The Perfect Pre-Mixed Oatmeal Blend

If you've ever breastfed or been friends with someone who has, you know oatmeal is the best.  It is filling when you are recovering from birth and trying to survive those newborn days, plus it has the added benefit of helping to maintain your milk supply.  I am all for letting plant foods work their magic on our bodies. 

During this pregnancy, and most of the time when I’m not pregnant, my two go-to breakfasts are green smoothies and oatmeal. Lately, I have been enjoying raw oatmeal bowls with defrosted berries, homemade almond milk, and lots of extra goodies like dried fruit, nuts, seeds, and coconut. I decided it was in my best postpartum-interest to make a pre-mixed container of oats and dried goodies for the hubby to scoop, mix with fruit and almond milk, and serve me those much-needed calories while I was recovering. 

This recipe is what I came up with for my preferences and needs, but feel free to change the ingredients and amounts to suit your needs. The rolled oat mixture can be used raw, as I enjoyed it this summer, as well as cooked by stove top or microwave. I provide all of those preparation options in the Instructions below.  Enjoy!

(Note, I combined my mixture in a VERY large bowl and in two batches.)

The Perfect Pre-Mixed Oatmeal Blend
Time: 10 minutes to prep
Servings: approx. 20 - 1 cup servings

Ingredients:
        10 cups rolled oats
         5 cups unsweetened coconut (shredded or chips)
         2 1/2 cups raisins (or other dried fruit)

         2 1/2 cups hemp seeds

         1 1/4 cup chopped nuts (I used almonds and walnuts)

         1 1/4 cup ground flaxseeds

         1 1/4 cup chia seeds (whole or ground)

         1/4 cup ground cinnamon

Instructions:

1.)  In a VERY large bowl or container (or in two half batches), mix together all ingredients.  Store in an air-tight jar or container in the fridge, scooping out 1 cup per serving.  Use one of the following ways to prep and enjoy your oatmeal.

• Prep for Raw Oatmeal Bowl - In a large soup bowl, mix together the following and enjoy:
• 1 cup defrosted mixed berries
• 1/2 banana, sliced
• 1 cup Perfect Pre-Mix Oatmeal Blend
• 1/2-1 cup unsweetened plant milk
• 1/4 cup unsweetened plant-based yogurt (optional)

• Prep for a Hot Oatmeal Bowl using a Microwave - In a large soup bowl, mix together the pre-mixed oatmeal and water, then microwave for 3 minutes on high, allow to cool for 2 minutes before adding fresh fruit and plant milk.
• 1 cup Perfect Pre-Mix Oatmeal Blend
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 banana, sliced
• 1 cup fresh berries
• 1/2-1 cup unsweetened plant milk
• 1/4 cup unsweetened plant-based yogurt (optional)

• Prep for a Hot Oatmeal Bowl on the Stovetop - In a small saucepan, mix together the pre-mixed oatmeal and water and heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  Allow to simmer for 5 minutes and remove from heat.  Allow the oatmeal to cool for 2 minutes before serving with fresh fruit and plant milk.
• 1 cup Perfect Pre-Mix Oatmeal Blend
• 1 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 banana
• 1 cup fresh berries
• 1/2-1 cup unsweetened plant milk
• 1/4 cup unsweetened plant-based yogurt (optional)

• Bonus use!  Add 1/2 cup of the Perfect Pre-Mix Oatmeal Blend to any smoothie to give it some extra oomph.

Amy's Notes:
I find it best to store this mix in the fridge.  Since I have added ground flaxseeds, hemp seeds, and chia seeds - all of which I keep stored in the fridge on their own - refrigeration is best in my opinion.

Health and Happiness,

Amy

Date-Nut-Seed Energy Balls

Being pregnant in the summertime has not been so fun for me.  You guys probably know by now that I really hate the heat.  Give me an overcast 65-degree day over a sunshiny 80-degree day anytime.  Maybe this is the ultimate result of growing up and living in the Pacific Northwest.  

When I was pregnant with Ben I made several batches of oatmeal lactation support cookies to have before and after labor, but there was no way I was going to turn on the oven this time around.  So, these raw Date-Nut-Seed Energy balls were my solution.

When pulling together the ingredients, I essentially wanted to make these little calorie-dense healthy fat bombs to give me energy before, during, and after labor.  The fact that they store well in the freezer and taste great cold is a happy coincidence.  They can also be stored in the fridge for some time, or on the counter for several days... if they last that long.  

Date-Nut-Seed Energy Balls
Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 24 servings

Ingredients:

• 6 tbsp raw almonds
• 6 tbsp raw pepitas
• 1/4 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup packed dates, pits removed
• 2 Tbsp chia seeds
• 2 Tbsp ground flaxseeds
• 2 Tbsp peanut butter

(FOR A DOUBLE BATCH):

• 3/4 cup raw almonds
• 3/4 cup raw pepitas
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 2 cups packed dates, pits removed
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 1/4 cup ground flaxseeds
• 1/4 cup peanut butter

Instructions:
1.)  In a food processor, pulse the almonds, pepitas, and rolled oats until a coarse flour forms.
2.)  Add in the remaining ingredients and blend until a dough starts to form.
3.)  Pour blended mixture into a bowl and mix with a spoon to make sure all of the processed ingredients are well mixed together.

4.)  Using your hands, grab a small handful of the dough and form a tight ball, about the size of a ping pong ball.

5.) Place the balls on a non-stick baking tray or a plate covered with parchment paper.  Once all of the dough is used and the balls are formed, place the tray or plate in the freezer for 20 minutes before removing and storing how you prefer.

Amy's Notes:
In a perfect world, these would include some form of chocolate.  Because I primarily made them for after birth when I would be breastfeeding, I opted to not add any cocoa, chocolate chips, or melted chocolate coating (chocolate seamed to bother Ben when I breastfed the first time around).  BUT don't let that stop you!  If you wanted to add some chocolate, I would suggest you try adding 1-2 Tbsps of cocoa powder, 2 Tbsps of mini vegan chocolate chips, or dipping the frozen balls in a bit of melted chocolate and returning to the freezer to solidify.

Health and Happiness,

Amy

Millet with Mushrooms and Garlic

Some personal stuff.

It has been a minute.  I have been so far out of the blogging routine because Instagram has been such a quick and easy way to share my day-to-day and quickly thrown together recipes.  But, for the sake of followers (and myself), I thought I would start posting some of my regular recipes again on the blog.  Yes, I totally use my blog as a personal recipe box, with my Three-Bean Chili and Vegan Ranch Dressing being the two recipes I look up and cook most often.  Hopefully, you get as much use out of my recipes as I do. ;)

Lots of things have been happening around the kitchen and our household since I last formally posted on the blog.  Like most of you, the virus has created a fairly isolated Spring and Summer of 2020 so far.  BUT, we have an additional reason to quarantine at this time.  If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, you already know the answer... We are due with baby #2, a girl, in August!  At 37 weeks currently, it feels like it is just around the corner and I still feel like I have a million things left to get done.

I'm so grateful to have had a reasonably comfortable pregnancy with no health issues.  Many of my appointments with my midwife this time have been virtual, which I really don't mind not having to drive or mask up for very many visits.  At this point, baby girl's growth is great and we are just counting down the days until she makes her appearance.  Her official due date is 8/8, and with Ben's birthday being 10/10, we think that would be a wonderful pattern to have with our kid's birthdays.  We'll see if she agrees when the time comes.

The attempted family photo over 4th of July weekend. 

Literally the best family photo we've ever taken. 
This was on a lovely hike near the Carbon River in Rainier National Park.

Ben checking out a special tree cubby in Rainier National Park. 
This area of the park, north of the mountain, is all old-growth forest.

The last few weeks I have been organizing and preparing her room and the house before the birth (the nesting instinct is STRONG this time!).  I'd like to leave no to-do list item unchecked, so when I get any burst of energy, I take it and waddle with it (see what I did there ;)).  This weekend we cleaned out and cleaned up the garage, got the car seats cleaned and resituated, and I did some freezer meal prep (Three-Bean Chili to the postpartum rescue).

Some recipe stuff.

This Spring I read Dr. Fuhrman's newest book, Eat for Life (affiliate link), and took a week or so to mourn the need to ditch rice varieties from my diet.  He explains in the book that rice, even organic brown or wild rice, should be limited since they contain arsenic.  The arsenic is now so prevalent in US soils that cultivate rice from decades of pesticide and herbicide abuse, that we are unlikely to find rice in the US that doesn't have some amount of arsenic in it.  That is all to say, millet and I have become good buddies since I've resolved to severely limit my rice intake.

Millet is not a grain, but, like quinoa, is actually a seed.  Now, quinoa is great, and it definitely tastes better when you give it a good rinse and cook it properly, but I have never been crazy about it.  The Husband, on the other hand, loves quinoa and will gladly eat it most days of the week.  I have come to prefer millet over most whole grains, so it is now my go-to "grain" for hot dishes and hearty salads.  It cooks up about as quickly as quinoa and has a great fridge shelf life of 5-7 days depending on the type of seasonings or sauces you add.



Because millet is a small seed, it can be a bit tricky to wash it.  In my recipes, I always suggest fine-mesh strainer, but I actually don't own one.  I have one of these OXO strainers specifically meant to wash grains and seeds.  If you're looking to add to your kitchen tools, this is the one I use and love.

I have found that sometimes millet gets a little dry sitting in the fridge, so if I'm going to reheat it, I add a tablespoon or two of water or vegetable broth before reheating.  This can usually be avoided if I add a dressing, but adding sauce often shortens its fridge storage time.

Millet with Mushrooms and Garlic

Time: 5-minute prep, 30-minute cook time

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients:

        1 cup dried millet, rinsed and drained

        3 cups water (or no-salt vegetable broth)

        1 cup mushrooms, roughly chopped (or 1/2 cup dried mushrooms)

        4-6+ cloves garlic, minced

        Liquid aminos and nutritional yeast to taste

Instructions:

1.)  In a fine-mesh strainer, rinse and drain the millet.

2.)  In a medium saucepan, bring the water (or broth), millet, mushrooms, and garlic to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Cover and simmer for an additional 10 minutes or so, checking occasionally and turning the heat off once all of the liquid is absorbed.  Allow to sit for 5 minutes with the lid on and removed from the heat.

3.)  Stir lightly to fluff with a fork.  Serve hot and topped with liquid aminos and nutritional yeast to taste.  See notes for serving suggestions.

Amy's Notes:

I like to serve this millet hot as part of a nourish bowl.  For example, I served 1 cup of millet for lunch the other day with water sauteed greens and onions, sweet potatoes, tofu, zucchini, avocado, and a tahini mustard sauce.  (Please note that I am pregnant, so this is more avocado than I would normally add otherwise.  And I'm not mad about it one bit!)

Want to up your salad game? Add 1/2 to 1 cup of this millet dish from the fridge to your next big green salad.  I particularly like it with raw kale, a bean or lentil, pepitas, raw red onion, shredded apple, and a creamy cashew dressing like my Vegan Ranch Dressing.

Health and Happiness,

Amy