foodie wednesday: homemade trail-mix granola bars

i've been on the hunt for a good granola bar recipe for years now. i love chewy granola bars, but in general try to avoid processed foods - hence, my need for a good recipe.  this one i've adapted below came to me via a vegetarian times email, and it gets 2 thumbs up from me (and craig...and my mom). my one point of contention: it's more of an oat "blondie" than a true granola bar, but it's so delicious, who's complaining?

here's what you'll need:

1 1/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup raisins
1/4 cup butterscotch morsels
1/4 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/8 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg white
cinnamon & nutmeg

(the original recipe {here} called for dried apricots, chocolate morsels and walnuts...among other things...but i modified the recipe to suit what was in my pantry.)

preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8x8 baking dish.

1. in a medium bowl, mix together oats, flour, baking soda, salt, raisins, butterscotch morsels and pecans.  add a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg if you want.

2. in a large bowl, combine sugar, syrup, peanut butter, oil and the egg white. mix until smooth.

3. add dry oat mixture slowly into the wet ingredients until thoroughly mixed.

4. pour batter into prepared baking dish and bake for approximately 35 minutes.

allow to cool completely before cutting.  this recipes makes 12 bars : )

enjoy!

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foodie wednesday: baked spaghetti squash

i've had a spaghetti squash sitting on my baker's rack for a week now, and i finally decided to do something about it.  after surfing the internet for a short while for inspiration, this is what i came up with : )  this stuffed spaghetti squash recipe is both hearty and healthy and is a great option if you're trying to cut back on your pasta intake.

1 large onion, chopped
1 spaghetti squash
1 cup pea shoots
½ tbsp butter
¼ cup grated parmesan
1 tbsp minced garlic
2/3 cup plain yogurt
2 tbsp bread crumbs
olive oil
salt & pepper

preheat oven to 425

1.      split squash in ½ length-wise (this will take some muscle!) and scrape out seeds.  put on baking sheet and drizzle both halves with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.  bake for 30-40 min until flesh is tender.

2.     while the squash bakes, sauté onion in olive oil.  after onion cooks down a bit, add garlic and continue to sauté until onion is caramelized.

3.       take squash out of oven and allow to cool.  scrap out flesh and in a large bowl, mix with onions, yogurt, parmesan, pea shoots and season with more salt & cracked pepper.

4.       refill squash with mixture.

5.       melt butter and mix with bread crumbs.  sprinkle evenly over top 2 refilled squash halves.  put back into 425 degree oven for another 10-15 min until top is golden brown.

allow to cool for 5 min before serving.  this recipe will serve 4 as an entree (1/4 squash each).

bon appetit!

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foodie wednesday: ranch eggs

let's face it, plain scrambled eggs can be a little boring.  if you're looking for a super easy way to infuse your sunday breakfast with more flavor, give this recipe a try.

credit {here}

6 large eggs
1/4 cup light ranch dressing
1 tbsp butter
salt & pepper to taste

1) melt the butter in a cast iron skillet.
2) whisk eggs and ranch together. add mixture to skillet and scramble over medium-low, stirring constantly until are the eggs light and fluffy.
3) salt and pepper to taste.

serves 4-5

other ideas?  serve eggs with roasted veggies for a hearty option, substitute egg whites for 3 of the eggs for a healthy version or mix in fresh herbs for a fresh kick!

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foodie wednesday: overnight oats (the encore)

yes, i have posted about overnight oats before, but they are so simple and delicious, they are definitely worthy of a second mention.  overnight oats are my go-to breakfast.  this awesome breakfast is hearty, healthy and will leave you feeling completely satisfied and ready to take on your day.  even better?  you whip up this simple recipe the night before, so when you're ready for breakfast the next morning, there is no wait!

1/3 to 1/2  of a (very) ripe banana
1/2 cup soy milk (you can also use regular milk or another nut milk)
1/2 cup oats (both quick oats and old-fashioned oats work great)
cinnamon & nutmeg
(1 tbsp peanut butter)

1. in a small bowl, sprinkle banana with a some cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg and mash with a fork until smooth

2. mix oats into banana and then add milk and stir

3. cover and place in fridge overnight - by morning you'll have thick, creamy oats

have oats?  will travel.  craig's are ready "to-go" and mine are all set for breakfast at home.

4. in the morning, uncover and heat in the microwave on 50% power for approx. 2 mins

5. add a dollop of peanut butter and sprinkle with a bit more cinnamon, if desired  (they are also great with a drizzle of honey, chopped nuts or raisins!)

finished oats with cinnamon & peanut butter

happy breakfasting : )

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