Apple Oatmeal Crumble
Oat groats are the whole oat kernel when it comes off the plant. Eating grains in their whole intact form is the most nutritious way to eat them. And oats, in particular, are one of the best foods for restoring a healthy gut. (This is a great interview with Dr. Richard Matthews about this.) And Dr. Tom O’Bryan, who specializes in gut health, says that the pectin in cooked apple skins is more biovailable then raw and is really good to heal the gut. (Video interview with Dr. Tom O’Bryan) He recommends eating a tablespoon of cooked apple 3 times a day. I figure I’ll get it done in one shot with breakfast. It’s a great way to sweeten up the oats. Feel free to add a tablespoon or two of chopped nuts or sprinkle on some flax meal.
Watch my video on how to make this using cranberries here.
1/2 cup oat groats
1 cup water
2 T raisins
1 large apple chopped
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t cardmom
Soak oat groats and raisins in the 1 cup of water over night. In the morning, transfer everything to a sauce pan, cover, turn the stove to medium heat and set the timer for 8 minutes. After 8 minutes, oats should be boiling. Add the chopped apple, bring back to a boil, leave on burner but turn off heat. Let it set for 15 or 20 minutes.
Figgy Oat Bars
After being on an elimination diet for a year I learned to be totally satisfied with fruit for dessert. However, when my fig tree produced an over abundance I wanted to try making some kind of dessert. I took a Banana Oat Bar recipe that I have and used figs instead of bananas, left out the nuts and dates and it worked great!
25 figs, trimmed (leave on skin)
1/4 cup of red flame grapes (For extra moisture and sweet. I had an abundance of them as well.)
2 cups rolled oats
1 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
1 T apple cider vinegar
Blend figs, grapes, and vinegar in a high-powered blender until smooth. The seeds in the figs make this very thick. Place oats, baking soda and cinnamon in a large bowl and mix well. Pour pureed fruit over oats and mix so that all the oats are moistened. Transfer batter to an 8 X 8 cake pan and bake at 350 for 15 – 17 minutes. Cool before cutting.
Cranberry Relish Salad
From Whole Food American Favorites
This recipe was inspired by my love for cranberry sauce without all the sugar! If you prefer less sweet, use a more tart apple and/or less dates. Cut down on the walnuts if you need to cut back on the fat.
1 medium Fuji apple
1 cup raw cranberries
8 small pitted dates
1/4 cup walnuts
Chop all ingredients in a food processor to a relish consistency.
Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
These vegan pumpkin muffins with chocolate chips are decadent enough for a Halloween treat and healthy enough for breakfast. And they just happen to be gluten-free as well.
Servings: 10 muffins
1 cup pitted dates soaked in 1/2 cup water for at least 4 hours
1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin
1/2 cup raw pecans
1 cup oats
1/2 cup millet flour (1/3 cup whole millet ground)
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar (optional for extra sweet)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons ginger
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
Grind dates, water from soaking, pumpkin, and pecans in a food processor. Add oats, millet flour, sugar, spices, baking powder, baking soda, vinegar, and vanilla. Process to a dough-like consistency. Mix in chocolate chips. Fill muffin tins and bake for 15 to 17 minutes.
Blueberry Muffins
Blueberry Muffins
Adapted from a recipe by Cathy Fisher that was posted on the Forks Over Knives web site.
1 cup pitted dates soaked in 1 1/4 cups water
1 1/2 cups rolled oats, divided
3/4 cup millet
2 t cardamom powder
2 t baking powder
1/3 cup walnuts or pecans
1 T apple cider vinegar
1 t vanilla
zest from one lemon
1 cup frozen blueberries
1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
Grind millet and ½ cup oats in blender or coffee grinder to coarse flour. Transfer to mixing bowl and add cardamom and baking powder. Mix well. Blend dates and soak water, 1/3 cup nuts, vinegar and vanilla until smooth. Add to dry ingredients. Add remaining cup of oats and lemon zest. Mix well. Fold in blueberries and chopped nuts if using. Fill muffin cups and bake at 350 for 25 minutes.
The Green Navel
When navel oranges are in peak season, I love to make this delicious, high-nutrient green smoothie. It’s such a great way to start your day! Green leafy vegetables cleanse, detoxify, and repair damaged cells in your body. Get them in your diet as much as you can for optimal health.
4 small pitted dates
1 T walnuts or hemp seeds
2 medium navel oranges*
Green leafy vegetables – as much as you can take! (My favorite combination is a handful of “Power Greens” from Costco and a handful of baby spinach)
Blend until creamy smooth.
*Peel just the outside orange part of the skin with a knife to preserve the white flesh which is very high in vitamin C. Vitamin C is an anti-oxidant and anti-oxidants mean anti-aging!