a snap to throw together. They literally take 5 minutes to stir together and another 5-10 to shape. Add in some downtime in the middle to chill [perhaps during your favorite TV show? Or while reading a “scholarly” article…sigh.], and you’re ready to go.

I stored them in the fridge and loved taking the first gloriously cold, slightly sticky bite. Indulgent and delightful, I say. [Ben ate them in one bite and just said yum.] Whatever you say, just be sure to make them soon. I wish I had more right now! Anyone wanna send me a care package? 🙂

No Bake Tropical Energy Bites [inspired by these energy bites]
click to print

Ingredients:

1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup coconut flakes [I used sweetened but unsweetened would work too]
1/3 cup dried apricots, diced
1/3 cup dried mango, diced
1/3 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup coconut oil [melt on low heat in the microwave to bring to liquid consistency for easier stirring]
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

In a large bowl, stir together oats, coconut, apricots, mango, and white chocolate chips. In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together honey, oil, and extracts. Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, then stir to combine.

Let chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to firm up, then roll into heaping tablespoon-sized balls. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week [if they last that long] and enjoy!

Time: 45 minutes [15 minutes active].

Yield: about 2 dozen bites.