Oatmeal Spice Cookie Bars

Baby, it's cold outside.

As I was walking to school, my ankles and feet were aching. Yes, aching. 

By the time I got inside, I was sure they needed to be amputated.

Over-exaggerating? I think not. Take a look for yourself...

Today's high was 8 degrees F. Tonight it's going to get down to -4 degrees.
But I can't complain too much because my family went to church in -10 degree weather last week.
It's at those times when I am grateful that I don't live in Wyoming anymore.

Let me tell you something though. When the weather is cold, there is something I do best.
I bake treats.
Tasty tasty treats.
All for me (and my husband too, if I am feeling nice enough).
And today I made Oatmeal Spice Cookie Bars.

Oatmeal Spice Cookie Bars

• 1/2 cup quick oats 
• 1 cup raisins 
• 1 cup almonds (I tried 1/2 cup almonds + 1/2 cup sunflower seeds...super tasty)
• 1 teaspoon honey (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• a pinch of salt (to taste)

In a food processor or blender, add in the oats, raisins, and nuts. Pulse the blades until coarse crumbs form. Turn off machine and add in honey, vanilla and salt. Blend well. 

Take out mixture and place in a bowl or into your hands. Form the mixture into a ball, using your hands. (It should look and feel like cookie dough at this point.) Press dough into a sprayed 8x8 pan. 

Cut into squares and place in a ziploc baggie. Store in the freezer or fridge.

(inspired by this girl)

As for me, I am going to go warm up with a blanket, some cookie bars, and a good book.
Stay warm, everyone!

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Dough Larabars

I love cookie dough.

WAY more than cookies.

Okay, so I do have a chance of dying because of the salmonella it contains...

...but I am willing to take that risk.

But guess what?

This recipe contains no eggs.

So you can eat as much cookie dough as you want.

FREEDOM!

Move over salmonella, and let me eat my cookie dough.

Oatmeal raisin cookie dough is my fav.

By far.

You know what else is cool?
This cookie dough is healthy.
Gluten-free. Dairy-free. Sugar-free. Vegan.

Oh yeah, and it's super duper tasty.
And have I mentioned addicting?
That one too.

Have you ever had an obsession?
I have.
Actually, I have a lot of obsessions...and buying multiples of one type of product is just one of them.

This is similar to my collection of Larabars.
I decided that I had to buy every flavor of these gluten-free goodies.
I just couldn't live without them.
Yeah, I am weird.
Note: I did not take this picture, but it is very similar to my hodge-podge of Larabars.
Anyway, I was motivated.
Motivated to stop spending my money on these little guys and start making some of my own for WAY cheaper.
I had to start making dough in order to start saving dough, ya know? Ha.
I am so punny :)

Thanks to Chocolate-Covered Katie, my life is a lot easier.
I love her.
Haha.
But seriously.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Dough Larabars

• 1/2 cup raisins
• 6 tablespoons oats (gluten-free)
• 1/2 cup almonds
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 teaspoons agave (feel free to sub-in honey or maple)

1. Pulverize the oats in a food processor.
2. Add all other ingredients and blend very well. It should have the consistency of cookie dough.
3. Form into balls or bars.
4. Store in refrigerator. (They should last from 1 to 2 weeks.)

This recipe makes about 3-5 Larabars.
I recommend doubling the recipe.
Trust me, you will want to. Yes, they are that good.

COOKIE DOUGH!

Dear Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Dough Larabars,

I love you.

Please continue being delicious.

That is all.

<3 Sarah

Baked Apple Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal

Okayyy ... life. is. good.
I have to keep telling myself that.
You know when you go through a spell of trials (call it bad luck or fate) and you feel like they are never going to end?
Well that has been my life lately.
But now my life is getting better, and I am just waiting for something bad to happen.
Waiting...just waiting.
Life is too good.
I am doing well in school.
I love my friends.
I am feeling healthy.
I live in an awesome house in a chill neighborhood.
I am hardly EVER bored.
I am finding joy in simple things (hearing the crickets at night, sitting out on my porch watching the world go by, seeing the bright smile of a child...)

Something bad has to happen soon, right?

In the meantime, something good just happened...General Conference! Yes. I loved every minute of it.
PLUS + my best friend Carl came and visited me for the weekend. It was a lot of fun to have him here.

Here we are being crafty and making pizza box paintings. Katie, Iggy, and Carl.

The finished products! Apparently, everyone liked mine the best, BUT Carl's was pretty dang good. [insert laughter here]  Katie just had to show off her Canadian roots :)  And as for Iggy, well...I will just say that maybe that is the way they do art down in Argentina.

So we woke up Saturday late, and I mean LATE. We woke up around noon. Yes, you heard me right, NOON! I NEVER sleep in, so that was a huge deal. Ha.

Sunday, we did a little better. We woke up at 11 a.m.

As you can see, Carl was still exhausted...

 Watching Conference. Look closely and you will see Carl asleep in the computer's reflection. Teehee :)

 Yes, this is an awful picture of me without makeup and looking dirty with unkempt hair. But do I care? Not at all. Watching Conference is about sitting in your PJ's all day and being lazy.

Prepare yourselves, this next part is exciting...

In between sessions Carl helped me put new road tires on my bike. Okay so he put on the tires and I watched him. But seriously, I built and painted that bike and I am so over working on it!

 Do you see that blue rim. Yep, I painted that.

And then I decided to make something delicious...

Baked Apple Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal.

Oh yes. Swirls of cinnamon, chunks of apples, sprinkling of raisins, all with a drizzle of almond milk, vanilla, and maple? Come to mama.

Almond milk. Get some.

Baked Apple Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal

1 cup old fashioned oats

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Pinch of salt

1/4 cup maple syrup, plus more for serving

1 cup milk (I used almond milk, but any kind will work)

1 large egg

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 apple (any kind), peeled, cored, and diced into 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 cup raisins

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease or spray a 2-quart casserole dish with either butter or cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, toss together the oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.  In a separate small bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, milk, egg, the melted butter, and the vanilla.
3. Place the diced apples in a single layer in the bottom of the prepared casserole dish.  Sprinkle about two-thirds of the raisins over the top of the apples, then cover the fruit with the oat mixture.  Drizzle the milk mixture over the oats, making sure to distribute the milk as evenly as possible.  Sprinkle the remaining raisins over the top of the oats.  Bake the oatmeal for 35-45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the oats have set.
4. Remove the oatmeal from the oven and serve hot with more maple syrup and almond milk.
5. Die from happiness :)

To say the least, Conference was much needed. 

And I gotta admit, life is pretty darn great.