Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

I've wanted to try something like this for a while, so found a basic recipe, and of course tweaked it to my likin' :-) Mike likes to have breakfast he can take out the door with him in the morning and these are great and healthy!

Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
3 c. quick oats
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. flax seed (I ground it in my coffee grinder first)
1/2 c. raw honey
2 tsp. blackstrap molasses
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 c. butter, melted
1 c. milk
*any sort of fruit or nuts you prefer*
I made this batch with raisins and blueberries, but one could also use diced apples, peaches, strawberries, bananas, almonds, pecans, etc. etc. Many yummy possibilities here! (Ooh, maybe even chocolate!) :-)

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add fruit to dry mixture and stir. In a separate bowl mix honey, molasses, butter and eggs. Add to dry mixture. Add milk and stir until blended. Spread into a greased 9x13 baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for approx. 25 minutes. Let cool, cut into bars. Store in airtight container.

Beef Lentil Stew and Parmesan Herb Bread

A couple of weeks ago, I enjoyed the best Beef Lentil Stew at a quaint little coffee shop in Arkansas. It was thick and hearty and had a nice chili kick. I have been thinking about it ever since so I decided to try and make my own version. I'm very pleased with the results! Of course we can't have stew without some sort of homemade bread . . . . . so I paired it with one of Mike's favorite bread recipes I came up with a while back.

Here it is!



Crock Pot Beef Lentil Stew:
Beef soupbones (or 2-3 cans organic beef stock, or a small bone-in roast)
A big handful of thinly sliced organic carrots
A handful of diced onion
One can of diced tomatoes
1 lb. lentils
Garlic
Salt
Pepper
2 tsp. Cumin
1 Tbsp. chili Powder

Place soup bones, carrots, onion, salt, pepper and garlic in crock pot with 4 cups of water. Turn on low for about 4 hours until you have a rich stock. Add lentils, tomatoes, cumin and chili powder. Stock should cover lentils and vegetables. If not, add a little more water until they are completely immersed. Cover and set on high for approx. 1.5 hours, until lentils are cooked and most of the liquid is absorbed. Serve!

Parmesan Herb Loaf (protein packed!)
1 c. whole wheat flour
1 c. garbanzo bean flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. herb seasoning (salt-free)
a generous shaking of parmesan cheese (shredded works fine as well)
1 egg, beaten
1/4 c. butter or oil
1 c. milk

Mix dry ingredients. Mix the egg and butter/oil, add to dry ingredients. Stir in milk gradually. Batter will be thick and almost pourable, like a quick bread. Spread into greased 5x8 1/2 loaf pan and sprinkle the top lightly with more herb seasoning, and another generous shaking of parmesan cheese (this makes for a yummy crumbly crust on top!). Place in 350 degree oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until top is browned and begins to crack. Let cool, remove from pan, slice.

Enjoy!

Recipe Time . . . . .

I had some overripe bananas on the counter, so I tried a new recipe and I had to share it:
(Besides, if I post the recipe here, I won't lose it, muahahaha)

Chocolate Banana Bread

1 1/2 C. flour (I used whole wheat)
1/4 C. cocoa (Of course I used a little more! It's chocolate!)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 C. butter
1 C. sugar (or 3/4 C. honey)
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 C. mashed bananas

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla and bananas. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. Combine flour mixture with banana mixture and mix well. Pour into greased loaf pan and bake at 350 for about 1 hr. Turn out of pan and let cool 10 minutes before cutting.

It was quite heavenly.