Sunday, November 20, 2011

Favorite Family Breakfast

Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow has been my life's motto. I am a procrastinator, seriously, ask my husband; he had never really met a procrastinator until he met me. Self discipline has never been a particularly strong character trait of mine, either. However, as God has blessed me with a large-ish family, I am being forced to overcome my character flaws or face utter pandemonium and a Lord-of-the-Flies situation with my five boys. What has really kicked my rear into gear is having to leave home for half a day in the mornings to go into the office of our family run business. "Be prepared" is my new motto. (Shout out to the Boy Scouts over at Philmont!) So, I have been making breakfasts in advance. Here is one of our favorites:

Baked Oatmeal, Nourishing Traditions style

4 cups oatmeal
1 cup yoghurt
1 cup water
4 eggs
1/2 cup melted butter
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon
1/3- 1/2 cup maple syrup
1 cup mix-ins (choc. chips, dried fruit, etc.)

Soak the oatmeal in yoghurt and water for 8-24 hours (the closer to 24 hours, the better). Use more or less soaking liquid depending on your climate. (We live in a dry climate and burn wood for heat which sucks the moisture out of the air). Mix soaked oatmeal with remaining ingredients. Mix, mix, mix, mix until you can't mix any more. Make those biceps burn, baby burn. I digress, sorry, this isn't an exercise post, is it? Back to the recipe... pour into a greased 9x13 pan and bake in a 350 degree over for about 30 minutes. Let cool, cut into squares.

I cut this into 14 bars and make it last for our family of 7 for two days by hiding 7 of the bars and putting them out the following morning. If I leave it all out, it is demolished in one morning. This is my boys' favorite breakfast. I keep asking them if they are sick of it and much to my astonishment they say no. I am trying to go more "Primal" (no grains) in our family's diet, but I still allow some grains if they are properly prepared. This is one of those recipes. My thought is that this recipe would be very good for a nursing mother because of the oatmeal which is said to be good for milk supply. (I am still nursing, but my baby is actually a toddler now who doesn't nurse as much as he used to, so milk supply isn't much of an issue.) I have prepared this recipe without soaking the oats before, but it is so much healthier and the texture is amazing if you plan ahead and soak the oats.

Stay tuned for my egg casserole recipe...