Oatmeal Strawberry Blueberry Banana Chocolate Bake

This recipe was adapted from the cookbook, Super Natural Every Day, written by Heidi Swanson, this is perfect when serving a crowd for breakfast, but also warms up well for leftovers. In the original recipe she used an egg as a binding agent, but I feel it is not necessary, plus I wanted to make it vegan so no egg required. Replace strawberries and blueberries with any other berry. If you do not have Chinese five spice, you can simply substitute with 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, the flavor will be slightly different, but still delicious.

Ingredients:

• • 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
• •1/3 cup light brown sugar
• • 1 teaspoon baking powder
• • 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
• • 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice
• •1/2 teaspoon salt
• • 1/2 cup walnut pieces, chopped
• • 1 cup sliced strawberries
• • 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
  
• • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• • 2 cups soy or rice milk
• • 3 tablespoons vegan butter, melted
• • 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
• • 1 ripe banana, peeled, 1/2-inch slices

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375, and prep a 9 by 9 baking dish by spraying with cooking spray. Set aside a small amount of the fruit, chocolate chips and brown sugar aside to garnish the top. Then mix the dry ingredients together. Then add the fruit and chocolate chips, mix well by hand.

Next add the melted butter to the soy milk, then add to the mixture. Mix well.

Pour into the dish and garnish with the remaining ingredients, except the brown sugar, that will be added at the very end to caramelize on the top!

ready for the oven!

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes five minutes before sprinkle with the rest of the brown sugar, and allow to brown. Serve hot!

Yum and Done!

Oatmeal Date Walnut Chocolate Cookies

Well with a long name like that you get hungry just remembering it right? These cookies are a spin on the traditional oatmeal rasin cookie. I had a bunch of dates and figured I would give it a spin and the results are delicious!

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour (all-purpose will do fine)

• 2 cups quick cooking oats

• 1 cup dark brown sugar

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 3/4 tsp salt

• 1/2 cup veg shortening

• 1/4 cup water

• the equivalent of 3 eggs

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 1 1/2 cups dates (pitted and chopped)

• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts

• 1 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions

Mix all dry ingredients in a stand mixer or with a hand held until combined well. In a separate bowl mix the egg equivalent, vanilla, shortening, and water until combined well. Add to the dry ingredients about 1/4 cup at a time. Add the walnuts, dates and chocolate chips mix lightly. Spoon tablespoon fulls onto a cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 9 to 10 minutes or until golden brown!

Yum and done!

Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• the equivalent of two eggs
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/2 cup veg shortening
• 2 cups chocolate chips

Directions

Mix dry ingredients by hand or in a stand mixer. Add the egg replacer and shortening. Mix well, then add the water mix again. Finally add the chocolate chips. Preheat oven to 350 and spoon the mixtures out by the tablespoon full onto a sprayed cookie sheet. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, let cool and enjoy!

before they were found by the family!

and after they were found!

Yum and done!