Well Hello There!
I apologize for my prolonged absence from posting - more on that here - but I am finally back and so pleased to share a recipe we make daily for our sweet Estere, who has now been home 7 months! I just want to say that even though I titled this recipe toddler-approved oatmeal, kids of all ages and adults will enjoy it, too.
This recipe was not my original creation; all of the credit goes to my friend Alanna over at The Bojon Gourmet with her super seeded oatmeal recipe. After I made Alanna's nutrient-dense version, I fell in love with oatmeal all over again and knew it would be something we would be feeding to our daughter once she came home. What I did not realize at that moment was that parents of toddlers do not have the time nor the brain power to put together this many ingredients everyday just to make a single bowl of oatmeal. So I decided to create a large batch mix of this amazing oatmeal that would last us for weeks and keep me from being tempted to by those prepackaged store-bought versions. And of course I had to add cardamom to the mix because it is one of my favorite spices!
This is one of the simplest meals you can make for yourself or child that takes only 5 minutes to prepare. An added bonus is that it is packed full of everything a child needs to stay healthy, strong and tantrum-free.
Estere asks for this oatmeal every day and still loves it all of these months later!
oatmeal ingredients
8 1/2 cups quick cooking certified gluten-free rolled oats
1/2 cup chia or flax seeds
1/2 cup hemp seeds
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup dried fruit of choice - currants are my favorite!
1/2 cup sliced almonds - substitute pumpkin seeds if you don't want to add nuts to your mix
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup coconut palm sugar - only use if you will not be adding honey or maple syrup to sweeten your oatmeal
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 tablespoon vanilla bean powder
1 tablespoon cardamom
1 teaspoon sea salt
optional additions/substitutions
raw cacao nibs
buckwheat groats
honey or maple syrup
fresh or frozen blueberries or other fruit of choice
Add all of the ingredients above directly to a 3 liter mason jar and shake like the dickens or alternatively add the ingredients to a large mixing bowl, stir to combine and then scoop into a large mason jar.
To prepare, measure out 1/2 cup of the oatmeal mix and add to a pot filled with 3/4 cup milk of choice - add your frozen fruit at this time if using. Turn the heat to medium and let simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, let cool slightly and then feed your hungry toddler.
"There is no doubt that some plant food, such as oatmeal, is more economical than meat, and superior to it in regard to both mechanical and mental performance. Such food, moreover, taxes our digestive organs decidedly less, and, in making us more contented and sociable, produces an amount of good difficult to estimate."
~ Nikola Tesla
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