Oats- Banana blender waffles (Gluten, Sugar & Dairy free)

Category: Kids Breakfast

Preparation Time: 5 mins 

Cooking Time: 10 - 15 mins

Servings: 3

Hey there! I’ve got another healthy waffle recipe for you. 

These days, I’m a big fan of blender waffles and pancakes. You just throw everything in the blender, blend it up, and voila! Waffles or pancakes are ready. It’s so easy, right?

Well, I was on the hunt for some easy but healthy protein-rich breakfast recipes, and I stumbled upon this one. I’ve tried it a bunch of times now, and I’ve tweaked it a bit to suit our taste preferences. It’s become one of our favorites!  

And guess what? We don’t add any dairy here - no milk, yogurt, or even dairy-free milk. And the best part? No added sugar or sweetener either and also using gluten free oats. These banana oat waffles are packed with nutrients and can even be packed for kids’ lunches or snack boxes. They’ll keep you full until your next meal!

I’m always on the hunt for yummy, quick, and healthy breakfast ideas to kickstart our days. It’s like a culinary adventure! 

Oatmeal Nutella Smoothie (using home made Nutella)

Category: Breakfast/ Oats 
Preparation Time: 5 mins  
Cooking Time: 5 mins  
Servings: 1-2 servings

Oatmeal Nutella Smoothie

Oatmeal Nutella smoothie is a quick and easy on the go breakfast / after school snack for the kids. 

Store-brought Nutella is loaded with refined sugars and palm oil, so I never buy it. This is made with home made Nutella and you can find the recipe here: Home made Nutella.

Home made Nutella with Almonds

Ingredients:

• Oatmeal (Quick cooking or old-fashioned) - 1/2 cup
• Milk / Non-dairy milk -  1 and 1/2 cups (Use as needed)
• Home made Nutella - 1-2 Tbsp (Use as needed)

Optional Add-ins:

• Dates 
• Soaked Chia seeds
• Apple 

Cinnamon flavored Oatmeal

Category: Breakfast/ Oats   
Preparation Time: 2 mins    
Cooking Time: 3-5 mins    
Servings: 1-2 servings

Cinnamon flavored Oatmeal

 Ingredients: 

• Oats (Quick cooking or old-fashioned) - 1/2 cup
• Milk, boiled and cooled -  1 cup (adjust as per requirement)
• Cinnamon powder - 1/2-1 tsp (adjust as per requirement)
• Honey - 1 tbsp / as needed

Method:

1. Cook oats with milk; Since I used quick cooking oats, I cook in microwave for 2 mins
2. To the cooked oatmeal, add Cinnamon powder and mix well
   
3. Drizzle honey as per required sweetness and mix well
   
4. Serve warm!
   

Apple-Banana Oats Smoothie

Category: Breakfast/ Oats   
Preparation Time: 5 mins    
Cooking Time: 2-5 mins    
Servings: 1-2 servings

 Ingredients: 

• Oats (Quick cooking or old-fashioned) - 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup
• Milk / Non-dairy milk -  1-2 cups (adjust as per requirement)
• Ripe Banana - 1 no, peeled & chopped
• Apple - 1 no, peeled & cubed
• Cinnamon powder - 1/2 tsp
• Chopped nuts - for garnishing (Optional)

Milk with fruits might not suit for some people and in that case we can use non-dairy milks like almond milk or coconut milk.

Spinach Oats Adai

Category: Adai
Preparation Time: 15 mins + Soaking Time
Cooking Time: 1-2 min per adai
Servings: 4-5 servings

Spinach Oats Adai

Ingredients:

For Soaking:

• Idly Rice - 1/2 cup
• Brown Rice - 1/2 cup (Can be replaced with Raw Rice)
• Oats - 1 cup
• Toor Dhal - 1/3 cup
• Channa Dhal - 1/4 cup
• Whole green Moong Dhal - 1/4 cup
• Masoor Dhal - 1/4 cup

Other Ingredients:

• Spinach leaves, washed - 2 cups
• Green chillies - 2-3 nos (Adjust as per spice level)
• Ginger - 1 inch piece
• Salt - to taste
• Sesame Oil - as required for preparing adai
• Vegetable Toppings (Optional) - We can use finely chopped small onions or grated carrots

Method:

1. Wash & Soak Rice and Dhals together along with Oats for about 3-5 hrs or overnight
   
2. After soaking, grind the mixture in blender / mixie to a little thick batter. The consistency should be slightly grainy similar to our usual adai batter and keep aside
3. In a blender add the washed spinach leaves, ginger and green chillies and grind to a smooth paste with little water
4. Mix the spinach paste into the rice-dhal mixture; add required salt and mix well
   
5. Heat Tawa and grease it. Pour a ladle of adai batter and slightly spread it. If we want on crispier side, we can make it thin like our normal dosa
   
6. Pour few drops of oil around the corners and cook covered for few seconds 
7. Once it gets cooked on one side, flip it over and cook the other side too
   
8. Transfer to plate and serve hot with your favourite side dish.
9. Spicy Garlic or Tomato or Onion Chutney will be a good choice with this adai:)
   

Traffic Light Oatmeal Cookies (Eggless)

 Category: Baking
Preparation Time: 10 mins  
Cooking Time: 11-14 mins
Servings: Yields 10 cookies

Traffic light Oatmeal cookies

                            

Traffic Light Oatmeal Cookies are very appealing and a yummy treat for the little ones:) and this one is adapted from my oatmeal-raisin cookies. Though having Candies is not very healthy, very occasional treats are considerable;) and with the goodness of oats and wheat it becomes healthier. This is an eggless recipe and also does not use any baking powder or baking soda. Also it has the goodness of whole wheat flour. They are crispy outside and little chewy inside:) If we dont want the cookies to be on the sweeter side, we can even reduce the sugar by 2-3 tbsp. 

Traffic Light Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:

• Quick Cooking Oats - 1/2 cup
• Whole Wheat flour / Atta* - 1/3 cup
• Brown Sugar - 1/3 cup
• Butter, softened - 1/4 cup
• M&M Candies (Green, Yellow & Red Coloured ones) - 30 (10 in each colour)
• Milk - 1 tbsp (adjust as per the consistency of the dough)
• Vanilla extract - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - a pinch

*Whole Wheat Pastry flour can also be used

Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies (Eggless)

Category: Baking
Preparation Time: 10 mins  
Cooking Time: 11-14 mins
Servings: Yields 1 dozen cookies

Oatmeal-raisin Cookies are perfect snacks for kids and this recipe does not use any baking powder or baking soda. Also it has the goodness of whole wheat flour. They are crispy outside and little chewy inside:) If we dont want the cookies to be on the sweeter side, we can even reduce the sugar by 2-3 tbsp. 

Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies

 Ingredients:

• Quick Cooking Oats - 1/2 cup
• Whole Wheat flour / Atta* - 1/3 cup
• Brown Sugar - 1/3 cup
• Butter, softened - 1/4 cup
• Raisins - 1/2 cup
• Milk - 1 tbsp (adjust as per the consistency of the dough)
• Vanilla extract - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - a pinch

*Whole Wheat Pastry flour can also be used

Method:

1. Take out the better from the refrigerator and keep at room temperature atleast 1-2 hours before preparation, so it gets softened
   
2. Measure and keep the other ingredients ready
   
   
   
3. Pre heat oven to 350 F for atleast 10-15 mins
4. In a wide bowl, add the softened butter and brown sugar, beat it well to form a creamy texture
   
   
   
5. Add in the Vanilla extract and beat it well
6. Now add the oats, wheat flour, pinch of salt to the butter-sugar mixture and mix with hands to form a dough consistency; If its too dry, add 1-2 tbsp of milk to it to reach a dough consistency
   
7. Gently fold in the raisins to the dough and mix well
   
8. Make small uniform balls, flatten it gently and place it in cookie tray. Ensure it is not crowded and leave at least 1/2 inch  space between the cookies 
   
9. Keep the tray in the pre heated oven and allow it to bake for 11-14 mins till the outer edge started to turn golden brown
   
10. Once its done, remove the tray and allow it to cool for 5 mins before taking out into cooling rack 
11. While taking out, the cookies will be very soft and upon cooling it becomes bit crisp, Then store it in air tight container

Home made Granola

Category: Breakfast / Baking
Preparation Time: 10 mins 
Cooking Time: 25-35 mins
Yields: Around 5 cups 

Home made Granola

Homemade Granola is always better than the store bought sugar loaded ones. When we make at home, we can use our favourite add in combinations and flavours, also will have a control on the amount of sugar going in it. 

Crunchy and Yummy!

We can avoid the sugar and just use the maple syrup alone. Since Honey shouldn't be heated, I am not using honey in the granola.

Home made granola can be had as a breakfast, snack, topping for the overnight oats, Oatmeal, muffins,etc.,

 Ingredients:

• Oats (Rolled / Old-fashioned) - 3 cups
• Dry fruits & Nuts, chopped - 1 1/2 cups
• Brown Sugar - 2 Tbsp
• Maple Syrup - 1/4 cup
• Salt - a pinch
• Coconut Oil /  any cooking oil - 3 Tbsp
• Vanilla extract - 3-4 drops
• Almond extract - 1-2 drop (Optional)
• Coconut flakes - 1/4 cup  (Optional)

Note: 

• 1/2 - 3/4 tsp of ground Cinnamon can be used instead of Vanilla / Almond extracts
• Dry fruits and nuts are as per our liking and any combination can be used

Granola ready to be baked

• We can use almonds, walnuts, pecans, dry dates, dry figs, raisins, pumpkin seeds, coconut flakes, sunflower seeds, etc.,

Method:

1. Preheat Oven to 320 F. Take 3 cups of old fashioned oats in a bowl, Instant oats cannot be used here
   
2. Chop the nuts and dates into small pieces, raisins can be added as a whole
   
3. In a small bowl add Oil, Vanilla extract, almond extract(if using), salt and mix well
   
4. In a wide bowl add the oats, chopped dry fruits & nuts, brown sugar and mix well
   
5. Add the oil mixture into the oats and mix gently
6. Add maple syrup 1 Tbsp at a time and mix gently till it gets coated evenly
   
7. Grease the baking pan and transfer the granola mix into the baking pan
   
   
   
8. Bake for around 15-20 mins in the pre heated oven (320 F)till the oats started to turn golden brown. After 10 mins of baking, mix gently every 5 mins for even baking
   
9. After 15-20 mins, add in the coconut flakes, mix gently
   
   
10. Continue baking for another 5-10 mins
    
11. Once its done, take out of the oven and allow to cool
    
12. Upon cooling, the oats become crispy
13. Store it in air tight container
    
14. Enjoy as a snack or breakfast or as a toppings in oatmeal, muffins,etc.,
    

Carrot-Oats Payasam

Category: Indian Sweets / Desserts
Preparation Time: 5 mins 
Cooking Time: 20-30 mins
Servings: For 3-4 persons

Carrot-Oats Payasam

 Ingredients:

• Carrot, grated - 1 no (around 1/2 cup tightly packed)
  
• Milk - 3 cups (I used full cream milk)
• Oats - 1/3 cup (I used the old-fashioned oats)
• Sugar - 1/3 cup
• Cardamon powder - a pinch
• Ghee - 1 tbsp
• Cashews, chopped -5-6 nos
• Walnuts, chopped - 7-8 nos
• Raisins - 10-15 nos 

Method:

1.  Dry roast oats for around 5-6 mins and keep aside
   
2.  Heat 1 tsp of ghee in a heavy bottomed pan and add in the grated carrot and saute well for 5 mins
   
3. Add 1 cup of milk and allow the carrot to get cooked in medium flame by stirring often
   
4. Once the carrot gets cooked and become soft, add the remaining 2 cups of milk and allow to boil
   
5. Once it starts to boil, add in the roasted oats and allow to cook for 5-8 mins
   
6. Then add cardomom powder and sugar, mix well and cook in low flame for 8-10 mins
7. Meanwhile in another pan, heat ghee and roast the cashews and walnuts till it becomes golden brown and add in the raisins and switch off
   
8. Add the roasted nuts and raisins over the payasam and switch off
   
9. Serve hot or keep it in refrigerator and serve chilled 
   
10. For low calorie version, we can avoid ghee, nuts and even sugar and follow the same recipe with just oats, carrot, milk and cardamom powder