Truth be told, this issue is an ode to oats - specifically Trader Joe’s Gluten Free Organic Rolled Oats with Ancient Grains and Seeds. Isn’t that a mouthful? Let’s make an acronym.
Trader Joe’s Gluten Free Organic Rolled Oats with Ancient Grains and Seeds = TJGFOROAGS
Yea, that doesn’t work either.
Ok, for all intents and purposes when I refer to oats in this issue I am referring to TJGFOROAGS. If that wasn’t obvious.
Aaaand moving on.
I happened upon these oats last year on one of my weekly Trader Joe’s runs. My daughter has celiac so gluten-free oats are a staple in our household. I immediately grabbed a few bags because I was drawn to the unique combination of oats with amaranth, quinoa, chia seeds, and ground flaxseeds. These extra ingredients are not just extra. They add additional protein, fat, and fiber which helps stabilize blood sugar.
*A Quick Learning*
Carbohydrates are the body’s preferred source of fuel and quickest way to energize and thus spike our blood sugar levels. Spikes in blood sugar can leave us feeling fatigued, craving more sugar, and all sorts of unpleasant symptoms. Fiber, fat, and protein are digested at a slower pace and will help slow down the digestion of carbs when eaten together. Instead of spiking, our blood sugar remains balanced. When carbs are paired with fiber/fat/protein, these meals keep our body fueled longer without the aforementioned negative symptoms. Therefore, when I serve carb-rich foods to my kids, I will add fiber/fat/protein.
Let me break it down for you -
10 reasons why I love these oats:
They are gluten-free.
They use ground flaxseed instead of whole flaxseed, which is easier to digest.
The addition of new grains I would not otherwise purchase, namely amaranth.
Quinoa flakes add protein.
Chia seeds adds protein.
Chia seeds and flaxseeds provide omega 3 fatty acids, supporting brain and heart health.
For ½ cup serving, these oats boast 4g fat, 5g fiber, and 8g protein.
There is 2.1mg of iron per serving to support brain health.
If you are making stovetop oatmeal, these oats are quick cooking.
MOST IMPORTANTLY: the kids love everything I make with them.
I use these oats so much that we basically eat them everyday for breakfast in a different form. Before sitting down to write this issue, I ran to Trader Joe’s to pick up a few more bags for recipe testing and they were OUT. I mean SOLD OUT! I called every Trader Joe’s in Missouri but they were out of stock and would be for weeks. Thankfully, our wonderful friends (you know who you are) had an extra bag in their pantry that they so generously donated to the cause.
Now let’s get to the recipes.
Since these oats are quick-cooking, these recipes are easy to whip up while the kids are winding down before bedtime or anytime, really.
My key points:
Easy
Quick
Require minimal ingredients
Minimal cooking equipment = minimal cleanup
Also, if you don’t have THESE oats, substituting for regular rolled oats works perfectly fine.
The following are four recipes that utilize TJGFOROAGS (I had to):
Oatmeal Banana Pancakes
Ingredients:
2 ripe bananas, mashed
3 large eggs
1 cup oats
1 cup almond flour
Avocado oil, as needed for frying
Sprinkle of cinnamon (optional)
Directions:
Mix all ingredients together to form a batter.
Let the batter sit for 5-7 minutes to thicken. While it sits, warm the frying pan and add avocado oil.
Scoop batter onto a hot frying pan and cook on each side until lightly browned and cooked thoroughly.
Enjoy!
Breakfast Cookies
Ingredients:
3 small, ripe bananas, mashed
½ c creamy, unsalted peanut butter
1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
2 cups oats
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Add all ingredients to a large bowl and mix well. Make sure the bananas are mashed really well to a puree-like consistency.
Scoop out dough into small balls and place on a greased cookie sheet. You can leave the dough in balls or lightly flatten them with a fork.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-12 minutes.
Enjoy!
Mama Bites
Ingredients:
½ c toasted pecans
¼ c toasted cashews
8 pitted dates
⅓ c creamy, unsalted peanut butter
½ c oats
Directions:
Place all ingredients in a large food processor and blend until finely ground.
Roll into balls.
Enjoy!
Ingredients:
2 cups frozen wild blueberries (not regular blueberries)
2 ½ c cups oats
2 tbsp hemp seeds
2 tbsp chia seeds
1/4 cup avocado oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Coat bottom of round cake pan or glass Pyrex baking dish with frozen wild blueberries.
Combine remaining ingredients to make a “crumb topping.” For babies, omit maple syrup.
Bake for 18 minutes.
Serve with plain Greek yogurt or milk as “cereal.”
Notes:
Wild blueberries are key as they are super small and have an easy time baking down into a gooey compote/jam-like consistency.
I buy the them frozen at Trader Joes.
I hope these four oat recipes will make breakfast, mealtime, snacktime, whatever-time a little easier and a little yummier.
Until next time!
Warmly,
Dahlia
I gotta try all of these! The kids could actually follow these recipes on their own:-) Do you think the oatmeal pancakes would work with flax eggs? I gotta try!!
Can’t wait to try them next time I come to visit!