No-Bake Adaptable Fluffer Nutter Granola Bars

Store-bought granola bars are good, yes, but they aren't good for you.  So why buy them when you can make your own healthy granola bars in under 10 minutes?

Guest Post: Versatile Oats

Thanks so much to Jenny for doing this blog post for me!  She's wonderful and has a great blog so be sure to check her out!  I don't know what I'd do without my wonderful blogging friends.  Xoxo! :) 

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Hey everyone I'm Jenny and I blog over at Fit Girl Foodie. Just wanted to start off saying a great big thanks to Katie for letting me do a guest post on her blog while she's away . If anyone has some serious baking skills it's her.

I'm not going to lie, when Katie asked me to do a guest post I had no idea what I was going to write. I'm not a baker nor have I made anything blog worthy. But if there's one thing I'm good at is making some serious morning oats.

I was a cereal junkie all my life and no not eating Kashi and Puffins. I ate Lucky Charms, Cookie Crisp, Captain Crunch and the likes. My first oatmeal experience was good but not mind boggling.

My rookie days

I don't know about you but not exactly pretty now is it?

Fast forward a few months and we have this

Pumpkin Pie Oats

Now we're on to something

Bananas more your taste?

Topped with more banana, peanuts, granola, and cinnamon raisin pb

What about banana and chocolate?

Topped with chia seeds, peanuts, graham crackers, chocolate morsels and a spoonful of cinnamon raisin pb



Or with Jam?

The options are virtually limitless

Who says oatmeal has to be boring?

Oatmeal Parfait

Since I'm sure you're all completely tired of me jacking your glucose levels and increasing the risk of heart disease and since it's the day after Halloween and if you're like me, you're recovering from a sugar coma, I've decided to provide you with something that might only slightly do all of the above.

This is what I eat for breakfast most days.  I have to make it look like a dessert so I can trick my brain into thinking that's what it is.

I love oatmeal.

It's good for you, it tastes good, and it possesses so many good benefits for your body.

For example, it's high in fiber and is proven to provide cancer-fighting agents, the more you eat, the less chance of getting heart disease you have, and it's high in lots of nutrients and vitamins.

It's really just the perfect way to start your day off right.

Try it, your heart will thank you!

-end oatmeal commercial-

Oatmeal Parfait My Way
This is so adaptable it's ridiculous.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup oats
1 1/2 cups water
1/3 cup yogurt of your choice 
1/2 cup blueberries
1 Tablespoon pumpkin butter
1 tablespoon jam
1 teaspoon sugar
optional: reddi-whip

Cook oats with water until they've reached your desired consistency.  I like mine thick so I cook them a little longer.

Layer the parfait.

1st layer: 1/3 oatmeal mixture
2nd: pumpkin butter, 1/2 yogurt
3rd: 1/3 oatmeal mixture
4th: blueberries and jam
5th: 1/3 oatmeal mixture
6th: the rest of the yogurt
top with optional reddi-whip and cinnamon.

Chill in fridge until cool.
Eat! :)

Crispy Salted Oatmeal White Chocolate Cookies

FINALLY!  The week is OVER.  I've enjoyed my classes, but I am happy it's over.  What about you guys?  Are you happy it's Friday?

I've had a lot of homework this week and I'd like to think I've been working pretty hard.  I feel pretty accomplished now that the week is over. Has this week felt incredibly jam-packed to anybody else?!

I thought I'd rack up my accomplishments for the week by making cookies.  Cookies and I do NOT get along.  I try so hard to make them come out even halfway decent.  I'm not asking for perfection here, I would just like to make a cookie that doesn't get rejected.  I would like to tell you all that I made my first good cookie.  Not only was it good, it was really, really good.  
A few days ago, I was reading Deb at Smitten Kitchen's blog and I came across these Crispy Salted Oatmeal White Chocolate cookies.  Normally, oatmeal cookies are not my favorite.  Or white chocolate.  Or salted sweets.  But as I was reading her post, she wrote that they might have outranked her homemade oreos and that is the moment I knew I had to try them.  I couldn't imagine how any cookie could outrank those... so I had to test it myself.

I'm glad I did because hese cookies are delicious!!  I still love the homemade oreos, but I can completely see how somebody might want to challenge these two cookies.  Even my boyfriend who doesn't like sweets ate one... and another, and another.  Please make them...if I can do it, so can you!  Let me know how you like them.  :)

Crispy Salted Oatmeal White Chocolate Cookies
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon table salt
12 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly softened
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
6 ounces good-quality white chocolate bar, chopped (not “white chocolate” chips; they’re almost always artificial. I am adamant about this.) I used coconut white chocolate and I think the coconut added a really good flavor to the cookie.
1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt (like Maldon or fleur de sel) (for sprinkling on top)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or Silpat. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and table salt in a medium bowl.

Beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Scrape down bowl with rubber spatula, then add egg and vanilla and beat until incorporated. Scrape down bowl again. Add flour mixture gradually and mix until just incorporated and smooth.

Gradually add oats and white chocolate and mix until well incorporated.

 
Divide dough into 24 equal portions, each about 2 tablespoons. Roll between palms into balls, then place on lined baking sheets about 2 1/2 inches apart. Using fingertips, gently press down each ball to about 3/4-inch thickness.

Sprinkle a flake or two of sea salt on each cookie.

Bake until cookies are deep golden brown, about 13 to 16 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack to cool.

See the sea salt?