Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Pancakes or Waffles

So, I really love pancakes and waffles.  We have one or the other at least weekly.  It's fast, easy, and filling.

Now, this recipe is indulgent enough it could be your dessert. 

Or, you could use it for breakfast and make your kids feel spoiled.  These honestly taste just like oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, they are just way faster to make. :) 

They are fantastic both as waffles and as pancakes, without having to modify the recipe at all.  So, whatever mood you are in, you can enjoy these.

This post is featured on Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays and Allergy Free Tuesdays.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Pancakes
3/4 cup non-dairy yogurt (I use my homemade yogurt)*
1/4 cup non-dairy milk*
1 egg
1 1/4 cup GF oat flour
3/4 cup GF quick cooking oats
2 tablespoons coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons coconut oil, softened (optional...I forgot to put it in one time and they still turned out fantastic)
1/2 cup dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions
In a small bowl mix together yogurt, milk, and egg.

In a separate bowl mix together the dry ingredients, and pour in the wet ingredients. Whisk together to remove any lumps. Mix in the coconut oil (if using) until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips.

Pour about 1/4 cup scoops of the batter onto a heated griddle. (I have an electric griddle that I heat to 325-350F). Once the bubbles form and start popping on the top of the pancake, flip and cook the other side for 1-2 minutes. Makes 8-10 pancakes depending on their size.

For waffles: Cook in a preheated waffle maker, until browned and crisp.  (Follow the manafacturers directions).

*You could also use 1 cup non-dairy milk that has been soured with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, in place of the yogurt/milk above.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

I love fruit crisps, apple, peach, raspberry peach, well, basically any type of fruit that can be cooked, I've probably put in a crisp.  They are easy and definitely a comfort food.  I already have a recipe on the blog for raspberry peach crisp and I use that basic recipe for all of my fruit crisps by changing up the fruit.  I've decided to post the crisp recipe again, with a strawberry rhubarb mixture this time.  I did add some additional sugar to the fruit mixture (which I don't usually do with crisps, but between the rhubarb and my strawberries, which weren't quite ripe, I decided I needed to sweeten it a little), also if you don't want the crisp runny when it's hot out of the oven add a couple of tablespoons of cornstarch to the fruit prior to topping it with the crisp.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

3 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and halved (if large)  
2 cups rhubarb, cut into 1/2-1 inch pieces
1 1/4 cups sugar, separated
1/2 cup gf oat flour (or brown rice flour, if you don't have oat flour)
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup gf rolled oats
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup dairy free margarine

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.Arrange fruit in 8 x 8-inch baking dish and toss with 1/4 cup sugar.
2. Combine the remaining sugar, flours, oats, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl; mix well.  Cut in margarine until crumbly.
3. Sprinkle crumbs over fruit. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until fruit is tender.

This post is featured on Gluten-Free Wednesdays and Allergy-Free Wednesday and Ingredient Challenge Monday.



Baked Oatmeal

I love my overnight oats, but I have been ready to change up my morning routine, so I decided to try out baked oatmeal.  Typically, baked oatmeal is a mixture between an oatmeal bar and oatmeal.  It usually has eggs in to help bind, but I made mine without (using 'flax' eggs, instead) and it turned out exactly how I wanted it to.  It also typically has quite a bit of sugar and butter, I've changed that up as well, to make it healthier and yet, still really tasty.

I also made my oatmeal in individual sizes that I could then freeze them and pull out what I want for my breakfasts, this way also gives you flexibility in what you can mix-in to the oatmeal. But, you can also make this in a 9X13 pan and have it for a brunch dish.

This batch of oatmeal I used applesauce, maple syrup, with Sunbutter, and mix-ins of peaches, apples, pecans, macademia nuts, pistachios and chocolate chips...really the possibilities are endless when making this oatmeal.

You can eat it straight up or how I eat it...I place it in a bowl and pour a little bit of nondairy milk in with it and drizzle it with maple syrup or honey and eat it with a spoon....it is definitely comfort food when eaten this way!

This post is featured on Allergy Friendly Fridays.

Baked Oatmeal

2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
6 tablespoons warm water
3 cups gluten-free rolled oats
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (or mashed bananas, pumpkin puree, etc)
1/4 cup maple syrup (or agave nectar or honey)
1/2 cup nut butter (peanut, almond, sunbutter, etc)
1 cup nondairy milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-2 cups mix-ins, such as nuts, berries, chopped apples, bananas, chocolate chips, etc.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. If making individual portions, line muffin tins with cupcake liners or grease very well.  If making a large family dish, grease a 9X13 baking dish and set aside.

Place the ground flax seed in a small bowl and add water to it.  Mix it together and let it sit until it thickens and gets goopy (like egg whites).

In a medium sized mixing bowl, mix together oats, cinnamon, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl combine all the liquid ingredients, including the flax egg, and then add the mixture to the oats and stir well.

If you are making a large family-sized dish, you can add you mix-ins now, if you are making individual ones with different mix-ins wait until after you place them in the muffin tins before you add the mix-ins.

Pour the oat mixture into the baking pan or muffin tins (I used just over a 1/4 cup per tin).  Add the mix-ins to the individual portions (I pushed the fruit in, and sprinkled the nuts on top). 

Bake at 350F for 20 minutes for individual portions or 40 minutes for a large pan or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Allow the oatmeal to cool for a few minutes removing from the muffin tins and serving.  You can freeze these by cooling completely then placing in a ziploc bag and freezing them (much like freezing muffins).

Holiday Oats

I love my overnight oats, I have them as often as I remember to make them the night before. ;) And usually I chop up fruit and add in a little honey or agave and that's it.  But this holiday season has gotten me changing up my oats a bit, and I'm quite enjoying the change.  So, I thought I'd pass my favorites along to you.

 

Gingerbread Nog Oats
1/2 cup gluten-free rolled oats
1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 cup dairy-free Egg Nog (I like Silk Nog and So Delicious Coconut Nog, the coconut nog is soy-free)
1 gingerbread cookie

Directions
The night before, mix together oats, flax seed, chia seed, and nog in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, crumble the cookie over the top and enjoy!

 

'Hot' Cocoa Oats

1/2 cup gluten-free rolled oats
1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
1 tablespoon chia seeds
2 tablespoons hot cocoa mix (this is my dairy-free mix)
1 cup dairy-free milk
a handful of small marshmallows

Directions
The night before, mix together oats, flax seed, chia seed, hot cocoa mix and milk in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, top with marshmallows and enjoy! You can always heat it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, if you want it hot. I just like mine cold, it's more of a texture thing then a heat thing. :)

PB&J or 'Nutella' and Jam Oats

1/2 cup gluten-free rolled oats
1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 cup dairy-free milk
1-2 tablespoons peanut butter or dairy-free Nutella (I use Justin's Chocolate Hazelnut Butter)
drizzle of jam of choice

Directions
The night before, mix together oats, flax seed, chia seed, and milk in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, top with the nut butter and jam and enjoy!

This post is featured on Allergy Friendly Friday.

Overnight Oats

I have seen quite a few variations of this around lately, and decided I had to try it.  I'm not a huge fan of oatmeal...it's a texture thing, but I want to get in my oats and flax, and this is the perfect way.  It's quick to make up the night before and breakfast is ready and waiting in the morning--I love it! The best part is you can change it up however you like...more or less milk, add in a tablespoon a cocoa to make chocolate oats, use maple syrup, brown sugar, or honey, instead of the agave, or use chia seeds instead of flax seeds...really anything goes. :)

Overnight Oats
1/2 cup gluten-free rolled oats
2 tablespoons ground flax seed
1 cup dairy-free milk
1 tablespoon agave nectar
fresh fruit

Directions
The night before, mix together oats, flax seed, and milk in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, add in agave nectar and fresh fruit and mix together and enjoy!

This post is featured on Seasonal Sunday and Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, and Gluten-Free Wednesdays.

Raspberry Peach Crisp

One of the biggest comfort food desserts for me is fruit crisp.  My mom made apple or peach crisp all the time in the fall, it was probably one of the most common Sunday evening desserts that I had growing up, and its really easy to make, so it has become on of my favorite Sunday evening desserts to make.  My boys have not yet realized the love of baked fruit, but my husband and I can nearly polish off an entire pan of crisp on our own, so maybe its good that the little ones aren't fighting us over it yet. :)  The beauty about crisps is you can use whatever fruit you have on hand...I usually use apples or peaches, but will add in blackberries or raspberries when I have them on hand, like tonight.

Raspberry Peach Crisp

3 large peaches, peeled and sliced
1 cup raspberries
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup gf oat flour (or brown rice flour, if you don't have oat flour)
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup gf rolled oats
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup dairy free margarine (such as Nucoa or Blue Bonnet Light)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.Arrange fruit in 8 x 8-inch baking dish.
2. Combine the sugar, flours, oats, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl; mix well.  Cut in margarine until crumbly.
3. Sprinkle crumbs over fruit. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until fruit is tender.

This post is featured on Seasonal Sunday.

Oatmeal Product Reviews

So, oatmeal is one of those iffy grains for gluten-free people, but if you buy the certified gluten-free oats, you can have wonderful comfort foods using them, like meatloaf or even just oatmeal for breakfast...its amazing how you take those little things for granted.  Well, I've been trying a few things and having my little one try them as well.  So, now I can review some oatmeal products for you.

First up is Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Rolled Oats. I love them!  It's oatmeal, plan and simple.  If you want oat flour, grind them, they are as versitile as oatmeal is and my son still gets his oatmeal once a week for breakfast.  Of course, we have to add plenty of brown sugar too it, and I actually pulse it once or twice in the blender to break it up a little before cooking it...but still, we have oatmeal! It's a bit pricy, you'll probably pay between $5-$6, but it is so nice to have on hand!

 

Rating: 10 out of 10! For the fact that we have regular oats that are certified gluten-free.

Next up is Glutenfreeda Instant Oatmeal: Apple Cinnamon with Flax. (I also bought the Banana Maple with Flax, but haven't tried it yet).  Another great investment, I love to open a packet of instant oatmeal, add water and microwave.  It was really good on top of that, excellent, excellent product. I got mine on sale for $3.80 and one box contains 6 packets.  It's a little bit more expensive than you're Quaker oatmeal, but not by that much.

Rating: 10 out of 10 It's ease of use...I can send a packet with my son to Day Care, it makes my life so much easier and it tastes good on top of that!

Gluten Free, Dairy Free Meatloaf

I am one of those people that loves meatloaf...it is pure comfort food for me, so once I got my stock of gluten-free oats I knew I was going to be making meatloaf.  Here's my Mom's recipe, modified slightly to make it dairy free as well:

Mom's Meatloaf

1 lb ground beef
1/4 C ketchup
1/2-3/4 C gluten-free rolled oats
1 egg
1/2 t onion powder
1/2 t salt
1/4 t black pepper

Mix together and put in a greased bread pan or in muffin tins (I like meat muffins, because they cook a lot faster and they are already in individual servings).  Cook at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes for a loaf or 20-30 minutes for muffins.