Grain-free Fried Green Tomatoes

The first time I heard of fried green tomatoes I had mixed feelings. I love fried things, but green tomatoes? They sounded like they could be bitter and gross. 

Not so! They are delicious! I had mine for breakfast (I think out of the box with my breakfasts since I gave up all boxed cereal), but it would be a great side dish for dinner with some meat as the main course and a light salad.

I make my fried green tomatoes with coconut flour, which is a great grain and gluten-free starch. I find the mild flavor of coconut flour lends itself well to frying. I love the coconut flour I get from Tropical Traditions. Coconut flour is my favorite grain-free flour substitute. 

Grains are common digestive irritants (even though most people don't realize this or know the signs) so I like to use coconut flour when I can as I am working on restoring my gut health due to some illnesses in the past. 

This recipe is suitable for most special diets including grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, primal and paleo diets.

Grain-free Fried Green Tomatoes

1/2 cup coconut flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika, optional
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 large green tomato cut into 1/4 inch slices
2-4 tablespoons coconut oil, palm shortening, or nitrate-free bacon grease

Combine the first four ingredients in a shallow bowl. Dip the tomato slices in the beaten egg, then into the coconut flour mixture.

Heat a skillet for about 5 minutes over medium-high heat. Add the oil. Fry tomato slices till light brown, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Serve immediately.

Preparation time: 5 minutes. Cook time: 10 minutes. Servings: 3-4.

Strawberry Almond Baked Oatmeal {A Soaked Oat Recipe}

I can just see it now, spread across the tabloids of Real-Food-Topia,

 “Plain Jane Baked Oatmeal gets glamorous new makeover!”

“Was plastic surgery involved?”

Baked Oatmeal’s fans are tweeting like crazy with phrases like “too good to be true,” 

and “party in my mouth” being thrown around. This makeover won’t soon be forgotten.

 Humble baked oatmeal is barely recognizable with the addition of delicate almonds and fresh strawberry puree. Splash on some heavy cream and the usual weekday breakfast fodder is 

now dressed up for a decadent weekend brunch. 

I'm excited to be contributing my first post over at Whole Lifestyle Nutrition! Please head on over to WLN for the complete recipe by clicking the link below.

Strawberry Almond Baked Oatmeal {A Soaked Oat Recipe}

{This recipe is linked up at Fat Tuesday, Whole Foods Wednesday, Wheat-Free Wednesday, Simple Lives Thursday, and Gluten-Free Friday.}

Basic Baked Oatmeal

Baked oatmeal is one of my favorite breakfast foods. I detailed my introduction to this amazing breakfast in my first baked oatmeal post which was Blueberry Banana Baked Oatmeal. There are many recipes I have tried or created but the original version is a family favorite.

{Click here for my Basic Baked Oatmeal that you soak the oats overnight for increased nutrition.}

One of the great things about baked oatmeal is that in addition to being healthy it is extremely economical. This recipe costs less than a dollar even using the very healthy ingredients of coconut oil and a natural sweetener like maple syrup. Nutritious baked oatmeal can be the healthy family's substitute for sugary boxed cereal, and adults and kids alike can enjoy selecting their own toppings. I have created several ways to make this basic recipe so no matter what ingredients you have basic baked oatmeal can be an option for your breakfast. For a gluten-free breakfast choose oats that have not been cross contaminated during processing, and for a diary-free option just use your favorite milk substitute.

This recipe can be doubled and baked in a 9x13 inch pan for a crowd,  or cut in half and baked in a 5x9 inch bread pan for those looking for a baked oatmeal recipe for one or two.

Basic Baked Oatmeal

1 cup whole milk, coconut milk, or sugar-free nut or rice milk or 1 1/4 cup plain yogurt

1/3 cup melted coconut oil or butter

2 eggs

1/4 to 1/3 cup natural sweetener such as maple syrup, honey, sucanat (whole cane sugar), white sugar or brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla, optional

2 cups old fashioned or quick cooking oats (choose gluten-free oats if necessary)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder - use 1/2 teaspoon baking soda instead if using yogurt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium mixing bowl combine the first five ingrediants. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Using coconut oil or butter, lightly grease a 8x8, 9x9, or 9-inch round pan. Poor the batter into the pan.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until the edges start to brown. Serve with milk or milk substitute, plain yogurt with a drizzle of real maple syrup or honey, chopped fresh fruit, dried fruit or nuts.

Preparation time: 7 minutes. Bake time: 30 minutes. Servings: 6.


What's your favorite baked oatmeal recipe?

Wilted Kale and Bacon Salad

I love to make big brunches on Saturday morning. This morning we enjoyed cinnamon rolls, farm-fresh eggs, strawberries, and this delicious salad from Whole Lifestyle Nutrition. Everything turned out great and my husband said the salad tasted pretty good for something green :-). I found the salad tasted good mixed in with my over-easy runny eggs.

Speaking of Whole Lifestyle Nutrition, I am excited to share that I have been accepted as a monthly contributor! I'm thrilled to be a part of the WLN team and to learn and grow through this experience. I'll let you know when my first post is published in a few weeks here.

Kale is a very popular vegetable right now and is being consumed in a myriad of ways, from green smoothies, to steamed side dishes. This is overall a good thing, as kale is quite nutritious. What you might not know is that kale is one of the vegetables that is more nutritious when cooked. Yes, not every veggie out there is healthiest raw. Nourishing Traditions talks about this and it didn't come as a surprise to me as traditionally these tough dark greens were not eaten raw. For example, in West Africa all of the dark leafy greens are eaten cooked.

I personally don't digest raw kale too well (right away I feel fine, but after a few hours my digestive system starts protesting), so there's not much of a temptation for me to eat it raw. So I jumped at this recipe when I saw that it was wilted. 

This salad (obviously) calls for bacon, a very misunderstood yet still beloved meat. Bacon is not bad for you (especially naturally cured bacon from free range pigs), it's what's added to it that is. Always choose naturally cured bacon that is free of nitrates, if at all possible.

Please hop on over to Whole Lifestyle Nutrition for the recipe! 

Wilted Organic Kale and Bacon Salad

The only thing I changed from Halle's recipe is that I doubled the bacon... because I could. :-D.

What's your favorite wilted or cooked kale recipe? I would love some more ideas as kale is in season and we've been getting it in our local farm box orders.

Grain-Free Strawberries 'n Cream Porridge

I have determined that if you have to go gluten-free, grain-free, or paleo, using coconut flour is the way to go. Of course, that's easy for me to say because I love anything that comes from the coconut. You're out of luck if you don't like coconut :-).

Coconut flour is cheaper per pound than the gluten-free grain that I've found, and way cheaper than almond meal. Plus you also use less, so a pound of coconut flour goes even farther than grain flour. I get mine from Tropical Traditions. Wait till they're having a sale or free shipping to get the best deal.

Since I am trying to do my very best to only eat grains that have been properly prepared (to improve digestion and neutralize any nutrient blockers) by either soaking or souring with my sourdough starter, coconut flour comes in handy when I haven't planned well. I also really like the flavor and texture, so sometimes choose to make something with coconut four instead of a grain.  I came up with this recipe the other day and thought I'd share it with y'all since it's so easy. 

And pretty.

I had lots of fun taking the pictures.

Another cool thing about this recipe as that it can be dairy-free. People who have intolerances and think they "can't eat anything fun" anymore should think again!

Grain-Free Strawberries 'n Cream Porridge

1 1/2 cups milk of choice (dairy milk, coconut milk or almond milk)

6 Tablespoons coconut flour

2 eggs

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup or honey

1 Tablespoon coconut oil or butter
1/2 - 2/3 cup chopped strawberries (about 4 or 5 medium berries)

In a small saucepan whisk together the first 6 ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil and stir about 3 minutes until thick and creamy. Stir in strawberries. Serve warm.

Preparation time: 4 minutes. Cook time: 5 minutes. Servings: 2.

Search terms:

strawberries and cream no oatmeal 

dairy-free, grain-free, gluten-free, nut-free breakfast

easy paleo breakfast

{This post is linked up at Fat Tuesday, Whole Foods Wednesday, Real Food Wednesdays, Wheat-Free Wednesday, Pennywise Patter Thursday, Gluten-free Fridays, and Fight Back Friday}

This post was featured in Simple Lives Thursday!

And Wheat-Free Wednesday!

Healthy Banana Muffins

Bananas are readily available in West Africa where I grew up and so banana bread or muffins were often on the menu. In Africa bananas are allowed to ripen on the stalk and are SO much more flavorful than the bananas you can get in the United States. There are also many different varieties. The most common kind is a little smaller in size than our Costa Rican banana. There are several kinds of finger bananas and even a chubby red-pealed banana. All with great flavor, but the tiny finger bananas are of-the-charts sweet and bursting with flavor!

Liberian boy standing under banana trees. My photo.

Liberians also make their own version of banana bread which I LOVE. I'll be sharing that recipe on the blog as well. Speaking of Liberians, isn't this guy a cutie?

My photo.

I prefer bananas in things: breads, snacks, fruit salads, etc, but am not a huge fan of eating them by themselves. Thus coming up with a nutritious and delicious banana muffin recipe was one of the first items on my agenda when I began my journey to eating healthier food.

For years I searched for a healthy banana muffin recipe that actually tasted good. It was a long and hard quest, with my husband suffering the consequences of dry, dense muffins as I tried less sugar, more whole-wheat flour, and experiment after experiment. Then alas, one day I stumbled upon this recipe for banana bread, and with a few adjustments I realized I'd found that elusive healthy banana muffin recipe! Even my husband likes them!

You seriously cannot tell they are good for you. 

A few notes about the recipe:

This recipe has taken me awhile to post because I wanted to experiment with using all sorts of flour and liquid options. If you have ripe bananas in your house, you'd be hard-pressed to not have any of the other ingredients!

For those looking for gluten-free options, I've made these successfully with buckwheat flour. I also have a great Paleo version that uses coconut flour, which I posted a few weeks ago. Spelt flour has a very low gluten content and is usually well tolerated by people with gluten sensitivities, though not those with celiac.

I did make these once with honey. To keep the recipe from being too cluttered, I'll share the adjustments for liquid sweetener here: In place of the whole cane sugar, use 1/4 to 1/3 cup honey or real maple syrup. Reduce the yogurt to 1/3 cup, or the milk to 1/4 cup.

This recipe can be dairy-free by using coconut oil and the milk substitute of your choice.

Healthy Banana Muffins

1/3 cup coconut oil or 1/2 cup butter, softened or melted
1/4 cup to 1/2 cup whole cane sugar or regular sugar (I usually use 1/3 cup)*
1 egg

2 large very ripe bananas or three completely brown bananas*
1/2 cup yogurt, greek yogurt or sour cream, or 1/3 cup coconut milk, rice milk, nut milk, or dairy milk**
1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup whole-wheat, spelt, or buckwheat flour
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon salt (use the lesser amount if using salted butter)
1 teaspoon baking soda**
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, optional

Preheat oven to 375.

In a medium sized mixing bowl blend together the first three ingrediants. Make sure coconut oil or butter is mixed in very well with the egg and sugar so their are no cold lumps of fat that form when the other ingredients are added. (I use a hand mixer.) Stir in the bananas, yogurt or milk, and the vanilla. Sprinkle the remaining ingredients over the batter and stir just until there are no dry lumps. I always make sure the baking soda and powder have no lumps by rubbing them between my fingers or sprinkling them through a small sieve. (I experienced trauma in early childhood after biting into one too many lumps of baking soda in my banana bread!)

Distribute evenly into 12 muffin liners or a muffin tin greased with coconut oil. They may seem full, but it will all fit! Bake at 375 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until the tops start to brown.

* Go with less sugar if using three completely black bananas. 1/4 cup is plenty.

** If using regular milk or milk substitute, replace the one teaspoon baking soda with one teaspoon additional baking powder.

Preparation time: 15 minutes. Bake time: 20 minutes. Servings: 12.

This recipe is linked at: Traditional Tuesdays, Real Food Wednesday,  Pennywise Patter Thursday, and Full Plate Thursday.

High Protein Pumpkin Spice Cake

Tis the season for pumpkins! Pumpkins are a huge decorating item and they seem to be everywhere right now, from the doorsteps to the tables. The recipe blogs and food spotting sites are abuzz with pumpkin recipes, from creamy soups, to zesty curries, to delectable desserts. One of the the most popular pumpkin treats is pumpkin bars, sometimes called pumpkin brownies. High Protein Pumpkin Spice Cake is my healthy remake of this popular fall treat. 

Pumpkin bars typically offer little nutritional value beyond a smidgen of vitamins from the pumpkin puree, and are loaded with refined flour and sugar, usually with cream cheese frosting. My version has tons of protein - 7.5 grams per serving (that's more than an egg!), whole grains, healthy fats, and of course pumpkin. I think this healthy version is not only just as good, but better than original pumpkin bars!

As with my High Protein Chocolate Banana Snack Cake, my family mainly uses this recipe for breakfast, but it is a wholesome treat you don't have to feel guilty about enjoying any time of day! It's a great after-school snack for kids, works as a dessert, and would be perfect to bring along to a get-together with friends.

Speaking of pumpkins...

This is my little 9 month old pumpkin.

Here he is with his daddy on a hay ride.

 

And all of us together.

Here are a few notes about this recipe:

I usually use cottage cheese for this recipe as it has more protein than many brands of plain Greek yogurt. Homemade greek yogurt or homemade cream cheese would be an ideal substitute for the cottage cheese if you already have those on hand or make those on a regular basis. Store-bought cream cheese does not contain nearly as much protein as cottage cheese so I don't recommend that for this recipe.

This recipe can be gluten free by using spelt or buckwheat flour.

Made with cottage cheese (which typically contains more protein than Greek yogurt), and walnuts, this breakfast contains 7.5 grams of protein when consumed in nine servings (6 grams as 12 servings.) An egg has about 6 grams of protein, so each serving is more than an egg. Eat it with an 8 oz glass of milk and you more than double that. 

High Protein Pumpkin Spice Cake

2/3 cup whole cane sugar or regular sugar

1/2 cup coconut oil or butter

2 tablespoons molasses

2 eggs

1 cup cottage cheese or greek yogurt

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cup whole wheat, spelt, or buckwheat flour

2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1 tablespoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoons salt*

1/2 cup walnuts or pecans (You can also use vanilla chips or chocolate chips, though they do offer more sugar and less protein than nuts - but they sure taste great! Look for a brand with all natural ingredients.)

*Reduce salt to 1/2 teaspoon if using salted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium sized mixing bowl combine the cane sugar and coconut oil. Add the molasses, eggs, cottage cheese or Greek yogurt, pumpkin puree and vanilla extract. Stir to thoroughly combine. Dump the flour on top of the batter (don't stir just yet). Sprinkle the remaining ingredients except nuts over the top of the flour. Alternately you can use a small sieve to sift the dry ingredients over the batter. Stir to combine. Poor into a greased 9x9 inch baking pan. Sprinkle nuts over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Preparation time: 10 minutes. Bake time: 40-45 minutes. Servings: about 9-12.

Search terms:

Healthy pumpkin cake bars

Low sugar pumpkin bars

This recipe was featured on Tropical Traditions coconut recipe blog(!).

This recipe is linked at Real Food Holiday Recipe Link Up from Divine Health From The Inside Out.

Apple Sausage Breakfast Bake

When I was pregnant with my son I was on a high protein/low carb diet. Naturally I ate a lot of eggs. (I am so happy to know that eggs are good for you!) One day, tired of the ordinary fried eggs or quick omelets I was eating, I searched online for an egg bake that was not laden with carbs like potatoes or bread. Finding nothing, I thought to myself, Why not use apples? So I created my own breakfast bake that has been a big hit wherever I've served it. The sausage, cinnamon, and apples kind of remind me of french toast, breakfast sausage, and sautéed apples all mixed together. Its perfect for a fancy brunch, or can be made for a convenient family breakfast by baking in advance and then refrigerating or freezing serving size portions to reheat in the morning. This recipe serves at least 12, but it is easy to make only half a recipe for a small family. I usually end up making it for a brunch style supper then we eat the leftovers for breakfast the following mornings.

If you've been following my blog you know I'm a big breakfast person and I'm passionate about families starting their days on good quality breakfast dishes as versus sugary breakfast cereals and bars made of highly processed grains. This Apple Sausage Breakfast Bake has become another great addition to my healthy breakfast recipe list. It leaves me feeling full all morning with each serving supplying a whopping 18 grams of protein (calculated when prepared with homemade turkey sausage.)  (To see more of my healthy breakfast recipes go to my recipe index).

Apple Sausage Breakfast Bake

1 lb bulk turkey breakfast sausage, homemade turkey sausage, or bulk pork sausage*

1 medium onion, chopped

2 green apples, peeled, cored, and chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)

2 tablespoons whole cane sugar, real maple syrup, or regular sugar**

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup milk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

12 eggs

Brown sausage of choice with onions. If using turkey sausage you may need to add a tablespoon or two of a healthy fat to the pan (like butter, olive oil, or coconut oil). Pork sausage may need to be drained of excess fat. 

In a medium sized bowl toss the apples with sugar and cinnamon. In a greased 9x13 inch baking pan layer the sausage and onions, apples, and cheese. Wisk milk, flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Add the eggs and mix well. Slowly poor egg mixture over the other ingredients. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until puffy and set in the center.

*I've been doing more research on pork and some studies show that pork can be bad for you if not prepared by traditional/old fashioned curing or smoking methods (sometimes labeled as "uncured"). Stay tuned for my complete post on the topic of pork.

**Can be omitted if you are diabetic or trying to avoid sugar altogether, although the subtle sweetness really does add. I have not tried using Stevia, but I imagine it would work fine.

Preparation time: 25 minutes. Bake time: 35 minutes. Servings: 12.

This recipe can be cut in half and baked in a small pan like an 8x8, or 9 inch pie plate. The bake time is about the same.

Note: To be completely Nourishing Traditions approved use unbleached flour and a natural sweetener.

Search terms:

Low carb egg bake

Egg bake for a crowd

Nourishing Traditions egg bake
Healthy breakfast egg bake casserole

High Protein Chocolate Banana Snack Cake

Healthy, breakfast, and delicious; Can these three words really go together? Yes! That's what Sweet Basil 'n Spice is all about!  As a breakfast food this High Protein Chocolate Banana Snack Cake serves the same purpose as a coffee cake. Yet this cake is much more filling than your average coffee cake and provides a good variety of the nutrients an adult or child needs to be their best in the morning. It's also a great afternoon snack, especially for hungry kids coming home from school!

It's a common saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Yet most people start their days by fueling their bodies with boxed cereals made of ultra processed grains and lots of sugar, or breakfast bars filled with preservatives. Yet what we really need is protein, healthy fats, and fiber, not tons of carbs. But with our food culture today and our busy schedules, most people don't have many ideas for healthy breakfast food, especially something kids will enjoy.

Snack foods are a similar story. Boxed crackers or chips are what many people turn to, with highly processed microwavable foods like pizza bites being a special treat for school children when they come home at the end of a long day. While fruit, veggies and nuts are great choices for a healthy snack, sometimes a baked treat with familiar flavors like chocolate and banana is fun. Nothing beats a warm piece of this Chocolate Banana Snack Cake with a glass of whole milk! Seriously.

Part of my goal as a cook/wife/mom/food provider is to make food that is tasty, healthy, and realistic to prepare on a regular basis. This snack cake is one of my successful creations that I end up making quite often and is a new favorite breakfast food. It can be prepared the day before and served up for a fast and easy breakfast. Though it's not Nourishing Traditions approved (primarily due to the unsoaked grains and chocolate), it's still a rather healthy breakfast or snack I can feel good about eating, physically and mentally :-). 

A few notes about the recipe: 

I usually use cottage cheese for this recipe as it has more protein than many brands of plain Greek yogurt. Homemade greek yogurt or homemade cream cheese would be an ideal substitute for the cottage cheese if you already have those on hand or make those on a regular basis. Store-bought cream cheese does not contain nearly as much protein as cottage cheese so I don't recommend that for this cake.

Since you can usually see a few lumps of cottage cheese in the cake, you can blend the cheese in a blender before mixing it into the recipe if this bothers you.

The chocolate chips are optional. If you do use them - and they really do add to the recipe - look for ones with the most natural ingredients.

This recipe can be gluten free by using spelt or buckwheat flour.

Made with cottage cheese (which typically contains more protein than Greek yogurt), this breakfast contains 6.6 grams of protein when consumed in nine servings (5 grams as 12 servings.) That's about the same as an egg. Eat it with an 8 oz glass of milk and you more than double that. 

High Protein Chocolate Banana Snack Cake

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons whole cane sugar or regular sugar*
1/2 cup coconut oil or butter, softened or melted
2 eggs
2 very ripe bananas,  or 3 completely brown bananas*, mashed
1 cup cottage cheese or thick plain greek yogurt (not fat-free)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups whole wheat, spelt, or buckwheat flour
1/4 - 1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup chocolate chips, optional

*If using three brown bananas reduce sugar by two tablespoons.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium sized mixing bowl combine the sugar and coconut oil or butter. Add the eggs, banana, cottage cheese and vanilla. Stir to thoroughly combine. Dump the flour on top of the batter (don't stir just yet). Sprinkle the cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda over the top of the flour. Alternately you can use a small sieve to sift the dry ingredients over the batter. Stir to combine. Poor into a greased 9x9 inch baking pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Preparation time: 10 minutes. Bake time: 40-45 minutes. Servings: about 9-12.

Search terms:

Healthy cake

Healthy breakfast for kids

Healthy after school snack

Chocolate banana cake with whole grains

Basic Baked Oatmeal {A Soaked Oat Recipe}

{Click here for my quick Basic Baked Oatmeal recipe that does not require soaking the oats.}

Baked oatmeal is one of my favorite breakfast foods. I detailed my introduction to this amazing breakfast in my first baked oatmeal post which was Blueberry Banana Baked Oatmeal. There are many recipes I have tried or created but the original version is a family favorite.

One of the great things about baked oatmeal is that in addition to being healthy it is extremely economical. This recipe costs less than a dollar even using the very healthy ingredients of coconut oil and a natural sweetener like maple syrup. Nutritious baked oatmeal can be the healthy family's substitute for sugary boxed cereal, and adults and kids alike can enjoy selecting their own toppings. I have created several ways to make this basic recipe so no matter what ingredients you have or whether or not you remembered to soak the oats,  basic baked oatmeal can be an option for your breakfast. 

This recipe can be doubled and baked in a 9x13 inch pan for a crowd,  cut in half for those looking for a baked oatmeal recipe for one or two.

Note: Soaking the oats helps eliminate some of the nutrient blockers known as phytates. This is an easy way to increase the nutrient content of your breakfast at no additional cost.

Soaked Baked Oatmeal

1 1/4 cup yogurt
2 cups old fashioned or quick cooking oats

1/3 cup melted coconut oil or butter
2 eggs
1/4 to 1/3 cup natural sweetener such as maple syrup, honey, sucanat (whole cane sugar), white sugar or brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla, optional
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Mix together the yogurt and oats in a container with a lid and set in a warm place or on the counter for 12-24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixing bowl combine the soaked oats and the remainder of the ingrediants. It mixes best with a hand mixer, but a sturdy wooden spoon also works. 

Using coconut oil or butter, lightly grease a 8x8, 9x9, or 9-inch round pan. Poor the batter into the pan. 

Bake for about 30 minutes or until the edges start to brown. 

Serve with milk, plain yogurt with a drizzle of real maple syrup or honey, chopped fresh fruit, dried fruit or nuts.

Preparation time: 10 minutes plus 12-24 hours to soak the oats. Bake time: 30 minutes. Servings: 4-6.

{This recipe is linked up at Fat Tuesday, Whole Foods Wednesday, Wheat-Free Wednesday, Simple Lives Thursday, and Gluten-Free Friday.}

Cocoa Beach Baked Oatmeal

Who here loves chocolate and coconut together? 

I just think they make the perfect combination. Candy bars in general are not a big temptation to me, but I simply love the flavors of Bounty and Almond Joy.

So I was thrilled one day to taste Kashi's Cocoa Beach granola. It was amazing! We got it really cheap somewhere, but at full-price it is definitely not something we can afford on our budget. So I thought, how can I recreate this at home? But alas, according to Nourishing Traditions, granola is not very healthy because the oats are not soaked and then they are baked at a very high heat. (I do still eat granola from time to time, despite this sad news.) I made one attempt at a chocolate granola but despite how much cocoa the recipe called for, I still couldn't taste it. Weird - I know. I didn't want to spend a lot of time trying to figure out a perfect replica for Cocoa Beach granola when I could do what I do best; turn it into a baked oatmeal!

And the idea was born. 

I nursed it along in my head for awhile, thinking about what needed to be done to capture that rich chocolaty taste and smooth coconut goodness. I knew it would require all the big guns: virgin coconut oil, coconut milk, unsweetened shredded coconut, and of course cocoa powder. One day all this desire and anticipation came to fruition. I'm thrilled to report my Cocoa Beach Baked Oatmeal attempt turned out great! It really does taste like the granola!

And another baked oatmeal recipe come into this world...

Because baked oatmeal can be the healthy eater's primary alternative to boxed cereal, I always want to use the healthiest ingredients possible. Like cane sugar, for example. But I will try to include a second ingredient option for those who might not have all these items on hand. Since baked oatmeal overall is so much better for you than boxed cereal, it is still better to eat it with the second ingredient option. I don't want to discourage anyone from making this easy breakfast a regular part of your diet because you don't have cane sugar or rolled oats.

This particular recipe calls for coconut milk which makes it more costly than some of my baked oatmeal recipes. But because of that it is very rich and ends up making more servings than your average baked oatmeal that calls for a similar quantity of ingredients. So it is still pretty economical. 

Cocoa Beach Baked Oatmeal

2 eggs
1/4 cup virgin coconut oil
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons whole cane sugar or regular sugar*
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups coconut milk (not light)
2 cups rolled oats or quick cooking oats
4 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut, divided*
3/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl combine the eggs, coconut oil and cane sugar. Whisk together until well incorporated. Add the vanilla and coconut milk and whisk until smooth. Dump in the oats and 2 tablespoons dried coconut. Don't stir just yet. Place salt, baking powder and cocoa powder in a small sieve and sift over the oats. Stir everything until combined. Poor into a 9x9 inch baking pan greased with a little coconut oil. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons dried coconut over the top. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Serve by itself or with milk, or additional coconut milk poured on top.

*If you do not have unsweetened shredded coconut you may use the normal sweetened coconut that is more readily available. If so, reduce the amount of sugar by one tablespoon.

Preparation time: 10 minutes. Bake time: 30 minutes. Servings: 8-9.

This recipe can be gluten-free by using certified gluten-free oats.

(I do plan to try to make a soaked version of this one day, but because it contains coconut milk and not yogurt, it will take a certain amount of creativity to come of with a soaked recipe that has the same flavor.)

Search terms:
Baked oatmeal with coconut milk
Chocolate and coconut baked oatmeal
Dairy free baked oatmeal
Baked oatmeal with coconut oil

This recipe was featured on Tropical Traditions coconut recipe blog(!).