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Tag: blueberries

Baked Oatmeal Recipe With Caramelized Bananas And Blueberries

Are you looking for a warm, filling, healthy, high fiber, slightly sweet, crunchy, chewy not boring breakfast, that you can make ahead and even freeze? Check out this recipe for baked oatmeal.

If you are a fan of soaking your grains you can for sure do this step the day before, then continue with the rest of the recipe.

I’ve made several variations on baked oatmeal over the past few months, typically I mix oats, fruit, sweetener, a handful of nuts, a couple eggs, and some type of milk, and bake in the oven like a casserole. What makes this recipe different, is you caramelize your bananas in butter first (ever had bananas foster? same idea), then add the rest of the ingredients.

My favorite fruit combo is frozen blueberries and cherries, but you could also do peaches, or raspberries (or whatever your heart desires). I use cow’s milk, but nut milk would also work well.

Check out the recipe below and let me know what you think…

Baked Oatmeal With Caramelized Bananas And Blueberries

Ingredients:

  • 3 Tbsp butter
  • 2-3 ripe bananas
  • 2 cups rolled oats (not instant)
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup walnuts
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup
  • ½ cup milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1.5 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (or a mix of cherries, raspberries, or blackberries)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375.
  2. Butter an 8 x 8 square baking dish.
  3. Slice bananas, and place them in a single layer on the bottom of the dish. Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes, or until they start to smell really good.
  4. While the banana layer is baking, prep your other ingredients. In a bowl, mix together the oats, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and half of the walnuts.
  5. In another bowl, whisk together maple syrup, milk, eggs, and vanilla.
  6. Once the bananas have caramelized, pull them out of the oven.
  7. Stir the oat mixture into the egg/ milk mixture to combine. Pour this over the bananas. Gently stir in the berries, and top with remaining walnuts (now everybody should be in the pan).
  8. Bake for about 45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the oat mixture has set. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes.
  9. Serve with a drizzle of maple syrup, or a spoonful of yogurt.

Anne McCranie is a Portland, Oregon based Personal Trainer and Licensed Massage Therapist. She offers this recipe to tickle your taste buds. Please see your medial professional for specific dietary advice.

Green Tea Sunshine Smoothie

It’s the season for camping, backyard BBQs, trips to the coast, and days at the hot springs… anything to get us closer to the sunshine and into the water!

On my recent trip to Florida I was out on the beach in the middle of the day and got a little too much sun. I should have known better and covered up, but I purposefully did not put on sunscreen. In the past few years I have all but stopped using it. Instead I wear a big hat (see the photo below of me and my cute Mom on the beach) and bring a long sleeve shirt if I am going to be out for hours at a time.

Anne mom beach 6.14

 

I’m sure you have been told to slather yourself with sunscreen daily, even in the winter, however you may be doing more harm than good. I believe that getting a blistering sunburn is a bad idea and can cause permanent damage to your skin. I also believe that some sun exposure improves my mental and physical health.

Most commercial sunscreens are loaded with chemicals that not only keep us from producing enough vitamin E, but actually increase our risk of skin cancer. The good news is we can help our skin be more resistant to burning by choosing to eat foods that support our digestive health. This month I offer a delicious healthy not too sweet smoothie that does just that.

 

Green Tea Sunshine Smoothie 2

 

This refreshing summer treat is full of healthy, whole foods that nourish skin and may protect both against sunburn and long term skin damage!

 

Ingredients

1 ripe avocado

6 small ripe apricots

1/2 cup kale

1/2 cup spinach

1 cup blueberries

1 – 2 cups green tea

1 handful mint leaves

1 large handful ice

1 tsp spirulina powder

* Recipe makes enough for two to share

 

Green Tea Sunshine Smoothie

 

How to make

1.  Brew tea to your liking and let cool. I used organic loose leaf jasmine green tea from Whole Foods. You can also apply green tea bags to your skin topically for more relief from a long day in the sun.

2.  Chop or tear up all of your greens – kale, spinach, mint – and measure out amounts.

3.  Combine all ingredients in your blender (starting with just 1 cup of green tea to begin with) and blend thoroughly until you reach desired consistency. Add more ice to thicken and cool, add more tea if you want a thinner smoothie.

4.  Pour in a fun cocktail glass, top with some blueberries and a sprig of mint, and sip on this!

Enjoy!

 

Anne McCranie, owner of Fluid Movement + Massage, is a Portland (Sellwood) Oregon based Licensed Massage Therapist and Personal Trainer. She offers this recipe to tickle your taste buds. Please see your medical professional for specific dietary advice.