Time in the Kitchen

I may be down, but I’m not out! Last night I was feeling a little better and all I wanted to do is get into the kitchen and make something yummy.

Oatmeal Date Bars and Whole Wheat Oat Muffins……Don’t they look delicious?

Oatmeal Date Bars

2 Cups Old Fashioned Oats
1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
Pinch of Salt
1 Tsp Baking Powder
1 1/2 Cup Vanilla Soy Milk
3 Tbsp Agave Nectar or Honey
1/2 Cup Applesauce
1 Large Egg
1 Tsp Vanilla
3/4 Cup Dried Dates
1/4 Cup Chopped Pecans

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Place the first 5 dry ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.
Mix the milk, applesauce, egg, agave, and vanilla in a separate bowl.
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stir to combine and then stir in the dried dates and pecans. Pour the oatmeal mixture into a buttered or greased 7 x 11 inch baking dish.
Bake for 30 minutes or until thickened and golden.
Cool, cut into squares and serve.

Whole Wheat Oat Muffins

3/4 Cup Old Fashioned Oats
3/4 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
3/4 Cup All Purpose Flour
2 Tsp Baking Powder
1 1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1 Tsp Cinnamon
1 Tsp Nutmeg
1 Tsp Salt
1/2 Cup Agave
¼ cup molasses
1 Tsp Vanilla
1/2 Cup Vanilla Soy Milk (Or any milk)
1/2 Cup Vegetable or Canola Oil
2 Large Eggs, whisked

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix the first 7 ingredients in a bowl to combine.
Whisk the remaining ingredients in a separate bowl until combined.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
Fill 12 muffin cups (that have been greased or lined with paper cups) 3/4 full.
Bake 20-22 minutes for regular size muffins (or 12 minutes for mini muffins) or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Watch the muffins carefully. If you let them overcook they can become quite hard and dry…not yummy. I’ve also added mashed banana in the past or a jar of mashed banana and apples baby food and it makes for quite tasty and moist muffins. I may have posted this recipe before and if I did then here it is again!

I still don’t have my voice back, hopefully soon, but I can at least do something productive!