Technique of the Week: Outstanding Homemade Oatmeal Packs

It's obviously no secret that the more processed and convenient a food is, the more money it will cost. Diced celery will always cost a bucket-full more than it's stalk counterparts. Dried beans, while being more expensive per unit, will always be a better value than the canned stuff because of the amount of servings one bag holds. The cost of ingredients needed to make popcorn at home are still less than the bagged, microwave ready stuff. I could go on for hours, trust me...

Possibly the worst offender is pre-packaged oatmeal. These little envelops are chock full of calories, unnecessary additives for "freshness" and grossly overpriced. 10 tiny little packs for almost $5.00? You have to eat 3 of them to feel full! No way!

I learned awhile ago (total "duh" moment on my end!) that it's easier to just buy the tub of quick oats and make my own flavored oatmeal concoctions. A container of oats has about 30 servings and will run you around $2.50. Throw in some brown sugar, a bag of nuts, and some dried fruit and you're up to a little over $7.00 for three times as much oatmeal as the boxed stuff. The best part? YOU can control exactly how much sugar, sodium, and preservatives go into each pack, therefor making it loads healthier. Give it a try!

Pre-Portioned Oatmeal Packs

Makes 5 individual servings

You will need:

• 5 sandwich or snack size zipper bags, or other small containers. 
• 2.5 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1/4 cup s dried fruit (I used cherry-infused cranberries)
• 1/4 cup crushed nuts (I had macadamia nuts on hand but almonds, walnuts or pecans would be great)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar 
• Cinnamon, to taste

1. In a medium bowl combine all ingredients, making sure the brown sugar breaks up and is distributed evenly with the oats. Portion into small containers, about a heaping 2/3 cup per serving. 
2. When you're ready to eat pour the contents of the bag into a bowl, and add 1 cup of water. 
3. Microwave in 20-second intervals until the water is absorbed, about 1 minute total. 
4. Enjoy!

A few tips: The ratio of mix-ins to oats is perfectly optional. I know most people would probably enjoy much more sugar in their oatmeal, but I don't have big sweet tooth in the mornings so for me, less is more. If you don't like nuts, skip them! The one important thing to account for is the water. Making sure you double the amount of water to oats is crucial in having oatmeal that isn't too dry. 

If you want to save on the bags/containers, you can also just store the whole she-bang in a large canister and pull 2/3 cup of the mixture out each time you're ready to eat. I leave these on my desk at work so the more portable, the better!

Simple, delicious, done!

Love,

Shauna E

Ridiculously Easy Recipe: Positively Pop-able Mini Quiches

I have a problem getting up before ten in the morning. I guess it’s leftover from my college days when I strategically picked classes that started at noon, coupled with my love of staying up all night burning my eyeballs on the computer monitor.

My shifts at work normally start at eleven, so very rarely do I get up in time to both get myself ready AND have a healthy breakfast. Breakfast for me is normally a cup of drive-thru Dunkin Donuts ice coffee! But since it is a new year, I’ve been trying hard to cook more and, in turn, eat more breakfast.

These miniature quiches I made today are definitely going to help in my quest for that first meal of the day. Adapted from this quiche recipe from the Egg Beaters website, it combines crisp bacon, creamy mozzarella cheese, and fresh, chopped broccoli for a unique weekday treat or even something worthy of company for a weekend brunch! Pair these with skillet hash browns, or even a small salad or fresh fruit.

I opted to make these in my mini muffin tins and regretted it. While the flavor was there (and if I do say so myself, this flavor combo is DELICIOUS), I felt as if I had to eat 5 or 6 to felt satisfied. I think next time I will definitely make them in my 12-cup instead, or even in a skillet like my sister does!

Mini Crust-Less Bacon, Broccoli and Cheese Quiches

You will need:

1 carton, 16oz, egg substitute (Such as Egg Beaters, I used cheddar and chives flavored)

1/2 cup chopped broccoli

1/2 cup crumbled bacon or 1/4 cup bacon bits (from the jar)

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2) Generally grease a 24 or 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.

3) Fill each cup 1/3 way with egg substitute.

4) In a bowl, mix cheese, bacon, broccoli and spices together.

5) Add 2 teaspoons of filling to each cup, and gently press in.

6) Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 18-20 minutes or until eggs appear puffy and golden brown.

7) Serve immediately or store in the fridge

Simple, Delicious, Done!

XOXO

Shauna E!

Quick and Dirty Q&A

Q. I don't eat meat, or I don't like broccoli. What other fillings could I use?

A. The possibilities for fillings in any quiche are ENDLESS! Substitute broccoli for frozen, chopped spinach (make sure you defrost first!), or even mushrooms, zucchini, or tomatoes. Trade the bacon for ham, smoked turkey, or crumbled sausage. Skip the meat entirely and just use leftover roasted veggies. I just used ingredients I had on hand. For example, I was originally going to use Mexican Four-Cheese blend for the cheese, but found a small amount of mozzarella in the drawer that needed to be used up first.

The trick is to make sure everything is chopped small, and not to overfill the muffin cups!

Q. You say to use what's on hand, but I don't have any Egg Beaters!

A. To make this recipe sans Egg Beaters beat 6 large eggs with about a 1/4 cup of milk. I like the Egg Beaters because they require no work on my end, and they are forever on sale at my Publix. But I will always advocate using what is on hand before running out to the store for just one ingredient!

Questions? Comment below!