Love these ideas? Also try my Overnight Oats 5 Ways and porridge like Oatmeal 8 Ways.
Baked oats have been around for a years and became very popular from a TikTok recipe.
The difference between these and baked oatmeal is that the ingredients for baked oats are all pulverized in a blender leaving the oats ground up fine, and with baked oatmeal the oatmeal is left whole and everything is just stirred together in a mixing bowl.
Though the ingredients between the two are very similar their textures are quite different. These are more muffin-like while baked oatmeal is more like a chewy oat breakfast casserole. Both are so delicious just unique in their own way.
I tried the viral version of baked oats but felt it was a bit spongy so modified it based off what I thought would offer a better texture (less egg and banana, adding liquid, etc). And I couldn't resist adding a dab of butter, feel free to add two if you'd like for richer oats.
Try all the tasty flavor variations to discover your personal favorite! I'm still trying to pick a favorite myself because I love all of them.
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Like this Winter version? Also try my go-to classic fruit salad recipe filled with summer fruit.
Typically we think of fruit salads as a summer side dish but there's still an abundance of fruit in season during winter so why not take advantage of that and make a healthy winter fruit salad?
I first shared this recipe eight years ago and we've made it several times each year since. It's so good it almost passes as a tempting dessert!
This is a great dish to add to a holiday menu because there are often lots of heavy sides served but this is a light, refreshing and nutritious option to help balance those out a bit.
You'll find this inviting fruit salad is so easy to make and it adds so much festive natural color to your table.
Just keep in mind the most important thing about a fruit salad is the quality of the fruit. You want the fruit to have a sweet ripe flavor and firm enough texture that it won't get mushy.
From there the honey and lemon will just balance and highlight all of it's natural, fresh fruity goodness.
Who doesn't love a quick breakfast that makes mornings easy? One that also satisfies hunger, tastes great, and contains simple ingredients you may likely already have on hand. This quick coffee banana smoothie checks all the boxes.
Made with just a handful of ingredients, it’s sweetened without any refined sugars and has an irresistible rich chocolate mocha taste. Plus, with the addition of oat flour, it’s super thick and creamy and can easily be turned into a coffee smoothie bowl, too.
You can even make it with decaf coffee so that it’s suitable for those who are sensitive to caffeine.
I’ll show you how to make it in minutes so you can whip it up in no time, no matter how crazy your mornings may be. And on those days you have a little extra time top it with fresh whipped cream (or coconut whipped cream to keep it vegan) and chocolate sauce for a real treat!
One sip of this exceptionally flavorful smoothie and you'll instantly fall in love!
]]>This banana pudding recipe has it all. The pudding is made with half and half for richness, egg yolks and cornstarch for a sure thickening, just the right amount of sweetness, and to fancy it up we add a vanilla bean and fresh grated nutmeg for flavor.
Then it includes a generous amount of just ripened bananas, and of course those simple but ever so nostalgic store-bought vanilla wafers. And no baking required.
It's as good as it gets!
This is a year round dessert that's perfect for a holiday celebration, a welcome addition to a weekend dinner, or just because you want a treat yourself kind of indulgence today.
Serve it up laid back casserole style in a baking dish or make it more elegant and serve in individual tumblers or dessert cups.
Have family or friends help with this fun layered cooking project that once complete is amazingly refreshing and satisfying with each and every bite!
A healthier dessert people of all ages will love! And they are perfect for serving any time of day.
These can be prepared in minutes, it just takes a little patience waiting for them to freeze but it's easily worth the wait.
After just one taste you'll instantly notice they are so much better than any popsicle you can buy at the store. They taste so fresh and fruity, they are only sweetened with honey (no sugar), and if you want to brighten the color you can use natural food coloring.
Sure they have a hint of cream but it makes a big difference in their taste and texture. It's such an enhancing highlight to the fruit - just think of that strawberries and cream or peaches and cream combo. Heaven!
They're amazingly tempting and perfectly delicious, plus a smarter dessert choice than say a big ice cream sundae (but those are great too when you want a splurge, right?).
Make one flavor or try them all! Those I made here include strawberry, peach, pineapple, banana, and blueberry.
Take an island-style staycation in the comfort of your home, in your pjs with this DIY tropical smoothie that you can enjoy year round!
It's a tempting homemade treat and I think it's even better than those you get at Tropical Smoothie Cafe and Jamba Juice.
This is one of the best things you can enjoy on a hot summer day and you'll love it for breakfast or a healthy midday snack.
It's ice cold, creamy and thick and even filling since it's jam packed with fruit.
Plus it's easy to customize and add other fruits or juices you have on hand. That's the beauty of a smoothie!
This is a family favorite and I think you'll love it too!
]]>This easy recipe is made with a simple homemade banana pancake batter and they cook on the griddle in minutes. A quick breakfast that will leave you craving more!
How often do we have ripe bananas sitting around wondering what to do with them?
Some of the classic ways we use them are in banana bread or to freeze and toss in a smoothie, but another way I love to use them up is for morning pancakes.
My whole family loves these and we love to switch them up with other toppings (my kids like using fresh berries and peanut butter to make a silly face!). I like to plate mine with Greek yogurt, fresh fruit, and a simple drizzle of maple syrup.
These fluffy banana pancakes have great flavor and are so good you may even find yourself eating them plain on the go!
Don’t toss those overripe bananas just yet—take those banana slices and put them to great use! Who could resist?
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The great thing about this healthy smoothie is that there's no spinach flavor. You wouldn't believe how the fruit hides the flavor of the spinach even though there's a hefty 2 1/2 packed cups of it.
Even my kids love this smoothie! My daughter says it tastes like pie. And I love that it's a breakfast or midday snack I feel great about feeding them. No artificial flavors or colors, and it's not a bunch of empty carbs (like some of those sugary cereals they like). Plus it keeps us full until lunch.
We call it the Grinch smoothie because even if a food doesn't look so appealing to kids if you give it a fun name it can make all the difference.
Sometimes it comes out with a prettier green than others (who knows it must be the batch of spinach and berries) but every time we love it just the same. I always look forward to breakfast when I know I've got everything stocked to make this! I've been hooked on it all summer.
It's quick and easy, perfectly filling and satisfying, and just perfectly delicious! Who knew healthy could taste so good?
]]>These acai berry bowls are one of the ultimate ice cold, refreshing treats on a hot day! They count as both a superfood-packed breakfast or a healthy dessert and they're incredibly filling.
I was first introduced to these on a trip to Hawaii and I've been hooked ever since. Now I try to make at least one a week for my family.
Believe it or not you'll pay upward of $12 - $15 for one bowl so making them at home is a cheaper alternative, and they taste equally as good!
And it's such a straightforward, fool-proof recipe. The blender or food processor does most of the work.
]]>I first shared this recipe 5 years ago but it's one of my favorite recipes, so for new readers or in case you missed it I thought it needs to be revisited. Plus I thought this exactly what mom's want on Mother's Day for brunch paired with waffles, crepes or Eggs Benedict!
I know Skittles are good, but I'm thinking this has got to be the right way to get a taste of the rainbow. This blend of colorful fruits all come together to make a gorgeous rainbow, made with healthy ingredients!
Kids will love this this fruit salad and it is an easy way to get them to eat plenty of fruit at once.
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Plus this version is so much butter than those frozen whipped topping fruit salads.
This recipe shows you how to make fruit salad without the heavy, creamy fruit salad dressing that you're used to seeing. It leaves plenty of room for all the flavors of the fruit to shine without drenching it in sugar and other random flavors.
Plus it doesn't use any of those packaged pudding mixes. Why should we coat all the vibrant and incredible flavors of the fruit with an artificial flavor from a pudding mix?
Let's not ruin a good thing like fresh fruit by coating it with packaged ingredients where we can't even pronounce the ingredients on the label.
All it takes is a little honey and lime to really make that fresh fruit sing. 100% natural honey and lime make this fruit salad shine (literally and figuratively).
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