Oatmeal Bites

Just like my Oatmeal Pancakes, I have been looking for more ways to eat lots of oatmeal, even when it's so hot! These are great for breakfast, dessert, or a 3 a.m. snack. They don't need refrigeration, but I think they're extra delicious that way. These are a good example of something that you can make to suit your mood: When I really want something healthy, I use oatmeal in the place of the coconut flakes and substitute all raisins instead of half raisins and half chocolate chips. On other days, I use these to indulge my sweet tooth and eat the recipe as written.

These are so easy -- just stir, scoop, and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Notice they require no cooking or baking, so I have made them countless times over the summer.

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

Cilantro Lime Pilaf

Strawberry Plum Smoothie

Ripe, tart plums give this smoothie a bit of a kick, which is just what I need in the morning. 

 This turns a very happy pink color, which is always a nice way to start your day too.

Strawberry Yogurt and Oats

Has summer hit hard for anyone else? It seems like it's been about a million degrees out here in Northern California. Normally I love oatmeal for breakfast, but it's just so hot to eat. I sometimes will blend 3 tablespoons of dry oatmeal into my smoothies, but I was ready for something different.

Orange Banana Smoothie with Carrot

I had some leftover cooked carrots the other day and decided to use them with a smoothie. After some experimentation, I found a combination that tasted really good and the carrot gave it a really pretty orange color.
Inspired by a creamsicle, I decided to use some milk in this smoothie.

Lentil Soup

Last Thanksgiving my husband, Jay and I took a great 10 hour drive to visit family and friends back in Utah. It was great, but does anyone else feel kind of icky when you get back after eating so many rich foods? Maybe it's just Jay and me, but we're always ready for real food after a long car ride of travel snacks.
So I made sure I had this soup and some sausage in our freezer for when we got back on a Sunday evening. It microwaved while we unpacked the car and took a walk. My body was so happy with me for feeding it hot, healthy lentils.

Red Sauce--for spaghetti, pizza, and *anything*

When one of my brothers was tiny my mom was trying to explain to him about Thanksgiving. She said, "It's a special day where we are thankful and we get to eat our favorite things."

I hear that my brother looked at her and said, excitedly, "You mean we get to eat spaghetti?"

Sorry, there is no spaghetti in a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, but we get to eat red sauce year round, which is even better.

Easy No-Sugar-Added Cinnamon Applesauce

Chunky-style applesauce

Applesauce sometimes get a bad rap--it's too processed, it has too much sugar. Personally, I think making it yourself is the perfect solution, especially if you have another problem: that you have some soft or bruised apples around the house. It's actually a healthy, easy choice!

Italian Tomatoes

When I took French in high school my teacher Madame Kelly, a beautiful French lady, tried to explain many things about France, especially its food! One thing she told us is that in France salads are very different. You wouldn't have a side salad with lettuce, tomato, carrot, cucumber, etc., but usually would just have one vegetable in your salad.
Years later at college I was at a party and one girl brought a tomato salad--slices of tomato with seasonings. I can see what the French like about it!

Healthy Chili--Tips and Tricks

Beans are known as a Super-food, with antioxidants, fiber, a high water content, and protein. According to WebMD, they may even help fight cancer and diabetes!

Chili not only has the Super-food beans in it, but is well loved by so many people, especially my husband. But did you know there are other ways to make your chili even healthier than just including beans?

Banana Spice Smoothie

This smoothie is delicious with lots of flavor, but no added sugar. It gets its sweetness from the banana in it.

It's also great for an upset stomach. The ginger and cinnamon are natural remedies to help with stomach issues and bananas are naturally easy on the stomach.

Golden Rolls

Three years after this recipe post my husband still asks for these. And my 7-year-old Craigslist bread machine that leaped off the counter 6 months ago is still great at making bread dough. (I was shopping and it was making me pizza dough. I think it somehow rocked itself off the counter. Either that or it came alive while I wasn't looking like something out of The Brave Little Toaster.)

*Updated 8-8-17*

I have simplified the recipe a little -- previously I used wheat flour, bread flour, and oat flour. Now I just have white and wheat flours because it's easier. Do you have favorite recipes you have adapted?

Carrot Cake Pancakes

Today's recipe has the style of cake and the health awareness of carrots and whole wheat. Pancakes are probably my favorite quick bread, both to make and eat. These ones are tasty with butter and powdered sugar.