BANANA PANCAKES

Inspired by one of his cousin's favourite breakfasts, these pancakes have become not only a go-to breakfast at home, but an ideal travel snack as well. They are packed with flavour, moisture and keep well out of the fridge. 

BLUEBERRY BAKED OATMEAL

We’ve been making this baked oatmeal a lot lately. It’s warm, hearty and perfectly sweet from the berries. It also lasts a few days and reheats well...all things that I’m quickly learning are essential for new parents.  

BASIC OVERNIGHT OATS

There are a lot of recipes out there for overnight oats, and some are way more involved and ingredient heavy than others. For us, the beauty of overnight oats is their simplicity -- toss a limited number of ingredients together the night before, and have breakfast at the ready when you wake up. We've started to be more efficient in the kitchen, really trying to limit how much time we spend there. I love cooking, but when you're on duty 3 meals a day, 7 days a week, sometimes the shortcuts can be nice.

INSTANT POT COCONUT STEEL CUT OATS

A few years back, we had a lovely winter stay at the Drake Devonshire. I've spoken about it in this space before. I can still remember the coconut oatmeal I ordered one of our mornings there, and have been meaning to recreate it since. We had no almond butter in the house, but that was easily solved with a quick oven roast and food processor blitz of whole almonds. This is one of those simple yet delicious breakfasts, that feels both perfectly satisfying and wonderfully warming on these blustery February mornings. 

GINGER, OAT + PISTACHIO BARS (GF+DF)

When we were in New Zealand, Queenstown specifically, we stumbled onto this adorable café tucked at the base of the gondola. We were craving something warm and sweet, so decided to wander in. After scouring the glass display for a solid 10 minutes, I finally settled on an almond milk flat white and a ginger pistachio bar (I can't say no to ginger). The bar was everything I could have asked for in an afternoon treat -- sweet, yet tangy from the ginger, and soft enough to eat with a fork, yet crunchy from the baked bottom layer and pistachio topping. After fighting over the last bite, I knew almost immediately that I would have to try making them once we were back home. I settled on a dairy and gluten free version and couldn't be happier with the results. I hope you like them as much as I do!

Many thanks to Sabatier for sponsoring this post! The chopping knife made nut and ginger prep an absolute breeze, and I quickly fell in love with the versatility of the butcher block.

Pictured: bamboo butcher block / santoku knife / flatware

MAPLE OAT WHOOPIE PIES WITH MAPLE CASHEW CREAM [AND A WELCOME HOME TO THE HAPPY HEARTED KITCHEN]

Four years ago, when Jodi told me she was moving to France, I was overcome with all the emotions -- filled with joy and excitement for her and her new adventure, filled with love for the new chapter that her and Matt were starting, and totally saddened to know that we would no longer be living in the same city (or at the time, same country).

I'd like to think that having an ocean between friends makes their friendship stronger. We skyped regularly, visited as often as we could, and once she started her blog back in 2012, I knew I would never miss a beat. Each new post brought forward an enticing new recipe, and a sneak peak into the life that she (they), were creating in France.

She landed back in Canada yesterday, and to say that I'm excited to have her home would be an understatement. To channel some of this excitement, I reached out to some fellow blogging ladies to throw Jodi a virtual welcome home party. And in true Canadian spirit, its loaded with all things maple.

THE LAST GRANOLA

Somewhere around this time last year, I was mulling over the idea of participating in my first ever flea market. Inspired by a dear friend, I was tempted to try selling some of my homemade granola. The idea excited me for a whole slew of reasons: one - spending a whole day doing nothing but baking and bagging granola; two - for the fun of choosing the packaging and designing a logo; and finally - the fact that people other then myself may actually love the product and buy a bag of 7granola (yahoo!).

Here we are one year later, and though the flea was a huge success (!!!!!), it won't be happening again any time soon (too many other fun things on the go). So I figured, in true fairness to you, that I would share a version of last year's famous granola. Happy snacking!

SOFT GRANOLA BITES WITH CRANBERRIES + ALMONDS

I'm the girl who has snacks in her bag - always. Airplanes, cars, chair lifts, running errands, you name it, I've got you covered. I take this role very seriously, and as such, am always on the lookout for new and interesting snacks. My go-to's as of late: granola bars for the ski hill; no-bake energy balls for weekend adventures; and trail mix for, well, whenever really.

With an upcoming 5 hours train ride, and a full day of skiing, I was craving something different. If I'm being totally honest, I really just wanted something that could easily be inhaled while waiting in line for the chairlift (busted). Cue the soft granola bite -- perfectly sized and textured to sneak into your bag, and packed with all the things that will more than satisfy your hunger.

MAPLE ROASTED PLUMS WITH ALMOND SESAME OATS

Temperatures have totally dropped this week; there's a chill in the air and it smells like Fall -- time to pack away my sandals and break out the boots (honestly not sure if that terrifies me or excites me).

Colder temps have me craving warm, comforting breakfasts. On a good week, I'll motivate myself to make toasted oats, or maybe even baked oatmeal, but sometimes, all I want is warm fruit and granola. This recipe swings all the ways -- breakfast, mid day snack or dessert -- the plums can easily be reheated throughout the week, and are complimented beautifully with yogurt or ice cream. Ontario stone fruit is still abundant at the market, but if you can't find good plums, try apple compote instead, I imagine it would be equally satisfying and hearty.

ALMOND SESAME OATS // makes 3 cups

Preheat oven to 325.

Ingredients:

2-1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup coconut flakes
2 T sesame seeds
pinch of cardamom

2 T maple syrup
2 T brown sugar
2 T water
1/4 cup olive oil

What do do:

Toss all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients. Pour the wet over the dry and mix to evenly coat all the oats. Spread onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for about 10-20 minutes, rotating halfway through, until golden brown. Allow to cool before serving.

MAPLE ROASTED PLUMS // serves 4

Preheat oven to 375.

Ingredients:

4 plums, halved and pits removed
2 T maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp ground ginger

What to do:

Place the plum halves on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet. Combine the maple syrup, vanilla and ginger in a small bowl and whisk to eliminate any clumps. Brush the plums with syrup, allowing a small pool to form where the pit was, yet conserving some of the liquid for serving. Roast for 25 minutes, with an optional extra 2-5 minutes on broil.

Serve the plums warm, with a smattering of oats, a drizzle of leftover syrup, and an optional scoop of vanilla ice cream or yogurt.

ALL THE SEEDS AND THINGS GRANOLA

I do my very best to make a fresh batch of granola every week. For a while, I was experimenting with new combinations every few weeks, but once I found my go-to recipe, it was too delicious to keep shopping around. However, I decided to dive back into the fun of making granola this week and aim for something lighter, crunchier and slightly less sweet -- to complement all the gorgeous summer fruit and berries around town right now.

It so happens that I picked the hottest night of the summer to whip up this week's batch, so I found myself out on the back deck barbecuing granola - yup, that's a thing. Whoever said barbecues can't do everything is seriously mistaken.

ALL THE SEEDS AND THINGS GRANOLA // makes 3 cups

I describe the bbq technique below, but if you're using an oven, follow the typical granola baking rule - spread mixture evenly onto a parchment lined baking tray (or two), and bake at 325 for 20 minutes, flipping at 10.

Heat grill to medium low, hovering between 300-350.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup rye flakes
1/2 cup raw millet
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
2 T sesame seeds
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger

2 T brown sugar
2 T maple syrup
2 T water
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

What to do:

Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and use your hands to toss everything together.

In a separate, smaller bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, maple syrup, water and coconut oil.

Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and mix well to combine.

Evenly spread the mixture onto a disposable aluminum tray. Bake for 15-20 minutes, shaking and rotating the tray every 5 minutes to avoid burning.

When lightly toasted and crispy, remove from heat and let cool completely before storing in an air tight container.

MAPLE PECAN BAKED OATMEAL

After a busy, way too cold to be May, day at the flea yesterday, I woke up this morning craving something hearty and comforting; long weekends call for lazy mornings, and lazy mornings demand relaxed breakfasts. Baked oatmeal seemed like the perfect solution. We made this dish a few weekends ago when we had guests visiting and it was perfect for a large crowd - warm, full of flavour and packed with nuts, fruit and oats. It works equally well for 2, leaving you with several servings to store in the fridge for weekday breakfasts before heading to work (2 minute zap in the microwave and you're good to go). The recipe is fairly forgiving, so feel free to sub in any other fruits or nuts as you prefer.

MAPLE PECAN BAKED OATMEAL // serves 6-8

Adapted from Apt. 2B Baking Co.

Preheat oven to 375.

Ingredients:

2 cups rolled oats
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 egg
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 1/4 cup milk (nut, soy or regular)

1 pear, diced
1 cup (~6) diced strawberries
1 cup toasted pecans, chopped

nub (~1/2 T) of melted butter

What to do:

Combine the oats, baking powder and cinnamon in a medium size bowl. Toss and set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg. Add the maple syrup and milk and whisk again to combine. Set aside.

In a third bowl, toss together the chopped fruit and toasted nuts.

In an oven safe baking dish of your choice, spread half the oat mixture along the bottom. Top with half of the fruit/nut mixture, the remaining oats and the final bit of fruit and nuts.

Whisk the egg and milk one final time, and pour over the oats. Give the dish a gently shake to settle all the ingredients together. Drizzle a small amount of melted butter over the top.

Transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 35-45 minutes, until golden brown. Serve warm, with additional maple syrup.

FULLY LOADED, NO-BAKE, SOFT & CHEWY GRANOLA BARS

About 2 months ago, I decided to try my luck at applying to be a food vendor at a flea market. I'd been toying with the idea of selling my granola but had resisted - mainly because I really had no idea what was involved. Its been about a month since I got the go ahead, and I won't lie, the past few weeks have been tough; countless phone calls gone unanswered, hours scrolling through google, and juggling the logistics of this whole process. But, fast forward to today, and here I am, prepping to sell bags and bags of granola at the Junction Flea on Sunday. Drop by for a visit if you can! It seemed only appropriate that this week's post was all about oats. Doesn't hurt that its the perfect snack for weekend hikes, road trips and cottage getaways. Happy long weekend folks! 

FULLY LOADED, NO-BAKE, SOFT & CHEWY GRANOLA BARS // makes 10-12

I've made these twice in the past 3 weeks, they are just THAT good. Be warned that though these are no bake, there are a few steps involved in the process. Don't get impatient, they are totally worth it! With dates, apricots, nuts and seeds, these bad boys will keep you full for hours! 

Adapted from What's Cooking Good Looking

Preheat oven to 350.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup dried apricots, diced
1/2 cup dates, pitted and diced
1/2 cup peanut butter, melted
1/2 cup cashews, roughly chopped
1/2 cup hazelnuts, roughly chopped
1/2 cup dried cherries
3/4 cup large flaked coconut, toasted and roughly chopped
2 T sesame seeds
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 T maple syrup

What to do:

Place the apricots and dates in a small bowl. Fill with warm water and let soak for 10-15 minutes.

Spread the oats on a parchment lined baking sheet. Toast for 15 minutes, then set aside.

Drain the fruit (conserve the liquid) and transfer to a food processor. Pulse until a smooth paste is formed. Add a bit of the liquid if needed to thin.

Over the stove top, or in a microwave, melt the peanut butter. Once melted, stir in the vanilla and maple syrup.

In a large bowl, combine the toasted oats, nuts, cherries and coconut. Use your hands to toss together. Add the apricot and peanut mixtures to the bowl. Stir well to combine and incorporate.

Transfer to a baking dish and using the back of a spatula, press firmly on the mixture. Use any size dish you like - smaller dish, thicker bars. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for a few hours (or overnight).

To serve, "slice as you go" out of the pan, or remove them all and package individually for quick, on the go, snacks.

SAVOURY BREAKFAST OATS WITH A TANGY SUNFLOWER LEMON SAUCE

As much as I enjoy my weekday granola breakfasts, I love our leisure weekend mornings. Slow wake up, extended pj time, and ample time to concoct something awesome to eat. I've been thinking about savoury oats for a little while now, and decided to just jump right in and try it out. The combination of nutty, hearty steel cut oats, a perfectly runny egg and tangy lemon sauce was divine. Next time you reach for your oats in the morning, ditch the cinnamon and brown sugar and try something new!

SAVOURY BREAKFAST OATS WITH A TANGY SUNFLOWER LEMON SAUCE // serves 4

Ingredients:

1 cup steel cut oats
4 eggs
1 avocado, chopped
2 green onions, sliced thinly
black sesame seeds, to garnish

for the sauce...
1/3 cup sunflower seeds, soaked for 15 minutes
juice from 1 lemon
1 tsp dijon
pinch of salt
1 tsp olive oil
water

What to do:

In a medium size pot, combine the oats with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook, partially covered, for 30-35 minutes. Resist the urge to stir the oats while they are cooking.

While the oats are cooking, prep your onions and avocado.

To make the sauce, combine all the ingredients in a magic bullet and pulse until smooth. Add water in small increments to reach desired consistency.

Once the oats are ready, heat a small amount of butter in a pan over medium heat. Fry your eggs as you like them.

To assemble, place a scoop of oats on the plate. Top with sauce, egg, avo, onions and some seeds to garnish. Drizzle more sauce on top.

Enjoy!

WARM AND TOASTY OATS

I've never been the hugest fan of oatmeal; I find it too gummy and thick, and never to my liking. This recipe on the other hand, is the most perfect way of cooking oats. It takes a bit more time then throwing a bowl of quick oats in the microwave, but trust me, it is SO WORTH IT! Since buying Whole Grain Mornings, I've made this oatmeal a few times, always topping it with something different: toasted hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, pomegranate, whatever I have lying around really. This morning's combination was definitely a winner - lightly toasted pecans and coconut flakes, chopped apple and a drizzle of maple syrup - perfect for a leisurely long weekend Monday morning.

WARM AND TOASTY OATS // serves two

Oats adapted from Whole Grain Morning's "The Very Best Oatmeal"

Ingredients:

nub of coconut oil
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup almond milk (or any milk)
3/4 cup + 1 tbsp water
1 fat pinch of cinnamon

For the topping...
half an apple, roughly chopped
1/4 cup pecans, chopped
1/4 cup flaked coconut
maple syrup

What to do:

Start by toasting the oats. Over medium heat, melt the coconut oil in a large skillet. Add the oats, and toast until fragrant - about 5-7 minutes. Stir occasionally and watch closely, once they start to brown, they'll go quickly.

Combine the milk, water and cinnamon in a large measuring cup.

Once the oats are ready, pour the liquid into the pot, stir, and bring to a slow boil over medium heat. Once boiling, turn off the heat, and cover. Let the pot sit on the burner for 7-8 minutes. Do not peak, do not stir. After 7 minutes, check the oats - if they're still too watery, put the lid back on, and let sit for a few more minutes.

Serve into two bowls and top with desired topping.

Note: These oats keep well for about a week in the fridge. Simply reheat in the microwave, with a bit of extra milk, as needed.

SLOPE SIDE GRANOLA BARS + JACKSON HOLE

Nothing says romance like a 4am wake up and a 6 hour travel day, right? WRONG. We flew home from Jackson, Wyoming yesterday, and Valentine's Day was probably the furthest thing from my mind. 

We spent an unbelievably amazing week skiing at Jackson Hole, with epic snow conditions, ideal weather, and super friendly local people. In anticipation of long, physically demanding days on the slopes, I baked up a batch of granola bars before we left Toronto. These bars were packed with nuts, seeds, dried fruit and peanut butter - perfect for a quick hit of energy while riding up in the "Gondi" (as the locals call it). The bars stayed firm and held their shape in transit, and didn't loose any of their freshness, flavour or crunch over the course of the week. Whether you're a skier or not, these bars are a great alternative to store bought granola bars. So hit the kitchen, chop some nuts, and get cooking.

SLOPE SIDE GRANOLA BARS // makes about 12 bars, 9x13 baking dish

Adapted from Whole Grain Mornings "Trail Guide Nut and Seed Bars"

Preheat oven to 325.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup brown rice syrup (or honey)
3/4 cup canola oil
3 tbsp maple syrup
3/4 cup almond or peanut butter (I used chunky all natural PB)
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup cashews, chopped
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
3 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup oat bran
1 tsp cinnamon

*Note: All nuts and seeds should be raw, not toasted.

What to do:

Prep all your nuts, seeds and dried fruit, combine in a (very) large bowl and set aside.

In a saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the rice syrup, oil and maple syrup. Once it begins to simmer, remove from the heat and the nut butter and vanilla. (If your nut butter is too hard to whisk, either pre melt it in the microwave, or add it to the mixture before removing the pot from the heat).

Add the oats, bran and cinnamon to the nut bowl. Use your hands to thoroughly combine all the ingredients. Gently pour the warm syrup over the oats and stir, being sure to coat all the oats/seeds/etc.

Butter your baking dish, and carefully transfer the oat mixture over. Using the back of a measuring cup or spatula, press the mixture down into the pan.

Bake until the edges are golden brown, 30-35 minutes. The bars will crisp up as they cool.

Let the dish stand for about 2 hours before cutting in squares and wrapping individually.

CARROT CAKE OATMEAL

I splurged a whole fifteen dollars recently and treated myself to (yet) another cookbook. I had first heard about Megan Gordon when I stumbled across Marge Granola, and soon after discovered her blog. She mentioned a soon to be released cookbook, but at the time, I resisted. Her book came out over Christmas, and shortly after, its all I was seeing online - Sprouted Kitchen, A Couple Cooks, The Fauxmartha, The First Mess - they each tackled Megan's recipes with their own charm and raved about the book. I had to get it.

Whole Grain Mornings is a slew of creative and unique breakfast recipes organized seasonally. As you may realize from the ever expanding granola section, I have been on a total home-made granola kick for the past few months, but this book made me want to hop over to Bulk Barn, stock up on ever grain and seed and try every one of Megan's recipes. I settled on Morning Glory Oats as my first; this warm bowl of goodness was delicious and perfectly satisfying on these oh so chilly polar vortex mornings.

CARROT CAKE OATMEAL // serves 2

Adapted from Megan Gordan's Morning Glory Oats

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup milk (almond or whatever you have)
1/2 cup steel cut oats
1/2 cup grated carrots (about 1 medium carrot)
1/3 cup raisins
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
dash of kosher salt
1/4 cup coconut flakes
1/2 tbsp orange zest (optional*)

*Note: I'm not the biggest fan of orange zest, so though I used it this time around, I think I'd skip it next time.

What to do:

In a large bowl, combine the oats, grated carrots, raisin, spices brown sugar, vanilla and salt.

Bring the water and milk to a gentle boil in a saucepan. Stir in the oat mixture and return to a boil.

Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, tilt the lid to partially cover the pot, and cook, without stirring, for 25-30 minutes, to yield a soft yet chewy consistency.

Remove from the heat, stir in the coconut and zest and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes.

Serve warm with a sprinkle of maple sugar flakes.

PEAR CRISP

I am a huge fan of crisps. The balance of fruit with crumbly topping gets me every time. We were hosting a dinner this past weekend and a crisp seemed like the perfect December dessert - warm, hearty and delicious. I've tackled peaches and apples already, so I decided to try out something new. I was amazed with how the pear stayed firm while baking, adding a rather refreshing crunch.

PEAR CRISP // 9x9 square dish

Adapted from Pastry Affair

Preheat oven to 375.

Ingredients:

5 large Bosc pears, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp butter, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp bourbon, optional

1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, room temperature

What to do:

Place the chopped pear in a large bowl and set aside.

Heat a small skillet on medium. Combine the brown sugar and butter and mix until blended and melted. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla. Pour the mixture over the pears and mix well. Transfer the pears to the glass dish and drizzle the bourbon on top.

For the topping, combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Using your hands, break the butter into clumps and spread throughout the mixture. Sprinkle the crumble on top of the pears.

Bake for 40-50 minutes, until bubbly and golden on top. Serve hot.

PISTACHIO PECAN POPPY SEED GRANOLA

Sunday afternoons have become my granola time. I take a little trip to Kensington Market to stock up on bulk dry goods, and then whip up a little container of granola for the week. This week's trip to Kensington also included a little stop at one of my favourite stores to treat myself to an apron and new dish towel...oh the small joys.

PISTACHIO PECAN POPPY SEED GRANOLA // makes enough for the week

Inspired by Always with Butter

Preheat oven to 300.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups rolled oat
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup pistachios
3 tbsp poppy seeds
2 tbsp brown sugar

1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup honey

What to do:

Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl;
In a small pan, melt the butter and honey until it begins to boil;
Pour hot mixture into the bowl and mix well to combine;
Spread mixture onto 2 parchment-lined baking sheets;
Bake for about 30 minutes, checking and tossing regularly in 10 minute intervals.