Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Muffins

My son is four now (Four!! Insert all the crying emojis.), and he goes to preschool three mornings a week. He is a bit of a picky eater, and getting him to eat enough for breakfast that his little belly stays full until snack time is my morning mission.

We've been making his favorite No-Bake Granola Bars, but it was time to mix things up. Danny thought muffins would be tasty, but how to make a muffin that would be hearty enough to keep stick to his ribs? Enter superstar ingredient (and one of my kids' favorites): oatmeal.

These Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Muffins are healthy, delicious, and filling. They taste like a cross between Brown Sugar Oatmeal Coffee Cake and Baked Oatmeal. The sprinkling of cinnamon sugar on top might even convince your kids that they are breakfast cupcakes. Just sayin'.

Let's get cooking!
Erin

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Muffins
Makes 10 muffins

1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup milk
1/2 cup no-sugar-added applesauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, divided
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

In a medium bowl, combine oats and milk. Set aside to soak for one hour.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 10 cups of your muffin tin and set aside.

Stir applesauce, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla into the milk-soaked oats. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.

Evenly divide batter between 10 cups of your muffin tin. Combine remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar over batter. (I didn't use all of the cinnamon sugar. Use any leftover for cinnamon crisps! Mmmm.)

Bake for 16-20 minutes, until muffins are set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Oatmeal Chip Squares

Say hello to a stand-by afternoon snack at our house. Crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside, these bar cookies are packed with enough fiber and sweetness to fill those empty after-school bellies.

(These squares hold up well inside the lunch box, too.)

I like to add dried cherries or cranberries or raisins to these, depending on what my boys will tolerate.

The ease of getting bar cookies into the oven makes me a big fan, but you can easily use this recipe to make drop cookies if you prefer.

My son Sam says the only bad thing about these oatmeal chippers is that he wants to eat them all day long. (Love that kid!)

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Oatmeal Chip Squares
(Inspired by recipes from Quaker Oats and Ocean Spray)

3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 stick plus 6 tablespoons softened butter
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup dried fruit (cherries, cranberries, raisins, etc.)
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with parchment paper so that paper hang over each end.

With an electric or stand mixer, beat butter and sugars until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat well.

Add flour, baking soda and cinnamon and mix well.

Add oats and mix. Add dried fruit and mix with a wooden spoon. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to incorporate all dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

Transfer cookie dough to baking pan. Use a spatula to evenly spread dough in pan. Smooth the top and sprinkle with mini chocolate chips.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely.

Use edges of parchment paper to lift bar cookie out of pan. Set on cutting board and cut into squares.

Goes well with a cold glass of milk!

Power Peach Smoothie

My kids love smoothies, especially my oldest son Max. I like sneaking different healthy ingredients into these breakfast shakes, to see how much more fiber or nutrition I can pack in before they notice something different.

Enter quick oats. Yes, oatmeal in a smoothie is so, so good!

We had a few packets of no sugar added plain instant oatmeal in the pantry and a bowl full of overripe peaches in the fruit bowl.

Could I make a smoothie that stuck in my boys' bellies a bit longer than usual? Yes! And so can you.

The great thing about the oatmeal is that it adds a milkshake-like consistency to these breakfast drinks. This is a big plus for Max (and me, too!) We don't like an icy smoothie.

We've tried these with nectarines as well as strawberries, and they were just as yummy.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Power Peach Smoothie
This recipe serves 2 adults and 2 children.

1 1/2 frozen bananas (peeled before freezing)
1 1/2 cups almond milk
3 packets sugar free instant oatmeal (or 1 scant cup quick oats)
6 ripe peaches, pealed and chopped
1 single serving cup plain or vanilla Greek yogurt
1 or 2 teaspoons vanilla
2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
1/4 to 1/2 cup water
*Note: Be sure to adjust the amounts of any of the above ingredients to suit your own tastes.

Place bananas, almond milk and oatmeal into blender container. Let sit for about 5 minutes to soften up the oatmeal.

Add peaches, yogurt, vanilla, honey or maple syrup and 1/4 water. Blend until smooth. If smoothie is too think, add another 1/4 water. Blend again and pour into glasses.

After you serve this to your kiddos a few times, try letting them in on the "secret" ingredient. My oldest didn't care about the oatmeal, saying all the smoothie needed was a little more sugar.

No-Bake Granola Bars (Kid-Approved!)

My 3-year-old son loves granola bars. Loves them. Unfortunately, his favorites are enrobed in a thick casing of chocolate. Delicious, yes, but not the healthiest treat. So I set out to make a granola bar that he would find just as tasty, but would fill his belly with healthier ingredients.

I'm always looking for ways to sneak protein and fiber into Danny's meals. These granola bars feature oats, peanut butter, almonds, and chia seeds to add nutritional punch. A sprinkling of mini chocolate chips, and he overlooks the healthy stuff. That's a win in my book.

And since my boy enjoys a cooking project, we got to make this snack together. Full bellies? Check. Mother-son bonding? Double-check.

Let's get cooking!
Erin

No-Bake Granola Bars
Adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod

2 cups quick oats*
1 cup Rice Krispies
1/2 cup sliced almonds
3 tablespoons chia seeds
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
Scant 1/4 cup brown sugar, loosely packed
1/4 cup honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Line a 9" square baking dish with aluminum foil. (I'm sure an 8" dish would work just fine, too. Your bars will just be slightly thicker.) The non-shiny side of the foil is non-stick, so make sure the shiny side is down so the non-shiny side will be touching the granola bars.

In a large bowl, stir together oats, Rice Krispies, almonds, and chia seeds. Set aside.

Combine butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, honey, and salt in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring mixture to a boil. Allow it to boil for two minutes, stirring constantly, then remove from the heat. Stir in vanilla.

Very carefully pour melted peanut butter mixture over oat mixture and stir until everything is completely combined. Place into prepared baking dish and press granola bar mixture into the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and gently press so they adhere.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Slice into bars that are the best size for your family. I cut mine into 18 bars, and that seemed just right. (Although Danny could eat two per serving!) Store in the fridge.

*Since I didn't cook these granola bars, I used quick oats. I think old fashioned oats would be too chewy. But let me know how they turn out if you make a substitution!

Peanut Butter Energy Bites

I'm pretty sure my son is the pickiest eater in the history of picky eaters. Here are the things he will eat:

• Creamy Peanut Butter (Only eaten if he can lick it off a honey wheat pretzel. Please note: he doesn't eat the pretzel itself; it's merely a vehicle.)
• Saltines (Don't even try to give the kid Ritz. He eats only square-shaped crackers.)
• Annie's White Cheddar Bunnies (Not the orange ones. This I learned after purchasing a lifetime supply of the orange ones at Costco.)
• Macaroni and Cheese (Must be from a box.)
• Mashed Potatoes (Must be instant. Seriously.)
• Apples, Bananas, Melon, Grapes (Preferably purple.)
• Anything in a squeezie pouch. (As an experiment I once served him squash and a squash squeezie pouch in the same meal. He ate the pouch and refused to touch the stuff on his plate. Try explaining the irony to a three-year-old.)
• Noodles (Served plain. Don't consider adding sauce.)
• Oatmeal (He would eat oatmeal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner if I let him.)
• SWEETS (Cupcakes! Ice cream! Cake! Cookies! Chocolate! The boy knows the good stuff.)

On a whim I decided to enlist his help in whipping up these Peanut Butter Energy Bites. They contained three of his food groups, so I thought there was a chance he'd try them. And, glory be, he did. And...he liked them! 

Guess what we're having for lunch every day now. 

Let's get cooking!

Erin

Peanut Butter Energy Bites
Adapted from Get Creative Juices
About 24 bites

1 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup finely chopped toasted pecans
1/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1 teaspoon vanilla

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and stir together until everything is evenly combined. Roll into 1" balls and place on a parchment- or waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate until set, about 1-2 hours. Store in the refrigerator.

P.S. If at all possible, enlist the help of your adorable kid in making Peanut Butter Energy Bites. Here's mine, making his "CHEESE!" face. (Also pictured, my very messy house. Real life here, people.)

Baked Steel Cut Oatmeal

There are too many descriptors for Baked Steel Cut Oatmeal. Allow me to note just a few: delicious, healthy, hearty, fruity, nutty, filling, sweet, chewy, easy... I could go on, but I've got dishes to wash TV to watch.

When I saw a recipe for Baked Steel Cut Oatmeal, I knew I had to try it. I've mentioned my love of oatmeal once or twice on this blog. Or maybe three times. My pantry is a Tetris tower of instant oats, old-fashioned oats, and steel cut oats just waiting for their turn to shine on the breakfast table.

This recipe couldn't be simpler to make with ingredients you probably have in your pantry and freezer. It takes a while to bake, so stir it together before you hop in the shower and put on your false eyelashes or whatever it is that you do in the morning. And then enjoy the mind-blowing aroma of oats and brown sugar as your oven does the heavy lifting.

Let's get cooking.
Erin

Baked Steel Cut Oatmeal
Adapted from The Kitchen and this Baked Oatmeal
Serves 4-6

1 cup steel cut oats
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 egg
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup frozen peaches*
1 cup frozen raspberries*

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8" x 8" baking dish and set aside.

Combine oats and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, butter, egg, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Stir into the oats. Gently fold in peaches and raspberries. Pour into prepared baking dish and cover with aluminum foil.

Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the oats are tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 50 additional minutes. Serve warm.

*Feel free to replace peaches and raspberries with your favorite fruit. I bet mixed berries or even chopped apple would be divine. If you come up with another delicious combination, please let me know.

Brown Sugar Oatmeal Coffee Cake

It is cold.

I recognize that it's February—the doldrums of winter—and that cold weather should be expected. But the entire eastern half of the country is blanketed in a bone-chilling, arctic blast, and I just don't like it.

What better way to show the weather who's boss than to crank up the oven and bake something warm and cozy? Brown Sugar Oatmeal Coffee Cake is rich, filling, and topped with a sweet, crunchy crumble that will knock your socks off.

So, Jack Frost, you just bring it. We've got Brown Sugar Oatmeal Coffee Cake, and we're ready for anything. Even spring.

Brown Sugar Oatmeal Coffee Cake

Coffee Cake:
1 3/4 cups old-fashioned oats (not instant)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 1/2 cups boiling water
1/4 cup yogurt (plain or vanilla would be lovely)
2 cups brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 eggs
2 3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional, but tasty)

Topping:
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9" x 13" broiler-safe (i.e. probably not glass) pan and set aside.

In a large bowl combine oats, butter, and boiling water. Allow to sit for 20 minutes. Stir in yogurt, brown sugar, vanilla, eggs, flour, baking soda, salt, and (if using) cinnamon. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix topping ingredients together in a small bowl until crumbly. Sprinkle on top of baked coffee cake. Turn the oven to broil and move the oven rack a bit closer to the broiler element. Broil for 3-5 minutes, until the topping begins to melt and get crunchy.

Serve warm for the most delicious treat.

Overnight Oats with Chia Seeds

My mom came to visit, and in addition to helping me wrangle my little man, she introduced me to Kefir. She drinks it every day and expounds on how good it makes her feel. In fact, she likes it so much that she buys it even when she doesn't have a coupon. She says they sell it at Aldi, too. A place where bargains abound.

So we tried Kefir. And it's tasty! It's like liquid-y yogurt, which sounds gross, but tastes good. The website for Lifeway (those are the people that make Kefir) describes it as "a creamy and delicious yogurt-like smoothie the whole family will enjoy." Now that's marketing at its finest.

Kefir made me think about overnight oats. Since it's like yogurt-y milk, I figured it could take the place of the yogurt + milk combination I use to make overnight oats. I stirred in some chia seeds to help thicken everything up and add a healthy punch of omega-3's, and we were in business.

I think my mom and I have solved all of your breakfast dilemmas. Your welcome.

P.S. The makers of Kefir have not in any way sponsored this post. In fact, they have no clue who I am. However, if they chose to send me a lifetime supply of Kefir, I wouldn't turn it away.

P.P.S. Want more Overnight Oats? Check them out here and here (with frozen berries as Bill recommends).

Overnight Oats with Chia Seeds
Serves: 1

1/2 c old-fashioned oats
1 cup strawberry* Kefir (or substitute 1/2 cup yogurt + 1/2 cup milk)
2 teaspoons chia seeds
Maple syrup or honey, to taste
Chopped strawberries, for serving (optional)

Stir together oats, Kefir, chia seeds, and maple syrup. Stir in the fridge overnight. Serve topped with strawberries.

*Feel free to substitute your favorite flavor.

Crockpot Oatmeal

I'm a creature of habit. For breakfast I eat oatmeal. For lunch I eat peanut butter and jelly. For dessert I eat ice cream. (Usually cookie dough or fudge tracks.) Dinner is where things get crazy. But if I didn't have the husband to think about, I'd probably just eat PB&J for dinner, too. True confessions.

Sometimes it feels overwhelming to stir up a pot of porridge every morning. Mornings are hard. There's so much waking up to do. So much day to think about. So much time before bed. That's why it pays to plan ahead for breakfast.

Take 5 minutes on Sunday afternoon to throw a few ingredients in your slow cooker. Turn that baby on low for a few hours, until the oatmeal has absorbed most of the water. Store the oatmeal in the fridge and scoop out a bowl when you're hungry in the morning. It's creamy and nutty and filling; the perfect breakfast.

One parting thought about using your crockpot to make oatmeal: cooking time varies depending on your particular appliance. I read several recipes that say to cook it on low for 8 hours. This would be perfect if you want your oatmeal piping hot for breakfast, but give it a test run while you're awake first. My crockpot tends to run a little hot. If I left oatmeal in there without stirring for 8 hours, I'd be chiseling it off the sides of my crock for days.

Crockpot Oatmeal
Adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

2 cups steel cut oats*
8 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
Your favorite oatmeal toppings (raisins, more brown sugar, milk, fruit, maple syrup, etc.)

Spray your slow cooker with cooking spray. Add oats, water, salt, and brown sugar and stir to combine. Cook on low for about 6 hours, stirring a few times if it looks like the edges are starting to burn. Serve oatmeal with your favorite toppings.

If you're reheating the oatmeal, stir in a bit of water or milk before reheating in the microwave.

*Make sure you use steel cut oats (a.k.a. Irish oatmeal). If you use old-fashioned oats or quick-cooking oats, it will get really mushy.

Overnight Oats II

I'm not always the best at planning ahead. For example, I'm having a baby in, oh, about 9 weeks. After months of hemming and hawing, I finally decided what crib I liked. When I went to purchase said crib, it was on backorder. So I tried another website. Backorder. And another. Backorder. After checking out every single outlet on the world wide web that sells the crib, they are...All. On. Backorder. So, that means my crib should arrive in about 8 weeks. If all goes well, that is.

Guess I should have planned ahead just a bit better.

Thankfully, when I want Overnight Oats, I only need to prepare the night before. I know I've shared my recipe for this tasty breakfast in the past, but this is a new variation thanks to Bill, one of the investment dudes I work with. He recommended stirring frozen berries into my Overnight Oats. After trying it, I think Bill is a true genius. The frozen berries thaw during their overnight stay in the fridge and make it even faster and easier to grab your breakfast in the morning. Thanks, Bill!

P.S. Excuse the sub-par photos of this recipe. This is real-life stuff here. I make Overnight Oats before bed and grab them in the morning, so that's when these pictures were taken. I don't have energy to use anything by my cell phone camera at either of those times.

Overnight Oats II
Serves: 1

1/2 cup old-fashioned oats (not quick-cooking)
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup frozen fruit (I like raspberries.)
1.5 teaspoons maple syrup (or to taste)

Stir together oats, yogurt, milk, fruit, and maple syrup. Refrigerate overnight. When you're ready for breakfast, stir to make sure everything is combined. Enjoy!

Overnight Oats

I've seen references to a mysterious breakfast dish called "Overnight Oats" surfacing all over the internet recently. I love oatmeal...Baked Oatmeal, Creamy Oatmeal, Irish Oatmeal. Why hadn't I ever tried these Overnight Oats? It was high time.

After reading about 500 recipes (ok, maybe that's a slight exaggeration), I realized that you can really make Overnight Oats any way you want. The main idea is this: 1) Combine oats and liquid. 2) Let it sit overnight. 3) Eat it.

One thing you probably should note, though, is the recipe calls for old-fashioned oats. Although I didn't try any other variety, I imagine that quick-cooking oats would get really mushy and steel-cut oats wouldn't soften enough. But old-fashioned oats are juuuuust right.

The fun part of Overnight Oats is the toppings. It's like the breakfast version of the frozen yogurt shops where you can stir in anything your little heart desires to jazz up your treat. I'll share my favorite below, but just consider the possibilities: bananas, peanut butter, cinnamon, honey, nuts, berries, coconut, dried fruit, maple syrup, cocoa powder...The sky is the limit.

Have you made Overnight Oats before? What do you add in to give it your own personal flair?

P.S. Hope you enjoy the action shot of my Overnight Oats. I had to take this photo with my phone because I eat breakfast at work. It would be weird if I busted out my camera at my desk and started taking pictures of my food. People might stare.

Overnight Oats
Serves: 1

1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
2/3 cup sliced strawberries
2 tablespoons sliced almonds

Stir together oats, yogurt, and milk.

Cover and refrigerate overnight. When you're ready for breakfast, top with brown sugar, strawberries, and sliced almonds.

Creamy Oatmeal

I owe you all an apology; sorry I forgot to post on Friday! I was on vacation in sunny Palm Desert, and I'm afraid I got carried away seeing a real, live desert oasis...

And getting head-butted by pygmy goats (feisty little buggers!)...

That I forgot to write an update! I hope you'll forgive me.

Now, on to the important stuff: food. The husband and I cooked some meals while we were away in order to save a few bucks. But since it's still vacation, we kept it easy. For example, one night we enjoyed a rotisserie chicken purchased from the grocery store, baked potatoes with sour cream, and roasted green beans. We used the leftover rotisserie chicken to make burritos another night.  I just cut up the chicken and heated it through with sauteed onion and some jarred salsa. Then I rolled the filling in a tortilla with plenty of shredded cheese. Easy, delicious, and cheaper than a restaurant. 

For breakfast, we're usually cereal folks, but a few times I made some old fashioned oatmeal as a special treat. (Funny how oatmeal, which is heart-healthy and costs $1.50 for a box, is a "treat." I guess I'm getting old.) I make oatmeal a bit differently than the directions on the box. See, I like my oatmeal very creamy, and cooking it for five minutes just doesn't cut it. 

Now, let me warn you that my oatmeal looks a little bit like gruel, but it tastes delicious. And it smells homey and rich. The first day I made creamy oatmeal on vacation, the husband opted for Corn Pops. But once the oatmeal was cooking and smelling so good, he was totally jealous of my breakfast.  

Give it a try and let me know what you think. Are you a creamy oatmeal fan, too?

Creamy Oatmeal

Serves: 4

3 cups water

2 cups milk

Pinch salt

2 cups old fashioned oats

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Brown sugar, to taste

Extra milk for serving, if desired

In a relatively large saucepan, bring water, milk, and a pinch of salt to a boil. Be careful because this mixture tends to go from not-boiling to boiling-out-of-the-pan very quickly. That's why I recommend using a relatively large saucepan. Stir in oats and turn the temperature down to medium-low. 

Allow the oatmeal to simmer, stirring regularly, for about 15 minutes or until the oatmeal is thick and creamy. (If it looks like the picture above, it's not done yet. Keep cookin' until it looks like the picture below.) Stir in cinnamon and brown sugar to taste. Serve with extra milk and more brown sugar for the sweet-tooth at your table.