Blueberry Oatmeal Quinoa Breakfast

This is a great healthy start to your day, and its extremely filling. I've been trying to eat a lot healthier lately, and it feels like I am constantly hungry. I know it's supposed to be better to eat 6 small meals a day, but I often don't have time to do it or the energy to cook that much. This has been my healthy solution to a feeling breakfast.

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup uncooked Oats (I use steal cut oats)

1/4 cup uncooked Quinoa

1-2 T Chia Seeds

Large Handful of Blueberries

2-3 T Low Fat Greek Yogurt

Milk

If you need to make it a little sweeter add honey or brown sugar, but the blueberries and Greek yogurt sweeten it up enough for me.

I often cook a big pot of quinoa at the beginning of the week to add to my food during the week. If not, I start by cooking the quinoa for a few minutes first, then add in the oats. Once they are cooked thoroughly I add my chosen amount of each ingredient. I sprinkle chia seeds on top, and then add one big scoop of Greek yogurt with my regular spoon. I don't add much milk, just enough to make it creamy. Sometimes I even cook the quinoa and oats with milk instead of water.

This breakfast can obviously be made lots of ways. I get bored eating the same thing everyday so I try to make simple twists on everyday foods. This is a mix I really enjoyed.

Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

I gave my first attempt today at making vegan cookies. I've made healthier cookies plenty of times but never vegan. I was inspired by some really delicious vegan cupcakes I've had recently. 

The result was delicious, and very unique. These cookies are a different flare to them than most you are used to. I would definitely recommend trying these even if you don't care about them being vegan.

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups toasted walnuts
2 cups oats
3/4 cup white Kamut flour (I used wheat pastry flour)
1/2 cup Sucanat (I used brown sugar)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup pure maple syrup
2 tbsp almond milk
3.5 tbsp coconut oil
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup raisins

I used brown sugar and wheat pastry flour since they are both easier to come by.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F

Place walnuts on baking sheet. Toast walnuts in oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden in color. What carefully so they don't burn. When done, remove and let cool for a few minutes. Dump Walnuts into food processor and process until finely ground, no more.

In medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda, 1 cup oats, cinnamon, and brown sugar or sucanat. Add dry ingredients to food processor and process for 20-30 seconds. 

In small bowl add coconut oil and microwave to soften. In same bowl stir in maple syrup, almond mild, and vanilla.

Mix both bowls together.

Add remaining 1 cup of oats stirring by hand, and fold in 2/3 cup of raisins. Make small balls of dough and flatten with hand.

Bake for 10 minutes at 350 F. Makes 16 large cookies.

I also used dark chocolate chips on half the batch instead of raisins because who doesn't love chocolate chips.

Thanks ohsheglows.com for this delicious and unique recipe. 

Healthy Oatmeal Mint Cookies

These are a nice healthy cookie that you don't have to feel bad for eating.

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/4 cups of large flaked rolled oats

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 TBLS cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup applesauce

1 TBLS molasses (brown sugar + maple syrup)

1 egg ( beat w/ one TBLS water)

1 tsp vanilla

mint chocolate chips 

Mix all dry ingredients together, then mix wet separately. Add wet ingredients to dry. 

Cool mix for 20 min. in fridge to let oats expand.

Preheat 335 degrees

Bake 10 min. 

*I cook for less than ten minutes and pull them out while still gooey. If they are cooked longer they dry out more and are more similar to a granola bar which can be good, just different.

**If you don't like mint substitute for rasion + walnut, white chocolate chips + cran-raison, chocolate chips, or whatever is your favorite addition.