Mixed Berry Baked Oats with Earth Genius Smart Greens

This post is sponsored by GNC Earth Genius, however, I am sharing my own thoughts. All opinions are my own. The US Food and Drug Administration has not evaluated the statements in this post. These products and statements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

When life gets crazy, it can be convenient to make or grab whatever is easiest and be on your way. A lot of the time, that means some not-so-healthy meal choices packed with unrecognizable ingredients and lots of added sugar. This is why I’m such a huge fan of one-pan meals. Everything goes in the same pan, is cooked at the same time, and there’s minimal clean up. It doesn’t get much easier than that! Another great thing about them is that they can feed the entire family, or if you’re cooking for one, they’re a great way to meal prep for the week.

One of the prime times that a one-pan meal comes in handy for me is at breakfast. You don’t have to wake up an extra hour early every day to cook and can instead just pop your prepped breakfast in the microwave (or eat it cold) and go. That’s why I love these mixed berry baked oats. They require minimal ingredients, most of which you probably already have on hand. And they’re packed with greens from Earth Genius Mixed Berry Smart Greens.

GNC’s Earth Genius line has been a go-to in my home since the line launched last year. Earth Genius is a comprehensive, wholesome line of products that are inspired by nature and crafted by experts. All products in the line are non-GMO, gluten free and made with wholesome ingredients that contain no artificial colors, flavors and sweeteners. Each product is specifically crafted to provide a solution to a real life health concern. They’re super easy to incorporate into your everyday life. I love to add them into delicious recipes like this one, or they’re great just mixed into water, yogurt or your favorite smoothie! Try the different products in the Earth Genius line in store or online: http://bit.ly/2CuvI2s

The product I use in this recipe, the Mixed Berry Smart Greens, is a blend of organic greens, veggies, superfruits, antioxidants, digestive enzymes, organic adaptogenic mushrooms, organic sea greens, and prebiotic Inulin. It tastes absolutely delicious, and I guarantee that nobody will guess your sneaking greens into these oats. They’re sure to beat any store bought insta-oats you find on the shelf.

Here’s What You’ll Need:

-2 cups rolled oats
-1 tsp baking powder
-1 scoop Earth Genius Mixed Berry Smart Greens
-Pinch of salt
-1 ½ cups milk
-2 eggs
-3 Tbsp butter (or coconut oil), melted and divided
-1/4 cup maple syrup (or honey)
-1 cup strawberries, sliced
-1 cup blackberries, sliced 

Instructions:

1. Mix the rolled oats, baking powder, Earth Genius Smart Greens, and salt in a large bowl.

2. In a separate bowl, mix together the whisked eggs, milk, 1.5 tbsp butter and maple syrup.

3. Mix the dry mixture with half of the berries (reserve half to top the dish), and evenly spread throughout a cast iron skillet (or 9x9 baking dish).

4. Pour the wet mixture over the dry and top with the reserved berries.

5. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 35-40 minutes.

6. Drizzle the remaining 1.5 Tbsp of melted butter over the top of the oats.

7. Serve, and enjoy!

Let me know what you think of the recipe in the comments below, and also feel free to share your favorite Earth Genius products and genius recipe swaps.

Mushroom and Spinach Stovetop Oats with Flahavan’s Irish Oatmeal

This post is sponsored by Flahavan’s Irish Oatmeal, however, I am sharing my own thoughts. All opinions are my own. 

Oatmeal is one of my favorite ways to start the day. It’s super easy and fast while also filling and nutritious. Plus, you’ll never find yourself getting bored because it’s so versatile. Whether it’s baked or on the stovetop, topped with fruit and nut butter or a savory twist, it’s always a delicious was to get the day going. Savory oats are my personal favorite way to enjoy oatmeal, and today I’m going to share my favorite savory oat recipe with you all!

The most important part of a great oatmeal dish is, well, the oats duh! That probably goes without saying, but it is so, so true! That’s why I use Flahavan’s Irish Oatmeal for this recipe. They’re high-quality, minimally processed, and naturally creamy in texture. Not to mention, Flahavan’s only works with like-minded farmers they know and trust, to select the best quality non-GMO oats, while protecting and sustaining the land. They've even recently launched new packaging highlighting the Irish family farmers that have been helping to bring field to spoon for generations! When it comes to Flahavan’s Irish Oatmeal, you just simply know you’re getting the best! And they truly are the perfect base for some delicious savory mushroom and spinach oats.

I love packing veggies into my breakfasts, and mushrooms and spinach complement Flahavan’s Irish Oatmeal perfectly. Add in some garlic and parmesan for that extra flavor, and we have ourselves a meal! Easy 5-minute Irish Steel Cut Oats with minimal ingredients; it doesn’t get much better!

Here’s what you’ll need:

-1/3 cup Flahavan’s Irish Steel Cut Oatmeal
-2/3 cup milk of choice or water (I usually like to split it half and half)
-4 mushrooms, sliced
-1 handful of fresh spinach (~1 cup)
-1 clove garlic, chopped
-2 tbsp shredded or shaved parmesan
-Salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes (optional) to taste

Instructions:

1. In a small pot on the stovetop, combine the oats and milk and/or water over medium high heat, and bring to a boil.

2. Once boiling, turn down the heat to medium, and cook, stirring regularly, for about 5-7 minutes until the liquid absorbs into the oats.

3. In the meantime, heat up 1 tbsp avocado or olive oil in a pan over medium high heat.

4. Once hot, add in the sliced mushrooms, and cook for 3-5 minutes.

5. Mix the garlic and spinach into the pan of mushrooms, and cook for an additional minute or two until the spinach wilts.

6. Mix the veggies, parmesan, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes (optional) into the cooked oats until the cheese is fully melted.

7. Serve, top with your favorite toppings, and enjoy!

My go-to topping is a fried egg. The runny yolk mixed with savory oats just cannot be beat! I also love to add fresh avocado. Play around, and see what works for you! Let me know how you enjoy this recipe in the comments below!

Blueberry Pie Stovetop Oats

Does it get much better than warm pie straight out of the oven with fresh fruit inside and a nice crumble on top? I didn't think so. So when breakfasting (is that a word? Definitely making it one) earlier this week, something in me was just craving the satisfaction that comes only after fresh baked pie. So I figured why not try to bring all of that goodness to my morning oatmeal? 

I also saw that I had some blueberry Lifeway kefir on hand, and I thought that would not only add the perfect flavor but really bring a delicious, rich consistency to the oats. And trust me, it does. I warmed up a nice, quick, and easy crumble to add on top, plus some extra blueberries, and a cashew butter drizzle, and we were good to go! It was so comforting and satisfying and the perfect way to get that pie fix early in the morning.

Here's What You'll Need:

For the Oats:
-1.5 cups rolled oats
-8 oz blueberry Lifeway kefir
-1.5 cups water
-1/2 cup frozen blueberries (fresh also works)
-2 tbsp maple syrup
-1/2 tsp vanilla
-1/2 tsp cinnamon
-Pinch of sea salt

For the Crumble:
-1/4 cup rolled oats
-1 tbsp almond flour (I use this one)
-3 tbsp coconut butter (I use this one)
-1 tsp coconut sugar
-Pinch of sea salt

Serves 3

Instructions:

1) Mix together the 1.5 cups rolled oats, water, and kefir in a saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium high heat.
2) Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, and add in the remaining oats ingredients.
3) Continue to cook the oats, stirring regularly, until they thicken to your desired consistency (about 5-8 minutes).
4) Remove them from the heat and split between bowls.
5) In the meantime, heat up the remaining 1/4 cup oats in a pain over medium heat to toast them just a bit (2-3 minutes).
6) Add in the coconut butter and cook the two until the coconut butter is fully melted.
7) Add in the remaining crumble ingredients, stirring to combine well. Remove from heat.
8) Split the crumble to top each bowl.
6) Add any extra desired toppings, serve, and enjoy!

As I mentioned earlier, I topped mine with a extra frozen blueberries and cashew butter which I'd highly recommend, but feel free to play around! Let me know what you think in the comments below.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Baked Oats

In the land of flavor combos, peanut butter with banana and chocolate with peanut butter are both pretty high up on the list. I honestly don't know if I could choose if I had to. Which is exactly where this baked oats recipe comes in. Why compare them when I can throw them all together into one delicious flavor party in a pan?!

I used my favorite superfood powder, Ka'Chava, to bring the chocolate flavor while kicking up the nutritional content. So these oats don't just taste great, they're also packed with protein, fiber, greens (YES greens), omega 3's, and I could go on . You can use the code allroadshealthy10 for a $10 store credit over on their website.

I also brought in one of my favorite peanut butters, Nut Butter Nation's traditional recipe. It's just SO good and creamy. It's the perfect addition to the oats and of course to drizzle all over the top!

Here's What You'll Need:

-2 cups rolled oats
-2 scoops chocolate Ka'Chava
-1 tsp baking powder
-1 tsp cinnamon
-1/4 tsp sea salt
-2 bananas, sliced
-1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk (or the milk of your choosing)
-1 egg (or egg replacement)
-1 tsp vanilla
-1/4 cup pure maple syrup
-1/2 cup Nut Butter Nation traditional recipe peanut butter (plus more to drizzle on top)
-2 tbsp coconut oil, melted

Instructions:

1) Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2) In a large bowl, mix together the oats, Ka'Chava powder, sea salt, baking powder, and cinnamon.
3) In another bowl, whisk together the almond milk, egg, vanilla, maple syrup, peanut butter, and coconut oil.
4) Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and mix together thoroughly.
5) Grease or line an 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper.
6) Spread the slices of one banana on the bottom of the pan.
7) Pour the mixture into the baking dish over the banana slices.
8) Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, spread the remaining banana slices over the top of the oats, and return to the oven for an additional 30-35 minutes until fully cooked. 
9) Slice into 6 pieces, drizzle with extra peanut butter, serve, and enjoy!

You can easily make this recipe vegan by using an egg replacement. Also, on the opposite end of the spectrum, if you also prefer dairy to almond milk, feel free to switch it out! This recipe is definitely adaptable, and I'm sure it'll still taste just as delicious. Let me know what you think in the comments below!

No Bake Oatmeal Cookies with Annie’s Bunny Fruit Snacks from Walmart

I have been compensated by General Mills for this post; however, I am sharing my own thoughts. All opinions are my own.

This week has been a bit hectic, so being able to make a one-stop shop was pretty key early in the week. I stopped into my local Walmart to pick up a few things for around the house and was also able to grab some great snacks while I was there. If you didn’t already know, Walmart carries a number of natural and organic brands like LARABAR, Annie’s, and Cascadian Farms which makes grabbing snacks that I can feel good about pretty easy.

I picked up Annie’s Bunny Fruit Snacks which I found in the Cereal, Granola, Hot Cereal, and Syrup aisle of my local Walmart. These fruit snacks are delicious in and of themselves, but I decided I wanted to play around. I’ll be totally honest, it was hard hiding enough of them from my niece (she’s obsessed) to even make it into a recipe, but I somehow managed it. I was initially thinking some sort of trail mix or bar because they’re generally guaranteed to be toddler approved in my house, but I decided to take it a step further, cookies. Let’s be real, these are definitely a better for you option to normal cookies. I just knew that there was no way that my niece would say no to cookies, especially ones that had her favorite fruit snacks as a major ingredient.

So I got to cooking, well, not necessarily because these cookies don’t require an oven. They’re super easy to make, have minimal ingredients, and the most time consuming part is tossing them into the fridge to harden for about 20 minutes. It’s also probably the most difficult part because waiting on cookies is always the hardest part. But they’re definitely worth the wait, and if you can’t wait that long, they still taste just as good when they’re a little bit gooey.

Here’s What You’ll Need:

-One 4 oz box (5 pouches) of Annie’s Bunny Fruit Snacks
-1 ½ cups rolled oats
-1 cup dates, pitted
-1/4 cup unsweetened almond butter
-1/3 cup honey
-3/4 cup almonds, loosely chopped
-1/4 cup shelled pumpkin seeds

Instructions:

1. Optional – Toast the rolled oats for about 15 minutes at 400 degrees in the oven.

2. Process or blend the pitted dates and about a spoonful of the oats in a food processor or blender for about a minute.

3. Add the almond butter and honey to a saucepan on the stovetop and warm over low to medium heat, stirring regularly.

4. Add the contents of three (of the five) Annie’s gummies pouches, oats, almonds, pumpkin seeds, dates, and almond butter/honey mixture into a large mixing bowl.

5. Mix together all ingredients with hands or a mixing spoon, distributing ingredients as evenly as possible.

6. Form small balls from the mixture (about ¼ cup each) and flatten into a cookie shape, topping each with 1-2 gummies from the remaining two Annie’s pouches, and placing the cookies on a plate or cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

7. Once the mixture is totally used (makes about 12 cookies), top the cookies with more parchment paper and place in the fridge to harden for about 20 minutes.

8. Serve, and enjoy!

Let me know what you think in the comments below, and I’d love to hear about any fun and creative ways you incorporate the natural and organic products you’ve picked up from Walmart.