Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice Baked Oatmeal

It’s Fall!  Time for Pumpkin EVERYTHING!  Yahoooooo!  

Now, you don’t have to ruin your health food goals just because it’s pumpkin season!  (I mean, you totally COULD, but why would you do that?)  You can totally have your Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice and STILL be a total health food rockstar!  

You just need to have the right recipe!  

And guess what?  This is one of them!  In this Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice Baked Oatmeal recipe, you get lots of healthy goodies like cholesterol-reducing oats, blood sugar-lowering cinnamon, immune system-boosting pumpkin, and omega-3 filled flaxseeds.

So check it out!  Here’s my recipe for Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice Baked Oatmeal!

Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice Baked Oatmeal

INGREDIENTS

2 Tbsp ground flax (You can buy pre-ground or you can grind your own flax seeds in a high-powered blender)

5 Tbsp warm water

2 cups One Degree Organic Gluten Free Sprouted Rolled Oats (or any other rolled oats you like!)

3 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

1 ½ cup almond or cashew milk

1 cup organic pumpkin puree

¼ cup pure maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla

¼ cup chopped pecans

Optional Add-Ins:  chopped dates, raisins, craisins, blueberries, ground ginger, ground cinnamon

 

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease an 8X11 inch glass pan with coconut or avocado oil.

2. Now you’re gonna make a flax egg!   In a small bowl, combine the ground flax and warm water.  Stir and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it thickens and becomes gel-like (should be a little like the consistency of an egg white). 

3. Separately, in a large bowl combine the rolled oats, pumpkin spice, baking soda and salt. Stir to mix the ingredients. Add in the flax egg, “milk” of choice, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, vanilla and pecans. (Here is where you could add any of the “Optional” things if you want to!) Stir to combine. Let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes to let the oats soak up the liquid. (PS You can taste test here cuz there aren't any raw eggs involved--so if you like more spice or more sweet, feel free to adjust!)

4. Pour the mixture into the greased pan. Shake the pan so that the mixture is evenly distributed.

5. Place in the oven for 40-45 minutes or until the edges are firm and golden brown and there’s a little springiness in the center. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.

 

How do you STORE baked oatmeal?

• Cut it into squares and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for about 4-5 days

• Cut it into squares and store it in the freezer in an airtight container for about a month.  

How do you EAT baked oatmeal?  

• In squares, cold, right out of the fridge (no utensils needed!)

• In squares, heated, with a fork (my favorite, easy option!)

• Heated squares with “milk”, maple syrup, berry compote, drizzled nut butter, yogurt, or *Cinnamon Cashew Cream on top.

Cinnamon Cashew Cream INGREDIENTS: 1 cup raw unsalted cashews  1 ½  cup Filtered water for boiling (you will discard this after the cashews are boiled) 1 ½ cup filtered water (new) ¼ tsp cinnamon 1–2 Tbsp maple syrup (optional)   DIRECTIONS Place the raw cashews in boiling water for 10 minutes. Then drain and rinse.  Add the boiled cashews to a high powered blender.  Add new filtered water, cinnamon and maple syrup. Blend on high for two minutes. Add more filtered water one tablespoon at a time to thin as needed.

Blueberry Chia Overnight Oats (No Added Sugar!)

Have I told you how lazy I am?  OK, maybe not lazy...  I prefer "resourceful"!  As much as I often find cooking fun, I don't like to spend all my time in the kitchen.

Enter Overnight Oats.  You make one portion and eat it for three mornings.  No cooking either!  

And for my friends who are gluten-free, dairy-free, and free of added sugar--you're in luck!  This recipe checks all the boxes!  Plus it's very filling, has lots of fiber, and has a nice burst of sweetness due to the blueberries!

So here we go!!!

 Blueberry Chia Overnight oats

Ingredients for 3 Servings:

• 1 1/2 Cups Gluten Free Rolled Oats (I use One Degree Organic Sprouted Gluten Free Oats for good digestibility)

• 3 T Chia Seeds

• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (or more if you like it spicy!)

• 1 1/2 C Nut Milk (make your own or use one with minimal additives!)

• Fresh or Frozen, thawed blueberries

Directions:

• Take out three clean jars/containers with lids. 

• Add 1/2 C Oats, 1 T Chia Seeds, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and 1/2 C nut milk to each jar.

• Stir the contents of each jar to combine the ingredients, close the lids, and shake shake shake!  (Perfect time to blast your favorite song and dance around the kitchen!)  

• Take a peek at the bottom of each jar to be sure the chia seeds are not clumpy--if clumpy, give a good stir!

• Then, with lids on, stick your jars in the fridge overnight.  (Hence the term, "Overnight Oats".)

• The next morning, take a jar out, take the lid off, add a smidge more nut milk if you like a creamier consistency, top with blueberries and eat!  But wait!  Can you eat them warm?  YUP!  I always heat mine up with a little extra "milk" and then plop some frozen blueberries in there (they pretty much thaw by the time I sit down to eat!).  SO good!

So there you go!  Blueberry Chia Overnight Oats!  Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, No-Added-Sugar, easy to make and super yummy.  

Enjoy!

 

Crunchy Rainbow Veggie Bowl with Warm Coconut Rice

CRUNCHY RAINBOW VEGGIE BOWL 

With

WARM COCONUT RICE

Oh, Rainbow Veggie Bowl!  How do I love thee?  Let me count the ways...

1. You're easy to make.  
2. You're pretty.  
3. You have lots of different textures and colors.  
4. You're healthy.  
5. You're filling.
6. You're delicious.  
7. And your flavor combos are endless!

Are you ready to give this Crunchy Rainbow Veggie Bowl a try?  You can use ANY veggie combo you like and any dressing you like (though my favorite is the Spicy Asian "Peanut" Sauce created by Megan Gilmore--it goes great with the coconut rice and cilantro!)

This makes a big portion of rice, so be sure to chop LOTS of veggies...that way you can reheat the rice and throw in some veggies for quickie lunches throughout the week!

COCONUT RICE INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups jasmine or basmati rice 

• 15 oz canned coconut milk (no additives)

• 2 cloves garlic, minced 

• 3/4 tsp salt 

• 1 cup water 

CRUNCHY VEGGIES (Choose ones you like...Here are some suggestions!)

• Red cabbage, sliced or diced

• Red or gold beets, scrubbed and finely chopped or grated 

• Cucumber, diced

• Radish, diced

• Snap peas, diced

• Carrots, diced

• Celery, diced

• Red Bell Peppers, diced

• Bean sprouts

TOPPINGS (OPTIONAL)

• Chopped nuts
• Seeds (Pumpkin, sesame, sunflower, etc.)
• Roasted chickpeas
• Chopped cilantro or mint
• Hemp Hearts
• Spicy Asian "Peanut" Sauce from the Detoxinista! (Which you can also make soy free and added-sugar free by skipping the honey and using coconut aminos in place of the tamari.)
• Protein (Hard-boiled eggs, cooked chicken breast, beans, lentils, cooked shrimp, etc.)

DIRECTIONS:

SAVORY COCONUT RICE COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Put all of the Coconut Rice ingredients in a saucepan and stir to combine. Bring rice mixture to a boil over high heat, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 15 mins or until the liquid is absorbed. Turn off heat and allow rice to cool slightly in the covered pot for another 15 minutes or so.

ARRANGING YOUR RICE BOWL

Put 1/4-1/2 cup warm rice in your bowl. Next, add the RAW diced/sliced crunchy veggies of choice. Top with a drizzle of your favorite dressing (I like the Spicy Asian "Peanut" Sauce above!) and any toppings from the list above! Enjoy!

What's Your Favorite Yoga Posture?

Calling all you fabulous Yogis!

I've got a question for you! What's your favorite yoga posture and WHY?

Me? I've got five faves:

1. Salamba Setu Bandha Sarvangasana--Supported Bridge Pose is the bomb! It is one of those great postures that lengthens the low back (great for when my low back feels all "stuck"), adds space to the hip flexors and front thighs (to combat the shortening of muscles I get from sitting all the time), and opens the heart center (Helloooo energy boost!). Plus, yogis say it's great for the thyroid!

2. Viparita Karani--Legs Up The Wall is awesome because it relaxes my low back muscles, drains fluid from my feet/lower legs, grounds me, and sets me up for deep sleep. I also like to combine it with a neck stretch by rolling a towel and putting it under the curve of my neck (very good for getting rid of neck tension and helping with tightness in the jaw). Plus there are a bunch of variations!

3. Supta Matsyendrasana--Though a deep Reclining Twist (Reclined Lord of the Fishes) doesn't ALWAYS feel delicious for me personally, I CAN always feel a big ol' stretch in my superficial muscles, my deep muscles, and even in my guts! LOL! I know that sounds weird--but I've had a lot of pelvic surgeries and I feel like this posture really helps with loosening adhesions. Plus, for me, it helps keep digestion and elimination running smoothly because those deep twists are great for massaging your organs/intestines. Oh! And I LOVE how it stretches the outer hip and glute--THAT part IS always yummy!

4. Salamba Supta Baddha Konasana--Reclining Bound Angle Pose is delish! Always! Great for opening up the heart center and front of the shoulders, great for stretching the abdominals, great for relaxing the upper back, great for opening the hips, great for digestive issues! Just awesome all over!

5. Supta Kapotasana (AKA Supta Eka Pada Utkatasana)--Reclining Pigeon is just fabulous for times when I've worked out too hard! Great for the hip muscles and the glutes! Plus, it does wonders when my low back feels tight (and protects the spine at the same time!)

So those are mine! What are yours?