Fruit – Healthy Delicious

Oatmeal Pancakes (Easy Blender Recipe!)

Lauren — Thu, 18 Jan 2024 22:03:57 +0000

These Homestyle Oatmeal Pancakes are delicate and fluffy with delightfully crisp, buttery edges. Top them with your favorite berries, a smattering of nuts, and a touch of honey for a hearty and delicious breakfast that’s as easy to make a it is to eat.

What you’ll love about this recipe:

Easy blender recipe. Mix the pancake batter up right in your blender in just a few seconds! It turns the rolled oats into oat flour for a great texture!
Freeze for later. Perfect for breakfast on the go!
Easily Personalizable. Tailor this recipe to your taste. Substitute raspberries for strawberries, apples, or peaches — or go classic with just butter and maple syrup. These oatmeal pancakes are the perfect blank canvas for your culinary creations!

Rise and Shine with Raspberry Oatmeal Pancakes

I first posted this recipe for blender oatmeal pancakes way back in 2014 for a Brunch Week event, and they quickly became one of my favorite breakfast options. They’re super simple to make and, even better, they freeze beautifully so you can make them ahead of time and pop one into the microwave at a moment’s notice.

The batter is enriched with buttermilk, fragrant vanilla, and just enough brown sugar to complement the earthy flavor of rolled oats. I personally prefer these oatmeal pancakes to tradition pancakes because they have a more complex flavor, but they’re kid-friendly, too.

Topped with crunchy hazelnuts, fresh raspberries, and a drizzle of maple syrup or honey, these healthy pancakes are sure to start your day on a comforting note and you’ll feel good knowing they contain whole grains.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Rolled Oats. Compared to other grains, oats are high in protein. They also have fiber to keep you full and oxidants that help support heart health. Plus they have a delicious nutty flavor that makes these pancakes so good!

All Purpose Flour or White Whole Wheat Flour. Oats are dense, so I add some flour to make the pancakes light and fluffy.

Buttermilk. This adds a slightly tangy flavor that helps brighten up the flavor of the oats.

Eggs. To help bind the batter together. Eggs also help the pancakes rise!

Vanilla Extract. For deliciousness.

Brown Sugar. Just a touch to add some sweetness. Subtly sweetening the pancake themselves means you can use less syrup on top!

Baking Powder. To help make them fluffy!

Kosher Salt. For balance.

Butter. Both for the pan and in the batter to add flavor and help those lacy edges get nice and crispy.

Swaps and Substitutions

To make these oatmeal pancakes without buttermilk, swap in plain Greek yogurt. Depending on the brand you use and how thick it is, you might need to add a Tablespoon or two of almond milk or your favorite milk or non-dairy milk to thin the batter out. I find this is especially necessary when I use Fage yogurt, but isn’t needed when I use Chobani or Stoneyfield.

No brown sugar? You can use maple syrup, honey, or your favorite sweetener instead.

Try using flax egg — for this recipe, you’ll need 2 Tablespoons flaxseed meal + 5 Tablespoons water in place of the eggs.

Pro tips for the best homemade pancakes from scratch

Let the batter rest. Oats have the ability to absorb a lot of liquid, and giving them ample time to do that helps make them more tender so you’ll get the perfect fluffy texture (no gritty whole grain texture here!)
Control the heat: No one likes a pancakes that’s golden brown outside by goopy and undercooked inside. For even cooking, I usually make my first few on medium heat, than once the pan is hot, i cook the rest on low. This way they cook evenly without over browning.
Ready to flip? It can be super tempting to flip your pancakes too soon. They’re ready when the top looks fully dry and small bubbles have formed.

Commonly asked questions

How to store and reheat

These pancakes will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or can be frozen for 6 months. For easy breakfasts on the go, freeze the pancakes in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer them to a freezer bag once they’re frozen solid. It will be super easy to pull out one or two whenever you want!

To reheat, pop them in the microwafe for 45 seconds to 1 minute. You can also toast them!

Do I have to use a blender?

If you don’t have a blender, you can use a food processor instead. No food processor either? You can stir the batter together by hand, but note that the texture will be more rustic since the oats won’t be pulverized into flour. They’re great that way though too!

Why are the pancakes burning on the outside and raw on the inside?

This usually happens when the pan is too hot. It causes the pancakes to cook quickly on the outside while leaving them undercooked inside. Lower the heat and cook the pancakes longer to solve this problem.

Help, my batter is way too thick!

This can happen, especially if you use a thick Greek yogurt or if you let the batter sit for a while. Just thin it back out with some milk and everythign will be fine.

Can I substitute the buttermilk with regular milk in the pancake mix?

Buttermilk adds a distinct tangy flavor and helps in achieve a fluffy texture, you but can use regular milk if you don’t have any on hand. You can also make a buttermilk substitute by adding one tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to a cup of milk, and letting it stand for around 10 minutes. Greek yogurt is also a great swap for the buttermilk!

More delicious breakfast recipes

Raspberry Oatmeal Pancakes Recipe

Indulge in a delightful morning treat with our Raspberry Oatmeal Pancakes recipe. These pancakes blend the mild, nutty flavor of oats with the sweetness of fresh raspberries, all balanced with a hint of brown sugar.

Course 15 Oatmeal and Breakfast Grain Recipes

Cuisine American

Keyword oatmeal blender pancakes, oatmeal pancakes

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Total Time 35

Servings pancakes

Calories 235kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

¼ cup hazelnuts
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1½ cups buttermilk
2 large eggs
4 tablespoons butter melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup rolled oats
¾ cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon butter for the pan
1 pint raspberries
honey for serving

Instructions

Heat a large, dry frying pan over high heat. Add the hazelnuts; cook, stirring frequently until light golden brown and toasted, 4-5 minutes. Chop and set aside.
Add the buttermilk, vanilla, eggs, melted butter, oats, flour, baking powder, and salt to your blender in that order. Pulse the blender 15-20 times, until the batter is fully incorporated.
Let the batter sit for 5 minutes.
Heat a little butter on a griddle or in a large frying pan set over medium heat. When the butter begins to sizzle, ladle in ⅔ cups of the pancake better, being careful not to crowd the pan.
Cook for 3 minutes, or until the tops of the pancakes look dry; flip the pancakes over, pressing down with your spatula. Cook another 1-2 minutes, or until cooked through. Transfer pancakes to a plate.
Lower the heat to low and repeat with remaining batter.
Serve topped with more raspberries, toasted hazelnuts, and honey.

Nutrition

Blackberry and Strawberry Tarte

Lauren — Fri, 06 Mar 2020 22:30:32 +0000

Gummies icing cake chocolate cake pastry pie. Powder dragée cake tootsie roll macaroon jelly beans cheesecake. Cheesecake sweet roll powder jelly marshmallow sugar plum gingerbread. Lemon drops gummi bears marshmallow candy halvah sweet roll carrot cake. Gummi bears apple pie chocolate sweet bonbon caramels chupa chups. Cake sweet roll brownie brownie pastry chupa chups. Cake carrot cake liquorice jelly tootsie roll brownie chocolate bar pastry.

Danish shortbread liquorice shortbread caramels. Tootsie roll oat cake chocolate bar chocolate wafer macaroon. Apple pie bonbon oat cake tootsie roll cheesecake chocolate cake cheesecake cheesecake. Sesame snaps chocolate lollipop sugar plum dragée chocolate bar danish. Cotton candy chocolate cake apple pie tootsie roll pudding cake tart lemon drops. Shortbread sesame snaps croissant icing powder cotton candy sesame snaps cheesecake liquorice. Muffin wafer croissant soufflé sweet cookie tootsie roll. Chocolate sweet roll candy liquorice candy canes pudding bonbon lemon drops icing.

Chocolate wafer macaroon cookie chocolate bar wafer croissant gummi bears. Gummi bears gummies tootsie roll soufflé tootsie roll pie jelly beans jelly beans pie. Candy toffee oat cake gummi bears chupa chups wafer pudding. Chocolate cake lollipop wafer candy muffin jujubes chocolate ice cream. Cotton candy pudding bonbon toffee pie shortbread chocolate powder. Dragée halvah danish pastry ice cream dessert marshmallow sweet roll cupcake.

5 Healthy and Delicious Overnight Oats Ideas (Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Options)

Lauren — Tue, 11 Jun 2019 10:00:35 +0000

These Overnight Oats are a simple, healthy, and delicious breakfast option. Five delicious flavor combinations for each day of the work week!

Overnight oats are a simple, healthy, and delicious breakfast option that’s ready to eat with minimal preparation.

A few weeks ago, I shared how to make smoothie freezer packs for quick breakfasts on the run. But when you want something a little more substantial, you’ll be glad you tried this overnight oats recipe.

While we all know oatmeal is a nutritious breakfast staple, sometimes it gets a bad rap for being boring. We can fix that though – with five different ways to customize your oatmeal breakfast, you’ll never think of oatmeal as being boring again!

While this recipe includes a few topping recommendations I just so happen to love, feel free to personalize your overnight oats to fit your taste buds! I’d love to hear your ideas!

Overnight Oats Ingredients:

You only need a few ingredients to prepare this make-ahead breakfast. You’ll also need small jars to store them in. I use these 9.8 oz jars from The Container Store, but you can pick whatever works for you. Mason jars work great! Just be sure it has a very tight lid to keep your oats fresh.

Start with your favorite oats, then add yogurt and almond milk to your container, then stick them in the fridge overnight. You can even let them sit a few nights if you’re meal prepping! In the morning, simply add the toppings of your choice right before you eat.

Steel cut oats: Oats are the foundation of a delicious overnight oats recipe. While I prefer steel cut oats, you can use any kind you want, except quick cooking or one-minute oats. The quick cooking oats turn to mush, and you don’t want that.

Greek Yogurt: I like to top my overnight oats with greek yogurt because it’s so high in protein. Plus, it’s delicious! You can use vegan greek yogurt if you prefer a dairy-free breakfast. For that, I really love using Trader Joe’s cultured coconut milk.

Coconut Milk: I prefer unsweetened coconut milk for this recipe because it’s super tasty, and I usually have it on hand for my morning coffee. But you can use the dairy or non-dairy milk of your choice. Almond milk also works really well in this recipe.

Fruits and Nuts: The topping combinations you can choose from for your overnight oats are endless! Below you will find a few of my favorite choices, but go ahead and get creative. Just remember not to add your toppings until you’re about to eat. Otherwise, they can get mushy. To save even more time, portion out your toppings into small containers or bags in advance. This reduces the amount of time you spend preparing your meal in the morning.

Delicious Overnight Oats Ideas

Mixed Berry and Chia Seed Overnight Oats

Oats
Coconut milk
Greek yogurt
Mixed berries
Chia seeds

Banana and Walnut Overnight Oats

Oats
Almond milk
Greek yogurt
Sliced bananas
Chopped walnuts

Pomegranate and Kiwi Overnight Oats

Oats
Coconut milk
Greek yogurt
Pomegranate seeds
Kiwi slices

Strawberry and Nut Butter Overnight Oats

Oats
Almond milk
Greek yogurt
Strawberry jam
Peanut butter (or homemade cashew butter!)
Sliced strawberries

Apple and Granola Overnight Oats

Oats
Coconut milk
Greek yogurt
Apple slices
Granola

Healthy and Delicious Overnight Oats

With only 3 simple ingredients as the base for this recipe, it doesn’t get much easier. Customize your breakfast with your favorite combination of toppings. You can eat your overnight oats cold, but if you prefer a warm breakfast you can heat them in the microwave for 1-2 minutes before adding your toppings!

Course Healthy Breakfast Recipes

Cuisine American

Keyword breakfast, meal prep breakfast, overnight oats

Prep Time 5

Additional Time 8

Total Time 8 5

Servings

Calories 262kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

1 cup steel cut oats
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 cup coconut milk or milk of your choice

Instructions

Add uncooked oats to the jar or container of your choice. (Note: Ingredient amounts may need to be adjusted based on the size of your container. This recipe is based on a 9.8 oz jar.)
Add yogurt, and coconut milk to the container, put the lid on your jar and place it in the refrigerator.
Refrigerate at least 8 hours, to allow the oats to soak up the liquid ingredients.
Remove your container from the refrigerator, stir the ingredients, and enjoy warm or cold with the toppings of your choice.

Notes

Make It Dairy Free: Use dairy-free milk and dairy free-yogurt to make vegan overnight oats

Make It Gluten Free: Use gluten-free oats

Meal Prep Option: Your overnight oats should last in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Strawberry Peach Smoothie Freezer Packs

Lauren — Thu, 23 May 2019 01:23:39 +0000

Smoothie freezer packs are a game-changer for busy mornings. Make them ahead, then just dump, blend, and go! These strawberry-peach smoothies are my current favorite.

It’s finally starting to feel like summer here in Upstate New York, which means I’m getting excited about smoothies again! It’s well documented that I’m not a morning person AT ALL, which means simple grab-and-go breakfast options are a must.

Smoothies are pretty easy to make as it is, but these smoothie freezer packs make them completely foolproof. With these packs, all you have to do in the morning is grab one, add some liquid, and blend. No peeling, chopping, or real measuring required.

I have a few different versions of smoothie packs in my freezer right now, but these strawberry-peach smoothies are my current favorite.

During the week, I pour my smoothie into a travel cup so I can drink it on the go. I love this mug, because the lid screws on super tightly and it comes with two straws – plus they’re super cute!

On the weekends or on mornings when I have more time, I add less liquid for a thicker smoothie bowl topped with whatever goodies I happen to have around the kitchen.

How to make smoothie freezer packs

Making smoothie freezer packs is easy!

First, you’ll need some freezer bags. I like quart sized bags with a zip-top seal – they’re the perfect size for an individual smoothie and I don’t have to worry about them popping open and spilling in my freezer.

To each bag, you’ll want to add 1 1/2 to 2 cups of fresh or frozen fruit. Or, if you like vegetables in your smoothie, you can use 1 1/4 cup of fruit and 1/2 cup of leafy greens like baby spinach or 1/4 cup of bulkier vegetables like cauliflower or diced zucchini (both of which are surprisingly tasty when blended with fruit!) You can use fresh fruit or buy bags of frozen fruit for these smoothies. I use fresh in the summer when it’s at peak ripeness and on sale, and frozen the rest of the year.

In addition to the fruit/veggies, you can add up to 3 tablespoons of nutrient boosts, like nuts or seeds. I also like to add some rolled oats to help thicken my smoothies.

Fill the bags with whatever combination of ingredients you want, then seal them and put them in the freezer until you’re ready for a smoothie.

Add the contents of the smoothie freezer pack to your blender along with 1 cup of liquid – I like coconut water or almond milk – and blend until smooth. For an added protein boost, you can also add a scoop of collagen before blending.

Strawberry Peach Smoothie Freezer Packs

Course Healthy Breakfast Recipes

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Servings smoothie packs

Calories 236kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Equipment

Ingredients

2 cups large fresh or frozen strawberries about 16 strawberries
4 cups sliced fresh or frozen peaches
1 ⅓ cup fresh or frozen raspberries
1 banana sliced
¼ cup rolled oats
2 Tablespoons sliced almonds
2 Tablespoons flax meal
2 Tablespoons hemp seeds

Instructions

Divide the ingredients evenly among 4 quart-sized zip-top freezer bags. Squeeze out as much air as you can; seal.
Freeze overnight, then store in the freezer until you're ready to serve them.
To make a smoothie, add the contents of one bag to a blender along with 1 cup of your favorite liquid (I like coconut water or almond milk), then blend until smooth. To make a smoothie bowl, use 1/2 cup of liquid. For an added protein boost, you can also add a scoop of collagen to your smoothie before blending.

Nutrition

Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken with Mango Salad from Healthy Eating One-Pot Cookbook

Lauren — Tue, 19 Mar 2019 09:00:28 +0000

Barbecue chicken is a summertime classic, but now you can enjoy it year-round thanks to this easy sheet pan recipe. Instead of a vegetable, like corn or green beans, I like serving this chicken with spicy mango salad to keep the summertime theme going.

Guys, MY HEALTHY EATING ONE-POT COOKBOOK COMES OUT IN ONE WEEK! And the Kindle version is already available for people to download. Somebody pinch me, please.

On one hand, it feels like I started testing recipes for my book ages ago but, on the other hand, I can’t believe it’s coming out already! I can’t wait for you all to get your hands on this book – I know you’ll love it.

I already have my copy and I’ve been using it nonstop myself. I did NOT feel like cooking dinner the other night after a long day at work, but knowing that I had this resource of healthy, easy (think 10 ingredients or less and made in one pot or pan for easy cleanup) recipes at my fingertips made it so much better. I made this barbecue chicken thighs with roasted potato wedges and mango salad in the time it would have taken to get a pizza delivered. Although if I did feel like pizza, my book has a great recipe for that too. You make it in the air fryer and it’s so delicious.

This is probably the last sneak peek that I’ll be sharing here on the blog, so if you’ll have to grab a copy of the book if you want the rest of the recipes from it. If you’re planning to buy it, do me a huge favor and pre-order it? Apparently, that’s a huge deal in Amazon-world. Pre-orders get more weight in their search algorithm than copies sold after the release date or something like that. I don’t know, but I really want this book to do well so I can write another one. It can’t hurt – plus if you preorder, you’ll get it in your mailbox on the day it releases so you won’t have to wait an extra second.

You all know I love a good sheet pan meal, so this book is full of them. This sheet pan barbecue chicken dinner recipe is one of my favorites. Funnily, it’s probably one of those more complicated recipes in the book, even though it’s seriously easy to make.

What’s so complicated about it? Well, besides a sheet pan, you’ll also need a bowl to make the mango salad (gasp). Honestly, I usually just mix the salad right on one of my dinner plates. It’s a useful little hack that saves me from having to wash an extra dish. Have I ever mentioned how much I hate doing dishes?

There’s a recipe for homemade barbecue sauce in the book, but store-bought sauce is totally fine. That’s what I used when I made this last week.

Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken with Mango Salad from Healthy Eating One-Pot Cookbook

Barbecue chicken is a summertime classic, but now you can enjoy it year-round thanks to this easy sheet pan recipe. Instead of a vegetable, like corn or green beans, I like serving this chicken with spicy mango salad to keep the summertime theme going. If you have extra barbecue sauce, use it on your crispy potato wedges.

Course Healthy One Pan Recipes

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Total Time 40

Servings servings

Calories 412kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

FOR THE CHICKEN AND POTATOES

4 red potatoes cut into wedges
1 tablespoon extra-virgin
olive oil
Celtic sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
¼ cup Maple Barbecue Sauce page 136 or your favorite barbecue sauce

FOR THE MANGO SALAD

1 mango peeled and diced
1 jalapeño pepper seeded and minced
½ red onion minced
¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
Juice of 1 lime
Celtic sea salt

Instructions

!TO MAKE THE CHICKEN AND POTATOES
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Arrange the potato wedges in a single layer on one side of a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Place the chicken thighs on the other side of the sheet pan. Brush the chicken with barbecue sauce. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and !the potatoes are soft.
TO MAKE THE MANGO SALAD
While the chicken cooks, in a medium bowl, stir together the mango, jalapeño, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, and a pinch of salt. Mix well. Let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes.

Notes

Repurpose tip: Make a double batch of mango salad—it’s also great on tortilla chips or as an addition to Fajita Burrito Bowls

Nutrition

Shrimp and Grapefruit Ceviche

Lauren — Fri, 01 Mar 2019 17:00:44 +0000

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Jackson’s Honest. All opinions are 100% mine.

Next time you feel snacky, reach for this tropical-inspired shrimp and grapefruit ceviche, served with Jackson’s Honest Potato Chips. Using pre-cooked shrimp makes it so easy!

When we were in Costa Rica back in December, I pretty much lived off of ceviche and fruit. Our daily routine was pretty much waking up super early, heading off for an adventure of some sort, then trying to make it back to our resort before they stopped serving lunch at 2. Of course, things never worked out according to the plan – we always had too much fun and didn’t make it back to the hotel until after the kitchen had closed. I don’t think we managed to eat lunch there a single time! Luckily, the snack bar by the pool stayed open a little later, so we usually grabbed a bite there.

Most of what they served was pretty junky (think pizza and wings) but the ceviche was out of this world delicious. We were looking to have a fun snack the other night and I thought it would be fun to make a recipe inspired by those lunches. I’m not sure what kind of fish they used in theirs – it was firm and white – but I made mine with shrimp. And, since it’s in season, I added red grapefruit segments along with more traditional citrus.

You can serve this shrimp ceviche recipe with tortilla chips, but I liked it even better with potato chips – it was especially good on Jackson’s Honest purple potato chips.

Shawn loves crunchy snacks, so we always have a few bags of potato chips, tortilla chips, or cheese puffs in the kitchen. Lately, we’ve been really liking chips from Jackson’s Honest.

What’s so special about Jackon’s Honest?

Jackson’s Honest potato chips are slow cooked in coconut oil, which helps preserve nutrients, and they actually taste like potato (and they aren’t greasy at all). I’m obsessed with the purple heirloom variety. They also have an apple cider vinegar flavor that I really want to try since I love salt and vinegar chips. I’ve found them at Whole Foods as well as at our local food co-op.

In addition to potato chips, Jackson’s honest makes corn tortilla chips and grain-free puffs. Both of those are cooked in coconut oil, too. I haven’t been able to find them locally, but I’m planning to order some from Amazon soon.

Every Jackson’s Honest product includes the statement: “Goodness. Pass It On.” which summarizes their mission to provide tasty, shareable snacks made with traditional fats like coconut oil, and to share the role that traditional fats play in helping the founder’s son Jackson, who has a rare autoimmune disease. You can learn more about their story here or follow them on facebook and instagram.

Or you can just eat their snacks because they’re delicious.

Now, back to that shrimp and grapefruit ceviche.

Ceviche is traditionally made with raw seafood marinated in citrus juice and spices. The acid in the juice “cooks” the fish without adding any heat, so it needs to be prepared very carefully. I didn’t want to mess with that (and I guessed that you wouldn’t either) so I used pre-cooked shrimp. It makes this ceviche pretty much foolproof.

To make it, you’ll combine chopped cooked shrimp (the same kind you’d use for shrimp cocktail) with the juice from a few lemons and limes, grapefruit segments, diced red onion, and chile pepper. Let it marinate in the refrigerator for a few hours, then stir in diced avocado, cilantro, oil, and salt. Serve the ceviche with your favorite chips for scooping.

Shrimp and Grapefruit Ceviche

Course Healthy Snack Recipes

Cuisine South American

Servings servings

Calories 205kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

1 pound medium cooked shrimp
2 limes
2 lemons
1 red grapefruit
1 small red onion diced (about 1/4 cup)
2 serrano chile peppers minced
1 avocado diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
Jackson's Honest potato chips for serving

Instructions

Chop the shrimp into bite sized pieces and put them in a non-reactive bowl. Juice the limes and lemons and pour the juice over the shrimp.
On a shallow plate, cut the grapefruit into small segments. Add the segments, along with any accumulated juices, into the shrimp. Stir in the minced serrano peppers. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Before serving, stir in the avocado, olive oil, and cilantro. Season to taste with salt.

Nutrition

Cranberry Oatmeal Bars from my Healthy Eating One-Pot Cookbook (Vegan, Dairy-Free)

Lauren — Wed, 27 Feb 2019 02:23:39 +0000

Easy Cranberry Oatmeal Bars from my Healthy Eating One-Pot Cookbook are great for dessert or breakfast! Make them with whole grain oats and whole wheat flour, coconut oil, and maple syrup.

When I think about all of the recipes in my new Healthy Eating One-Pot Cookbook, there are two that jump out as being my favorite: Instant Pot Red Curry Ramen and Cranberry Oatmeal Bars. Both of them were instant hits, and I’ve been making them all winter. Even though these recipes only have 10 ingredients each, they have complex, layered flavors that make them seem much more complicated than they actually are.

When I asked people on facebook which recipe they’d like me to share, I wasn’t sure which recipe I was rooting for. It was a close call, but Cranberry Oatmeal Bars won by a super narrow margin. I’m sharing that recipe here today – if you want the ramen you’ll need to check out the book!

I’m completely obsessed with these vegan cranberry bars. They’re sweetened with maple syrup and flavored with vanilla extract and a hint of cinnamon. The crumbly oat topping is buttery and sweet, which balances the tart berries perfectly.

These bars are crisp straight from the oven but will soften overnight if kept in an airtight container. Either way, they’re fantastic. The recipe makes six big, bakery-style bars, but if you’re looking for a treat that’s lower in calories you can easily cut them into nine or even twelve portions and still be satisfied.

Tips for making cranberry oatmeal bars:

The best way to make these oatmeal bars is with fresh cranberries, but frozen berries work too. I couldn’t find either variety last weekend, so I made this batch with sugar-free raspberry preserves. Raspberries are pretty tart, so they make a great stand-in for cranberries in this recipe. The bars will be thicker and more colorful if you use whole berries, but they taste great either way.

This is actually a swap that I suggest in the book. One of my favorite parts of the book is that every single recipe has a tip that will help you pick the best ingredients, make smart swaps, or repurpose your leftovers. The book has 101 recipes in it, but when you include the variations from the tips there are really so many more!

I put these cranberry oatmeal bars in the dessert chapter of the book but, if you’re anything like me, you’ll be tempted to sneak one for breakfast!

If you love cranberry desserts, you also love this cranberry orange shortbread!

Cranberry Oatmeal Bars from my Healthy Eating One-Pot Cookbook (Vegan)

I’m obsessed with these cranberry bars. The crumbly oat topping is buttery and sweet, which balances the tart berries perfectly. These bars are crisp straight from the oven, but will soften overnight if kept in an airtight container. Either way, they’re fantastic. If you’re anything like me, you’ll be tempted to sneak one for breakfast.

Course Healthy Dessert Recipes

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Total Time 35

Servings servings

Calories 373kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

½ cup coconut oil
¾ cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups rolled oats
1 ½ cups white whole-wheat flour
1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon baking soda
3 cups fresh cranberries chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons sliced almonds

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a large bowl, whisk the coconut oil and maple syrup until smooth. Stir in the vanilla.
Gently mix in the oats, flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda to form a crumbly dough. Press half the dough onto one side of a sheet pan, forming a layer about 1/2 inch thick.
Spread the chopped cranberries over the dough and sprinkle with the sugar.
Crumble the remaining dough over the berries. Sprinkle the top with the almonds.
Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until light golden brown.
Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Cut into 6 bars to serve.

Notes

If fresh cranberries aren’t in season, use frozen. Or, swap them for whole-fruit raspberry preserves and omit the sugar.

Nutrition

Sweet and Sour Pork Stir Fry

Lauren — Mon, 18 Feb 2019 16:19:14 +0000

This One-Pot Sweet and Sour Pork Stir Fry recipe is made with super simple ingredients and can be on the table in under a half hour. That’s what I call a weeknight win!

This sweet and sour pork stir fry recipe is one of my favorites from my Healthy Eating One-Pot Cookbook.

It’s based on one of my favorite meals growing up: my mom’s sweet and sour meatballs.

I brought it into the 21st century by using fresh pineapple and ginger and adding honey to help sweeten it naturally.

And, of course, I turned it into a one-pot meal that you can make in a skillet in under a half hour. This recipe is perfect for hectic weeknights!

This sweet and sour pork stir fry is definitely hearty enough to enjoy on its own, but you can also serve it over rice or cauliflower rice if you want to stretch it into more servings.

Ingredients and Substitutions

The ingredients for this pork stir fry recipe look super simple but it’s so delicious. the sauce is thick enough to cling to every bite and has a great balance of sweet and tangy flavor. To make it, you’ll need:

Fresh ginger. It has so much more flavor than powdered ginger.

Pork loin. This is a great lean protein option, but you can also use chicken or beef.

Pineapple. I love making this recipe with fresh pineapple, but you can swap in frozen pineapple in a pinch,. Just be sure to thaw and drain it so your stir fry doesn’t get waterlogged.

Bell pepper. You can use any color bell pepper you want. I usually grab red or green.

Green Beans. Or broccoli or your favorite green vegetable.

Apple cider vinegar. This gives the sweet and sour sauce it’s traditional sour flavor.

Light brown sugar.

Honey.

Low-sodium soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free. You can also use coconut aminos, but you’ll want to add some salt if you do.

Cornstarch to thicken the sauce.

Sweet and Sour Pork Stir Fry

As a kid, sweet and sour meatballs were one of my favorite dinners. I brought my mom’s sweet and sour sauce into the twenty-first century with this pork stir fry recipe that's perfect for easy week-night dinners. This stir-fry is substantial enough to stand on its own but is also great served over rice.

Course Healthy One Pan Recipes

Cuisine Asian

Keyword pork stir fry, sweet and sour pork stir fry

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings servings

Calories 302kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1 pound pork loin cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup fresh pineapple chunks cut into bite-sized pieces
1 green bell pepper cut into bite-sized pieces
4 ounces green beans trimmed
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons packed light brown sugar
2 Tablespoons honey
2 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 Tablespoons cornstarch

Instructions

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil.
Add the ginger. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.
Add the pork. Coo for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until browned but not fully cooked through.
Stir in the pineapple, green bell pepper, green beans, vinegar, brown sugar, honey, soy sauce, and cornstarch. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until the vegetables are soft and the pork is cooked though.

Notes

Substitution tip: Use boneless, skinless chicken breast instead of pork loin

Nutrition

Ricotta Toast with Blackberries and Mint

Lauren — Tue, 31 Jul 2018 09:30:30 +0000

Nothing beats summer berries – except maybe for summer berries and mint piled on top of toast with ricotta and honey. If you’re looking for a way to make Monday breakfast feel more like Sunday brunch, ricotta toast is where it’s at.

I’ve been on a fancy toast kick lately.

It all started when I was in DC a few weeks ago and had gluten free avocado toast for breakfast. I had forgotten how amazing it is! (Same goes for guacamole toast)

Our local diner isn’t that fancy, so after the gym one morning I tried recreating the avocado toast experience by piling soft scrambled eggs on top of my toast. Again, it was delicious.

Toast is pretty darn good with just butter, so it makes sense that it only gets better when you start piling on fun toppings.

This ricotta toast with blackberries and mint takes me back to being a kid.

I used to love cream cheese and jelly sandwiches, and the creamy ricotta and jammy blackberries brought back a flood of ancient memories.

Like, I had completely forgotten about the black raspberry bushes that used to grow in our neighborhood! We used to ride our bikes around, pick sun-ripened berries, and eat them right on the spot.

None of the neighborhood berries ever made it back to the kitchen, but that’s ok – we’d also go berry picking at a local farm every summer. We’d pick buckets and buckets of blueberries and strawberries for shortcakes and pie.

Berries are just so good, aren’t they?

How to make ricotta toast

For this ricotta toast, I macerated blackberries in a little balsamic vinegar to get them nice and juicy and highlight their sweet-tart flavor.

While the berries did their thing, I mixed together ricotta, honey, and lemon zest to make a nice spread for my toast.

You could just layer everything together on your bread, but I love mixing it up so the honey infuses every bite. It also makes this toast an easy grab and go breakfast option – you can mix it up ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for a few days.

That way you can toast your bread, spread it with cheese, plop on some berries, and go.

Ricotta Toast with Blackberries and Mint

Ricotta is one of y favorite cheese to splurge on, but if dairy isn't your thing you can make your own delicious almond milk ricotta! (For a sweet recipe like this one, omit the nutritional yeast and garlic powder.) For a make-ahead breakfast, the berries and cheese mixture can be kept in the refrigerator (separately) for a few days.

Course Healthy Breakfast Recipes

Cuisine American

Servings

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

1 pint blackberries
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 cup ricotta cheese or almond milk ricotta
1 Tablespoon honey
½ lemon zested
6 slices sourdough or your favorite gluten-free bread toasted
1 Tablespoon freshly chopped mint
Additional lemon zest and honey for serving (optional)

Instructions

In a small bowl, gently mix the blackberries and balsamic vinegar. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
In a second bowl, combine the ricotta, honey, and lemon zest. Mix well.
Spread each piece of toast with 1 heaping Tablespoon of the cheese mixture. Top with berries and mint.
If desired, drizzle with more honey and sprinkle with lemon zest.

Grain Free Apple Crisp Foil Packs (Paleo, Gluten Free)

Lauren — Thu, 12 Jul 2018 09:30:55 +0000

Serve these paleo apple crisp foil packets, straight from the grill! They’re made with just 5 ingredients – and they’re healthy enough for breakfast!

Campfire desserts are the best. You can never go wrong with s’mores or grilled pound cake topped with fresh berries, but what about those nights that call for a lighter option? I gotchu.

Today we’re making grain-free apple crisp foil packets!

They taste just like your favorite apple crisp, but without the mess or the hassle of turning the oven on.

And they’re made with simple, real food ingredients to keep things paleo-friendly!

I used the original granola from Steve’s Paleo Goods because it was the most affordable option at Whole Foods, but any grain free granola should work. If you’re up for it, you can even make your own slow cooker granola or try this homemade protein granola.

The granola is really crunchy straight from the bag, but it softens slightly as it cooks and creates the perfect crumble topping.

The paleo apple crisp is delicious on its own straight from the foil pack, but if you’re feeling more indulgent top it with a scoop of high-quality vanilla ice cream (here’s a paleo ice cream recipe) – the combination of warm apples, crisp topping, and creamy ice cream is to die for.

Looking for more flavorful gluten-free dessert ideas? Try these gluten-free cinnamon rolls!

Grain Free Apple Crisp Foil Packs

Serve these apple crisp foil packs as is, with vanilla ice cream, over yogurt, or over pancakes – the options are endless!

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 12

Additional Time 1

Total Time 18

Servings

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

2 apples sliced
2 teaspoons coconut sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons ghee or coconut oil
Scant 1/2 cup grain-free granola

Instructions

Arrange two squares of heavy duty aluminum foil on a baking sheet. Arrange one sliced apple on each sheet; sprinkle each with half of the coconut sugar and cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Add 1 teaspoon ghee and half the granola to each packet, then fold over the sides of the foil to seal the apples inside.
Grill on high, seam-side up, for 12-15 minutes, or until the apples are tender.
Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.