Cookie Dough Oatmeal

Mmmm, doesn't that sound good? Well that's exactly what this oatmeal tastes like! A gooey bowl of cookie dough. I've been loving looking at the site Chocolate Covered Katie, she has a lot of fun ideas for putting healthy twists on desserts. I decided to give it a try and make a super yummy oatmeal. It turned out better than I expected. Yummy, chocolatey, gooey, warm.....and healthy! This recipe is a keeper, I'm planning on making this Christmas morning. Every time I have made this I didn't measure, so here is the recipe but you can always add a lil more of this or a lil less of that to your taste :)

Cookie Dough Oatmeal
serves 2

1 cup old fashioned oats
2 cups water
pinch of salt
1-2 tsp raw cacao powder (different than cocoa powder, cacao is really good for you, you can use cocoa powder, just would need more )
1 tsp vanilla
1 T agave nectar (little more if you want it sweeter)
1 T maple syrup (same as agave, more to taste:) )
semi sweet chocolate chips to sprinkle over top (or dark chocolate, to keep with the healthy theme)

Add oats, salt, and water in pan. Bring to boil and boil uncovered about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla, cacao powder, agave, and maple syrup. Dish out in bowls, sprinkle on chocolate chips while it's hot (this is key so they will get gooey and melty). Add a little milk, almond milk, or soy milk to thin it out if needed. Sit down, dig in with a spoon and enjoy how delicioushly good this big bowl of oatmeal is for you!

More blogging, heartbeats, and granola bars

So admittedly, I have been a horrible blogger! So so horrible that I haven't even blogged about my birthday...which happened September 22nd! I definitely need to get on the ball. So here is my plan. I am committing to blogging every other day for a week. I know I know, to many of you blogger's that may sound pretty weak, but the way I have been at it lately it will be a huge improvement. So the goal, every other day, till next Thursday:)

Some personal stuff, Micah and I heard our babies heart beat for the first time a couple days ago. It was really cool. We even got to see the little guy (or gal) wiggle around a bit. It is just the size of a kumquat so still very small. I go back in 3 weeks to possibly check if it's a boy or girl. Did you know they may be able to tell sex at 13 weeks? We want to find out soon because if it's a boy I will still have to have an amnio to make sure the baby doesn't have the disease. I'm not too excited about that.

Ok, now on to cooking news. I have actually been cooking alot even though I haven't posted about it. A couple weeks ago I decided to be a really cute wife and make my husband some home made granola bars to take to school with him. I used an Ina Garten recipe and absolutely loved it. However I did leave alot of things out. Like...the dates, apricots, and cranberries. I am not a big dried fruit fan. But I did replace them with something even better, chocolate chips and butterscotch chocolate chips! Really yummy! My husband loved them. If you have a chance try them out and let me know what you think!

Ina wrapped hers up all cutesy in parchment paper, I tried that with
a couple of them but it was the biggest pain! Tape wouldn't stick
to the parchment so they just kept flopping open, so for the rest
I used saran wrap.

Ina Garten Granola Bars

Ingredients

nocoupons

• 2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
• 1 cup sliced almonds
• 1 cup shredded coconut, loosely packed
• 1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup chopped pitted dates
• 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8 by 12-inch baking dish and line it with parchment paper.

Toss the oatmeal, almonds, and coconut together on a sheet pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and stir in the wheat germ.

Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.

Place the butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir for a minute, then pour over the toasted oatmeal mixture. Add the dates, apricots, and cranberries and stir well.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Wet your fingers and lightly press the mixture evenly into the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until light golden brown. Cool for at least 2 to 3 hours before cutting into squares. Serve at room temperature.

Green Smoothies!

I know this may come as a shock to some people, but despite all the sweets I enjoy, I actually enjoying being healthy and eating things that are good for me:) Now that I am pregnant I am especially trying to eat healthy, however, I haven't been doing so hot for the past couple weeks. For some reason healthy food doesn't sound good to me, it's all the junk that I can eat without feeling sick. So I decided I needed to make a very conscious effort and get more nutrients into my diet. That's where these green smoothies come in. I used to make green smoothies all the time before I started invitro. It's the best way to get a bunch of kale and spinach into your diet without having to sit down and chomp it forever. Yes, they do taste different than your regular jamba, but some of them aren't that bad.

This one was actually a bit refreshing and I felt like my body was craving it. So, if you are feeling daring try this smoothie with some kale or spinach, if not, just try it without adding any greens. I made it this morning without any kale and it truly taste like a pina colada. I have a blendtec blender, in my opinion the best blender in the world. My mom has a vita mix and mine is a lot more powerful than hers and with a blendtec there is no need to use a plunger. So it blends it up nice and smooth so you would have no idea that by the texture there was kale in the smoothie. Now as for the taste...it was pretty...earthy. The kale taste was definitely prominent but the fruit helped sweeten it up. Even though it tasted very green, it was still yummy.

I thought the color of this was gorgeous, it made it a lot
easier drinking it when it was this amazing green color
as opposed to a murky green.

I was very nervous to dive right in and start drinking it. My husband is
a lot more mature than me, he can just drink it no problem,
sometimes I need him to count to three for me to be able
to drink it!

Pina Colada Smoothie
1/2 c. ice
1/2 c. frozen pineapple
1 c. frozen mango
1 1/2 c. light coconut milk
couple tablespoons of agave/honey to sweeten it up a bit
a cup or two of greens (kale, spinach ect.) if you feel like it,

Put all in your blender. I put the ice last-enjoy!
*you may need to thin it out a little with some water if it's too thick

Berry Summer Salad

Ok...so I know it's been a while. It has been a very busy and stressful summer. Micah and I are doing a lot right now and it's been hard to find time post. I will be able to be more specific about what we have been doing in a week, but for now let's talk salad. And not just any salad, the most wonderful and delicious summer salad I am confident you will ever have. My husbands aunt is known in the family for making the best salads, and I think this is my favorite salad that she makes. Eating this salad is like eating dessert! Maybe it's the 1/2 cup of sugar in the dressing, or the yummy candied pecans-but everything about it is delicious! Since summer is almost gone, I hope some of you get a chance to make this wonderful salad.

1 head red leaf lettuce
1 lb spinach
1/2 c. roasted candied pecans (make your own or buy them)
1 pint strawberries
blueberries
feta cheese

Dressing-blend together
1/3 c. raspberry vinegar
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. oil (i use olive oil)
2 tsp. dried onion
1/4 tsp salt
1 T. poppy seeds

Mix lettuce and spinach. Cut up strawberries and throw in with blueberries and some feta-as much or as little as you like. Top with the delicious dressing and enjoy!

Happy birthday with a big coconut cake, monte cristo sandwitches, and salad de maison

So last week was such a busy week for me and I am finally able to take a breather and share with you what I have been up to! First off, it was my moms birthday on Thursday! The big 50! And I know she wouldn't mind me sharing her age because she looks fabulous for 50. For her birthday cake I wanted to make something extra special. She loves coconut as much as I do so I thought a coconut cake would be very appropriate. But it couldn't be just any coconut cake it had to be extra fabulous. I found Ina Garten's coconut cake recipe and decided to give it a go. I also found a yummy lemon curd recipe on the joy of baking site and thought that would be amazing as a filling. The cake turned out delicious! Such a moist cake with a perfect coconut flavor. I find I am never unhappy with Ina's recipes and this wasn't an exception. Mom said, "It could be in a restaurant," and dad said "This is the best cake I have ever had!" It truly was a delicious cake. The lemon curd filling paired beautifully with the cream cheese frosting which was to die for by the way! I will be making this cake again soon, maybe next time I will make them into cupcakes with a lemon curd filling...mmmmm....

Happy Birthday Mom!
So lucky to have a mom like you! Love ya!

For my mom's birthday dinner we made monte cristo sandwiches with salad de maison. Some may think having sandwiches for a birthday isn't special enough, but let me tell you, I would prefer these sandwiches over a steak dinner. So delicious and unique. Definitely suitable for a special occasion. And as for the salad...amazing. My family has been making this salad for a while and there hasn't been a salad that has come close to how amazing this one is. It could be the 3 whole garlic cloves in the dressing that makes it so tasty. I am definitely a garlic fan and tend to overdose on it. It is a common comment from my husband at the dinner table when he says "I see you put some extra garlic in" , I guess it's the Greek in me which makes me always want to add more to recipes, but with this dressing 3 cloves or garlic is just right. I hope you have a chance to try all of these fun recipes!

Whenever I take pictures at my moms house people
always comment on how beautiful my kitchen is...although
I would love to pretend that my mom's kitchen is mine I wont:)

Coconut Cake

ingredients:
nocoupons

• 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pans
• 2 cups sugar
• 5 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pans
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup milk
• 4 ounces sweetened shredded coconut

For the frosting:

nocoupons

• 1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
• 1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 6 ounces sweetened shredded coconut

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 (9-inch) round cake pans, then line them parchment paper. Grease them again and dust lightly with flour.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until light yellow and fluffy. Crack the eggs into a small bowl. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl once during mixing. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well. The mixture might look curdled; don't be concerned.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and the milk to the batter in 3 parts, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Fold in the 4 ounces of coconut with a rubber spatula.

Pour the batter evenly into the 2 pans and smooth the top with a knife. Bake in the center of the oven for 45 to 55 minutes, until the tops are browned and a cake tester comes out clean. Cool on a baking rack for 30 minutes, then turn the cakes out onto a baking rack to finish cooling.

For the frosting, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla and almond extract on low speed. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until just smooth (don't whip!).(Ok so this is the one time I deviated fromIna's recipe, I did whip it and it was delicious, smooth and creamy!)

To assemble, place 1 layer on a flat serving plate, top side down, and spread with frosting. Place the second layer on top, top side up, and frost the top and sides. To decorate the cake, sprinkle the top with coconut and lightly press more coconut onto the sides. Serve at room temperature.

Lemon Curd:

3 large eggs

1/3 cup (80 ml) fresh lemon juice (2-3 lemons) (do not use the bottled lemon juice)

1 tablespoon (4 grams) finely shredded lemon zest

3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar

4 tablespoons (56 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into small pieces

Lemon Curd: In a stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and lemon juice until blended. Cook, stirring constantly (to prevent it from curdling), until the mixture becomes thick (like sour cream or a hollandaise sauce) (160 degrees F or 71 degrees C). This will take approximately 10 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately pour through a fine strainer to remove any lumps. Cut the butter into small pieces and whisk into the mixture until the butter has melted. Add the lemon zest and let cool. The lemon curd will continue to thicken as it cools. Cover immediately (so a skin doesn't form) and refrigerate until cold. The lemon curd can be made several days (up to a week) in advance.

Salad De Maison

Yield: 10 servings

Salad:
2 cups Romaine lettuce, torn in pieces (I use a whole head to romaine)
2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 cup Swiss cheese, grated (I cut mine into cubes)
2/3 cup almonds, slivered
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 cup croutons
1/4 cup bacon (or bacon bits), to taste

Dressing:
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup canola oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions

Lightly toast almonds. Cut up bacon in 2-inch pieces and cook until crisp (or use bacon bits). Toss lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, almonds, Parmesan cheese, crou-tons and bacon together and set aside. Prepare dressing by blending lemon juice, salt, canola oil, garlic and pepper together at high speed in a blender or food processor. Pour over salad, toss and serve immediately.

Monte Cristo Sandwich

This longtime favorite is on the menu at the Blue Bayou Restaurant

1 egg

1 3/4 cups plus 2 T water

1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour

1/4 t. salt

1 t. baking powder

8 slices egg bread (challah works well), sliced 1/2 inch thick

2/3 pound ham, cut into 4 slices

2/3 pound turkey, cut into 4 slices

1/4 pound Swiss cheese, cut into 4 slices

3 cups canola oil

Confectioners' sugar

Blackberry preserves

1. Line a cookie sheet with paper towels; set aside

2. Whisk the egg and water together in a mixing bowl. Add flour, salt, and baking powder and whisk thoroughly, scraping side of bowl. Continue to whisk for 20 minutes, until smooth.

3. On one slice of bread arrange a slice each of ham, turkey, and cheese, covering the bread evenly. Place another slice of bread on top and slice sandwich in half diagonally.

4. Heat oil to between 365 degrees F. and 375 degrees F. in a 10 inch pan. Do not let the oil reach a higher temperature than this; if the oil starts to smoke, turn the heat down. Dip half of the sandwich into the batter, allowing excess to drain, and very carefully place into the oil. Repeat with the other sandwich half. Cook 3 minutes on each side. Place the cooked sandwich on the prepared cookie sheet in a warm oven until ready to serve. Repeat for other three sandwiches. Cook the sandwiches one at a time, and allow the oil to reach the desired temperature in between each batch.

5. Sprinkle sandwiches with confectioners' sugar and serve with blackberry preserves on the side.

Jumping on the healthy bandwagon!

I know I have been lacking in my posts lately due to the healthy kick I am on. I am hoping this time it wont be just a "kick" but that I will improve my eating habits for good. However, that is not easy for an avid baker and it definitely doesn't make my blog very exciting when most the things I feature and make are yummy delights! So I decided I needed a healthy alternative to the usual fattening and o so good desserts I make. Luckily for me many bloggers have already beaten me to the punch and have found healthy yummy recipes so I wont have to. Thanks to cookie madness I stumbled acrossed this agave oatmeal cookie recipe. I purchased agave nectar at the grocery store the other day and have not known what to make with it until now! This recipe is definitely a winner in my opinion, it is satisfying for someone watching their sweet tooth and I think also would be a very good snack to have during the day. With no sugar, no preservatives, and no white processed flour how could it be that bad? However, I did toss in a few chocolate chips-hey I'm baby steppin! I also ommited the raisins. Hope you can try these out. I doulbed the recipe and they turned out just fine. I think coconut would also be a wonderful addition to them next time. Enjoy!

Agave & Honey Oatmeal Cookies

2 tablespoons lightly beaten egg (approx)
3 tablespoons agave nectar
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour (2 oz)
1 tablespoon toasted wheat germ
1/8 teaspoon EACH baking soda & baking powder
1/4 scant teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cups old fashioned oats
1/3 cup raisins

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Mix egg, agave, honey, oil and vanilla together in a bowl. Stir very well.
Combine flour, wheat germ, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a bowl. Stir very well, then add to agave mixture and stir until blended. Stir in the oats and raisins. Let batter sit for about 5 minutes.

Using a tablespoon measure, scoop up dough and arrange on parchment lined cookie sheets spacing 2 inches apart. Bake one sheet at a time for about 10-11 minutes. Let cool completely.

Makes 8 cookies