Healthy chocolate chip chia oatmeal cake

I love chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. I think they might be my favorite. I also love oatmeal in general, though until now there haven't been very many oatmeal fans in our house. Z has always liked oatmeal... I was sad when he stopped calling it "opee-mo", but Jay and Mimi aren't big fans. Until now.

Since I'm breastfeeding and wanting to keep my milk supply up, I was looking for less tired and time consuming oatmeal recipes online. I stumbled onto a chocolate chip baked oatmeal recipe that seemed good, but it was a bake-for-one thing by a single girl who clearly had more control over her mornings than I do. I need something good and fast.

So I messed with her recipe... Doubling/tripling it, adding things... Cutting out a lot of the sugar... And came up with something so good that I look forward to eating it every morning. And all I have to do is unwrap my little frozen tin foil square and microwave it for 1min 20sec. And my oatmeal hating husband loves it too... And pickiest of all, Mimi, will eat it (though few things tear her from her morning bagel and cream cheese)

The most recent batches have added in chia seeds for health reasons, but I've found they add some nice crunch too. 

Here's the recipe:

LibbyDibby's chocolate chip chia oatmeal breakfast cake

Preheat oven to 400 (I use the convection setting)

1 1/2 c. Milk

3T chia seeds

1 1/2 t vanilla

2T maple syrup

1 1/2 c applesauce

4T margarine

3 c rolled oats

1/2 c chocolate chips (I use mini- semi sweet)

3/4 t salt

Soak chia in milk for five minutes while you combine all of the dry ingredients. Then mix it up really well since the chia tends to clump.

Then mix all the wet ingredients into the dry ones. Pour them into a greased 9x13 pan.

I cook at least 30 minutes in my convection oven until done.

After the oatmeal has cooled (I usually eat one serving while it's hot, because it's so yummy, I can't wait) I usually cut it into little squares wrap it in tinfoil and put them in the freezer then I can pull out one serving of cake for breakfast every morning I usually microwave it for one minute and 20 seconds. I find the recipe makes about 9-12 servings, depending how you slice it  ++UPDATE! - I'M NOW MAKING THIS IN A SILCONE MUFFIN TIN - WAY EASIER TO GET PORTIONS EQUAL AND EASIER TO CLEAN UP. I GET ABOUT 15-16 LITTLE SERVINGS++

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Spinach Salad

J and I resolved a few years ago that we would not eat regular lettuce salads anymore when spinach is so much better for us. So here is the salad that has become a standard around here. I bring it to every family event and pot luck and if I make a salad at home, this is it - I'm not sick of it yet, so I am pretty sure everyone else isn't either. (then again, who knows?) Either way, my sis in law, Jen, got a pretty picture of it, so I figured I'd post it here.

Ingredients:
(these are the givens)
spinach
cherry or grape tomatoes (halved)
craisins (we like the orange flavored type)
almond slivers or pine nuts
dressing - I use the Italian salad dressing that you mix yourself - only I use balsamic vinegar

these are the optional additions that we also love in it, I wouldn't add them ALL at once, but they are great additions:
cooked orzo
goat  cheese crumbles
canneloni beans (rinsed)
strawberries or blueberries

We LOVE Zucchini. (even my picky picky kids)

I've had this conversation with so many friends and neighbors lately that it merits a blog post to share with everyone. I have two very picky eaters and zucchini is a tough veggie to get into them. This time of year it seems to be something that everyone is looking for recipes to use it in... so here's my zucchini post.

Recipe #1 - PASTA SAUCE
I literally take store-bought pasta sauce (my faves are the Classico brand) and I blend in zucchini and parmesan cheese. I prep the zucchini by cutting it into chunks, microwaving it in a covered dish for 3 minutes and then add it to the sauce.  I make sure it's pureed really well and my kids eat it even faster than they normally eat pasta. And mommy seems to smile bigger when serving it, too.

Recipe #2 - ZUCCHINI CUPCAKES
I can't take credit for these, nor would I try, but I will tell you that we are on our third batch of these this summer. My kids beg for them. I actually make them without the frosting that is recommended - instead we warm them in the microwave and butter them up as muffins.  The picture is not mine (as we don't use the frosting)... but it's super pretty and they're really easy to make... you can find the recipe by clicking here.

Recipe # 3 - ZUCCHINI SOUP
My kids won't touch soup. I tell them they are crazy in the head, because this is so good. When we make it here, we often make double batches because my hubby and I love it so much.
It's my mother-in-law's recipe, but J says I do a pretty good job of it on my own. (duh, it's a little hard to mess up, but that's okay, I'll take the compliment) - you can serve this cold or hot with sour cream garnish.

1/2 c. onion
3 Tbs butter
6 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. brown rice
5 med zucchini, sliced (approx. 8 cups)
salt and pepper
1 1/2 tsp wine vinegar
1/2 tsp dill weed
sour cream
Brown onion in butter. Add broth, rice, zucchini, and cool till done.  Salt and pepper to taste. Add vinegar and dill weed. Puree in blender. Serve with a dollop of sour cream.
(may be frozen)

Recipe #4 - ORZO, TOMATO AND ZUCCHINI TOSS
This one is from my mom and I love how fresh it tastes. It is the perfect pasta salad to serve to guests or to take on a picnic.  It also goes well as a side to grilled or breaded chicken. (Plus it's pretty)

3 cups cooked orzo
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 cup chopped zucchini
2 minced garlic cloves
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp salt

Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.  Add tomatoes, zucchini and garlic. Saute 2 minutes. Stir in Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes.  Saute 1 minute or  until zucchini is crisp-tender. Combine tomato mixture, 3 cups hot cooked orzo and 1/4 tsp salt. Toss well.

best dinner in a long time - Truffle Asparagus Cream pasta

ok. Tonight's dinner was so yummy that I ate dinner twice and forgot to take a picture of my beautiful and yummy dish. Folks... I DON'T COOK. But every once in a while, I get back on the wagon and though I don't necessarily love the cooking process, I do love the grateful look on J's face when I actually make something. (and I'm not a bad cook, I'm just hardly interested in food...) sigh.

Tonight I got inspired. I've been trying to cook more, especially in front of the kids so that they will be forced to try new flavors, etc. We've been banging our heads against the quesadilla, mac n cheese, pasta, nuggets menu around here - and I'm sick of it... little by little...

Tonight's big coup came from the back of a pasta box - well, the idea did.  I added and changed quite a bit. Here you go....

Cook a box of wagon wheel pasta
in a skillet, saute asparagus and chopped onion in butter, olive oil, and minced garlic until the onion turns golden brown. Put the drained pasta in the skillet. Add some cream (I used fat free half'n'half) and stir until the flavors mix well and the onion is brown (and yummy!)... top this with about a teaspoon of truffle oil and mix well. Serve with  healthy dose of parmesan.
Wow! YUM.
not exactly low in fat - but every once in a while you can splurge.... this is good enough to serve guests!

Attempting to cook meatloaf

It's so cold and wet. We need the kind of food that sticks today, so I'm making meatloaf (not pictured, because we all know meatloaf is hideous) and cornbread (which IS beautiful)...
But this is a new meatloaf recipe and I am scared it won't turn out well. If you have a good meatloaf recipe, will you post it in the comments section here?

I have a vegan one that I will post that is fabulous.

Merry Blueberry morning

Want to know what we are eating this lovely Christmas AM? Check a few blog entries back for the recipe. Yum.