Yummy Oatmeal Squares

I found this recipe on another site,  Oh She Glows, and while it was good, the addition of Nutella and the removal of the banana has made these bars particularly outstanding. So here's the recipe with my changes.


Oatmeal Squares

2.5 cups rolled oats, divided
3 Tbl chia seeds
1/2 cup + 1 Tbl ground flax
1 tsp cinnamon (we like cinnamon, so it's a heaping tsp)
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1.5 cups milk (any kind; I've used almond and cow with the same results)
1/2 cup maple syrup or any liquid sweetener (I've used molasses and honey)
heaping spoonful or three of Nutella or peanut butter or almond butter, etc
1 Tbl vanilla
*side note: did you know that most vanilla contains corn syrup? I was shocked! Now I buy Spice Islands brand, which contains no corn syrup)

1. Preheat oven to 350 and spray an 8 inch square pan or line with parchment paper (why is that stuff so oversized? Why isn't it the same size as wax paper?)

2. In a blender or food processor, blend 1 cup of the oats until a flour forms.

3. In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients first, and then add the wet and stir until combined. Taste the batter and add more sweetener/nut butter to taste. Add nuts if you like.

4. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth out. Bake for 35-40 minutes until it springs back slowly when touched. Baking time will vary. Cool before cutting.

The kids don't really like these, but the husband and I think they are yummy. They're filling and a good snack.

Trees are amazing

I'm sitting on a bench at Civic Park while the boys climb and jump and have a great time on the play equipment. A maple tree shades most of he area, which is a good thing because it is H.O.T. this morning. When I took my walk this morning at 6, it was 79*.  Yep, pretty sweat-inducing. Now, it's 93, but not here in the shade. It's actually quite pleasant.

But trees....they are one of the most amazing things in Creation. Look at all they do: provide shade, food, building materials, writing materials, peace, and let's not forget beauty. Everyone's yard looks better with a tree or six. :)

Instead of taking trees for granted, take a moment to really notice the trees today. It's the small details that can give a lot of pleasure sometimes.

Too long

I can't believe it's been well over a month since I posted an entry. (You'll notice I didn't say 'since I blogged'.  I despise the word 'blog' and all of its incarnations.)  What can I say? It was the usual stuff, life, lack of interest, lack of a subject, yeah yeah, whatever, right?

So we finally broke down and turned on the A/C, which promptly broke at the beginning of July. Nice, eh? But we were really blessed and got a new motor without it costing us anything. God is pretty amazing!

I've been outside mostly, and I don't do a lot of writing during the summer, so I'm not sure when I'll write again. Heh.

Here's some photos of what's been going on this summer:

Our one head of broccoli--delicious! Next year I'm going to plant a ton of it.

K's wildflower garden. The finches love it.

A recent visitor.

 I'd add more photos, but my stupid camera's date is messed up and I'm tired of trying to find the picture I want! Frustrating!  Hopefully I'll update sooner next time. :)