spiced pecan bunches of oats

I have to say, one of the hardest things about giving up sugar is finding the time to cook up healthy sweets. Snack foods can be particularly difficult, since it's not always easy to tote a smooshy pastry or a couple of melty truffles. My sweet tooth was kicking in before class the other day, and I had just a little time to pull together an easy snack.

A little of this, and a little of that...and suddenly, my kitchen gave birth to the healthy version of Honey Bunches of Oats.

I took these to school to crunch on straight from the bag, but I was later inspired to eat them with some unsweetened almond milk. I promptly decided to quadruple my recipe the next time I make them.

And quadrupling would work just fine, because this recipe is sized for one, the perfect serving for a few hours away from home.

With such a small batch, measuring the spices doesn't make much sense. Go with your gut (and your gut will probably tell you, more spices are better).

Spiced Pecan Bunches of Oats

Ingredients:

1/2 cup oatmeal

1 tbsp raw pecans

1 tbsp white whole wheat flour

dash of salt

cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom, to taste

1 tsp coconut oil

2 tsp water

3/4 tsp baking powder

12 drops stevia

splash of vanilla extract

1 tbsp unsweetened non-dairy milk

To make a gluten free version, replace the flour with 1 tbsp ground flax seeds. I needed to add about a tsp more almond milk, and had to work a little harder to make my pieces, but the ones pictured have this substitution, so it can be done! If anyone tries a better substitution, leave a comment!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix the oatmeal, pecans, flour, salt, and spices in a small bowl. In another bowl, melt the coconut oil, then add the water, baking powder, stevia, and vanilla extract. Pour into the dry mixture and stir until well combined. Add the milk, and stir until a sticky dough forms. Drop small blobs of dough onto a baking sheet. Bake for 13-15 minutes, depending on how toasty you like your pecans. (I prefer very toasty.)

P.S. Don't you just love the smell of a blooming hyacinth? I think the reason flowers smell so magical is to remind us to breathe deeply. And they're so beautiful so we remember how miraculous life is. And each whiff of my pretty pink hyacinth reminds me to relax and enjoy life a bit more. =)