Foodie Pen Pals! - Second go-round

 Foodie Pen Pals! 

Ahhh.... the last day of the month... it is quickly becoming my favorite :-) Why you ask? Well my friends, I get to post about the box full of goodies I received from this month's Foodie Pen Pals!

I know, I know... It's not June anymore... But I promise I have a good excuse as to why I'm a little late on this posting... I was in Winter Park, Colorado all weekend with family and friends having the most amazing time at the 10th annual Blues Festival, and, let's not forget that Sunday was the birthday of the most amazing woman in the world... my mom :) (told ya it was a good excuse!)

So here we are, July 2nd - but HERE (drum roll please).... is the box of goodies I received from my yet again amazing [foodie] pen pal, Tiffany of To The T^2!

She was so great in finding these items, all things so very unique that she mentioned can only be found at a little ethnic shop in Brooklyn. [Well now I feel special :)]

Let's review the goodies, shall we?
Mild green salsa from The Brooklyn Salsa Company, Hot Fireman's Pear Jam with Chipotle & Cinnamon (uh, yum!), Harissa Powder (complete with a hand drawn recipe map!), and let's not forget these babies - Dark Chocolate covered Goji Berries. What can I say? I scored, yet again.

Now seriously, how adorable is this recipe map?! I'm probably going to need to laminate this so I don't wreck it when making the recipe... this is the kind of thing that could be framed and mounted in a kitchen! Ooo... that's not a bad idea ;-)

Thank you SO MUCH Tiffany, for the truly amazing, so unique and so delicious goodies you managed to pack in this box! *Sidenote... Although it's only 7:00am I'm enjoying some of those chocolate covered goji berries on my blackberry buckwheat bake as we speak! SO delicious!*

And one last thing, for those of you who still haven't joined the wonderful group of Foodie Pen Pals - it's never too late! This is something that I truly look forward to every month - shopping for unique goodies is so much fun and hearing back from your pen pal with how much they love everything you sent is such a great feeling! Not to mention... the goodies you receive are totally out of this world!

If you forgot what exactly Foodie Pen Pals is, here's a little refresher...

On the 5th of every month, you will receive your penpal pairing via email. It will be your responsibility to contact your penpal and get their mailing address and any other information you might need like allergies or dietary restrictions.

You will have until the 15th of the month to put your box of goodies in the mail. On the last day of the month, you will post about the goodies you received from your penpal! The boxes are to be filled with fun foodie things, local food items or even homemade treats! The spending limit is $15. The box must also include something written. This can be anything from a note explaining what’s in the box, to a fun recipe…use your imagination!

You are responsible for figuring out the best way to ship your items depending on their size and how fragile they are. (Don’t forget about flat rate boxes!)

Foodie Penpals is open to blog readers as well as bloggers. If you’re a reader and you get paired with a blogger, you are to write a short guest post for your penpal to post on their blog about what you received. If two readers are paired together, neither needs to worry about writing a post for that month.

I'm off to start my day, and what better way than by publishing this post... a reminder of how friendly and kind people are - especially those fellow foodies!

Until next month ;-)

Update on life, food and happiness

My oh my... it has been FAR too long that I have written to you! The last few, well actually the last several months of my life have been busy, overwhelming at times, so much fun and filled with new challenges and adventures.

While today's post is a little out-of-the ordinary for me, being that it doesn't contain any recipes, I feel that you should get a little explanation as to why I've been apparently...missing!

Let's rewind a bit... scroll through your mind back to March...

Through networking (yes, people really do that) I was able to meet a wonderful woman at school who allowed me the opportunity to attend the Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, California.

It was phenomenal.

Never in my life have I been surrounded by so many different natural and organic products, all most of which I could actually eat! The event held over 5,000 vendors from across the U.S. - it was a short trip but one that I will never forget.

Next on the list... Well, I graduated!

I earned my Bachelors in Business Administration with an Emphasis in Marketing from the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado.

How amazing it is to be able to come home and not scurry around trying to get a workout in, dinner made and homework completed all before going to bed at 10:30pm to get my 8 hours of precious sleep (I told you I wasn't a traditional college girl haa).

My boyfriend, Tony, also graduated from CU with a Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering -- yea, I'm a lucky gal ;-)

We spent about a week soaking up this new graduate life before heading to the British Virgin Islands for a wonderful vacation with my family. Yes I know, lucky again :) We spent one week living on a sailboat, cooking nightly meals on the water and enjoying plenty of rum punches, snorkeling, tanning and well, you guessed it... truly relaxing.

Ooops... I skipped something. The day before we left for our much-earned vacation, I paid a visit to my doctor to go over the test results of my GI Panel test. You see, the last few months of school my stomach returned to the feelings I experienced about 2 years ago when the heart of my "stomach issues" occurred. Everything I ate was upsetting my stomach, shooting pains here and there, headaches, serious fatigue, low appetite.. you get it -- not good. Anyway, back to the test results.

Turns out... I tested positive for a parasite (not exactly sure what kind, the "positive" result was enough to signal I need some treatment). The bacteria levels in my gut, the good bacteria that everyone has, well, mine are all out of whack. One is extremely low while the other is much too high. I also have some sort of colitis -- a.k.a intestinal inflammation. Oh an don't forget about this one, my body is basically rejecting the fat from foods. My doc actually said I have "malabsorption of fats" - hence, the reason I can't gain wait no matter how hard I try. Whew! What a whirlwind!

The good news is, I am being treated for all of the above with natural remedies - no antibiotics for me! Hopefully, I'll see a change in the coming months and finally get some of these issues cleared up.

Okay, now that I've brought you down a bit let me bring you back up!

I have not only one but TWO internships! I am a digital marketing intern at Rudi's Organic Bakery and am also the client services intern at a Denver marketing agency, Red Door Interactive.

It's awesome! I love the difference between the two and am certainly getting a ton of experience and really figuring out what I love to do :)

So now I've caught you up a bit on the life of Melaina. But you may be wondering.. what about food??? The recipes.. the pictures.. Well, it just so happens that I have a few pictures of successes and one or two failures regarding my time spent in the kitchen over the last few months. Take a look...

 You've heard all the rage about "mug brownies" right? 

I've been trying my hand at it and while all of my attempts have been delicious, I have yet to get it just right.

And.... failure #1: Garbanzo crackers. Not enough oil on the pan leaves for a very tough clean up. I'll let you know when this one works out...

Foodie Pen Pals!!!

It is the most fun thing I've been a part of in a while and I highly recommend that you join! Check out what I had to say about last month's goodie box and keep an eye out for my description of this month's delicious delivery...

It even came with a recipe map using the ingredients I was sent! How amazing is that!?







My boyfriend and I also recently celebrated our 4 year anniversary! I'm such a lucky girl to have such a wonderful man :) We went to a restaurant called Root Down in Denver. Such a cool place! I enjoyed the oh so creative "Beetdown" cocktail alongside house-made Lamb Sliders on gluten free buns, plus some of the best sweet potato fries I've ever laid my hands on.

Hmm what else... 

animal crackers! 

I bought the cutest animal cutouts from amazon and was finally able to make this recipe from Healthful Pursuit that I had stashed away for quite some time. They are so good! (The only change I made was subbing protein powder for the coconut flour) Now go on.. make some for yourself.. I know you want to ;-)

We also must not forget the yeast free sandwich bread from The Essential Baking Guide Part II by Brittany Angel and Iris Higgins. *Sidenote: these cookbooks are truly amazing! The price is a steal for the amount of information you get and the amazing variety of recipes that are included.* I halved the recipe and made my own version of ciabatta bread and it turned out perfectly! Crispy crust but a soft chewy center, the slightest hint of sweetness and a whole grain taste. MMMmm mmm mmm!

Since the weather has been heating up... over night oats have been my best friend. I pack these babies full whenever I make them and and up splitting it to I have two breakfasts.. the first right when I get up and then I finish my delicious creation once I'm at work. Lovely idea isn't it? You can steal it if you want :)

Last but not least... homemade dark chocolate filled mini cups. Yup, you heard that right. What are they filled with you ask? Some have sunbutter, some have fresh raspberries, a few have dried blueberries and cherries and the last few have the strawberry lavender jam that was given to me in the first foodie pen pal box. I know you're already jealous, so here's a little taste...

I know it's not very nice of me to post all of these pictures without recipes so I promise that soon my friends you will see these recipes and you can try them out on your very own. Until then, enjoy the pictures :)

The First Guest Blogger on It Really Works - Jillian McKee!

I'm thrilled to be sharing this post with you all from Jillian McKee. She is the first guest blogger to appear on It Really Works! and what she has to share will certainly get you thinking more seriously about life, food and health and how these three important things are so interrelated. Enjoy this article and feel free to pass it on to others!  

(*Disclaimer: The following article was written entirely by the author, Jillian McKee. I did not influence any of her writing nor am I advocating for everyone to move to a vegetarian diet. However, the words she has to share are profound and should be taken seriously as these health tips and facts are backed by research and science.)


Improve Your Cancer Prognosis: Go Vegetarian!

According to the British Journal of Cancer, there is a strong correlation between vegetarianism and a reduced cancer risk. When the studies were complete, the results showed a 50% decrease in incidence of blood and lymphoma cancer, a 75% decrease in bone marrow cancer and a 66% decrease in stomach cancer. Strict vegetarians are the least likely to develop cancer, but those who avoid chicken and beef also had a greater chance of survival. A vegetarian diet can have many health benefits including:

Lowers Risk of Death
Red and processed meats are more likely to increase stomach cancer risk. Avoiding them helps to keep the immune system healthy and decreases the risk of cardiovascular disease risk.

Effective in Treatment and in Prevention
Vegetables, fruits, and legumes are recommended for a healing diet. Antioxidants, phytonutrients and vegetable proteins are all effective in healing a person diagnosed with cancer. Vegetables can also prevent malnutrition and are beneficial in fighting cancer.

Helping to Restore Energy Levels
During cancer treatments, patients often lose healthy muscle mass and energy is depleted from the treatments. Vegetarian diets can restore energy levels and help patients heal faster. Leafy green vegetables will restore nutrients in diets and can help to prevent the patient from feeling lethargic. It also lessens abnormal cell growth.

Containing All Nutrients for Faster Healing
Antioxidants help to fight free radicals in the body that contribute to cancer development. The immune system becomes stronger and cells are less likely to multiply. Fiber is also present in legumes, vegetables, and fruits. Fiber provides the bulk to help move cancer-causing substances out of the body faster.

It may seem all well and good, but vegetarians diets do also have their drawbacks. Some of which include:

Not Protecting From Bowel Cancer
A vegetarian diet will not prevent bowel cancer. Vegetarians develop bowel cancer at a rate of 29% as compared to meat-eaters at a rate of 33%. Study do not result in sufficient evidence to say that vegetarian diets will prevent bowel cancer, however it does slightly decrease the risk.

Unhealthy Eating Habits May Develop
Since it is possible to follow a vegetarian diet by eating only junk food and no meat, there is danger in being a vegetarian. Vegetarians must ensure that they are eating green leafy vegetables, fresh fruits, and legumes to avoid malnutrition. Since no meat is in the diet, legumes and nuts serve as dietary protein. Soy-based products are also protein substitutes that can be effective in fighting cancers. As long as there is no history of allergic reactions, soy is effective in fighting cancer.

Decrease your cancer risk and go vegetarian! Even during chemotherapy, a vegetarian diet will help the body to heal faster. There are far more benefits to going vegetarian than not. Consider how a vegetarian diet can help prevent risk of cancer and improve energy levels. Most people, even those diagnosed with mesothelioma or liver cancer, are pleased with their choice to go vegetarian. 

Bringing a wealth of personal and professional experience to the organization, Jillian McKee has worked as the Complementary Medicine Advocate at the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance since June of 2009. Jillian spends most her time on outreach efforts and spreading information about the integration of complementary and alternative medicine when used in conjunction with traditional cancer treatment.

Bringing a wealth of personal and professional experience to the organization, Jillian McKee has worked as the Complementary Medicine Advocate at the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance since June of 2009. Jillian spends most her time on outreach efforts and spreading information about the integration of complementary and alternative medicine when used in conjunction with traditional cancer treatment.

Foodie Pen Pals!

This. Is. The. Coolest. Thing. Ever.

Foodie Pen Pals!

I stumbled upon The Lean Green Bean website a little while ago and when I saw the words "foodie pen pals", I of course was immediately intrigued. Lindsay has put together this AMAZING program for anyone anywhere interested in food! Here is how it works...

On the 5th of every month, you will receive your penpal pairing via email. It will be your responsibility to contact your penpal and get their mailing address and any other information you might need like allergies or dietary restrictions.

 

You will have until the 15th of the month to put your box of goodies in the mail. On the last day of the month, you will post about the goodies you received from your penpal! The boxes are to be filled with fun foodie things, local food items or even homemade treats! The spending limit is $15. The box must also include something written. This can be anything from a note explaining what’s in the box, to a fun recipe…use your imagination!

 

You are responsible for figuring out the best way to ship your items depending on their size and how fragile they are. (Don’t forget about flat rate boxes!)

 

Foodie Penpals is open to blog readers as well as bloggers. If you’re a reader and you get paired with a blogger, you are to write a short guest post for your penpal to post on their blog about what you received. If two readers are paired together, neither needs to worry about writing a post for that month.

This was my first month participating and I already can't wait for my next pen pal assignment in June!

 

I was so lucky to have truly great pairings with who I was delivering a box to as well as the person who sent me a box! It was so much fun putting together my favorite goodies and getting such a warm response! Not to mention, the goodie box I received from Leila all the way in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma was packed full of incredible and fun foods I have already fallen in love with! Let's take a look shall we?

 

I opened my box to find the sweetest handwritten note from Leila! What a doll!

In addition to her welcome note, she included sticky notes on every item with a little description of why she chose it.. so cute!

 

Drum roll please... here are the goodies!!! Raw Sweet Potato Chips, Zico Chocolate Coconut Water, Hail Merry Chocolate Mint Miracle Tart, Strawberry Lavender Jam, Organic Ginger Chunks, Dark Chocolate with Espresso Beans

(If you can't tell... I totally scored on this one!)

Everything in this box puts a smile on my face :) The sweet potato chips are awesome, especially because I've been on a serious sweet potato high for the last few weeks (they are just so good!) I haven't yet tried the chocolate coconut water but I'm SURE it will be the best replenish drink I've ever had after my next tough workout ;-) The chocolate mint tart.. well... do I even need to comment on this one? I think you can imagine how delightfully sinful it is (while still so healthy!) The ginger chunks are great - strong in flavor but great for the tummy! The dark chocolate with espresso beans.. mm mm mm, who doesn't love chocolate and coffee?! Lastly, and what I have to admit is my favorite, the strawberry lavender jam. It is the PERFECT combination of sweet and floral, the flavor is light and perfect for these hot summer days in Colorado. I'll definitely have to start the hunt now for this in my local grocery stores because I'm pretty sure this jar will be empty by the end of the week!

Leila, thanks again for the amazing box! 

Lindsay, thank you for creating this program and for doing such a wonderful job at keeping it going!

I strongly encourage all of you to join Foodie Pen Pals - it is so much fun and it's a win win! Whether you are a blog reader or blogger yourself, anyone with a passion for food will absolutely love what Foodie Pen Pals has to offer!

Now, enough talking... I'm off to enjoy some chocolate along with a spoonful of strawberry lavender jam... perhaps a mix of the two... ;-)

 

Nutty Oat Pancakes

Mmmmm... #insert smile here#

In case you were wondering... that was a description of how my day started.

Sleeping in until the alarm went off, laying in bed for another 15 minutes before actually getting up, making these delightful pancakes and still sitting at the kitchen table in my sweats with my coffee as I write this. What a beautiful way to start a Sunday. (Well, minus the fact that it is insanely windy outside..might hinder today's run a bit.. But that is beside the point!)

I've mentioned this before but ever since eliminating gluten, dairy, yeast and a slew of other randoms that I won't get into, my boyfriend and I rarely get to enjoy the same weekend breakfast like we used to. You see, weekend mornings used to consist of massive breakfasts with one of us cooking and the other one constantly making suggestions (okay... maybe just me making suggestions). But now, we each make our own breakfast, still sharing the morning at the kitchen table with our coffee and newspaper, but - it just isn't the same.

I have had this recipe bookmarked for MONTHS now, just waiting for a weekend to make a hardy breakfast while lounging around the house until #sigh# the school work has to get started. Well my friends, today was the day! As I'm getting closer and closer to my college graduation *Ah!* I've been feeling less and less motivated to hit weekends hard with studying and projects. Which is why, as I said, today was the day for these wonderful homemade pancakes - courtesy of Nancy from The Sensitive Pantry.

Nancy has a wealth of recipes that are perfectly catered to the needs of us with food intolerance and sensitivities. Most of her recipes are gluten, egg, dairy and soy free. PERFECT for what I need!

She created these Banana Walnut Oat Pancakes, in which I made only a few minor changes based on what I had in my fridge. Make sure to check out her recipes, they are wonderful!

Here is the recipe with my few changes...

1 tablespoon ground flax mixed with 3 tablespoons hot water

3/4 cups sorghum flour
1/2 cup gluten free rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp brown sugar

1/3 c plain soy yogurt + 2/3 c water (whisk until smooth)
1/2 large banana
2 tsp canola oil
1/2 tsp vanilla

1/3 cup walnuts (finely chopped)

Mix the flaxseed and hot water and let sit as you assemble the batter. Mix all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Combine the soy yogurt and water and whisk until you've reached a smooth consistency (similar to soymilk). Add in your very mashed banana, oil and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Add wet ingredients to the dry mix, add the flaxseed mixture and stir. Fold in the walnuts. The batter is fairly thick at this point - you can either leave as is or add water 1-2 tbsp at a time until you've reached a thinner batter. (*I added about 1/2 c of water total.)

Heat a large skillet over medium heat, adding a little butter to grease the pan. Plop two spoonfulls on top of each other in the pan and smooth out to form a nice 3-inch wide pancake. (I could fit 3 pancakes in my pan at a time with this method.) Continue to do this until you've used all of the batter, making sure to add a little butter to the pan before cooking each new batch. *Nancy's recipe makes 12 three inch pancakes, I ended up with 13 pancakes in total (probably from adding the extra water).

The oats and sorghum flour provide a natural sweetness to these pancakes, while I may be a bit biased towards the sweet scale - they were perfect for me! If you like your pancakes sweeter just be sure to add a healthy dose of pure maple syrup. Yes, that's right, I'm telling you to load it on :)

One sidenote I must mention is that these are not your typical light and fluffy from-the-box pancakes. They are hardy, dense and will fill you up (but of course this is a very good thing!) I found that 3 pancakes was the perfect serving size, leaving me satisfied but not overly stuffed. I topped my yummy pancakes with about 1tbsp pure maple syrup, fresh blackberries, banana chips and a dusting of cinnamon. DELISH!

I highly recommend making these pancakes on your next lazy weekend, or heck, maybe even as a breakfast-for-dinner meal! I have some left over and am fully planning on snacking on them as the day goes on :)

Lastly, I went ahead and calculated the nutrition facts. This time, not so much for you (though I'm sure you are happy to have them!) but for me as I'm really trying to up my calories to gain some weight - hey, I'm training for a half marathon here people! So... here they are...

Nutrition Facts for Nutty Oat Pancakes

per serving: 3 pancakes

239 calories

31g carbohydrates

6.7g protein

4.5g fiber

*with my toppings these come to about: 453 calories, 40g carbs, 7g protein, 5g fiber*

Have a lovely Sunday, smile, be kind and do something amazing!

Blackberry Oat Flour Bake

So.... I think I've discovered a new breakfast to add to my repertoire.

Oat bakes.

If you don't remember last Saturday's post, here's a quick refresher... I had seriously been craving a big, fluffy, bad-for-you kind of cinnamon roll. But of course, dietary restrictions stopped that dream and I instead came across this recipe for a, shall we say, stand in cinnamon roll? I made it, it was delicious, pure Cinnamon Raisin Oat Bake Goodness.

Okay. Now that you're refreshed... back to the amazing addition to my weekly breakfast rotation ;-)

After the successful outcome of last Saturday - perfect breakfast, fueled with energy and a happy 6 mile run... I began to think.. Saturdays might just be the new oat bake day. Doesn't sound so bad, right?

Hence... my newest creation... a Blackberry Oat Flour Bake.

So simple, so healthy, so... yummmmmm.

I love showing you the final product before giving the ingredients and cooking instructions... just a little teaser to get you sucked in ;-)

Here is what you'll need...

1/3 c oat flour (or grind your own from gluten free oats - just not the instant kind)
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp ground flaxseed
1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 banana very mashed
3 tbsp vanilla hemp milk
1/4 tsp vanilla

4-6 fresh blackberries cut in half + some for topping (~1/2 c total)

 

Preheat your oven to 350. Combine the dry ingredients and mix well. Combine the wet ingredients, really mash your banana - you want it almost liquid like. Combine the wet and dry ingredients until fully mixed. Fold in your blackberries. Grease a mini bread loaf pan or a small oven-safe dish (4-5 inches wide), scoop the batter into your prepared pan and bake for 16-18 minutes. (I checked mine at 16 and the toothpick was almost clean but I still ended up cooking the full 18 minutes.) If eating immediately let cool slightly before adding your toppings (you don't want to burn your taste buds and ruin the enjoyment of this amazing breakfast!) If eating the next morning, let fully cool and wrap in plastic wrap, store in the refrigerator over night. Heat for 45 seconds in the microwave, add the toppings you wish and enjoy.

Now, let's talk toppings..

I was planning on using the other half of my banana as a topping but when I realized how dense this bake was, I didn't think my stomach could handle it. I chose instead to top my bake with a drizzle of honey, a few more blackberries (halved), a few broken-up banana chips and a sprinkling of dairy free chocolate chips. Oh yes. If you're drooling right now it's okay... I am too and I already enjoyed this masterpiece.

I know you are ready to make this... perhaps you will have an Oat Bake Sunday. But just in case you need a little more of a push.. here is a rough estimate of the nutrition facts (I know you love them.)

Per One Blackberry Oat Flour Bake 

400 calories  

65g carbohydrates  

13g fiber

12g protein

 

Don't forget your morning paper and your smooth breakfast blend coffee... 

and please... 

enjoy responsibly.

Cinnamon Raisin Oat Bake Goodness

Let me set this up properly--

I am a senior at the University of Colorado, majoring in Marketing in the Business School.

I am graduating on May 10th, exactly 47 days from today.

Today is the first day of the last Spring Break I will ever have.

WHAT?!?!? This is unreal.

So... what better way to start this day than with a mouth-watering, stick-to-your-gut breakfast, paired with coffee of course ;-)

I've had a massive craving for cinnamon rolls lately. You know the kind they sell at Cinnabon? The larger-than-life, should-be-split-between-four-people, loaded-with-fat cinnamon roll? Oh yes. Now you know what I'm talking about. While there are plenty of gluten and dairy free recipes out there for cinnamon rolls, they all still contain yeast. Bummer. I'm determined to somehow create a gluten/dairy/yeast free cinnabon copy-cat, but until I find the time (most likely after graduation) I've been searching for a stand-in. I found this recipe for Cinnamon Roll Baked Oatmeal from Chocolate-Covered Katie and thought... this just might do it!

I've made buckwheat bakes several times and have never been disappointed so I was more than willing to give an oatmeal bake a try.

The outcome??

Delight. Smile on my face. Was literally scraping the chocolate off of my plate. Yes.

As you've noticed the last few of my recipes have not been my own creations. Why? Because there are so many talented people out there making the most amazing looking foods... how can I not make their recipes?!

That being said, I followed this recipe [almost] to the tee. I strongly encourage you to visit Chocolate-Covered Katie, she has incredible recipes! But, here my dear is the recipe with my minor tweaks.

Cinnamon Raisin Oat Bake Goodness
1/4 cup steel cut gluten free oats + 1/4 cup oat flour (you can grind your own)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup vanilla hemp milk (using a flavored milk eliminates the need for added sweeteners)
a dash of salt (careful not to overdo it! I really mean "a dash"!)
1 tsp melted butter
a handful of raisins
small handful (or more) dairy free chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Use a coffee grinder, grind 1/4 cup oats into a flour. Add to bowl along with the remaining whole oats, cinnamon and [dash] of salt. Mix hemp milk, applesauce, vanilla and butter and add to dry ingredients. Stir until fully mixed. Add raisins and chocolate chips, stir again until fully mixed. Lightly grease a 4-inch oven-safe dish or 2 ramekins and add oat mixture. Place in oven for 15ish minutes (you just don't want it to still feel mushy). If eating immediately turn broiler on high and let your oat bake get a nice crunchy top for about 5 minutes. If eating the next morning, let your bake cool, wrap in plastic wrap or foil and store in the fridge overnight. When ready to eat microwave bake for 30 seconds and then place under broiler for 5-7 minutes.

I topped my oat bake with a small mixture of cashew butter, melted butter (oh come on.. it's supposed to replicate a cinnabon, remember?!) and a dash more of cinnamon. I smothered this over my bake along with half of a banana (sliced) and oh my.... breakfast heaven.

While I do still have a yearning for that soft yet crunchy, completely sinful cinnabon-like cinnamon roll, I will say that this oatmeal bake did quite the job at suppressing that craving for now. Not to mention, as I was eating it ideas were overflowing in my head of other oat bake variations I could make!

This is a great breakfast to enjoy on the weekend when you have all the time in the world to drink your coffee and read the morning paper, however, it stays together extremely well and I'm sure could be taken for an on-the-go breakfast (if you must).

Thank you Katie for this great recipe! 

Now go on.... get baking ;-)

Quinoa Hazelnut Granola

Oh goodness. This granola is fabulous. Phenomenal. Crunchy. Semi-sweet. Packed with nutrients. It is everything you could ever want in a granola and guess what... it's oat free!

For many who are gluten free oats are not a problem and can be a go-to source for protein and complex carbs. Unfortunately, there are also many, gluten free or not, in which oats do not agree with them. I had to cut oats out of my diet for a while and when I went back to eating them things seemed okay... but whenever this happens with foods I've been cutting out, I get a little too excited that things "seem to be okay" and I begin eating the food like it is my only option. This tends to backfire.. requiring me to cut out the food once again to cleanse my body and get my stomach back on track.

Hence... the search for an oat-free granola began. I have always been a fan of quinoa for its nutritional content (it is a complete protein after all!) and have known that quinoa flakes can be substituted for oats in many recipes. Perfect! So why not make a granola out of it?!

Traditionally.. I make my own granola from scratch.. no recipe... I just go with my gut and the outcome is always delish. For this first attempt.. I reached out to my fellow foodie bloggers and stumbled upon this recipe from the Comfy Belly. If you haven't heard of this blog well... now you have so you have no reason not to visit it just as soon as you finish this post ;-) Erica has amazing photography and such a wide variety of delicious and healthful recipes, including this (as mentioned before) phenomenal quinoa granola.

I'm not going to post the recipe here because I really do feel that you should take advantage of her wonderful blog yourself. I will however explain a little about my modifications...

• I halved the recipe and ended up with about 3 cups of delish granola
• I used only hazelnuts, simply doubling the amount called for (for my halved recipe I used just over 1/2 cup of whole hazelnuts - I then gave them a slight chop before adding to the granola mix)
• I also halved the amount of maple syrup - I prefer my granola on the less sweet side.. I know, crazy right?

That's it! Her recipe is so delightful that the changes I made were strictly based on my dietary restrictions.

Oh yes... I almost forgot... here are the nutrition facts because I know you love them oh so much.

Per one 1/2 cup serving:

368 calories

37g carbs

10g protein

5g fiber

*Don't let the calories scare you, every single one of them are as healthy as can be and I promise this will hold you over and leave you oh so satisfied.

And now.. on to the pictures...

prior to the oven

after baking... the colors become even more beautiful