Easy Oatmeal Muffins

Ingredients
1 cup milk
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 egg
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt

Directions
Step 1
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.

Step 2
In a small bowl, combine milk and oats; let soak for 15 minutes.

Step 3
In a separate bowl, beat together egg and oil; stir in oatmeal mixture. In a third bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir flour mixture into wet ingredients, just until combined. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups until cups are 2/3 full.

Step 4
Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
Add-ins: coconut, blueberries, etc.

Pot Roast and Sweet Potatoes

Originally found here. 

Ingredients
1 ½ to 2 pounds boneless beef chuck roast
2 tablespoons oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
3 sweet potatoes, peeled and quartered
⅔ cup beef broth
¾ teaspoon celery salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water

Directions
Step 1
In a skillet, brown roast on all sides in hot oil; drain. Place onion and sweet potatoes in slow cooker; top with roast. Combine broth and seasonings; pour over all. Cover and cook on low setting 7 to 8 hours or on high setting 4 to 5 hours.

Step 2
Place roast on a serving platter, surrounded with vegetables; keep warm. Combine cornstarch and water in a small saucepan; add one cup of juices from slow cooker. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly continue cooking and stirring 2 more minutes. Serve gravy with roast.

Vegan Sticky Sesame Chickpea Recipe

 Original recipe here.
I made it as the listed recipe, but also added chicken.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes 

Servings: 4 servings\

INGREDIENTS
 
2 cans chickpeas
3-4 large cloves garlic
1 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
1.5 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1/3 cup low sodium tamari or soy sauce
3 tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp rice vinegar
1/2 tsp ground ginger or 2 tsp fresh grated ginger
1 tbsp arrowroot powder
4 tbsp low sodium vegetable broth water (divided)

INSTRUCTIONS
Drain and rinse the chickpeas and set aside. 

Mince the garlic and add to a sauté pan with the avocado or olive oil. I suggest using a garlic press so it's very finely minced and you don't end up with any large pieces in the sauce.

Sauté for a few minutes or until the garlic is very fragrant. 

In a small bowl combine the arrowroot powder and 2 tbsp of the vegetable broth and mix until no clumps remain. Set aside.

To the sauté pan with the garlic, add in the low sodium soy sauce, sesame oil,
maple syrup, rice vinegar, ginger, and the additional 2 tbsp of vegetable broth. Whisk together. 

Add in the arrowroot mixture and stir. 

When bubbles start to form, add in the chickpeas and stir until they are well coated. 

Cook on low heat until the sauce becomes thick and sticky, about 5 minutes. stirring occasionally.

Remove from the heat and let sit to allow the chickpeas to absorb all of the flavor. 
Serve with steamed broccoli, quinoa, or my instant pot rice and enjoy!

NOTES

Arrowroot powder can be subbed for any other thickening agent such as corn or tapioca starch. However, I prefer arrowroot and think it yields the best results. 
Tamari is the gluten free version of soy sauce, but regular soy sauce will also work. If you are gluten free, just ensure you use tamari. Be sure to use low sodium or this can get way too salty!
If the sauce does not thicken properly after 10-15 minutes, add in an additional tablespoon of arrowroot powder. 
Once prepared, this recipe will store in the fridge for about 5 days. 
The maple syrup can be subbed for honey if desired or even brown or coconut sugar. You can also lower the amount if you are looking for a lower sugar option.

Crock Pot Swedish Meatballs

https://www.thecountrycook.net/crock-pot-swedish-meatballs/

Ingredients

1 (10.75 oz) can cream of mushroom soup, low sodium
1 (14 oz) can beef broth, low sodium
1 packet dry onion soup mix
2 tbsp A1 steak sauce
1 2 lb bag frozen meatballs
1 cup container sour cream
1 (16 oz) package egg noodles

Instructions
In a 5-6 quart slow cooker, mix undiluted soup with beef broth, onion soup mix and steak sauce.
Stir well.
Then add in frozen meatballs.

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high 3-5 hours.
After meatball mixture has cooked, stir in sour cream.

At this time, put a pot of water on the oven to boil for your egg noodles (make according to package directions.)
Drain noodles well when done.
Mix noodles and meatballs together or serve meatballs on top of noodles.

Notes from Heidi:
Gluten free if made with GF meatballs & served with rice or potatoes.
I no longer add the onion soup mix - it made it too salty.
I usually use Greek yogurt at the end instead of sour cream.
I have also made this whole thing on the stove-top.

Almond Joy Granola

Here is another great recipe from the incredible Holly Z.
Decadent and SO yummy - this granola is a treat with milk, on yogurt, or solo.

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Almond Joy Granola

2 1/2 c rolled oats
1 c coconut flake (sweetened or unsweetened is fine)
1 c slivered raw almonds
3 T sugar (turbinado if you have it)
1/4 t salt (i often add a little more at the end as well)
1/4 c coconut oil
1/4 c almond butter
1/3 c maple syrup (can sub agave or honey, but I prefer the taste with maple syrup)
1/3 cup dark chocolate bar chopped or chips (i often use mini semi-sweet morsels because that's what I have)


Preheat oven to 340º F

Mix oats, coconut flakes, sugar, salt, and almonds in a large bowl.

In a small skillet over medium low heat, warm coconut oil, almond butter, and maple syrup and stir until combined. Pour over dry ingredients and mix well

Spread mixture evenly onto a large baking sheet. I used parchment to line the baking sheet for easier cleanup later. try not to crowd the granola too much.

Bake for 20-25 minutes. Stir halfway through cooking time to ensure even cooking

The coconut oil helps the granola crisp up nicely, but watch carefully towards the end as it can brown quickly.

Once granola is visibly browned, remove from oven and let cool completely.

Once cooled, add chocolate and toss to combine.

Martha's Corn-kernel Cornbread

Original recipe here!

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
 1 cup all-purpose flour
 1 cup cornmeal
 1/4 cup sugar
 2 teaspoons baking powder
 1 teaspoon salt
 1 egg
 3/4 cup milk
 1 cup frozen corn

Directions

 Step 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put butter in 8-inch square baking pan or 9-inch ovenproof skillet; place in oven just long enough to melt butter. In a bowl, stir together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir in egg and milk until just combined. Stir in frozen corn.

 Step 2
Spoon batter into prepared pan, and spread evenly. Bake until golden, 30 minutes in pan or 20 minutes in skillet.

Miranda's Magical Dressing

She made kale, and it was incredible.
Her secret?

A dressing of three equal parts:
Lemon juice
Sesame oil
Soy sauce (or Bragg's Aminos)

Delightful!