Here’s why the cocoa powder (“chocolate”) is important:

Chocolate is rich in flavanols, which in addition to having antioxidant qualities, have potential influences on vascular health, such as lowering blood pressure, improving blood flow to the brain and heart, and making your blood less susceptible to clots.


Sometimes the processing of the bean ends up killing the flavanols, which strips the chocolate of its nutritional-powers and other times it’s laden with sugar and milk to get rid of the bitterness, which totally defeats the health purposes of eating chocolate … Your best bet is to reach for the dark varieties, which are likely to be higher in flavanols.

So here are the ingredients you’ll need to make 2 servings of these super-special Chocolate Raspberry Overnight Oats:

1 cup rolled oats (GF if necessary)
1 T of Unsweetened CocoaVia (about 1 packet) or Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 T chia seeds
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1-2 T pure maple syrup (depending on how sweet you want it)
1 cup greek yogurt of choice
1 cup raspberries

Now just follow these easy preparation steps:

1. In a jar combine rolled oats, cocoa powder, chia seeds, almond milk and maple syrup.


2. Seal jar and give it a good shake before storing in the fridge overnight or for at least 6 hours.


3. To serve, put a 1/4 cup of greek yogurt into each bowl or cup, top with a 1/4 cup of raspberries and then a 1/4 of the oatmeal mixture.


4. Repeat process until both bowls or cups have been filled.

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Source: Davida Kugelmass

The post Quick-and-Easy OVERNIGHT OATS with Chocolate and Raspberries appeared first on Top Morning Recommendations.

(1) Mix oatmeal with a bunch of healthy ingredients in a bowl,
(2) bake, and
(3) store in the fridge or the freezer.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make a dozen full-sized Baked Oatmeal Bites:

2 1/2 cup rolled oats (you can substitute gluten-free oats)
1 cup almond milk or milk of choice
1 cup apple sauce
1/2 cup wheat germ (optional; skip if making gluten-free)
1/2 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut, plus more to top (optional)
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons melted & cooled coconut oil or neutral oil such as grape seed
2 tablespoons chia seeds (you can substitute a whisked egg)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional; if you love cinnamon, add up to 1/2 teaspoon total)

This recipe is endlessly adaptable. Stir in nuts, seeds, coconut, cranberries, wheat germ, spices, or even left over roasted, mashed sweet potato! I use almond milk, which keeps this dairy free, but use whatever milk you like. If you’re not concerned with keeping this recipe dairy-free and you don’t have (or want to use) chia seeds, skip them and substitute a whisked egg. You can also use gluten-free oats if that serves you well, just be sure to skip gluten-ful add-in’s like wheat germ.

Now just follow these easy steps to make these delicious and nutritious Baked Oatmeal Bites:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin pan with liners; set aside. Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl and mix using a wooden spoon or silicone spatula.

2. Scoop oatmeal “batter” into prepared muffin pan filling each well 3/4 to the top. Sprinkle each “muffin” with coconut if desired. Bake for 25 minutes.

3. Allow oatmeal to cool completely before wrapping for storage. These will last 3-5 days in the fridge and 3 months in the freezer. Thaw and/or warm through in the microwave or oven before serving.

TIP:

Make a double batch. A handful go into the fridge for the week, the rest go into the freezer for breakfasts through the month and the occasional school lunch. They’re tasty enough to make an after-school snack, too, and are a wonderful early finger food.

Stacie show how to make these in the short video, below.

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Source: Stacie Billis

The post Popular Bake-Ahead BREAKFAST OATMEAL BITES (Video) appeared first on Top Morning Recommendations.

Follow this recipe when you have a half-hour to spare, and then store the results in the freezer so they’re ready to go every morning for a wholesome breakfast for the whole week ahead!

All is explained in the video, below!

Here are the basic steps to follow to prepare a whole week’s worth of breakfasts in advance:
 
 

1) Cook bacon and hash browns on stove or griddle (cook hash browns in bacon grease)

2) Crack eggs into muffin pan and mix until scrambled

3) Add bacon hash browns and cheese then mix together

4) Bake in oven at 375 degrees for 14 minutes

Watch the video, below, for more details and to see how it’s done!

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The post Easy MAKE-AHEAD BREAKFASTS for a Whole Week! (Video) appeared first on Top Morning Recommendations.

(1) Mix oatmeal with a bunch of healthy ingredients in a bowl,
(2) bake, and
(3) store in the fridge or the freezer.

Continue on to the next page to see the full list of ingredients and her how-to video …

Next Page »

The post Grab-and-Go: Bake-Ahead Oatmeal Bites (Video) appeared first on Top Morning Recommendations.

This recipe is also easy to customize with different fruits or sauces. Use a big loaf of french bread, or any other bread for this recipe and follow these steps:

1. Cut your bread into one-inch-thick slices.


2. Whisk together:

• 9 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups of milk
• 2 tbsp of vanilla
• 1/2 tsp baking powder.

Continue on to the next page to see the remaining steps and to watch Lindsay’s “how-to” video …

Next Page »

The post Prep-Ahead! Easy Overnight FRENCH TOAST (Video) appeared first on Top Morning Recommendations.

Next Page »

The post Top 5 Overnight Oatmeal Breakfast Treats (Video) appeared first on Top Morning Recommendations.

2 1/2 cups rolled oats
5 teaspoons chia seeds
2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
5 teaspoons maple syrup
5 tablespoons raisins
5 tablespoons sliced almonds
2 1/2 cups soy or almond milk (save for the night before)

If you’re avoiding gluten, use gluten-free oats.

Continue on to the next page to see the nutritional values and preparation instructions …

Next Page »

The post Flavorful OVERNIGHT OATMEAL with Cinnamon, Raisins & More appeared first on Top Morning Recommendations.