Cinnamon, Berry + Pecan Baked Oatmeal

This cinnamon, berry and pecan oatmeal will fill your house with the smell of toasting nuts and maple.

Even if you don’t usually like oatmeal (I don’t) you should give baked oatmeal a try. The edges are crispy, almost like the topping on a crumble, and the middle is custardy. It doesn't have the same texture as a bowl of porridge--and to me, that's a plus. Baked oatmeal is almost like a breakfast cake (one you can feel good about) and it's super adaptable: you can add pretty much anything that suits your fancy, like bananas, peanut butter, or even chocolate chips. This version calls for pecans, which are one of my favorite nuts when toasted. Here, they add little bites of crunch between bursts of berry.

The full recipe serves about eight, six if the crowd is really hungry.

I would say this is a brunch recipe, good for any holiday, but I made it on Monday morning. What away to start the week! We topped to each slice with a dollop of Greek yogurt, but for a special occasion, whip cream sure would dress it up nice. The mint leaf on top is optional, but I love how it freshens it up.

Looking for more brunch recipes to serve a crowd? 

• Caramelized sweet potatoes are a great side dish

• This Denver Omelet Breakfast Casserole is grain-free and stuffed with peppers, cheese, and potatoes

• Try these Banana Nut Waffles made with almond flour!

• Get more ideas in the Foraged Breakfast eCookbook

Cinnamon, Berry + Pecan Baked Oatmeal

Published March 27, 2018 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 8   |    Total Time: 45 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup whole milk yogurt
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cup rolled oats
• 1-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup frozen mixed berries (I used blueberries and blackberries)
• 1/2 cup pecans
• To serve: yogurt & a spring of mint

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine melted butter, maple syrup, milk, yogurt, egg, and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine.
3. Add oats, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt to bowl, and stir until a loose batter forms.
4. Fold in 1/3 cup of pecans (reserving the rest for the next step) and 1 cup berries. Stir as briefly as possible — the berries may turn batter purple if over mixed.
5. Scrape batter into a 9 inch x 9 inch glass baking dish and smooth into even layer. Arrange remaining pecans on the top of the oatmeal.
6. Bake for 30 minutes, until edges are set and top is golden. Center will still be soft. Allow to cool 5 minutes, then serve on plates with a dollop of yogurt and mint leaves.

Coconut Crusted Mahi-Mahi with Cara Cara Orange Salsa

There are days I plan dinner from the moment I wake up. The way the ingredients will feel as I chop them, the way they all come together, and the way they'll taste when finally on my fork. And then there are the days when I have no plan at all. On our drive home Oliver asks, "What’s for dinner?" and it catches me by surprise as if I didn’t know dinner was happening that day. I find this happens the most when I’m busy, the days I have the least time to day dream about recipes.

These are always the days I can’t fit a grocery run in. Instead, I focus on one ingredient that I know we have. In this case, it was frozen mahi-mahi fillets. Then, with mahi-mahi as the muse, I brainstorm recipes. Fish tacos? But we don’t have tortillas. Or salsa. Or cheese. Fish curry? When was the last time I bought coconut milk? Coconut. I have coconut, I thought as I remembered the pink bag of coconut buried with other baking supplies in the pantry.

This is how the pieces fall together. Sometimes it’s a disaster. Other times it’s happy coincidence, like it was meant to be. Like it had been planned. That’s how I first discovered this meal. A win; happy coincidence. I have since made this quite a few times—even planned on making it several times after the one happy coincidence.

The toasted coconut on the outside gives the flaky fish a crispy finish, and while you could probably use whatever fruit salsa you want, the citrus from the cara cara oranges cuts through the fish and coconut, balancing out the dish. Avocado brings it all together (like avocado so often does).

The other wonderful thing about mahi-mahi is that it cooks quite fast — just 10-12 minutes in the oven. And while the oven is doing it’s thing, you can be prepping the salsa. SO while this dinner has an “ooh, wow, pretty” effect on the eyes it’s really not going to take you much time to through together.

Coconut Crusted Mahi-Mahi with Cara Cara Orange Salsa

Published March 20, 2018 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 4   |    Total Time: 20 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 4 four-ounce fillets mahi-mahi (if frozen, thaw first)
• 1/2 cup gluten-free flour (try cassava flour, or cup-for-cup gluten-free flour mix)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup desiccated shredded coconut
• 1 egg

For the salsa:
• 2 cara cara oranges
• 1 avocado
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 jalapeño, minced
• 1/4 cup cilantro, minced

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Set pan aside.
2. Place three bowls on the counter. In the first, whisk flour and salt. In the second, whisk egg until yellow and frothy. In the last, place the coconut.
3. Coat one fish fillet at a time: first, dip it in the flour, coating all sides. Shake off access. Now, place the fillet in the egg, coating each side in egg and then letting excess drip off. Finally, place the fish in the coconut, flipping it over to coat each side. Now, place fillet on prepared baking sheet.
4. Repeat step three until each fillet is coated. Then, bake fish for 10-12 minutes, until it is flakey and opaque (check thickest fillet with a fork).
5. While the fish cooks, prep the salsa: segment oranges (here is a good way to do that). Dice segmented oranges, and place in small mixing bowl. Dice the avocado, and add it to the bowl along with the minced jalapeño and cilantro, and the lime juice. Stir.
6. To serve: place fish on serving plates (I served over a bed of arugula, for more greens) and spoon salsa over top.

Mocha Almond Energy Bites

The idea for these Mocha Almond Energy Bites started when my good friend, Brian, the author of Climbing Nutrition, reached out. Brian is the kind of guy that just knows things: friendly botanist, guy with the killer butternut squash pie recipe, latte art consultant, board game extraordinaire, and handstand master. The list goes on. But what people know him best for is his expertise in nutrition: he's a a Certified Sports Nutritionist from the International Society of Sports Nutrition. So, when I want to know what kind of nutrients I’ll need in order to stay fueled on a climbing trip, Brian is the guy I ask. 

They snacks easy to make, and easy to transport (and a whole lot lighter in your backpack than a gallon of sweet potatoes). But they’re also functional: made with dates, they’ll provide your body with easily, snackable, and accessible energy while you are on the go (read Brian's research on carbohydrate timing if you're an athlete!). These little bites have just a touch of coffee, which has my inner coffee-addict cheering. You’re not going to feel wired or get the shakes just from eating a few. But a bit of caffeine in your system might just do you good! I can’t tell you how many times we’ve been out climbing and I’ve said, “I could really go for an espresso right around now.”

These are some of the first pictures I took with my new camera! I have 1,000,000 things to learn about how to use it, but am so excited to be creating again!

Mocha Almond Energy Bites

Published March 13, 2018 by Caitlin Sherwood

Yields: 20   |    Total Time: 20 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 1 cup pitted medjool dates
• 1/2 cup almonds
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/2 cup shredded desiccated coconut
• 2 tablespoons cocoa
• 3/4 teaspoon instant espresso powder (I used Starbucks Via)
• 1/16 teaspoon salt 
• For dusting: 1/2 cup cocoa powder or finely shredded desiccated coconut

Directions:

1. Place first seven ingredients in a food processor. Lock lid on food processor.
2. Run food processor. Every minute or so, pause to unlock the lid and scrape down the sides with a spatula.
3. Repeat step 2 until the mixture begins to clump together — this is how you know it’s almost done! Repeat step 2 one or two more times to ensure everything is evenly chopped and the mixture is quite sticky.
4. Now, use your hands to roll the mixture by the tablespoonful into spheres. Set spheres on a plate or cookie sheet.
5. Put the 1/2 cup cocoa or finely shredded coconut in a bowl. Two at a time, toss energy bites in the cocoa/coconut to coat. Set aside, and repeat until all are coated.
6. Store in an airtight container.