MIXED BERRY OVERNIGHT OATS

For my boy, the day before Kindergarten:

This all felt like a lifetime away when you were teeny tiny and now, cliche as it sounds, it feels like it snuck up on me. Older folks will tell you ‘it goes by quickly,’ and when you are in those early years of parenting, it feels like no such pace. Yet, as we’re on the eve of the first day of kindergarten, and you’re trying on polo shirts and getting a larger lunchbox and reviewing how we handle conflict with friends that should maybe be a liiitttllleee less physical than how you bicker with your spicy little sister, and it truly does feel like a wildly quick, albeit full, five years.

It likely all went unnoticed by you, but deciding where to put you for school this year has caused me all sorts of worry and stress and back and forth. Knowing that we have a choice in this shows immense privilege and I do not take that for granted. I hope one day you see that going to school with daily support from your teachers and parents to learn and grow is a gift not everyone gets. I will remind you of that when it feels hard to hustle out the door or do homework when you just want to play. I wanted to choose what would be best for you but I also see now that I was protecting myself, as well.

Should we hold him back? He cries easily. He’ll be the youngest.

Should we drive further to the better school? I want him to have friends close to our house.

Do we do this or that Spanish immersion school? It will be frustrating for him, different, more difficult, he’ll be behind.

I could talk myself into and out of each option on any given day. In the eleventh hour, we grabbed the last spot at the dual immersion school you are heading to and buddy, I feel really good about it.

I am overly empathetic with you and your sister, and it is tough for me to rise above your emotions sometimes. As an adult, I hope that will read as an extension of my deep affection for you, but in these young years, I know that you look to me for stability. When you cry about getting a shot, I probably shouldn’t cry too ;) If you come home unhappy from school, I would blame myself for making the wrong choice, and I think I was trying to find some way to avoid that. But here is what a wise mentor reminded me: it is not my job as your parent to make everything easy and comfortable for you. A child who does not learn how to work through hard things themselves, how to rise to the occasion and figure things out, won’t have those necessary skills to handle difficult things as they grow up and out of our care.

My job is to support and love you and encourage you - to protect you, yes, but not from a challenge. I want to step in when I see someone take your sand toy at the beach or your sister rages at you, but I also want you to be confident that YOU know how (or can learn how) to handle those circumstances on your own. It may not soak in until I am gone or you are a parent yourself, but I hope that you look back on your experience of me and see that I truly did the best I could to parent you. That doesn’t mean it will all look right by you, and I’ll be the first to say I’ve messed up, and will continue to, but I truly do delight in you. You are loved so completely by your family.

I know that you are kind. I know that you are a good friend and will stick up for your people. I know that you want to be silly and make people laugh. I know that you are incredibly curious and so bright, Curran. From here on out, school will be a big part of your life and is just as much an education in people as it is in every other subject. Ask questions. Include people. Do your best. Choose grace. Speak up for yourself and others. “Cool” is temporary, “nice” leaves an actual impression - be nice.

Home is always here. You will forever have a cheerleader in me. I love you so much, my baby.

- Mommy

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MIXED BERRY OVERNIGHT OATS

Makes 6 small servings

I admit I am not really a fan of cold oats, but my kids love these. I did not invent overnight oats, but these are the ratios we’ve been using for a creamy, pudding-like texture. It will looks thin at first, but that liquid is absorbed by the oats and chia to thicken the situation. My kids love carbs; but this adds some fiber and protein and healthy fats so they don’t have a blood sugar crash.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups nut or oat milk
1 cup plain yogurt (dairy-free varieties work too!)
2 Tbsp. ground flax
2 Tbsp. chia seeds
2-3 Tbsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
pinch of salt
1 lb. of mixed berries - blueberries, chopped strawberries, cherries etc.

for topping

yogurt
cocoa nibs
toasted coconut
toasted nuts
granola

instructions

In a large mixing bowl, combine the milk, yogurt, flax chia, maple and vanilla and stir well to combine. Add the oats, cinnamon, a big pinch of salt and mix. Stir in half of the berries. You could also just top with the berries, but I find my kids don’t try to pick at it if the berries are just non-negotiably in there.

Transfer the overnight oats into portioned containers and pop them in the fridge for two hours or overnight.

The next morning, garnish with remaining berries, more desired toppings and enjoy!
Oat cups will keep in the fridge for 3-5 days.

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Sara Forte 2019-08-19

Mixed berry overnight oats

6

An easy, grab and go breakfast with oats and fruit, whether you're going back to school or out the door to work.

• 1 1/2 cups nut or oat milk
• 1 cup plain yogurt (dairy-free varieties work too!)
• 2 Tbsp. ground flax
• 2 Tbsp. chia seeds
• 2-3 Tbsp. maple syrup
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups old fashioned oats
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• pinch of salt
• 1 lb. of mixed berries
• yogurt
• cocoa nibs
• toasted coconut
• toasted nuts
• granola

188 calories5 grams fat2 grams satFat0 grams transFat32 grams carbohydrate14 grams sugar6 grams fiber26 grams netCarbs6 grams protein

In a large mixing bowl, combine the milk, yogurt, flax chia, maple and vanilla and stir well to combine. Add the oats, cinnamon, a big pinch of salt and mix. Stir in half of the berries. You could also just top with the berries, but I find my kids don’t try to pick at it if the berries are just non-negotiably in there.

Transfer the overnight oats into portioned containers and pop them in the fridge for two hours or overnight.

The next morning, garnish with remaining berries, more desired toppings and enjoy! Oat cups will keep in the fridge for 3-5 days.

PT15M

 

PT12H

american

Breakfast

breakfast, simple, kid-friendly, gluten free, dairy free

PEANUT BUTTER GRANOLA BARS

peanut butter granola bars . sprouted kitchen

Besides that I adore it staying light much later, I regret it hasn't felt incredibly summery over here. We have done a few picnics by the beach, my shoulders are tanned and I'm eating my weight in fruit, but I can't say I have felt this season. I think it's easier to see summer with kids or a school schedule, as these three months are marked by a break in routine. Now it's nearly Labor Day, the holiday that reminds us summer is fading, I just now feel called to be more present in this time. Maybe I'm not in school and my work demands carry on just as they did in the spring and winter past, but I want to be here. It's likely not just summer I'm needing to witness, I think it's the curse of the (primarily) self-employed that there is always something to do, which takes away from rest and presence. There is so much wonderfulness to take in if we'll stop and pay attention. I wish I'd stop and pay attention. Luckily September and October are my favorite months around here. Time to suit up and jump in. 

I keep tinkering with granola bar recipes to find just the right texture. Typically, I use brown rice syrup in granola-type bars, but wanted to try the maple route this round. I will say that the rice syrup creates a stickier bar, making everything hold together more easily. The maple is great, but expect the bars to be more loose and fragile. I added a few more dates and peanut butter in the written recipe than the photos reflect so they stay together a bit better. I toast the oats for a little extra favor, but otherwise these guys are no-bake, so they yield a chewier bar, not the crispy shattering sort. You can play around with the nut or seed butter, maybe a different dried fruit besides dates, but it's nice to have a tasty snack for your beach bag or lunch box. 

peanut butter granola bars . sprouted kitchen

PEANUT BUTTER GRANOLA BARS // Makes 12 in an 11x7 pan

An adaptation from Minimalist Baker

I used a 7x11inch dish. Try to use something close, they will be thinner bars in a 9x13 or super thick in an 8x8. 

• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• 2 cups crisp rice cereal
• 1/2 cup almonds
• 2 Tbsp. chia, buckwheat, flax seeds or a mix of these (I used this blend)
• 2 cups pitted dates (about 14 large Medjool dates)
• 1/2 cup maple syrup or brown rice syrup
• 1 cup natural peanut butter (or nut or seed butter of choice)
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• pinch of sea salt
• 4 oz. dark chocolate

peanut butter granola bars . sprouted kitchen

peanut butter granola bars . sprouted kitchen

Preheat the oven to 350'. Toast the oats on a baking sheet for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the crisp rice, almonds, seeds, cooled oats and stir to mix. Chop up the dates well to make a chunky paste (this could be done in the food processor but I hate cleaning it for one small task). If your dates seem dry, add a splash of warm water to get them tacky. Think toothpaste sort of texture.

Warm the maple, peanut butter, cinnamon, salt and stir to mix. Pour the PB mix and dates over the dry ingredients and mix everything together, breaking up the date clumps with your hands to disperse. Just get your hands dirty, you need a big sticky heap.

Line a 7x11inch pan with parchment paper. Press the mixture down in an even layer, using the bottom of something flat to push the mixture down tightly as possible.

In a double boiler or a glass bowl over a pot of simmering water, melt the chocolate until smooth. Drizzle the chocolate (or spread it evenly) on top of the bars. Chill in the fridge for one hour before cutting. Keep covered in the fridge for optimum freshness or wrap them individually and store in the freezer.

The bars will keep for about 5 days in the fridge.

peanut butter granola bars . sprouted kitchen

MAPLED CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

It was my birthday earlier this week. It was smushed in between two trips to New York (Hugh has a wedding in Brooklyn this weekend), just after Mother's Day, the same week as my nieces birthday and nearly every female on my mom's side. I worked at Trader's most of the day and we had an excellent dinner in LA at Baco Mercat. I didn't need a bunch of celebration this year, there has been plenty going on and I just wanted to take account for the last 29 years. It kind of snuck up on me. My "twenties" have been abundant in experience - so many milestones and lessons and challenges and rewards and love and growth have been a part of this decade. I know I still have a year left, and not for a second do I believe my life is dramatically changing at the turn of a number, but still, there's only one year left! It has been so quick - but not - and somehow completely sufficient. I probably say this every birthday, but time fascinates me. How change is so sweeping in retrospect, but most of the time, you don't even notice the evolution of it.

These cookies actually don't have the slightest thing to do with my birthday but they need to be shared and we are celebrating. Ashley makes incredible cookies, and when I want to play around with a cookie combination or in this case, add something for my maple-loving husband, I use her recipe as a base and go from there. You really must try the original, but with the little bits of oats, tenderness from almond meal and the gentlest nudge of maple, I think I am calling this the "house cookie." I picked up some Valrhona feves, saving them for cooking glory, and they make the most gorgeous streaks through the cookies once baked. If you do try them, and even if you make a change of your own, just stay close to the oven. There is a time and place for a crispy cookie, but these babes are best consumed warm and just barely underdone.

PS. If you are in New York City this weekend, we will be at Posman Books in Chelsea Market on Sunday around 1pm signing cookbooks. It isn't an organized event, but we're signing their stock while in town so stop by and say hi if you'd like!

MAPLED CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES // Makes 18 small cookies

An adaptation of Not Without Salt's Almond Chocolate Chip Flax Cookies

Don't going searching high and low for chocolate feves, but I will say that they melt gorgeously in the dough. A chopped up bar of good-quality chocolate should work too.

If you need the cookies to be free of the glutens, a GF blend will work in place of the ww flour. Ashley's original gives you the option without the egg. I know maple extract isn't a pantry staple, but it's pretty fantastic and makes these cookies have a carmely-maple hint. This batch was made with maple flakes as well if you prefer a crunchy bit along with or instead of extract.

• 1 stick/ 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup muscavado sugar
• 1/2 cup turbinado sugar
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 tsp. maple extract
• 3 T. maple flakes (optional)
• 2/3 cup almond meal
• heaping 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
• 2/3 cup white whole wheat flour
• pinch of cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips/chopped chocolate

Heat the oven to 350'.

Cream the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. Add the egg, sea salt, vanilla and maple extracts and mix again to combine well.

In another bowl, mix the almond meal, oats, white whole wheat flour, pinch of cinnamon and baking soda together. Add the dry to the wet mixture and stir until almost combined, being careful not to overmix. Add the chopped chocolate and give it one more stir to combine. Allow the mixture to chill for at least 20 minutes, or covered overnight. 

Place your cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet or silpat, leaving space between for them to spread. Bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating pan halfway through, until the centers are barely set. They will appear underdone, this is good. Allow them to cool and enjoy.