Coziness with Oats

 There is something about an airy dish that homey and satisfying. Maybe ti;s because of the grain being the most basic but also the most everyday.It's also lent itself to being good as an ingredientfor baked goods and hearty breakfasts.

Regular author and top baker Genevieve Ko wrote about it and gave two recipes in today;s New York Times Food section As she puts it oats can work miracles. Cooked otameal has a comforting and relaxing scent like clean fresh hay.There's also a natural sweetness to them that regular flour doesn;t have.They add to everything, from creating sweet crunchy toppings to extra chewy cookies like oatmeal raisin and chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. Chef Ko gives two recipes with them - honey oat pancakes and oatmeal chocolate chocolate chip muffins. Both are great ways to start a chilly Spring morning. There are so many different typrs of oats to use. What should home chefs use? She recommends quick cooking and instant oats are ideal for the pancakes because they;re small and flat, perfect for cooking. They;ve been finely chopped and steamed before packaging . They;re already made into flakes. Keep in mind that instant oats are going to be thinner than the quick cooking kind. They'll give the finished product s a chewier texture according to Sarina Shatseen , a culinary content specialist at the flour company Bob's Red Mill.

The recipes are perfect for breakfasts(or even for a Sunday lunch). The honey oat pancakes have the oatmeals soaked in buttermilk along with flax, honey and salt for a good ten minute. The longer the mixture sits the creamier and tender the pancakes. Use this time to make eggs and bacon . After the ten minutes add two tablespoons of canola or any flavorless oil. Baking soda and flour are then mixed in . They should be cooked in butter for a richer flavor.. Serve hot with more honey and definitely more butter for the ultimate treat.The oatmeal chocolate chip muffins can be perfect for breakfast or just a mid afternoon snack with coffee or tea. Use quick cooking oats for these along with flour and brown sugar. Cardomon is also added, giving the crumbs a lovely flavor. There is also eggs, butter and whole milk to give the muffins body. After the wet and dry ingredients are mixed the chips are gently added in. They're baked at 400 degrees Farenhit for twenty minutes. Use cupcake papers and bake in a muffin tin.

Oatmeal cna be a great addition to anything for breakfast or sweet. Try it in these pancakes or muffins. They;re a healthy and tasty addition to any recipe,

Home Baked Breakfast Treats

 Breakfast sould be the most important meal of the day. It's sometimes the most boring , thanks to an every day rote of toast or cereal. Try home baked treats that are both healthy and nutritious to liven up the first meal of day . Another plus  - they can be eaten on the go.

One of the most fun breakfast treats is a good for you muffin.  Use healthy ingredients like honey and orange juice for sweetening and flavor along with mixing whiole oats with flour,. They can even be made eggless by subbing in flax seed or Just Egg vegan substitute and employing plant or nut milks for dairy. can a chocolate muffin be just as healthy? Yes!!!! You can even pack them with veggies for extra goodness. Spinach, kale, carrots or bananas can be added for extra vitamins and minerals. cooca powder, which doesn't have eany extra sugar or even fat is mixed into the recipe. You can amp up the flavor with tossing in chocolate chips. If these are too sweet then think about the classic bran muffin. This has whole wheat pastry flour along with wheat bran in it. Blackstrap molasses and apple sauce give the classic batch their deeply rich and fruity flavor.Blackstrap molasses is rich in antioxidants and helps with bone and hair health as well as alleviating anemia. Make ti an important part of breakfast baking.

Another tasty and healthy breakfast treat are breakfast bars. These are fun and a bit easier to make than muffins. Tne ingredients are basically the same as the muffins. Rolled oats give the bars their base and crunch while maple syrup or honey lend it sweetness. Flax eggs or regular ones are added along with bananas.As with any baked good, baking powder and soda are also tossed in  for lift and body. Peanut butter gives the bars a silky texture . Some home bakers put coconut oil in their bars to grve the bars a flakiness,It's a butter or margerine substitute. Add ins are encouraged. You can try dark chocolate chip or dried cranberries like "Craisins" for more color and flavor.  For more nutrition , try a half cup of pitted and chopped dates or raisins.Even though  it's not baked museli can still be made at home. it';s a nice change up from some of the store bought kind and better for the kids than all those high in sugar commerical cereals.Muesli starts with grains of any kind. You can use anything from rolled oats to quinoa flakes to millet puffs. Then it's adding dried seeds and dried fruits.agains there's a wide range to choose from. Try a combo of craiosns and pistachios or dried cheries and almonds.

Home baked and homemmade breakfast treats are just that - treats. They not only delicious but a great healthy bite. Make muffins or bars or whip of batch of muesli for a great way to start the day.

Livfit Super Food A Super Addition

We are always skeptical about what additives are put in our foods. However there's one addition that's can be beneficial to our lives - Livfit Superfood.It is not only chock full of good ingredients but also flavor.It's an ingredient that every home chef should have.

Livfit Superfood is one of Better Body Foods, a Utah based company that has a wide variety of healthy products. There are protein powders and superfood blends that include such interesting ingredients as baobab (!) and my favorite Super Seeds. The company also has baking products such as organic cacao powder and coconut flour for baking everything from good for you cakes to muffins. Home chefs will appreciate their array of ancient grains and natural oils to cook with on a daily basis.

It's a mix of chia , (yes that chia that grows on clay heads and figures)flax and hemp. The last is getting a lot of publicity right now but hemp does have benefits. It's loaded with antioxidants and fatty acids.

This is what the mix looks like close up.

I've sprinkled it on my salad. It has a  nutty flavor, kind of like ground walnuts.I am going to put a heaping teaspoon in my oatmeal, just to get fiber into the daily diet.It's also going to be blended into homemade banana muffins and my mammoth M&M cookies to  make them a tad less decadent. The blend can also be swirled into smoothies. Those can be frozen to create healthy ice pops for the summer. Of course it would be wonderful in loaves of homemade bread and rolls as well as pizza.it Super Seeds can also be used in making fruit crumbles too.

Today's directive is eat healthy.Livfit's Super Seeds can help you achieve that goal. Try some Super Seeds, not just for the taste but for the benefits!

Start "THem Off Right Healthy & Easy Eating

Any parent knows how to feed their kids. Theytry to give them the best available for the first few years.They want to get th e best baby foods and toddler grub and then follow that intot heir school years.Yet something happens, Those happy ,healthy little ones are growing into morbidly obese kids with all sort of adult health problems. WHy is this happening? Maybe it's not enough really good food.

No matter what we give kids , they still want the fun stuff. Luckily fast food places such as Wendy's and Mc Donalds are offering healthy and even fun choices with thier kiddie meals. They are giving kids the choice between fries and apple slices along milk or soda. Unfortunately most kids usually reach for the fries and soda .Mc Donald's also offers a similar menu with fat free chocolate milk. Still both introduce kids to grilled meats and fried foods  which are not a good. What's your best bet? Limit the fast food places to when they get good grades (It worked for our First Lady and her brother) .Make at home dinners fun too whether with a toy on their plate or a free pass to whatever.

Getting kids to eat healthy at home  is easy.Introduce them to flax seeds that super food that will reduce all sorts fo health risks. They may like the slightly nutty taste because it'll remind. them of peanut butter. Sprinkle the ground flax seed on veggies and even pasta. Use it as a topping for ice cream or mixed with syrup for a kind of nocciola (or Nutella)  taste. Another introduction is the juicer. Let them create their own homemade smoothies and juices for better immunity. Have them go with you when you buy it so they have a say.Once you buy the juicer everyone agrees upon then let them pick out  the orgnaic fruits and veggies that they want. As with treats, keep kids away from candy with fresh fruits and homemade whole wheat treats. Tell them that anything made with white isn't right and that brown is better.

Trying to get kids  to eat can be a chore. Trying to get them eat better is even worse.Yet if you're show them good foods from the very start, they'll be more apt to pick what's right over what's wrong. .It'll make for a better lifestyle later on. They may not thank you for it now but they will when they're grown up and healthy.