Instant Oatmeal Packets - YUM!

Easy to make, fun to make, & cheap to make! Did you know that quick oats are simply chopped regular oats? To make your own "instant" oats, just put them in a blender for a few seconds, & voila! I like to blend my oats long enough to almost powder them, because it makes a creamier bowl of oatmeal!

I finally got around a few months ago to making my own instant oatmeal packets. Something I've wanted to do for a long time... but just didn't. I'm reeeeeaaaaalllllyyyy glad I did!

These are so yummy. And surprisingly, they're MUCH more filling than the store bought ones, which we usually ended up eating 3 or 4 of to fill us up!

Assembly line style makes this way fast. Just line up your little baggies & ingredients, & scoop one ingredient at a time over & over till you're done... Then move on to the next ingredient. It takes just minutes to make 30 or 40 packets!

AFTER you've gotten all your basic flavor bags made, go back through & add your favorite flavors to them. Variations are listed below the basic recipe:

ORGANIZING YOUR PACKETS (without having to label every single bag)... put all the bags of each different flavor in a plastic shoe box & label just the box. This way, you'll know which is which just by looking at the container.

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Instant Oatmeal Packet Basic Recipe - & Varieties: (Per ONE Packet)

Mix the following in snack or sandwich baggies to make individual oatmeal packets:

¼ c. powdered oats (reg. oats lightly powdered in blender)
1 T. powdered milk
1 T. powdered sweetener (un-refined sugar, coconut palm sugar, powdered stevia, xylitol etc...)
pinch of sea salt (optional)

I just add very hot water & let it sit for a minute.  Microwaving kills the nutrients!

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VARIATIONS - (Adjust ingredients & amounts to your own taste...) 

Don't forget to double or triple the flavor ingredients, depending on how many packets you put in each bag!

PS:  I HAVE NOW SWITCHED TO ALL NATURAL SUGARS/SWEETENERS & HAVE GOTTEN RID OF ALL WHITE REFINED, PROCESSED, & ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS.  YES, THIS INCLUDES WHITE & BROWN SUGAR!  IT IS YOUR CHOICE, OF COURSE, BUT IN PLACE OF WHITE SUGAR, I NOW USE RAW SUGAR, XYLITOL, OR STEVIA, & IN PLACE OF BROWN SUGAR, I NOW USE RAW COCONUT PALM SUGAR.  AND THEY ARE ALL CHEAPER THAN THAT NASTY POISONOUS ARTIFICIAL SPLENDA OR ASPARTAME :)

Apple-Cinnamon - To each packet, add 1 Tbsp. sugar, 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, and 2 Tbsp. chopped dried apples.

Apple Pie - To each packet, add ¼ tsp. apple pie spice

Brown Sugar/Cinnamon - To each packet, add 1 Tbsp. unrefined coconut palm sugar & 1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Raisins & Brown Sugar - To each packet, add 1 Tbsp. unrefined coconut palm sugar and 1 Tbsp. raisins.

Health Nut - To each packet, add 1/2 Tbsp. each wheat germ, ground flax seed, chopped almonds

Fruit & Cream - To each packet, add 1 Tbsp. organic non-dairy coffee creamer (without un-natural ingredients) and 2 Tbsp. dried fruit & / or powdered fruit.

Maple Nut - To each packet, add 1 Tbsp. dehydrated 100% pure maple syrup crystals & dried fruit.

Pumpkin Pie - To each packet add ¼ tsp. pumpkin pie spice & unrefined coconut palm sugar

Oatmeal Raisin Granola Bars

I FOUND THE RECIPE!!!


OK... After DAYS of searching for the recipe I used to make these, I finally found it buried under a pile of papers. I guess I should clean up, huh! So here it is:

2 c. rolled oats
3/4 c. wheat germ
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. sunflower seeds (or mixture of any seeds like chia, flax, etc...)
8 oz. raisins or dried cranberries

2/3 c. organic coconut palm sugar or xylitol
1/2 c. honey
4 Tbs. organic butter
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. sea salt or Himalayan salt

Mix sugar, honey, butter, vanilla, & salt. Melt & stir well.

Mix melted items & remaining dry ingredients in large bowl & stir well. Keep stirring! It may seem dry, but it WILL get sticky if you keep going..... :)

Line casserole dish with large piece of waxed paper.

Dump mixture in casserole dish & spread. Fold wax paper over top, OR add a new piece on top. Using hands, press hard to flatten & compact mixture.

Let cool completely!

Lift granola bars out of dish with waxed paper & cut into bars or squares. (Or, if you didn't use waxed paper, just cut in the dish & remove.)

Store in air tight container or wrap individually in plastic wrap.

How easy is that!?!?

TOO MUCH ZUCCHINI???

I read about one lady who did her first garden & planted 10 zucchini hills... Do you know what that produced? A whopping 16 bushels of zucchini!

Maybe you didn't end up with THAT many, but here are a couple of ideas for using up what you have left, after your neighbors finally tell you to stop donating it to them :)

If what I've shared here just isn't enough, then feel free to visit this site FULL of zucchini recipes!!!

www.basic-recipes.com/veget/zucchini.htm

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DEHYDRATED ZUCCHINI:

SHRED ZUCCHINI OR CHOP INTO SMALL PIECES, & LAY EVENLY ON DEHYDRATOR TRAYS. LET DRY TILL FAIRLY CRISPY, & STORE IN AIRTIGHT CONTAINER FOR FUTURE USE IN SOUPS, BREADS, PIZZA TOPPING, ETC...

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DEHYDRATED ZUCCHINI CHIPS:

CUT YOUR ZUCCHINI INTO THIN SLICES & LAY EVENLY ON DEHYDRATOR TRAYS. SPRINKLE LIGHTLY WITH SEA SALT OR YOUR FAVORITE SEASONING (BBQ, HERBS, LEMON PEPPER ETC...)
LET DEHYDRATE TILL SLIGHTLY CRISPY (THEY MAY STILL BEND JUST A LITTLE). STORE IN AIRTIGHT CONTAINER & SNACK AWAY!

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CARROT/ZUCCHINI PIZZA:

YOU'LL NEED A PIZZA CRUST (I'LL TRY TO POST A RECIPE LATER, BUT FOR NOW, JUST 'GOOGLE' IT :o)

ON TOP OF YOUR CRUST LAYER IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER:

PIZZA/PASTA SAUCE (WHATEVER TASTE YOU PREFER)
MOZZARELLA CHEESE
SHREDDED CARROTS
SHREDDED ZUCCHINI
LIGHT SPRINKLE OF SEA SALT & PEPPER (OPTIONAL)
A TINY BIT MORE CHEESE

BAKE AT 425 FOR 15-20 MINS...
(UNTIL CHEESE IS MELTED & TOP BEGINS TO BROWN)

*I'M THINKING NEXT TIME I MAKE IT I'LL ADD A LAYER OF CHICKEN TOO!
IT MIGHT EVEN BE YUMMY WITH FRESH RANCH DRESSING INSTEAD OF PIZZA SAUCE! MMMMM!!!!!

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CRUSTY TOP ZUCCHINI BREAD:

1 C. BUTTERMILK OR SOUR MILK (ADD 1T. VINEGAR TO REGULAR MILK)
1 1/2 C. ORGANIC COCONUT PALM SUGAR (OR 1/2 & 1/2 WITH XYLITOL)
2/3 C. OIL
1 LARGE ORGANIC EGG
1 1/2 C. SHREDDED ZUCCHINI
1/2 C. FINELY CHOPPED RAW NUTS
1 TSP. SEA SALT / HIMALAYAN SALT
1 TSP. BAKING SODA
1 TSP. VANILLA
2 1/2 C. WHOLE WHEAT OR OTHER WHOLE GRAIN FLOUR

TOPPING:
1/2 C. ORGANIC COCONUT PALM SUGAR - OR XYLITOL
1 T. MELTED ORGANIC BUTTER
1/2 TSP. CINNAMON

COMBINE LIQUID INGREDIENTS... ADD SIFTED DRY INGREDIENTS...THEN ADD ZUCCHINI & NUTS.
MIX WELL. POUR INTO 2 WELL GREASED LOAF PANS.

COMBINE TOPPING INGREDIENTS & SPRINKLE ON TOP.

BAKE AT 325 DEGREES FOR ABOUT 40 MINUTES. (DON'T OVER BAKE)
WHEN DONE BAKING, REMOVE BREAD FROM PANS AFTER 2-3 MINUTES & COOL ON RACK.

(YOU CAN LINE THE LOAF PANS WITH PARCHMENT PAPER ON THE BOTTOM, THEN GREASE THE SIDES FOR EASIER REMOVAL.)

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies!

These are so yummy! My 11 year old daughter got out the mixer the other day & made them herself, from start to finish! The best part is we use whole wheat & oatmeal, so they're "half way" healthy! So here's the recipe:

1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 c. organic butter (softened)
1 large organic free range egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. rolled oats
1/2 c. organic coconut palm sugar
1 c. xylitol / coconut palm sugar
1 c. chocolate or carob chips (without refined white sugar)

(a few chopped nuts are optional... we didn't use them)

Mix butter, sugars, egg, & vanilla.

Add flour & soda. Mix till blended.

Add oatmeal, then chocolate/carob chips & mix till blended - again!

Drop onto cookie sheet & bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

Let cool on baking rack, then eat away!

Easiest Ever Fruit Leather!

I've hit a jackpot! Our family LOVES Fruit Roll Ups. I'm saving up for a better food dehydrator than what I have now, so in the mean time, I've started using my oven for this "Oh So Easy" recipe. We have tried a few roll up recipes, and this one is by far the tastiest to date! I like to make the all natural 100% fruit ones occasionally, since they're a little healthier, but honestly, these are our favorite!

Needed:

1 jelly roll pan (or dehydrator trays)
Natural Unsweetened Apple Sauce (homemade is best!)
Smashed Fruit

Use a dehydrator if you have one, but if not...

Pre-heat your oven to 125 degrees... (If it won't go that low, try 175 & leave the door cracked open)

You can even do up to 200 degrees so it'll dry faster, but the leather will crack a little, so it'll be a better "pull-apart" snack instead of cutting for rolls...

*The best time to do this is before you go to bed, so your kiddies aren't tempted to touch the hot oven, & you'll wake up to a wonderful aroma and treat to eat!

Mix 2 cups applesauce and smashed fruit.  Lightly spray pan or trays with olive oil or rub surface with raw organic coconut oil!

Spread mixture evenly on pan or trays about 1/8 - 1/4 inch thick.
Bake in your 125 degree oven for several hours (or all night)

Your leather will be done when it's easily peeled up from your tray.

Cut into 1" wide strips & roll up in plastic wrap. Store in air tight container.

This stuff is addicting!!!